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Dr. Jonathan King (pictured left at Gallipoli) has been described by The Australian
as:
"A classic storyteller with a passion for history and the events that shaped the Australian
nation - many of which he has brought to life through historical re-enactments".
Inspired by his passion for history Dr. King is an extraordinary Australian who
has led an extraordinary life - and one that his ancestor the 1788 First Fleet
naval officer and New South Wales Governor, Philip Gidley King (who ruled 1800-
1806) would be proud of.
Jonathan King's list of achievements have been many and varied, as he has used
all types of mediums to tell his historical stories over the last thirty years and
campaign to save the environment:
He is an award-winning author of 25 books on Australian History, he has written
thousands of articles for newspaper and magazines, produced and presented
more than 20 TV documentary films, appeared on hundreds of tv shows and
acted as resident historian on many radio programs.
Fighting for the environment since 1988 he helped fund and organize the first national summit of the Australian Conservation Foundation, worked for the United Nations's Environment Program and as director of Sting's Amazon Rainforest Foundation campaigning in both Australia and the Amazon with Chief Raoni of the Kayapo Tribe.
But Perhaps Dr. King's greatest achievements have been his award-winning live re-enactments of
great historical events, including most famously, the privately-funded 1988 Australian bicentennial re-enactment of the First Fleet when he sailed eleven square-rigged tall ships across the high seas from London into Sydney Harbour where three million spectators greeted his fleet on Australia Day 1988 - Australia's largest live spectator event.
In 1988 he was presented with Australian of the Year Award (Victorian division) and in in 1989 the Australian Achiever Award by the Prime Minister Bob Hawke for his fleet which was also voted best event of the Bicentennial Celebrations.
Dr Jonathan King says he has to walk, ride and sail in the wake of Australia's historical figures so he can bring history to life:
"I love telling my fellow Australians about their wonderful history and the best way to get the message across is to re-enact historical events." Jonathan King. |