Les Bursill
Encyclopedia
Leslie William Bursill (OAM) is a Dharawal
(Aboriginal Australian) historian, archaeologist, anthropologist, and publisher, born in Hurstville, New South Wales
, on 4 February 1945. His father Wallace Richard Bursill was serving in the 7th Div AIF in New Guinea at the time of Bursill's birth. Although Bursill is strongly identified with the Dharawal of southern Sydney
(in 2009, he became chair of the Sutherland Shire Aboriginal Advisory Committee), his maternal Dharawal forebears hailed from the area between Kangaroo Valley and the coast near Nowra. Les Bursill was made a Justice of the Peace at Sutherland Court House in 1976, He was awarded the Australia Centenary Medal in 2001 and received an Order of Australia Medal in 2009.
. Nevertheless, he remained in the military beyond his National Service obligations and subsequently received the National Service Medal
and Australian Defence Medal
. After his discharge from the army, Bursill resumed work as a compositor with the Sydney Morning Herald and settled in Engadine
(NSW) where he and his first wife, Barbara Child (died of ovarian Cancer in 2003), had already purchased a home. There they raised a daughter and two sons. Bursill worked a total of twenty-one years with the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review and was Night Manager, Photo-Composing, when he resigned in 1984 to pursue part-time tertiary studies.
and then both embarked on a Master of Letters, at the same university. Les on the anthropology of the Aboriginal people of Sydney, and Barbara in English. They both received an M.Litt in 1993. Over a ten year period he also completed qualifications in Workplace Occupational Heath and Safety, Pharmacology
(effects of drug and alcohol) and counseling. In 1990 Bursill entered the NSW Government. In 1993 he was promoted and moved to the Head Office of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, Sydney, where he made many important contributions in the development of counseling techniques for Aboriginal prisoners with drug and alcohol problems in New South Wales Prisons and published a set of booklets on overcoming violence and alcohol abuse. With Zoe de Crespigny he also presented a paper on Best Practice Interventions in Corrections for Indigenous People in 2001. Bursill attended many conferences in the role of Aboriginal AOD Co-ordinator in Corrective Services.
In 1995 Bursill took two years leave to lecture in Counseling and Mental Health at the University of Sydney
. In 1997 Bursill became a Court Advisor in Bankstown
, assisting magistrates in sentencing decisions, before returning to the Corrective Services Head Office in 1999. In 2005 he became a lecturer in continuing education with the New South Wales Police Service and received a Police Commander’s Award for professionalism in teaching in 2007. Bursill had earlier been awarded the Centenary Medal
and the Public Service Medal (15 years).
, the Illawarra
and beyond. He has personally recorded some 300 archaeological sites in the Sutherland Shire (see St George and Sutherland Shire Leader: Living, no. 4, December 1997). He has served on Sutherland Shire Council’s Heritage Committee since early 2000. He was instrumental in bringing together a catalogue of both archaeological and built-heritage items for the Shire in digital form on CD ROM. For over thirty years he has been a member of the Sutherland Shire Historical Society and has served as its research officer and archivist between 2001 and 2008. Between May 2000 and November 2004, he edited the society’s quarterly bulletin.
In 2007, Bursill was one of the two principal authors (with Mary Jacobs) of a pioneering book on his indigenous community, launched by Bruce Baird
on 5 March 2008.
Reviewing this book, historian Edward Duyker
described it as a ‘community milestone’ and drew attention to the thematic vocabulary compiled by Dr Jackelin Troy and Les Bursill as ‘an important local linguistic resource’ which will and give ‘added meaning to all who seek environmental engagement from a Dharawal perspective’
(after the genus of the Gymea Lily, endemic to the Sutherland Shire and Illawarra). In 2009, Dawn Emerson, a former deputy mayor of the Sutherland Shire, became editor. Bursill, however, has remained publisher. In 2009 he also became an adjunct lecturer at Charles Sturt University
and initiated a ‘Virtual Museum’ (shirevirtual.tk) for the Sutherland Shire. In the same year, Bursill and Mary Jacobs incorporated "Dharawal Publishing Inc" and continue to produce printed and web-based material under that Incorporated imprint.
an organization which cares for the dependents of deceased Australian servicemen
. In June 2010 he was elected as Chairman of the St.George and Sutherland Division of Legacy NSW, he is also presently a member of the Legacy NSW Education Committee. He is a Board member for the Woronora Cemetery trust and a Board Member for the NSW Mental Health Association.
Les Bursill quoted by Paul Bahn
,
“once you accept that this is it, then life truly demands that you do your utmost with what you have here” Atheists Convention Blog 12 March 2010
'Yura marri ngara yanga marri, barrbanga gurlibuwa'
(People become great as they hear and do good things as they learn to copy the proper way of doing things.) Dharawal motto for the Sutherland Shire 'Virtual Museum', 19 July 2009.
Tharawal people
The Tharawal people were the Aboriginal inhabitants of southern Sydney and the Illawarra region in 1788, when the first European colonists arrived. The Tharawal people lived in the areas from south side of Botany Bay, around Port Hacking to north of the Shoalhaven River and inland to Campbelltown...
(Aboriginal Australian) historian, archaeologist, anthropologist, and publisher, born in Hurstville, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, on 4 February 1945. His father Wallace Richard Bursill was serving in the 7th Div AIF in New Guinea at the time of Bursill's birth. Although Bursill is strongly identified with the Dharawal of southern Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(in 2009, he became chair of the Sutherland Shire Aboriginal Advisory Committee), his maternal Dharawal forebears hailed from the area between Kangaroo Valley and the coast near Nowra. Les Bursill was made a Justice of the Peace at Sutherland Court House in 1976, He was awarded the Australia Centenary Medal in 2001 and received an Order of Australia Medal in 2009.
Early career
At 18 years of age Bursill joined the Citizens Military Service (1 Div Pro Coy.) and served in its ranks for some three years. He was then called up for National Service in the Artillery (12th Field Regiment 131 Divisional Locating Co.) in 1966, but did not see action during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Nevertheless, he remained in the military beyond his National Service obligations and subsequently received the National Service Medal
Anniversary of National Service 1951-1972 Medal
The Anniversary of National Service 1951–1972 Medal is a commemorative medal awarded to Australians for their service in post-war national service schemes.There is no post-nominal for this medal.-Description:...
and Australian Defence Medal
Australian Defence Medal
The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service...
. After his discharge from the army, Bursill resumed work as a compositor with the Sydney Morning Herald and settled in Engadine
Engadine, New South Wales
Engadine is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Engadine is located south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire...
(NSW) where he and his first wife, Barbara Child (died of ovarian Cancer in 2003), had already purchased a home. There they raised a daughter and two sons. Bursill worked a total of twenty-one years with the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review and was Night Manager, Photo-Composing, when he resigned in 1984 to pursue part-time tertiary studies.
Studies
Bursill completed a Trades Certificate in Hand and Machine Composing whilst working for William Neville and Co. Printers in Sussex Street Sydney in 1965. He worked as a Compositor for a number of years before moving on to the Fairfax owned Sydney Morning Herald where he was soon promoted to Leading Hand (Facsimile Transmission Section) and then to supervisor. At that time he and his wife Barbara Ann Bursill (Dec. 2003) both commenced studies at Armidale university in 1982/83. They both started and completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Archaeology (Les) and English and Archaeology (Barbara) at the University of New EnglandUniversity of New England (Australia)
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
and then both embarked on a Master of Letters, at the same university. Les on the anthropology of the Aboriginal people of Sydney, and Barbara in English. They both received an M.Litt in 1993. Over a ten year period he also completed qualifications in Workplace Occupational Heath and Safety, Pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
(effects of drug and alcohol) and counseling. In 1990 Bursill entered the NSW Government. In 1993 he was promoted and moved to the Head Office of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, Sydney, where he made many important contributions in the development of counseling techniques for Aboriginal prisoners with drug and alcohol problems in New South Wales Prisons and published a set of booklets on overcoming violence and alcohol abuse. With Zoe de Crespigny he also presented a paper on Best Practice Interventions in Corrections for Indigenous People in 2001. Bursill attended many conferences in the role of Aboriginal AOD Co-ordinator in Corrective Services.
In 1995 Bursill took two years leave to lecture in Counseling and Mental Health at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. In 1997 Bursill became a Court Advisor in Bankstown
Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...
, assisting magistrates in sentencing decisions, before returning to the Corrective Services Head Office in 1999. In 2005 he became a lecturer in continuing education with the New South Wales Police Service and received a Police Commander’s Award for professionalism in teaching in 2007. Bursill had earlier been awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
and the Public Service Medal (15 years).
Archaeological and Anthropological contributions
Bursill has made an important contribution in studying and disseminating knowledge of the heritage of the Dharawal in the Sutherland ShireSutherland Shire
The Sutherland Shire is a Local Government Area in the Southern Sydney region of Sydney, Australia. Geographically, it is the area to the south of Botany Bay and the Georges River...
, the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
and beyond. He has personally recorded some 300 archaeological sites in the Sutherland Shire (see St George and Sutherland Shire Leader: Living, no. 4, December 1997). He has served on Sutherland Shire Council’s Heritage Committee since early 2000. He was instrumental in bringing together a catalogue of both archaeological and built-heritage items for the Shire in digital form on CD ROM. For over thirty years he has been a member of the Sutherland Shire Historical Society and has served as its research officer and archivist between 2001 and 2008. Between May 2000 and November 2004, he edited the society’s quarterly bulletin.
In 2007, Bursill was one of the two principal authors (with Mary Jacobs) of a pioneering book on his indigenous community, launched by Bruce Baird
Bruce Baird
Bruce George Baird, AM , is a former Australian politician.-Early life:Baird was born in Sydney, and was educated at the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, holding a master's degree in business administration from the latter...
on 5 March 2008.
Reviewing this book, historian Edward Duyker
Edward Duyker
Edward Duyker is an Australian historian and author born in Melbourne, Victoria, to a father from the Netherlands and a mother from Mauritius...
described it as a ‘community milestone’ and drew attention to the thematic vocabulary compiled by Dr Jackelin Troy and Les Bursill as ‘an important local linguistic resource’ which will and give ‘added meaning to all who seek environmental engagement from a Dharawal perspective’
Publishing
Bursill produced five pamphlets on Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol issues for NSW Aboriginal inmates to assist them in changing and improving their lives in a drug-free environment. Bursill was elected Editor of the Sutherland Shire Historical Society Bulletin in December 2001 and held that position till late in 2004. Remaining on the executive of the society, he changed positions to that of 'Archivist and Research Officer'. In August 2008, Bursill became the founding editor of a new journal of local history, art and natural history named DoryanthesDoryanthes
Doryanthes is a plant genus of the species Doryanthes excelsa and Doryanthes palmeri and native to the coast of Eastern Australia.These plants grow in a rosette form. It takes more than 10 years for them to get flowers...
(after the genus of the Gymea Lily, endemic to the Sutherland Shire and Illawarra). In 2009, Dawn Emerson, a former deputy mayor of the Sutherland Shire, became editor. Bursill, however, has remained publisher. In 2009 he also became an adjunct lecturer at Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
and initiated a ‘Virtual Museum’ (shirevirtual.tk) for the Sutherland Shire. In the same year, Bursill and Mary Jacobs incorporated "Dharawal Publishing Inc" and continue to produce printed and web-based material under that Incorporated imprint.
Community organizations
He is presently Chairman of the Sutherland Shire Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee. He is a founding member of the Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation and Chairman of Dharawal Publications Inc. He is a community representtive of the Sutherland Shire Council Heritage Committee. In June 2009 he was appointed a legatee (St George and Sutherland) of Legacy AustraliaLegacy Australia
Legacy is an Australian organisation, established in 1923 by ex-servicemen. The organisation has the aim of caring for the dependents of deceased Australian service men and women. The dependants of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Malayan emergency and Vietnam War deceased are cared for...
an organization which cares for the dependents of deceased Australian servicemen
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
. In June 2010 he was elected as Chairman of the St.George and Sutherland Division of Legacy NSW, he is also presently a member of the Legacy NSW Education Committee. He is a Board member for the Woronora Cemetery trust and a Board Member for the NSW Mental Health Association.
Quotes
'Meaning is for those who are ready for it, for those who are trained for it. The rest get pretty pictures'.Les Bursill quoted by Paul Bahn
Paul Bahn
Paul G. Bahn is a British archaeologist, translator, writer and broadcaster who has published extensively on a range of archaeological topics, with particular attention to prehistoric art...
,
“once you accept that this is it, then life truly demands that you do your utmost with what you have here” Atheists Convention Blog 12 March 2010
'Yura marri ngara yanga marri, barrbanga gurlibuwa'
(People become great as they hear and do good things as they learn to copy the proper way of doing things.) Dharawal motto for the Sutherland Shire 'Virtual Museum', 19 July 2009.
External links
- Archaeology of the Dharawal People www.lesbursill.com
- http://www.doryanthes.info
- http://www.doryanthes.info/indexshire.html
- http://oralhistory.sydneyinstitute.wikispaces.net/Les+Bursill
- http://users.tpg.com.au/users/sshists/
- http://www.salc.org.au/index.php/dharawal-resources (431 Kb)