Campbell Whalley

Campbell Whalley has known Dr Jane Goodall for almost 50 years.

When Dr Jane began her studies as a young girl in Gombe, Campbell was the Park Ranger that was in charge of Gombe at the time.

They got to know each other quite well and Dr Jane even named a Gombe chimpanzee after him!

Since then Campbell came to Australia and was a geography teacher at a few schools and spent most of his time at Pembroke College in Adelaide. As part of his work at the school he began taking students up to Marree and commenced a relationship with the Aboriginal School and Pembroke that continues to this day.

Dr Jane and Campbell reunited in 2006 at her first visit to Adelaide, and Campbell commenced a Roots & Shoots group in Marree Aboriginal school - the first in Australia.

Marree Aboriginal School has taken on Roots & Shoots throughout the school from K to Year 12, thanks to the dedication of Campbell, Principal Nicky Prosser and teacher Janine Litchfield.

Campbell lives in Milang and he has also been instrumental in assisting and supporting all the children at the Milang Public School with their Roots & Shoots turtle project. The children, parents and the whole community are saving turtles from the mouth of the Murray Darling river, that are dying due to the increased salinity of the water. Principal Paul Jude and all his students and teachers have saved over 300 turtles so far.

Campbell Whalley is now the National Aboriginal Coordinator for Roots & Shoots Australia, and if you are interested in knowing more or want to chat to him about starting a group in your school please contact Campbell on cjwhalley@adam.com.au.