Australia Day Ambassador
Don Burke
Ambassador for Marrickville Council
Don Burke attended St Aloysius College Milsons Point & then went on to the University of Sydney doing one year in Dentistry, and another year in Agricultural Science. He then went to Ryde College of Horticulture obtaining Honours and Distinction Certificates in Horticulture and Tree Surgery. He subsequently worked for and managed a number of nurseries in the Sydney area). He was also a TAFE lecturer in horticultural science, horticultural marketing and genetics. He has been a guest lecturer in genetics at the University of Sydney’s Veterinary School.
During his time lecturing at TAFE, he was a founding member of:
Year of the Tree, Greening Australia, Decade of the Tree & Sustainable Development Australia
He was also President of the Australian Institute of Horticulture – NSW during which time he initiated the first environmental weeds legislation in Australia.
He later became a board member of Landcare Australia.
He initiated the National Registration Authority for Agricultural & Veterinary Chemicals (now APVMA) for which his primary objective & achievement was to rid Australia of dangerous chemicals such as the DDT family & organochlorines.
He is currently Chairman of the Australian Environment Foundation
Burke’s Backyard on television began in 1987 and after 17 and a half years on air, the final program, “The Last Hooroo”, went to air on November 26, 2004.
Don is editor in chief of Burke’s Backyard magazine which is produced in partnership with Australian Consolidated Press. He has had 13 books published the most recent one being Organic - published in 2009
He was Associate Editor of the leading technical magazine Australian Horticulture from approx 1980 - 1984. During this time he and his wife Marea set up a horticultural marketing company, Backyard Marketing P/L.
CTC Productions Pty. Ltd. was formed in 1990. It is owned and run by Don & Marea Burke. It produced Burke’s Backyard & Backyard Blitz until both programs were axed by the Nine Network in 2004 & 2006 respectively. However, there is now a regular Burke’s Backyard section on A Current Affair on Friday nights as well as being part of the Domestic Blitz team. Burke’s Backyard during its time on air won 6 Logies & 2 People’s Choice Awards. Backyard Blitz also won 6 Logies.
The Burke’s Backyard radio program is on 2UE on Saturday & Sunday mornings and is syndicated to 30 stations around Australia.
Don received the Variety Club’s Award for TV performer of the year for 1990. He also received the Banksia Award for media contribution to the environment in 1996.
CTC Productions has produced a number of documentaries – Listen to the Kids (a look at the play needs of kids), Fatal Instincts (looking at the impact of domestic and feral cats on wildlife) and Wild Sex (looking at various aspects of animal sexual behaviour).
Don is Patron of Retina Australia (NSW) and has been an annual Australia Day Ambassador since 1990.
