Don Walker

Don Walker was born 24/07/1936; He died in the Perth Hospital on 04/06/2011 after a short illness.

Don was a geophysicist with the 1962 Wilkes Expedition. He was part of the 6-man Wilkes to Vostok siesmic survey;3,000 kms return traverse which lasted 100 days. Along the way he recorded ice thickness of 4,645 meters, the thickest ever measured at that time.

Don’s nickname was ‘Bwana’ from his host of stories of his years in North Africa and discovery of huge oilfields.

I have a fond memory of him playing a Russian piano-accordian in the dining room at Vostok,on the day we arrived there.

Regards, Neville (Gringo) Collins