William Colin Mackenzie

Sir William Colin Mackenzie PRSA FRSE (9 March 1877 – 29 June 1938) was an Australian anatomist, benefactor, museum administrator and director. He was best known for creating Healesville Sanctuary.

Early life Mackenzie was the youngest son of John Mackenzie, a draper, and Anne, née McKay, both of Scottish origin. He was born at Kilmore, Victoria and was educated at the local state school, continuing his education at Scotch College, Melbourne after obtaining a scholarship. He qualified for matriculation with honours in Greek at the end of 1893, and beginning his course at the University of Melbourne soon afterwards, graduated MB, with first class honours in surgery, obstetric medicine and diseases of women and children in 1899. He later took out a BS degree in 1902. It housed Sir Colin Mackenzie’s collection of preserved specimens.

Mackenzie was made the first director with the title of Professor of Comparative Anatomy. In 1924, Mackenzie's book Intellectual Development and the Erect Posture was published and it reproduced his drawings (e.g. echidna and platypus) and his photographs of their brains. The book's dust jacket announced further publications from the National Museum, one on development of human intestines and peritoneum; the other on myology of Australian reptiles, monotremes and marsupials.

In 1931 the Museum was moved to Canberra, renamed, by statute, as the Australian Institute of Anatomy.

Mackenzie was granted permissive occupancy of around 32 ha (80 acres) of bushland at Badger Creek, Healesville, by the State authorities as a field station for his research in 1920. Before vacating the land in 1927, he had fenced it off, built a house for a curator, a workshop, animal pens and a cottage for visiting scientists. He then recommended that the reserve be increased to around 200 ha (500 acres) and be made a national park. In May 1934, the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary was officially opened.

Late life In his later years he did some work in anthropology which was less successful than his anatomical work. He had badly over-worked himself, he had severe blood pressure, and his mind was losing its powers. There was progressive deterioration, and in October 1937 Mackenzie was obliged to give up his position. He returned to Melbourne and died there on 29 June 1938. He was president of the zoological section of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science in 1928, was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and was knighted in 1929. He married in 1928, Dr Winifred Smith, who survived him. There were no children. He founded the Anne Mackenzie Annual Oration at the Institute of Anatomy, Canberra, in memory of his mother, formerly Anne MacKay.

Mackenzie had two brothers who were well-known Australian rules footballers, and he retained his interest in the game throughout his life. In his latest book he suggested that the Australian game was an important element in the health of the community. He was, however, chiefly interested in the relief of human suffering, and the furtherance of science. His work in connection with the after-treatment of cases of infantile paralysis was of remarkable value, as was also his study of the anatomy of the Australian fauna. His monument is his great collection of specimens housed at Canberra, which has since had many valuable additions made to it.