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Born on October 10, 1929, in Milla Milla in the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, David went on to become a marine scientist, specialising in Oceanography.

He married Helen Ada Reye in Brisbane on March 10, 1954, and had three children Ian, Annabelle and Jeff.

Together they formed the Robertson Environment Protection Society in 1990 and produced the Yarrawa Brush Booklet.

They also retrofitted the community hall, helped save the railway station and established the railway gardens.

David was also the first convenor for the newly formalised Wingecarribee Reconciliation Group in early 1998, where he built a close relationship with Aunty Val Mulcahy and other First Nations people.

A Southern Highlands Greens member, David would donate plants he had grown as raffle prizes and would attend many meetings.

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Former Wingecarribee Shire Councillor and Greens member, Jim Clark remembered David as "one of those people with seemingly boundless energy right into later life, tirelessly working with many community groups to make Wingecarribee a better place and to improve our environment."

"I met David in the early 1990s before the SH Greens were formed and got to know him through a local community group called Canopy as well as REPS and the Society for Growing Australian Plants," he said.

"He put a lot of work into submissions into the inquiry into Peat Mining in Wingecarribee Swamp following the collapse of the swamp and became actively involved in the Reconciliation movement.

"David also was involved with making many submissions to council and proactively lobbied them on the effects of Climate Change as well as successfully lobbying National Parks and Wildlife to build the then new Visitors centre at Fitzroy Falls."

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Fellow Wingecarribee Reconciliation Group member Sally Waterford said he was a firm supporter of First Nation people.

"David was an advocate and supporter of the local Aboriginal community getting its cultural centre, and he celebrated with them when this centre became a reality in July 2009," she said.

"David always supported NAIDOC events.

"The Wingecarribee Reconciliation group is still active today, but many present members and supporters may not know or remember David, the efforts he made to put the group on a solid base, and the support he gave to the local First Nations people.

"Thank you David for all you have done in the Highlands."

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