Ron Coleman
On Thursday 3 July 2008 Ron Coleman the former Curator of Maritime History and Archaeology at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane and the former State Maritime Archaeologist for Queensland died. Besides being the first State appointed maritime archaeologist he was also instrumental in the establishment of the Maritime Archaeological Association of Queensland in July 1982.
Ron Coleman was a very well known, well published and highly respected archaeologist who worked on and had a serious professional interest in early colonial maritime history, maritime archaeology, Pacific exploration and ship technology. He was especially noted for his work on Jean François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse, HMAV BOUNTY, HMS PANDORA and the British Royal Navy. He oversaw several seasons' excavation work on the wreck site of HMS Pandora, led the first of two Australian expeditions to Vanikoro to exam the sites of
La Pérouse and carried out extensive survey and excavation work on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Sea.
