Person

• Main Author: Wilcock, Arthur Alan
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Academics - Geography; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Wilcock Bay; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/124340

Born in Bendigo, Wilcock completed a B.Sc at the University of Melbourne in 1934 (studying geology, chemistry, natural philosophy, botany and mathematics.) He went on to complete a B.Ed. in 1936 and taught secondary level science. In 1945 he was appointed to a position as lecturer in geography at the University of Melbourne. Over the next 14 years Wilcock energetically persued the teaching of geography within the Engineering, Science and Arts Faculties In 1957-1958 a campaign to create a Chair in Geography saw the position filled by John Anders in 1959. Wilcock was promoted to senior lecturer later holding the position of Reader from 1961 until his retirement in 1978. Wilcock was not only responsible for undergraduate physical geography, but setting and marking the Victorian matriculation examination. Along with a small group of academics, he was instrumental in the foundation of the Geography Department in 1961, which established geography as a full degree course in Australian universities. Wilcock worked on the Antarctic Place Names Committee (1952-1975), Wilcock Bay in Antarctica is named in his honour. His main research, largely unpublished, centred on the study of 17th and 18th century geography.