Dr Don Ewart

Click on thumbnails and links for enlarged or expanded content.

Dr Don Ewart died at age 68 on 14 November 2025, following a long battle with cancer. Don was a long-time IRG member, renowned entomologist, and a skilled and innovative communicator through online and in person presentations and interactions. Most importantly, Don was known as simply a really good and friendly person with an open mind and personality.

Don was surrounded by family during his final days, and they encourage people to spend some time remembering Don and the impacts he made on the world, both big and small.

Don graduated from La Trobe University in 1979 with a BSc (Hons) in Zoology and Botany, with a thesis “An investigation of the ecology of subterranean termites which utilize woody litter at Wyperfeld National Park”. His part-time graduate studies at La Trobe University from 1983-88 led to his PhD in Zoology with his thesis on “Aspects of the ecology of the termite Coptotermes lacteus”. Don then did a postdoctoral fellowship in entomology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa during 1990 – 1991.

Not only did Don attend La Trobe University, he also taught ecology there, lectured on forest entomology at the University of Melbourne, as well as general entomology at Monash University. He subsequently became School Chairperson and Head, Human Development Centre, University of Melbourne School of Early Childhood Studies, where he taught widely in science and administrative computing. A return to termites came with a particle barrier project at CSIRO Forest Products, and fifteen years with Granitgard Pty Ltd, which resulted in a mature non-toxic management system and four patents.

In 2009 Don was elected to Chair the Standards Australia Committee for termite building Standards. As the first representative of an environmental organisation to win the support of industry, Don’s leadership delivered revised standards for termite management in existing and new structures. In addition to contract research, expert witness assessment and product development, Don trained and mentored pest managers through formal training delivered for Melbourne Polytechnic as well as industry seminars. In 2016 he founded The Institute of Pest Risk Management to provide support and ongoing education for pest management workers. He had an active web presence in "Dr Don's Termite Pages" (https://drdons.net/)

Don was a member of the IRG from 1994 and was an active member until his death. During this time Don attended eleven IRG meetings and published ten IRG papers – eight of which as the lead author.

Don was known to many, and liked and respected by all. He will be remembered and missed for both his knowledge and for his persona

This memorial was written for inclusion in the November 2025 IRG Newsletter.

.