Charles French was appointed Government Entomologist of Victoria in 1889, the first such appointment in Australia. the first section of this essay outlines his career and how he set up the Entomology Branch of the Department of Agriculture. It was here, with remarkable energy and efficiency, that he carried out administrative services and investigations into all aspects of prevention and control while at the same time preparing his monumental Handbook of the Destructive Insects of Victoria. In this he covered the nomenclature, biology and control of 132 insect species with comments that reflect an objective approach and deep insight in relation to biological problems. An account is then given of the evolution of research and development of economic entomology in Victoria on the firm foundations provided by French. the Entomology Branch continued to be the central body for economic entomology in Victoria, conducting research projects for primary industry, investigations on behalf of state authorities and the issuing of recommendations on treatments for a wide range of insect problems affecting industry and the public. A selection of the projects that illustrate the progress of the subject over the past century in Victoria are described. These show a strong trend towards biological methods of control which has been accelerated in recent years by advances in molecular biology and genetics. It is concluded that these, together with ecological and environmental issues, herald the dawn of a new era in this vital subject.
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Tim Hogan (1994) studied this question.