Hayes, Edward Leo, 1889-1967

Edward Leo Hayes was born on 23 November 1889 at Fredericktown, New South Wales, the son of Edward Martin Hayes, headmaster of the local school, and Brigid Mary Hayes, n©♭e Flannery. In 1911 Hayes began religious studies in the seminaries of Springwood and Manly, New South Wales, and was ordained as a priest in 1918. Hayes' first parish was Ipswich. Between 1930 and 1950 he was Parish Priest at Crow's Nest, Queensland, and between 1951 and 1967 at Oakey. Hayes was a keen student in the fields of literature, geology, entomology and ethnology, as well as collector of books, Aboriginal artefacts and geological specimens.

In 1937, 1938 and 1940 he accompanied the Royal Geographical Society of Australia (Queensland Branch) on expeditions to Carnarvon Ranges as geologist and ethnologist. For his contribution he received the Thompson Foundation Gold Medal from the Society. Hayes donated his extensive collection of books, papers and artefacts to the University of Queensland. He died in November 1967, a few weeks after the transfer of the collection to the University.

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