DANIEL GEORGE MOYE

(1920-1975)

Daniel George Moye

Daniel George Moye was tragically killed in a car accident on 7 January 1975, together with his wife Joan. Their younger daughter Helen died the following day.

Dan Moye was born at Wagga Wagga on 28 July 1920. He was Dux of his primary school, of his high school, and graduated from Sydney University in May 1941 as B.Sc. with First Class Honours in Geology and Mineralogy. He was a University Medallist. After a period as a university demonstrator he joined the Geological Survey Branch of the Mines Department of New South Wales in November, 1941. From April 1942 to October 1944 he was on loan to the Ministry of Munitions as a chemist in the Chemical Defence Section of the Munitions Supply Laboratories, Maribyrnong, Victoria. He returned to the Geological Survey for 2 years before joining the Sydney Water Board as a geologist in 1946.

On December 1949, at the invitation of Mr. W. Hudson (now Sir William), he joined the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority as Head of the Engineering Geology Branch. In this position he played an important part in the engineering of every project, and in the process he made the name of the Authority well-known throughout Australia and the world in matters pertaining to engineering geology. He also trained a staff of highly skilled and experienced engineering geologists many of who are now in the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation. Many more are making valuable contributions in this field throughout Australia and also abroad.

While with the authority he made a number of overseas trips, initially to study various problems encountered elsewhere and the methods to overcome them, and later as a Consultant to a number of civil engineering projects in other countries. In 1962 he was invited by the University of California to be a visiting Professorial Fellow for one year. During this year he lectured in engineering geology, and in the comparatively new field of rock mechanics.

During this period with the Authority Dan Moye made many contributions to the technical literature of engineering geology and rock mechanics, and presented papers to learned societies and conferences in Australia and in other countries.

Following an invitation by Sir Ian McLennan to join the Broken Hill Proprietary Company as Director of Exploration, Dan Moye took up this position in March, 1967, and had complete responsibility for mineral exploration undertaken throughout Australia.

It was under Dan Moye's leadership that the BHP's exploration interests and projects were expanded into New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Timor, Indonesia, and with his guidance BHPs exploration team became the largest of any Australian company team operating in these areas.

Dan Moye was a brilliant geologist. His practical contributions to science, engineering and mineral exploration in Australia have been widely recognised. He was meticulous in all he did and exerted great powers of disciplined reasoning and general thoroughness. His own standards were high and these were firmly impressed on all those whom he trained and with whom he associated.