Vale Ern McQuillan
The recent death of Ern (1926-2018) has left a deep hole in my life. I had the good fortune to get to know the brilliant photographer and true Australian battler during the last years of his life.
The material in these web pages should indicate more truly than mere words, how interesting and inspiring my time with Ern was. His life experience gave him contact with an immense portion of our recent history – significant figures and crucial events.
His quiet demeanour, his dry humour, and his understanding of the human condition made him a friend of many at all levels of our society. My time with him was a great honour and I shall miss his company.
Royce Levi: October 2018.
Ern’s War Photographs Inspire.
In the last years of World War II, Ern was a military photographer. There are more than a thousand of his images available to us all in the Public Domain of the archives of the Australian War Memorial.
I feel in my bones that you will agree with me – his artistry is an important part of our history and needs to be seen.
A SMALL SAMPLE OF ERN’S WORK
This is such a small sample of the work of Ernest Mervyn McQuillan. So much more deserves a place before our eyes.
You can find a little more of Ern’s story here, and here, and here and here and here.
It’s a wonderful life.
♦♦♦
All images on this site are Ern’s, my own, derived from Wiki Commons or Creative Commons, or from the stated Public Domain. If I have erred in any way, please tell me and I shall immediately fix things.
Thank you for your visit,
Royce
Royce Levi Australian Teacher and Author 
Good evening. I have written a history of Sydney’s bus service, based on my PhD, and wish to include one of Ern McQuillan’s photographs. The State Library of NSW call number is Australian Photographic Agency 01751. Can you please let me know who owns the copyright so I may ask him or her for permission to reproduce the photograph in my book? Many thanks – Peter Hughes.
Ern’s son Mike McQuillan holds the copyrights Peter. I don’t have his address but I know he blogs so you should be able to contact him via the net. Best wishes, Royce.