BIOGRAPHY:

l have always been passionate about natural history.

When asked what first drew my attention to the art of taxidermy, l recall, as a child, my first glimpse of a large stuffed Snow Owl encased in a glass dome, staring down at me from the sideboard of my grandparents home in Melbourne. The bird had been purchased for the sum of five pounds by my great grandfather who had owned a second hand dealers store many years ago. This bird was eventually passed down to my father and subsequently onto myself. 

From  the age of seven, l began keeping and breeding birds.  At that time of my life, l lived on a farm with my two brothers and two sisters.  As country kids we were always active, either bird watching, catching minnows in the local creek or rabbiting around the farm for pocket money.  They were fond times to grow up in.

In 1973, we moved from Melbourne to Shepparton; a growing city in country Victoria where the entire family expanded their interests in all matters of wildlife, building aviaries for birds and taking every opportunity to go fishing or hunting whenever the opportunity arose.

It was during this period that my father had cause to take a prime male Black Duck to a local taxidermist operating in the neighbouring town of Tatura.  l was fascinated with the final result and immediately set about subscribing to a correspondence course in taxidermy that was advertised in an Australian magazine.

At the age of fourteen, l completed my first specimen, a rabbit head, pickled in methylated spirits and mounted using a cleaned skull worked over with coconut fibre and plaster.  l was rather proud of this early attempt at taxidermy, but sadly, such specimens pickled in methylated spirits seldom last very long and within a couple of years it had deteriorated and was lost.

But, the seeds had been sown, and with further encouragement from my parents, l endeavoured to read as much as l could about taxidermy before attempting another mount. 

When l  was sixteen years old I attempted my next mount; a Sambar Deer taken by my older brother.  l recall my mother driving to McDonald's Gun Shop in the Western suburbs of Melbourne to purchase glass eyes for the mount.  They cost twelve dollars for the pair, which in 1976 was an appreciable amount of money to invest in supplies for a boys hobby.  l vividly recall nursing them during the return  journey home as if they were rare fragile eggs.

The family returned to Melbourne in 1977 where l continued my interest in taxidermy which was fuelled by the support of my parents.  Being involved in aviculture, l had no shortage of people donating specimens to me to work on, and it became an ambition to put together a collection of Australian parrots.

Yearning for all the information that l could find on taxidermy, l was kindly given the details of a magazine publication in the USA called Taxidermy Review by my long time friend and college in taxidermy, John Kruger of Queensland.  Edited and published by Joe Kish of the USA, l  absorbed every piece of information contained within its covers.

In 1983, l received a small publication through the mail entitled "Breakthrough" which advertised the details of the forthcoming World Taxidermy Championships to be held in Atlanta, USA.  Published by Jim Hall and Bob Williamson of Polytranspar Paint Systems, l needed little convincing to take leave entitlements from my employment to attend this inaugural event.

The World Show  became the turning point of my taxidermy career.
Not only was l able to witness one of the greatest taxidermy events of the time, but l was also fortunate to be amongst some 600 plus taxidermists talking freely of shop - a far cry from the industry situation back home in Australia.  l was also fortunate to make the acquaintance of many taxidermy greats, the likes of Tony Gilyard, Frank Newmyer, Toby Hart, Joe Kish, Kenny Asproth, Matt Thompson and a host of others involved with the industry.

In March of 1984, as a result of this international exposure, l was offered employment at John Robinson’s Taxidermy in Morwell Victoria, which l gratefully accepted.  Recently purchased by a successful businessman with an interest in hunting, John Robinson’s Taxidermy had been relocated into spacious new premises complete with modern showrooms and working facilities.  Sadly, the operation failed to gain any momentum and after 6 months l resigned from the company and found myself back at home in a 10 ‘ x 8 ‘garden shed, although this time without my public service employment behind me for support.

Within a short period of time l obtained employment at Fauna Taxidermy in Melbourne.  It was a high production,’’ medium” quality establishment - a formula which proved very successful for its owner, but one that l felt l could not entertain for the rest of my career.  Within 6 months, l bid a mutual farewell but continued in a cordial relationship with the owner on a sub-contractor basis that was to span the next 10 years.

ln 1987, l  married and settled down in Melbourne's suburbia, where naturally, a double garage was constructed.  It was not for the purpose of housing vehicles but for use as a taxidermy workshop.  l have fond memories of that era. 

Business grew rapidly, and the neighbours were often treated to a  "Noah's Ark"  procession as exotic animal mounts were wheeled out from the garage and onto the driveway to allow space for the day's work.

By 1992, my taxidermy business had grown with the influx of Australian hunters returning from international hunting, so much so that l was no longer able to work effectively within the confines of my urban back yard.

Once again l stood at the crossroads of my career and duly elected to take the next step of relocating my business into commercial premises in a neighbouring suburb - Thomastown.  It was a daunting prospect, moving from the security of a home industry and into full blown commercial premises along with all of its operating expenses, but one which offered the opportunity  of expansion and privacy. 

The tide of business was such that l  was able to cope effectively with this transition and soon found myself in the position of hiring both full and part-time staff to assist in the ever-growing workload.

For the next seven years, the business continued to develop and the company changed names from Gary Pegg Taxidermy to South Pacific Taxidermy in 1997. This was a reflection that the efforts produced by the firm were that of a team commitment and not just purely of an individual.

l continue to actively mount game and birds of all imaginable shapes, and every day marvel at the complexity of the creatures l work upon.

And some day l still hope to finish the collection that  l started all those years ago............