Patrick Michael Byrne (anthropologist)

He also worked with anthropologist Francis James Gillen at Charlotte Waters, and was a friend of and advocate for the local Arrernte people.

[4][2] Byrne collected ethnographic and natural history specimens, conducting field work amongst and with the local Indigenous Arrernte people.

"[1] Byrne's letters show that he encouraged the local women to catch animals for Spencer, which included specimens of new species.

[1] He also proved himself to be a good field geologist, discovering evidence for Permian glaciation (about 250 million years ago), which was subsequently confirmed by Edgeworth David.

[2] Byrne was also reportedly a blacksmith, and buried his dog at the back of the building in a small grave surrounded by ironwork railings, which still exists.

Following his retirement, he supervised the bore water pump, until his right hand had to be amputated as the result of an accident with the machinery, after a four-day trip to get to the hospital at Oodnadatta.