In 1908, the declaration of Wilsons Promontory National Park, located on the southern tip of Victoria came after intense lobbying by naturalists and scientists in Melbourne.  The Committee of Management appointed to oversee the national park was made up of representatives of these organisations and included a government public servant, AA Peverill from the Lands Department. Peverill, the son of a Charlton farmer, served as Honorary Treasurer of the Wilsons Promontory Committee of Management until his death in 1931. He became Under Secretary of the Lands Department and the Chief President of the Australian Natives Association (ANA) of Victoria.

At a time of strong national development, Peverill’s ideological views about the wise use of Crown lands influenced early decisions about Wilsons Promontory National Park and surrounding land. Peverill’s dual role as a government officer managing Crown land and as a conservationist is representative of the period from 1900 when attitudes towards the Australian environment shifted from uncontrolled exploitation. International moves towards conservation, particularly from America, were well known to progressive ANA members including Peverill, who exemplifies the scale of influence of an individual as the global movement adopted by the advocates for national parks is enacted at the local level.