Colin was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and after a youth spent bush-walking and spear-fishing was trained in a Zoology and Palaeontology.  He spent the late 60's and early 70's in Berkeley, California, acquiring his PhD in studies of marsupial evolution and the ecology of inland Australia as it was 17 million years ago.    

The seeds of environmental concern were planted in the Berkeley years, and a professional fascination with extinction processes led him to an ongoing focus on climate change and conservation issues. 

While living in Canberra Colin also served as a member of the national committee of the Australian Democrats, at a time when they held balance of power in the federal senate.  Anticipating a move to activism, he studied environmental law for two years at the Australian National University before returning to Canada in 1998 where he lived on the Sunshine Coast, enjoying trout and salmon fishing on the beaches, streams and small lakes, and working as the Forest Caucus Coordinator for the BC Environmental Network from 2000-2003.

In January 2004 he was elected Chair of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter, and six months later took a staff position there as Marine Campaign Coordinator.  Presently, his time is occupied with climate change outreach on behalf of the Sierra Club and climate change issues in the context of Marine Use Planning.