The Australian Herpetological Society (AHS) was founded, as the Australian Reptile Club, in 1949 and was the first natural history society in Australia devoted specifically to herpetology. In its early days the Society drew together such names as Roy Mackay, Bill Hosmer, John and Ken Dwyer, Henry Hirschorn, Rusty Holmes, Wal Lorking and Kevin Budden (the latter was soon to die from a taipan bite when collecting specimens for an attempt to develop an antivenene). A very young Harold Cogger was a junior member and Eric Worrell was closely associated with many of the early activities. David McPhee also became a member in the early decades.
At the time of the AHSs formation, the only identification guide for any Australian reptiles was the 1929 Snakes of Australia” by Kinghorn