Professor Michael Gore AO leaves a remarkable legacy. He was founder of the national science institution Questacon in Canberra. The science centre began in an old school building, the unused Ainslie Public School building in 1980, as a project of the Australian National University (ANU). It was staffed by volunteers and contained 15 hands-on exhibits. Professor Gore was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 1983 to study scientific exhibits at major science centres with the aim of increasing the scope of the Questacon science centre in Canberra.
In his Fellowship report submitted on his return to Australia, Professor Gore said “the knowledge which was gathered… in leading science museums around the world will be of immense value to the future development of the Questacon and indeed to science centres and museums throughout Australia. The work that was carried out during this Fellowship has indeed followed on the Churchillian maxim that, "with opportunity comes responsibility". Following the opportunities made available by this fact-finding tour comes the responsibility of using the accumulated knowledge and wisdom to develop the Questacon into a permanent national institution which will be of lasting benefit to all Australians.”
And indeed he did accept that responsibility. A specialist committee of the Commonwealth government was appointed to investigate the validity of establishing a National Science and Technology Centre. Parliament approved the proposal.
In 1988 Questacon opened to the public in a purpose-built building on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, as a lasting memorial to the 1988 Bicentenary of Australia. Professor Gore was appointed founding director. It now features more than 200 hands-on experiences and is visited by more than 500,000 people each year. Questacon also hosts a travelling Science Circus, which has become one of the world's most travelled and recognised science outreach programmes. It has helped bring science to all parts of Australia, including rural and remote areas.
Professor Gore won a number of different awards including Canberran of the Year in 1982. In 2015 he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours, for "distinguished service to science through a range of public outreach, communication and education initiatives on a national and international level, and as a mentor and role model for young scientists".
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