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remove dead website.

← Previous revision		Revision as of 19:49, 20 November 2025
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	\| children = Aidan <small>(born 1973)</small> <br /> Reagan <small>(born 1976)</small> <br /> [[Death of Azaria Chamberlain\|Azaria]] <small>(June–August 1980)</small> <br /> Kahlia <small>(born 1982)</small> <br /> Zahra <small>(born 1996)</small>		\| children = Aidan <small>(born 1973)</small> <br /> Reagan <small>(born 1976)</small> <br /> [[Death of Azaria Chamberlain\|Azaria]] <small>(June–August 1980)</small> <br /> Kahlia <small>(born 1982)</small> <br /> Zahra <small>(born 1996)</small>
	\| website = ~~{{URL\|www.michaelchamberlain.com.au\|michaelchamberlain.com.au}}~~		\| website =
	}}		}}

imported>Bearcat: no redlinked categories; only categories that actually exist are permitted

2025-05-10T14:56:48Z

no redlinked categories; only categories that actually exist are permitted

New page

{{Short description|Australian teacher and pastor (1944–2017)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Use Australian English|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox writer 
| name = Michael Chamberlain
| birth_date = Michael Leigh Chamberlain {{Birth date|df=y|1944|2|27}}
| birth_place = [[Christchurch]], New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2017|1|9|1944|2}}
| death_place = [[Gosford, New South Wales]], Australia
| occupation = Pastor, teacher, writer
| education = PhD [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]] [[Bachelor of Education#Australia|BTeach]] [[Avondale University|Avondale College]] [[Master of Arts|MA]] [[Andrews University]] [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] [[Avondale University|Avondale College]]
| nationality = Australian, New Zealand
| notableworks = ''Beyond Azaria'' / Michael Chamberlain, Lowell Tarling (1999, {{ISBN|1-86350-277-7}})
| spouse = {{plainlist|
*{{marriage|[[Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton|Lindy Murchison]]|1968|1991|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|Ingrid Bergner|1994}}
}}
| children = Aidan (born 1973) Reagan (born 1976) [[Death of Azaria Chamberlain|Azaria]] (June–August 1980) Kahlia (born 1982) Zahra (born 1996)
| website = {{URL|www.michaelchamberlain.com.au|michaelchamberlain.com.au}}
}}

'''Michael Leigh Chamberlain''' (27 February 1944 – 9 January 2017) was a New Zealand-Australian writer, teacher and pastor falsely implicated in the August 1980 [[Death of Azaria Chamberlain|death of his missing daughter Azaria]], which was later demonstrated to be the result of a [[dingo attack]] while the family was camping near [[Uluru]] (then usually called Ayers Rock) in the [[Northern Territory]], Australia. Chamberlain's then-wife [[Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton|Lindy]] was falsely convicted of the baby's murder in 1982 and he was convicted of being an [[accessory after the fact]].<ref name="casenotes">{{cite web |title=The Trial of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain: A Commentary |year=2005 |url=http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/chamberlain/chamberlainaccount.html |author=Linder, Douglas |publisher=[[University of Missouri - Kansas City]] |accessdate=10 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121044538/http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/chamberlain/chamberlainaccount.html |archivedate=21 January 2011 }}</ref> The findings of a 1987 [[royal commission]] ultimately exonerated the couple, but not before they were subjected to [[sensationalist]] reporting and intense public scrutiny.<ref name="biography">{{cite web |title=Biography of Michael Chamberlain |date=n.d. |url=http://www.michaelchamberlain.com.au/biography.html |author=Chamberlain, Michael |accessdate=10 January 2011 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305001349/http://www.michaelchamberlain.com.au/biography.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="azaria" />

==Early life and pastoral career==
Chamberlain was born in [[Christchurch]], New Zealand, the eldest son of Ivan and Greta Chamberlain.<ref name="biography" /> His father served as a [[warrant officer]] in the [[New Zealand Air Force|Royal New Zealand Air Force]] during [[World War II]], while his mother was involved with the administration of the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] in southern New Zealand.<ref name="biography" />

Educated at [[Lincoln High School (New Zealand)|Lincoln High School]] and [[Christchurch Boys' High School]], Chamberlain commenced studies at the [[University of Canterbury]] but after converting to the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] in 1965, he left and migrated to Australia.<ref name="biography" /><ref name="nightmare" /> He subsequently studied at [[Avondale University|Avondale College]] in [[Cooranbong, New South Wales|Cooranbong]] and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Theology) degree in 1969.<ref name="biography" /> He married [[Lindy Chamberlain|Lindy Murchison]] the same year, after meeting her in 1968.<ref name="nightmare" />

After graduating, Chamberlain worked as a Seventh-day Adventist minister in [[Tasmania]], where Lindy Chamberlain gave birth to two children—Aidan (born 1973) and Regan (born 1976).<ref name="biography" /> In 1977 the family moved to [[Queensland]], where Chamberlain produced and presented a radio program called ''The Good Life'', a commentary on lifestyle and culture throughout the northern parts of the state.<ref name="biography" /> The Chamberlains' third child, daughter Azaria, was born in [[Mount Isa]] on 11 June 1980.<ref name="azaria">{{cite book |title=Chamberlain, Azaria Chantel Loren (1980) |chapter=Chamberlain, Azaria Chantel (1980–1980) |chapter-url=http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130439b.htm |publisher=[[Australian National University]] |accessdate=12 January 2011 }}</ref>

==Death of Azaria==
{{main|Death of Azaria Chamberlain}}

In August 1980, the Chamberlain family holidayed in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], Northern Territory, where Michael intended to fish for [[barramundi]].<ref name="nightmare" /> Lindy Chamberlain, however, had visited [[Uluru]]/Ayers Rock when she was 16 and wished to visit again, so the family travelled there with the intention of camping three days before continuing on to Darwin.<ref name="nightmare" /> The family had several encounters with [[dingoes]] after making camp at Uluru, including on the night of 17 August when Chamberlain fed one a piece of crust.<ref name="casenotes" /> Shortly before 8:00 pm, Lindy Chamberlain put Azaria to bed in their tent and returned to the campfire. After crying out at about 8:00 pm, Azaria disappeared from their tent, never to be seen again.<ref name="azaria"/>

Investigators observed prints on the floor of the tent<ref name="casenotes" /> and bloodstained clothing belonging to the child was later discovered amongst rocks near the base of Uluru.<ref name="azaria" /> The [[coroner|coronial inquest]] in [[Alice Springs]], Northern Territory, in 1981 concluded that the baby had been taken by a dingo; however, this finding was overturned by another inquest in Darwin in 1982.<ref name="casenotes" /><ref name="azaria" /> Lindy Chamberlain was subsequently tried for murder and given a [[life sentence]], while Michael was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and given an eighteen-month [[suspended sentence]].<ref name="casenotes" /><ref name="nightmare" />

During her imprisonment in Darwin, Lindy Chamberlain gave birth to the couple's fourth child, Kahlia (born 1982).<ref name="yahoo" /> Two weeks later, Chamberlain was awarded a Master of Arts degree through [[Andrews University]].<ref name="biography" /> He later attributed his perseverance in studying for the degree during this difficult period as motivated by anger towards the Northern Territory government.<ref name="nightmare" />

The final resolution of the case was triggered by a chance discovery. In early 1986, English tourist David Brett fell to his death from Uluru during an evening climb. Because of the vast size of the rock and the scrubby nature of the surrounding terrain, it was eight days before Brett's remains were discovered, lying below the bluff where he had lost his footing and in an area full of dingo lairs. As police searched the area, looking for missing bones that might have been carried off by dingoes, they discovered a small item of clothing. It was quickly identified as the crucial missing piece of evidence from the Chamberlain case—Azaria's missing matinee jacket.

The [[Chief Minister of the Northern Territory]] ordered Lindy Chamberlain's immediate release and the case was reopened. A 1987 Royal Commission examined the case against the Chamberlains and the science behind key forensic evidence was challenged.<ref name="inquest95">Lowndes, John, [https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100822164200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/51396/20100823-0242/www.lindychamberlain.com/files/1995_Inquest_into_the_death_of_Azaria_Chamberlain.pdf 1995 Inquest Into The Death Of Azaria Chamberlain]{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Coroner for the Northern Territory, Australia, 13 December 1995 (3rd inquest).</ref> On 15 September 1988, the Northern Territory Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously overturned all convictions against Lindy and Michael Chamberlain.<ref name="casenotes" /><ref name="1988 NTSC 64">{{cite AustLII|NTSC|64|1988|litigants=Reference under s.433A of the Criminal Code by the Attorney-General (NT) of convictions of Alice Lynne Chamberlain and Michael Leigh Chamberlain |date=15 September 1988 |courtname=auto}}.</ref> The exoneration was based on a rejection of the two key points of the prosecution's case—particularly the alleged fetal haemoglobin evidence—and of bias and invalid assumptions made during the initial trial.<ref name="nightmare" />

{{cquote|They spelled out that what they meant by quashing the guilty verdicts was not just that we were not guilty, but that we were innocent.|200px||Michael Chamberlain<ref name="nightmare" />}}

Following their exoneration, the Chamberlains' relationship deteriorated and they divorced in 1991.<ref name="suspicion">{{cite web |title=Suspicion dogged Michael Chamberlain |date=10 August 2010 |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/suspicion-dogged-michael-chamberlain/story-e6frea83-1225903639866 |first=Paul |last=Toohey |author2=Fife-Yeomans, Janet |work=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]] |accessdate=12 January 2011 }}</ref> Three years later, Chamberlain married Ingrid Bergner and in 1996 they had a daughter named Zahra.<ref name="biography" />

==Later life==
In 2002, Chamberlain attained a Doctor of Philosophy (education) degree from the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]] for his thesis entitled "The changing role of [[Ellen G. White|Ellen White]] in Seventh-day Adventism with reference to sociocultural standards at Avondale College".<ref>{{cite web |title=Conferring of degrees booklet |date=2 May 2002 |url=http://library.newcastle.edu.au/articles/2477536.31173/1.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830061004/http://library.newcastle.edu.au/articles/2477536.31173/1.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 August 2021 |publisher=[[University of Newcastle, Australia]] |accessdate=10 January 2010 }}</ref> That same year he graduated from Avondale College with a [[Bachelor of Education#Australia|Bachelor of Teaching]] degree,<ref name="biography" /> qualifying him to teach high school English and history.<ref name="nightmare">{{cite web |title=Everlasting nightmare |date=13 September 2008 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/everlasting-nightmare/2008/09/12/1220857835083.html?page=fullpage |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |accessdate=11 January 2011 }}</ref><ref name="yahoo" />

===State election===
Chamberlain stood as a [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|Liberal]] candidate for the seat of [[Electoral district of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]] in the [[2003 New South Wales state election|2003 New South Wales parliamentary election]], achieving a 5.2% swing against sitting member [[Jeff Hunter (politician)|Jeff Hunter]].<ref name="biography" /> However, the swing was not enough to claim the seat and Chamberlain went on to accept a three-year teaching post at an Aboriginal high school in [[Brewarrina]], New South Wales.<ref name="biography" /><ref name="nightmare" /> While living there, Chamberlain was twice assaulted by a man accusing him of murdering Azaria; the man was convicted of assault and jailed.<ref name="nightmare" />

===Teaching career and publishing===
Chamberlain returned to Cooranbong in 2006 and taught at [[Gosford High School]] until 2008, when he retired. In the same year he had published the book ''Beyond Ellen White: Seventh-day Adventism in Transition'',<ref>{{cite book|title= Beyond Ellen White: Seventh Day Adventism in Transition|author=Michael Chamberlain|year=2008|publisher=Post Pressed |isbn= 9781921214257}}</ref> a fully documented book based on his doctoral thesis at the [[University of Newcastle (Australia)|University of Newcastle]]. In 2012, [[New Holland Publishers]] published his fourth book, ''Heart of Stone'', on the eve of the fourth and final inquest into the disappearance of his daughter at Uluru. The coroner declared that a dingo had indeed killed Azaria and apologised to the family for the tragedy and for it taking 32 years to get to the truth. In 2014 the [[National Museum of Australia]] acquired Chamberlain's [[V8]] [[Hatchback]] [[Holden Torana]].<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web |title=The Chamberlains: Where are they now? |year=2010 |url=http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/new-idea/article/-/7644390/the-chamberlains-where-are-they-now/ |author=Fidgeon, Patrice |publisher=[[New Idea]] |accessdate=10 January 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6869395/infamous-chamberlain-torana-part-of-our-lived-history-at-national-museum/|title=Infamous Chamberlain Torana part of our 'lived history' at national museum|date=8 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-19/chamberlain-torana-becomes-museum-piece-for-all-to-see/5674120|title = Chamberlain Torana becomes museum piece|newspaper = ABC News|date = 18 August 2014}}</ref> In 2016, Chamberlain was appointed a conjoint professor at the University of Newcastle. He was a conjoint research fellow in the School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, and Social Sciences.<ref name="biography" />

==Death==
Chamberlain died on 9 January 2017, aged 72, at [[Gosford Hospital]] on the [[New South Wales Central Coast]] due to complications of acute leukaemia,<ref name="death">{{cite news|title=Michael Chamberlain dies from complications of leukaemia|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/michael-chamberlain-dies-from-complications-of-leukaemia-20170109-gtof2g.html|accessdate=9 January 2017|work=The Age|date=9 January 2017}}</ref> and had a farewell service held at the Avondale College's Seventh-day Adventist Church one week later.
==In popular culture==
Chamberlain is portrayed by [[Sam Neill]] in the 1988 film ''[[Evil Angels (film)|Evil Angels]]'' (released as ''A Cry in the Dark'' outside Australia and New Zealand).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.michaelchamberlain.com.au/biography.html Biography on Chamberlain's website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305001349/http://www.michaelchamberlain.com.au/biography.html |date=5 March 2016 }}
* [http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130439b.htm Biography of Azaria Chamberlain] by the [[Australian National University]]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Michael}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian writers]]
[[Category:Australian Seventh-day Adventists]]
[[Category:New Zealand Seventh-day Adventists]]
[[Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Overturned convictions in Australia]]
[[Category:Andrews University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Newcastle (Australia) alumni]]
[[Category:People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School]]
[[Category:People educated at Lincoln High School, New Zealand]]
[[Category:Deaths from acute leukemia]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia in Australia]]
[[Category:Uluru]]

Michael Chamberlain - Revision history

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