Biologist, historian, designer and visual effects expert Greg McKee has been researching the Eden story in detail for at least 20 years, travelling Australia studying rare original documents, artifacts and photographs in private collections and recording and interviewing related whaling family members and Eden locals. Greg was a close friend of historian Rene Davidson, grandson of Master Whaler George Davidson, and through Rene’s contacts has interviewed numerous eyewitnesses, including whale-boat crew members.

Greg grew up in Australia overlooking the sea at Bungan Head on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The sea and its wildlife are a continuing inspiration to his life and work.

Greg constantly encountered whales and dolphins whilst swimming and surfing and developed a deep fascination for them.

Whilst still in High school in 1980, Greg and friend Alex Cirrigottis developed a 3.7m high performance planing hull sailing catamaran , the itza cat, which won an Australian design award and was produced and sold in numbers around the world. Greg and brother Bruce built and design-registered step-hull sailing catamarans and sailboards and Bruce McKee produced the world’s first production wakeboard, the “McSki” or “SSS skiboard”.

Greg has a biological science background, having studied zoology at university as well as having an industrial design degree. Greg’s university studies specialised in research techniques, biomechanics and marine technology.

Greg has combined this in-depth knowledge of animals and their movements with industrial design/engineering technology in his work in visual effects for the Film and television industry, designing and building effects for numerous projects including Babe and Babe 2: Pig in the City, The Matrix, Farscape, Peter Pan, StarWars epIII Revenge of the Sith, Nim’s Island, numerous TV adverts and cgi work on Killers in Eden, Saved by Dolphins and Happy Feet.

In 1991 Greg and partners Chris Chitty and Matt Ward founded Robotechnology pty Ltd and produced innumerable works such as the mechanisms for free swimming sharks, a full size 38ft ocean going humpback whale , and masterminded lip synching computer controlled animatronics for Babe. Greg also wrote the technicial submission paper to the Academy of motion picture arts and sciences for the Australian crew. Greg’s colleague John Cox produced the rubber skins to fit over Robotech’s animatronics and received an Academy Award (oscar) for his efforts on behalf of the Australian crew. Since then, amongst many other technical innovations, Greg has further developed sophisticated computer control systems for robotics which also allow performance and playback of facial expressions and accurate lip synch.

Greg has shared his expertise with numerous other companies including the Jim Henson Company, Make-up Effects Group, Neil Scanlan studio, ILM, Lucas Film, Image Creative Partnership(I.C.P.), Animal Logic. and Kennedy Miller

Greg also designs exhibitions, develops projects and has written and illustrated a childrens’ book “Echidna Airways, The Great Wungle Bungle Aerial Expedition.

Most recently, Greg conceived and developed the Orca scene for “Happy Feet” and supervised visual effects for the documentary “Saved by Dolphins”