Dr Hereward Kesteven was a physician and medical scientist. Born in Fiji, his family migrated to Australia when he was very young, and he was educated at the University of Sydney. During his life, he moved frequently between Sydney and Queensland, working in varied fields and exploring his passion for zoology with honorary roles at the Australian Museum. Between 1942 and 1946 he was director of medical services for the Allied Works Council (AWC), with particular responsibility for the Civil Construction Corps, the area of the AWC established to build defence infrastructure for Australian, U.S. and British forces in Australia during World War II. He died in Brighton, Queensland in 1964.