By Peter Hancock
Renowned WA conservationist Harry Butler has died aged 85.
Dr Butler died of cancer in a Perth hospital on Friday.
Best known for his popular ABC TV series In The Wild, Dr Butler popularised both conservation and natural history, and was conservation consultant to the Barrow Island oilfield, among other projects.
The 1979 Australian of the Year was awarded an Order of Australia and named as an Australian Living Treasure in 2012.
Mr Butler's son Trevor told the ABC that he was still coming to terms with his father's death.
"I'm still in shock even though he's been ill, he's a real fighter and has three times defied the doctors' predictions," Mr Butler said.
"The cancer got him eventually but he told me last week when he was ready to go. He was just going to go and that's basically just what he did yesterday. So he went peacefully and quickly but had quite a struggle before that.
"He had been ill for nearly two years but amazingly up until three months ago he was still messing around on the farm and driving a tractor and chopping wood."
Mr Butler told the ABC that his father was a "remarkable man by anyone's standards".
"The fact he was my dad made it special for me but he was a remarkable man in many, many ways," he said.
"Part of us is relieved because he's not in pain any more. Cancer is a shocking way to die and he's going to be with the love of his life again, that's his deceased wife Maggie."
Premier Colin Barnett extended his sympathies to Dr Butler's family, describing him as "an environmental pioneer whose dedication to conservation and nature was tireless".