Gary started his research career investigating the biology of abalone but his first employment was as an ecologist investigating benthic macrofaunal communities in Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne. When he discovered that most of the fauna was unknown, his interest in taxonomy grew.
Since joining Museum Victoria as Curator of Crustacea in 1979 he has concentrated on the systematics of several crustacean taxa and related that to environmental issues in all marine realms.
Gary serves on international committees where he promotes liaison between taxonomists and other marine scientists:
- President, the Crustacean Society (2002–2003);
- Member, steering committee, Census of Marine Life, Oceanographic Biological Information System, (OBIS),(2005-2007);
- Member, steering committee, World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) (2005-present)
- Associate Editor, Journal of Crustacean Biology (2004-2008);
- Member, steering committee,Census of Marine Life, Continental Margins and Ecosystems (COMARGE), (2005-present);
- Gary is the author of Marine decapod Crustacea of southern Australia A guide to identification (CSIRO Publishing) 2004.
Gary’s career has been recognised by three awards:
- Whitley Book Award, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Certificate of Commendation for Best Catalogue Series in 2002 for Zoological Catalogue of Australia – Crustacea Malacostraca, 2003.
- Whitley Book Award, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Certificate of Commendation for Best Book in Systematic Zoology in 2004 for Marine decapod crustaceans of southern Australia, 2005.
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Museum Industry Recognition Awards (MIRA), presented by Museums Australia (Victorian Branch), 2006.