Phillip Elliott Playford (27 November 1931 – 12 July 2017) was an Australian geologist who made important contributions to sedimentary geology, oil exploration in Western Australia and maritime history. He has made contributions to the recording of aboriginal art and culture from the north of Western Australia. Geology Petroleum exploration In 1959 Phillip Playford and Murray Johnstone prepared a paper for the AAPG summarising the status of oil exploration in Australia (http://archives.datapages.com/data/bulletns/1957-60/data/pg/0043/0002/0350/0397.htm). This paper played as significant role in increasing international awareness of Australia's petroleum potential. In 1958 a major multi-author publication, McWhae et al. (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00167615608728471?journalCode=taje19) laid the foundation of our modern understanding of the stratigraphy of the major sedimentary basins of the State, enabling oil exploration to occur. Documentation of the Devonian Reef, led by Playford, stimulated exploration which led to the Blina and associated oil fields. Detailed knowledge of the Carnarvon Basin, Playford's life work, eventually led to the discovery of the Barrow Island oilfield, which in turn was a trigger for the spread for the exploration of the offshore, now the most active area in Australia. Work on the geology of the Perth Basin, led by Playford, provided a basis for the exploration which eventually led to the discovery of the Dongara and other gas fields. Canning Basin Playford's major work has been on the Devonian reef complexes of the Canning Basin, first publishing a GSWA bulletin on their geology in 1996. Regular updates on the geology of the Devonian reef complexes continued even while working in leadership roles in the Mines Department in the 1980s and 1990s. This, together with the supervision of PhD and postgraduate projects from universities around the world, culminated in the publication in 2009 of a major publication. The Devonian reef complexes form a spectacular belt of rugged limestone ranges that extends for 350 kilometres along the northern edge of Western Australia's Canning Basin. These complexes are regarded as the world's best example of an exposed ancient barrier reef system, and have become known as the Devonian Great Barrier Reef. The rocks regarded as a model for similar reefs that host prolific oilfields elsewhere in the world. Geology of Shark Bay Playford discovered the stromatolites at Hamelin Pool in July 1954 when he and Daryl Johnstone were working in the Shark Bay area. The work in Shark Bay culminated in a comprehensive publication in 2013 showcases the geology of this World Heritage