Reinventing the Centre |
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A Word from the Chair
by Neil deNett
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre is perhaps the most extensive and active regional environment centre in Australia. It is really a broad coalition, and most environmentally concerned groups are either members or closely linked to it. Together with associated groups, the numbers exceed a thousand members.
Now over ten years old, it has grown every year without exception, and has moved this year into much larger premises. It is getting ready to launch a major membership drive, which it has not done before.
Though Annual General Meetings of community organisations are typically poorly attended, the Centre's AGM usually attracts 80-100 members, who elect its Management Committee.
The Centre has always been entirely self-funded, and a major accountancy firm audits its books.
The only Government grants it receives are for specific projects such as weed eradication, writing or recycling competitions. This year, to handle the rapidly growing demands on it, the Centre employs two full-time staff, two part-time staff who are engaged on transport and river catchment problems, and one-part time consultant. Over twenty of its nominees sit on Local and State government committees and two on Federal government committees.
Each year, the Centre handles hundreds of phone inquiries, and many students - primary, secondary and tertiary - use its extensive library and records.
It has constructed six websites and is busy on another.
The Centre has been associated with dozens of environmental projects and campaigns, often in a leading role. In its early years it was prominent in the campaigning against a Megatip at Menai, near-shore sandmining, expansion of urban Helensburgh, the Holsworthy Airport, and many more.
Recently it has received commissions to study the feasibility of continuous walking trails along both the Georges and Woronora Rivers.
Its sixteen committees are continually at work.
Thank you. |
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The Green Movenment Driven by Individuals
by Bob Walshe
Yes, let's rejoice in the Centre's move to spacious premises close to Sutherland Council which we strive to partner in the enterprise of keeping this remarkable Shire free of overdevelopment that would spoil our greenspace, our waterways, and our urban quality-of-life.
But let's also watch to see complacency doesn't creep into our work. That could happen! When we were small and cramped in the Eton Arcade room (pictured), people probably took pity on us and lent a hand - or a dollar. Whereas, now, they may think we're strong and affluent and don't need to be helped.
One of the tests of a good environment centre is that it not only inspires people but draws them into activity. We're not bad at that, though there's room to improve.
If you ask me how, I'll feel obliged to stop talking about "people" and talk instead about "individuals".
Every person presently active around the Centre is very much an individual - which suggests that we should be on the watch all the time for the creative, self-acting individual who can be attracted to take responsibility for either an area of the Centre's office work or of the Shire's environmental work.
Looking after office activities, for example, we see Shirley Renshall's bookkeeping routines, Lorraine Foster's organising of volunteers, Ruth Turner's filing of cuttings, and several helpers operating computers.
As to areas of environmental work, to give only some examples, there is Annette Hogan active for North Cronulla and the sandhills, Norm Dixon for the Woronora Valley, Jean and George Baluk for Miranda, Tim Tapsell for the Hacking, Jim Towart for Kurnell waterways, Pat Murray for Taren Point wetlands, Miriam Verbeek for greenspace,Neil deNett for Bundeena and urban planning, Ruth Zeibots for general fundraising… the list goes on. And others overstep the Shire to give leadership in Sydney-wide and even national areas:Lyn McLean for electro-magnetic radiation, Michelle Zeibots for transport, Gordon Hocking for migration and population, and Michael Priceman for anti-nuclear campaigning.
You see, an incredible list! Individuals all. I think that in looking for such activists, we should perhaps first designate an area of need and then go looking for the individual who would show the leadership to meet the need.
There's another side to this. I call it the Centre's style-of-work. All these individuals are tolerant and patient at the same time as they are determined. Determined? Well, in a special kind of way: combining idealism about the natural world and urban quality with a realism that knows the environment is in bad shape and needs great efforts to turn the tide.
The Centre strives to work amicably with everyone. After all, everyone needs to be persuaded to become environmentally aware. So we have to be on good terms, for example, with both major parties. If, as sometimes happens, we are attacked angrily, we don't take this personally, we don't return anger with anger; rather we keep in touch, we hold no grudges - tomorrow is another day and anger passes. There's an obligation on our active people to avoid confrontation and stay on speaking terms.
I'd like to end this salute to The Individual by remembering two truly great individuals who are seldom far from my thoughts.
In 1962 Rachel Carson died. The ABC's Robin Williams has described her as the leading saint of the 20th century. She was the marine biologist who in 1962 wrote Silent Spring which alerted the world to the chemicals being released into the environment and thence into food-chains. The book is often seen as launching the modern green movement. Ten years later, in 1972, another great individual, Milo Dunphy, headed up the Total Environment Centre in Sydney, which has been widely influential, not least in influencing the early years of Sutherland Shire Environment Centre.
Any individual can gather a group or network around himself or herself and by hard work and a cheerful attitude succeed in changing the world for the better. As many of our Centre people are doing. Let's look for more! |
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Executive Officers Report
by Jim Sloan
Summary
Welcome to our 11th AGM in this year of 2002.
This has been an exciting year for the Centre. As of January, the Centre is now in much larger premises at Suite 4, 2-4 Merton Street Sutherland. This locates us directly behind the Mitre 10 Hardware Store and across the street from the west end of Sutherland Shire Council Chambers.
Over the past two to three years, the increasing activities of the Centre have greatly stressed the Centre's ability to continue serving the community from Suite 16, Eton Arcade. The Management Committee explored a variety of other premises within the Shire, but decided we needed to stay in Sutherland because of its central location. After assessing the available rental properties in 2001, it soon became apparent that meeting the Centre's needs was going to be very expensive. Expansion at Eton Arcade was not an option as there is a high likelihood that the building will be demolished and rebuilt within the next 2-3 years.
Renting an office was likely to quadruple the Centre's existing rental budget. Therefore the Management Committee explored the option of purchasing a property in Sutherland. A grant application of $250,000 was successfully made to Perpetual's LEAF (Local Environments of Australia Fund) trust. A number of properties were explored and finally negotiations on 2-4 Merton Street began in September 2001.
While the Management Committee was unable to get the developer to subdivide Suite 4 to a size we could purchase outright, a decision was made to offer $500,000 pending the successful negotiation of a mortgage of $250,000. This culminated in the successful purchase of 230sq metre of prime renovated office space which the Centre took possession of on the 9 February 2002. This space has since been divided into two sections, suites 4 & 4a, with the Centre occupying suite 4 and Livefit Personal Training leasing suite 4a from the Centre for one year, with an option for a second year.
This has allowed us to add five more workstations (now a total of 9), a large meeting area and sizeable library. The Centre's timing in the purchase worked to our advantage when it came time to outfit the new office. The Kent Street Olympics Office closed in December 2001 and auctioned its office equipment off just before Christmas. This allowed the Centre to completely outfit the new office with workstations, meeting tables, chairs, shelving etc. for less then $2500.
This will allow the Centre to expand its services to the community and to welcome many new friends into activities that enhance, support and conserve our environment.
The SSEC continues to target the following issues:
- Supporting sustainable development and population growth.
- Promoting sustainable transport.
- Preserving remanent bushland and regenerating degraded bushland.
- Improving the sustainability of our coast and estuaries.
- Recognising and promoting the Shire's cultural heritage and its value to current and future generations.
- Encouraging sustainable consumption, waste avoidance and minimisation.
- Rejecting activities producing radioactive waste and opting for non-reactor high technology.
- Linking global environmental issues to local actions.
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SSEC Activities 2000/02
The Centre continued its fight to save the Menai B Shale Sandstone Transition Forest. Read more about this issue in the PUBS Report at the end of this document.
The Sustainable Communities Fact Sheets continue to grow:
- "Population and the Environment" - Living sustainably, environmental impacts, consumption and ecological footprints.
- "Local Planning & the Environment" - Local Councils, local planning, and local community action.
- "Ecologically Sustainable Development" - A history of ESD, why and how to achieve ESD and are we winning.
- "Globalisation Fact Sheet" - The benefits, environmental impacts, the ugly side and how to deal with it.
- "Port Hacking - State of an Estuary" - The upper and lower catchments, seagrasses, water quality, foreshore development, water craft and management.
- "The Botany Bay Program" - Objectives, what has gone wrong in the bay, a global context, results to date and the bay trail.
- "Restoring Bay Biodiversity" - Towra Point's biodiversity, the problem, the project stages 1 & 2, community involvement, public awareness and education and the future.
The Centre hosted 3 more Community Forums this year:
- Localities and Community
- Estuaries
- Trails - Health, Heritage, Movement and Biodiversity
See Projects Report for more details.
The Centre's many committees have been very busy this year as is evidenced by the large number of reports attached. See Committee Reports for more detail. |
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Our Community
Community, both local and global, can describe a quality of relationship based on certain values and principles. It is these values that led the Centre to apply to the United Nations to send two delegates to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg South Africa on the 26th of August to the 4th of September this year.
It appears our application met an untimely demise in the cellars of the UN office in New York as we were unable finalise details in time to go. Unfortunately, the news release from the US Earth Day Grist Magazine suggests our trip would have been in vain and brings our hopes crashing back to earth.
With over 12,625 delegates and over one hundred world leaders attending the Summit could have been a wonderful opportunity to move our planet into realising some real progress towards "sustainable development".
Nothing Doing - Quote from Grist Magazine
"After 10 days of bargaining, debate, protests, speeches, presentations, negotiations, renegotiations, and etcetera, the World Summit on Sustainable Development is over. What remains behind is a 70-page non-binding plan and a burning question: Was anything achieved?
Well -- the plan does include a relatively strong stance on improving sanitation and protecting fish stocks, leading one observer to wryly note, "It's good news if you don't have a toilet or if you're a fish. Otherwise, it's nothing."
The plan also contains resolutions to curb species loss and phase out agricultural subsidies in wealthy countries, but leans more toward the "nothing" front on energy, where the U.S. successfully blocked efforts to establish timetables for increasing reliance on clean sources. In general, the post-conference mood was one of disappointment, despite dogmatic efforts by the organisers to view it as a success."
It is in facing major setbacks like this, that our principles help us to continue promoting a sustainable community that doesn't compromise the ability of our great grandchildren to meet their future needs.
We must double our efforts to promote our messages:
- Reduce greenhouse gases.
- Use renewable resources and conserve non-renewable resources.
- Avoiding pollution and wasteful practices.
- Participation.
- Design and construct "green" buildings and housing.
- Support "green" businesses, especially those that utilise secondary resources.
- Design sustainable communities.
- Develop sustainable agriculture.
- Preserve and value our biodiversity.
- Conserve and value water.
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Strategies
The Sutherland Environment Centre exists to provide and support leadership towards a sustainable society and environment, focused on issues affecting our local area.
Our vision is a sustainable society for which we - as a large, local environment centre intent on " thinking globally and acting locally" - will strive to serve as a model in promoting the partnership of community-business-government in caring for urban areas, green areas and waterways, by observing the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). |
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Direction and Vision
The Centre continues to raise the profile of our goals locally and beyond. Earlier this year, with the new Centre operating smoothly again, the Management Committee initiated a series of strategic planning sessions to debate the Centre's role and objectives within our community. The first two sessions of "Reinventing our Future" took place in May and June and future sessions are being planned.
What the first two sessions did was to highlight just how important and how immense a task this will be. The Management Committee discussed challenges and opportunities facing the Centre. Tools targeted were advocacy, education, activism, networking, community participation, partnering, revenue/funding and management.
The aim of these continuing workshops is to emerge with a shared understanding of the focus that the Environment Centre will take into the next few years, to maximise its chances to achieve worthwhile environmental and community outcomes.
Our LEAF campaign (Local Environments of Australia) to promote SSEC as a model in local environmental action ground to a halt in 2002 due to efforts required to establish the Centre in its new offices. The Management Committee has initiated changes to staff workloads that will allow the LEAF campaign to be priortized in the coming year.
The Centre's web site continued to grow over the past year as more depth was added to it with new factsheets, forum proceedings etc; a good beginning to an important Australian information-clearing house on tools for local environmental action.
The Centre's library has a new name. It is called the "R.D. Walshe Environmental Research Library". The library has now grown to over 4000 volumes, offering a valuable source of specialised local and global information on the environment. The next step planned is to try and register the library with the Australian Libraries Association. It is our hope that this will be achieved with the support of Sutherland Library so that a much broader audience will have access to the library. The Centre Management Committee insisted on the name despite protest from Bob. |
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Community Profile
As an independent not for profit association, the Centre is committed to raising community awareness of the need for worldwide ecological sustainability while focusing on the active defence and improvement of the environment of our local bioregions. It is supportive of community, other associations and institutions, business, and government where they are perceived to be acting positively towards the environment.
The Centre continues to achieve positive recognition for its many activities. We are a recognised source of regional expertise on environmental issues. This is evidenced in the committee reports attached, as more and more we are called upon to play a leadership role in community-partnering activities such as the Woronora and Georges River Trail Project with Georges River Environmental Alliance, the Botany Bay pre-feasibility study with SSROC, the regional transport strategy etc |
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Financial Sustainability
This past year the SSEC increased donations from the community by over 22% to $161,110; Grants by over 4.5% to $30,500; and income from subscriptions, sales and fundraising by 50% to $43,770. The Centre continues to build a strong and stable fundraising team as an important goal within its strategic plan.
Once again the fundraising committee has successfully achieved their objective of raising funds to help cover the Centre's rent, electricity and telephone bills. They have planned another gala annual dinner with live music, games, prizes, good food and plenty of dancing. On behalf of the membership, I acknowledge the fundraising committees for its commitment and penchant for hard work.
The Centre continues to move towards longterm financial sustainability as it prepares the strategy to build LEAF (Local Environments of Australia Fund, a (sub) Trust Fund with Perpetual Trustees of Australia Ltd), to a significant managed fund. Due to the many changes over the last year, the Centre was unable to launch its corporate fund-raising campaign, but will work hard to achieve this in the new financial year. Also a membership drive will be insistently pursued within our community.
Future fundraising objectives include:
- Business Pack - prepare an information and service pack tailored to small and medium commercial business, attracting income and donations.
- Continuation of Guest Speaker Seminars - arrange seminars with well-known environmentalists, professional educators and specialist guest speakers that will attract a paying audience.
- Publish a book - on global environment issues with a local Australian perspective that will help raise community awareness.
- Project Grants - continue to apply for government and private grants that give the Centre ability to carry out local environmental projects.
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Projects Completed
Localities Forum - in November 2001 the Centre hosted a Sydney-wide Forum at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre which was made possible with the financial support of Sutherland Shire Council.
The Forum attracted over 120 participants and was the second of the Centre's Local Agenda 21 Capacity Building projects. A complete transcription of this forum can be found on our website at http://ssec.org.au/Resources
The Centre achieved an esteemed group of expert presenters for the forum which included:
- Internationally Dr Dirk Bolt, Europe's NorthSeaNet - Livable Communities
- Nationally Prof. Peter Newman, Murdoch University WA - Redefining Growth
- Locally
- Les Robinson of Social Change Media - Planning or Democracy
- Richard Walker, Macquarie Research - Role of Local Business
- David Ackroyd of Sutherland Shire Council - Shaping an LGA
- Mayor Laura Benett, Ku-ring-gai - Impacts of State Planning Policies
- Case Studies - Neil deNett, Mary Armstrong, Allan Jeffrey
The program was developed to help our community define an ecologically sustainable and livable community that can thrive within metropolitan Sydney. The role and responsibilities of all stakeholders - individuals, community, business, learning institutions and governments - were discussed. Our intent was to equip our community with the tools to choose an attractive future that effects social change which distributes benefits and burdens fairly.
Estuaries Forum
In June 2002 the Centre and the Port Hacking Protection Society hosted a Sydney-wide Forum at the Gunnamatta Pavilion in Cronulla. The Forum attracted over 85 participants and was the third of the Centre's Local Agenda 21 Capacity Building projects. A complete transcription of this forum can be found here.
The Centre achieved an esteemed group of expert presenters for the forum which included:
- John Aquilina, Minister for Land & Water Conservation - Opening address
- Denis Hicks of the Underwater Research Group - What lives below the waves
- Ron West of Wollongong University - A Scientist's Perspective
- Alex Meehan, Wollongong University - seagrass meadows, 50 years of change
- George Cotis of Port Hacking Planning Advisory Council - Foreshore use
- Lynne Turner of the Coastal CRC - Nation Estuaries Audit
- Dr David Alden of Australian Fisheries - Economic issues of estuaries
- Errol McLean, DLWC - Balancing social, economic and environmental outcomes
- Jim Colman, the Botany Bay Program - Managing Botany Bay
- Paul Martin, SCMB - Instruments and Strategies
- Kathy Ridge, NCC - the embedded bias against low impact use
- Professor Bruce Thom, NSW Coastal Councils - Lessons from SOE Report
The program was developed to debate effective action in helping our communities to define tools to achieve a sustainable future for our urban estuaries. The forum culminated in representatives of political parties giving the audience a preview of the estuary policies they intend to take to the next State election.
Trails Forum
In September 2002 the Centre, SSROC and Planning NSW hosted a Sydney-wide Forum at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre.
The Forum attracted over 80 participants and was the fourth of the Centre's Local Agenda 21 Capacity Building projects. A complete transcription of this forum will be placed on our website.
The Centre achieved an esteemed group of expert presenters for the forum:
- Alison Megarrity MP - Opening address
- Janet McBride, ABAY San Franciso Bay Trail - Building Partnerships
- Gail Adrienne, NALT Vancouver Island - A civil society perspective
- Nick Benson, SSEC - A prefeasiblity study on the Botany Bay Trail
- Kevin Rozzoli MP, Hawkesbury - The Great River Walk
- Michelle Zeibots, EcoTransit Sydney - Trails as a transport mode
- Paul Donnelly, Bicycle NSW - Riders and Wheels
- Ian Napier, Pedstrian Council of NSW - Walkers and Legs
- Geoff Ross, NPWS - Biodiversity
- Les Bursill, Aboriginal AOD/HHPU Coordinator - Aboriginal Heritage and Trails
- Reece MacDougal, Heritage Council - Post colonial Heritage and Trails
- Dr Peter Tralaggan, GREA - The Georges River Trail
- Kim McClymont, PlanningNSW - Georges River Foreshore Improvement Prog.
- Melissa Gibbs, SSROC - Development Issues in Botany Bay
- Gary Blasheke, BBaCA - Community and Environment Groups
This program was developed to discuss values and challenges of public access trails. How do we reconcile increased access and recreation opportunities with the need for ecological integrity, and the protection of sensitive wildlife habitats? |
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Projects Underway or Planned
SSEC Research Officer Project — this Centre would like to employ a fulltime research officer to update, catalogue and add to the R.D. Walshe Environmental Research Library; to register the library with the Australia Library Association, to establish a loaning relationship with Sutherland Library; to provide relevant and current information for SSEC's websites; and to work with regional school teachers in developing a series of educator packs that would be relevant to current curriculum needs. To this end, the SSEC will apply for a stage-one grant of $30,000 from an appropriate funding source.
Georges River and Woronora River Trails - The Centre and the Georges River Environmental Alliance (GREA) initiated this project to advance a broad regional vision for improving environmental and recreational opportunities and building stronger communities throughout the Georges River Catchment.
A $145,000 grant funding a trail feasibility study for a Georges River Trail and Woronora River Trail was successfully achieved under PlanningNSW's Georges River Foreshores Improvement Program (GRFIP). This project will be part of a larger trail strategy known as the 'Great Kai-Mai Way'.
The Centre has hired two project officers, Nick Benson and Bob Symington to carry out the feasibility studies over the twelve months.
Community Benefits of the Trails:
- Enhanced recreational opportunities and improved public foreshore access.
- Increased community awareness of river/catchment issues and educational opportunities.
- Improved natural environment of foreshore areas.
- Increased community pressure to conserve environmental values of privatised Federal land, and
promotes cooperation between the community, industry, environment groups and all levels of government.
- Health benefits associated with linked walkway opportunities.
- Assistance in reducing dependency on private vehicle use.
The Trails could facilitate the emergence of a regional environmental awareness in the Georges River and Woronora River catchments (pictured), providing the broad vision for a better future for the rivers and their tributaries.
Several GRFIP projects are currently being constructed that include walkways providing for improved recreational access to the foreshores. However, there has been no coordinated planning to link these isolated walkways. This project will coordinate individual council efforts and will investigate funding mechanisms for future staged implementation.
The Georges River has historically suffered from a lack of vision. We have the opportunity to plan and build the walkway now. We will not have this opportunity in the future as continuing urban development will erode the urban foreshore and reduce the opportunities for access. If our forebears lacked vision, the same vision we need today, we would not have the Royal National Park. Our grandchildren are dependent on our decisions. |
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Policies and Procedures
The Centre has continued its process of developing and writing more policies and procedures. We currently have the following in development or completed:
- Aboriginal Interests
- Air Pollution
- Coastal Issues
- Community Participation in Decisions
- Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)
- Energy Conservation
- Genetic Engineering
- Greenhouse Issues
- Loss of Regional Biodiversity
- Marine Pollution Issues
- Mining and Use of Uranium
- Nuclear Issues
- Resource Use and Population
- River Issues
- Soils and Their Conservation
- Threatened Species
- Tourism Issues
- Toxic and Hazardous Waste
- Transportation Issues
- Urban Bushland
- Urban Development
- Waste Minimisation
- Water, Sewerage
- Wetland Conservation
All of SSEC's policies and procedures are documents that will change as deemed necessary after careful consideration by the Management Committee. |
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Constitution
This year there are proposed changes to SSEC's constitution that provide a process for protecting the Centre's property investment in the context of the grant conditions in the spirit in which the money was donated to the Centre. |
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Volunteers
This year the Centre's volunteers again continue to be active and committed. Our volunteers each deserve special thanks and I heartily do so on behalf of the SSEC.
This year I would like to pay a special tribute to Shirley Renshall. Shirley has been responsible for the Centre's weekly bookkeeping activities for a number of years now. This year has been no exception, but on top of her normal duties of cheque writing, bank deposits and balancing the petty cash, Shirley undertook training in MYOB (the Centre's accounting software). This has meant a heavy increase in the number of hours she has made herself available each week to meticulously work her way step by step through the Centre's accounting procedures.
In a very busy year, this extra effort by Shirley has significantly eased my workload regarding our finances. Shirley faces the challenge of advanced rheumatoid arthritis daily, but she still manages to continue her extra volunteer activities at the Centre and important volunteering activities at other community venues. Therefore on behalf of the Management Committee, I enthusiastically commend Shirley for her selfless role as a model community volunteer.
This year it is with great sorrow that we bid farewell to one of our staunch supporters and hard working volunteers, Pat Elphinston. 83 years old, Pat died on 26 May 2002 as a result of a fall earlier in the year. Bob Walshe expressed it best in a tribute to Pat:
"Our Pat", as she was universally spoken of, was one of those rare people whose entire adult life is quietly dedicated to improving the wellbeing of persons - and environments - who are in need. She never stopped, but remained active to the limit of her energy, still determinedly leading the fund-raising work of the Environment Centre.
She was so sensible…so commonsensical…her feet were on the ground yet she was obviously moved by high ideals… always so organised...knew that organising means attention to detail…ever warm and friendly…knew an astonishing number of people…could talk to anyone…always positive, constructive, person-concerned…able to take ideas forward…gritty in her special way, yet unfailingly courteous, cheerful, dignified…and much more.
The street stall anecdotes about "our Pat" could easily be multiplied; but Pat's contribution was wider than her fund-raising. Of the volunteer shifts at the Environment Centre, two each day, ten a week, Pat took the busiest, the Monday morning, when phone calls and mail are heaviest and the weekly Executive Meeting takes place. Always, on the Monday following a street stall, first item on the Executive agenda would be a report from Pat - takings of $450 or $500 and, on a record occasion, $700, a wonderful help in covering the monthly rent and overheads. Each month too she could be relied on to ring all Management Committee members with a reminder of the monthly meeting and the issues to be raised.
Thank you, Pat, for your generous years given to the Environment Centre, given to working for the Shire's natural environment which you loved, and given unstintingly to that extended family which will always remember you with affection. Thank you!
The Centre thrives because of volunteers, so I take my hat of to each of you, Jean Rodgers, Ruth Zeibots, Pat Elphinston, Bob Walshe, Joan Flowers, Shirley Renshall, Ruth Turner, Michael Priceman, Adrian Palmer, Neil deNett, Tim Tapsell, Michelle Zeibots, Lyn McLean, John Lincoln, Troy Coyle, Jacki, Jane Northway, Lorraine Foster, Ted Lawes, Philip Cremer, Olwyn Tavendale, Arron Skelsey, Anne Simmul, Renate Brenner, Katherine Leach, Katrina Carley Ian Jeffrey, Petronella Mauunga, Stephanie Michna, Kathleen Murchie, Pat Pomroy, Louise Robinson, Graham Waugh, Adam Wilkinson, Maree Kalatzis, Helen Evans, Martin Rehak, Caroline Brugger and Leanne Basford you do your community proud. |
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Staff
The Centre has grown to four full-time and two part-time staff as of September 2002. We have Jim Sloan (Executive Officer), Simon Kimberley (Science Officer and WebMaster), Lorraine Foster (Volunteer and Library Coordinator), Michelle Zeibots (Transport Coordinator), Nick Benson (Woronora Trail Manager) and Bob Symington (Georges River Trail Manager).
Over the past year the Centre has been fortunate in obtaining the expertise of a range of individual who were part of our staff for varying periods of time. Our thanks to Kathy Fook (Events Coordinator), Julie Illes (Outreach Officer), Sapna Kamath (Office and Web support), Lyn McLean (Events Coordinator), Jane Northway (Events Coordinator), and Aaron Skelsey (Electronics and Computer Genius). |
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