Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. Julie Riley and Jennie Turner - Friends of the Hooded Plover Breamlea The hooded plover is one of Australia’s most threatened birds. Although they spend their whole life on the beach, they have one of the lowest breeding success rates of all birds. Although severely threatened, in the last decade their numbers have slowly stabilised as volunteer groups and conservationists have stepped in to protect their breeding grounds. Julie and Jennie run the hooded plover volunteer program in Breamlea. To those who work with them they are, “a powerhouse of strength, resilience and determination to help these birds survive”. They put in hundreds of hours of works over a season for it to often eventuate to nothing. If a person crushes a nest or a chick is lost the day before it’s due to fledge, all their efforts are gone. But after each failure they continue to show up and slowly things are changing. Photo at Breamlea by Nicole Marie.Image showing an environmental portrait of a two women standing with sand dunes in the background.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. Dr John Newman - Geelong Field Naturalists Club Over almost twenty years John Newman has organised large groups of volunteers to conduct surveys across Geelong and the Bellarine for shorebirds and waterbirds. Understanding and collecting important environmental data helps in the effort to preserve important sites, much of this data is collected by volunteers. The information collected in Geelong and the Bellarine also forms part of national and international datasets that helps in understanding global patterns of migratory birds, such as sharp-tailed sandpiper, red-necked stint and the critically endangered curlew sandpiper. The data collected at the Moolap Saltworks (since 1981) and co-ordinated by John since 2003 highlighted the importance of this site for these three species and played a crucial role in protecting the area as a conservation site. Photo at Taits Point, Lake Connewarre Wildlife Reserve by Nicole Marie.Image showing an environmental portrait of a man holding binoculars with a water landscape in the background.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers, lake connewarre

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. John Fyfe - Friends of Edwards Point, the Bellarine Catchment Network and many more For over twenty years John Fyfe has been actively involved in all areas of restoring native vegetation on numerous locations throughout the Bellarine. John’s passion for caring for the environment and sharing his vast knowledge has earnt him wide respect from the community. John is not only approachable but a great communicator. His vast knowledge has made the go to person for help on support on all matters regarding revegetation. John introduced direct seeding to the Friends of Edwards Point team, which has been successful on numerous sites within Edwards Points Reserve. The approach has been adopted throughout the reserve. Reflecting on John’s impact to the local community, local residents widely refer to him as a “living legend,” while others simply say, “there should be more John Fyfe’s in the world.” Photo at Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve by Nicole Marie.Image showing an environmental portrait of a man standing in grasslands with trees in the background.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers, edwards point

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. Jon Duthie - Friends of the Bluff Sometimes the work that volunteer groups put in to bringing back nature goes completely unnoticed. When Jon and his colleagues began work at the Barwon Bluff the site was largely devoid of any vegetation. Today most new residents and visitors to Barwon Heads don’t even know that the site is actually a revegetation site. Jon is extremely knowledgeable, dedicated and passionate and has contributed significant amounts of time to raising awareness about the marine and coastal environment. For over twenty years he has also helped to organise Festival of the Sea in Barwon Heads.Image showing an environmental portrait of a man standing on a beach with sand dunes and ocean in the background.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers, barwon heads

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. Joan Lindros - Geelong Environment Council Joan Lindros has been a mentor to community environmentalists across the Geelong region and beyond for many years. In 1972 she was a foundation member of the Geelong Environment Council. She was also instrumental in the Save the Otways campaign that resulted in the Great Otway National Park. Joan is an inspirational leader, tenacious advocate and a gentle person. In 2001 she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Role of Women. She continues to be involved in the Friends of Buckley Falls who have been working and advocating for the protection and restoration of the Barwon and Moorabool River Reserves for nearly forty years. Photo at Buckley Falls lookout by Nicole Marie.Image showing an environmental portrait of a woman leaning against wooden railing with trees, a river and a waterfall in the background.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers, buckley falls

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to conserve and protect the environment of Geelong and the Bellarine. Their work often goes unnoticed. In 'The Work of Nature' the National Wool Museum and the Environment Department at the City of Greater Geelong worked with photographer Nicole Marie to showcase the significant contribution of environment volunteers in our region. Each of the eight people showcased in these portraits were nominated by their peers and members of the community for their significant contribution to conserving and protecting the environment. Jarrah Wadsworth - Friends of Bats and Bushcare Geelong Grey-headed flying foxes are listed as nationally threatened. They play a critical role in hardwood forest pollination and seed dispersal. They are often not well liked and can be seen as more of a nuisance than an asset to an area. Their numbers are rapidly declining. As the world warms and we experience more days of extreme heat they are increasingly threatened. Jarrah is a registered vet nurse and in her spare time heads up the Friends of Bats and Bushcare Geelong volunteer group. She is the coordinator of the FBBG and plays a key role in supporting the Geelong grey-headed flying fox population in Eastern Park and ensuring they survive extreme heat events. Photo at Eastern Park flying fox camp by Nicole Marie.Image showing an environmental portrait of a woman crouched on grass below trees where fruit bats are roosting.environment, conservation, portraits, geelong, nature, exhibition, work of nature, geelong nature forum, volunteers, eastern park

Short tailed shearwaters and Little Penguins, nesting in burrows on the coast during the warmer months of the year, are extremely vulnerable to fires. Phillip Island had a history of fires on foreshores – either deliberately or accidentally lit. This article describes 2 accidentally lit fires on consecutive days at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade rookeries during the height of the breeding and tourist season in January 1967. The vital importance of volunteers such as the country Fire authority members and the local surfing community, is alluded to in this article by well-known naturalist and author from the time, Graham Pizzey. The Victorian government’s chief secretary, Arthur Rylah, reported here seeking an investigation into the fires at what he terms: “one of the best conservation projects we have done”, was a prominent Victorian politician for many years.This article is significant for demonstrating a growing awareness of the vulnerability of ground nesting birds, of the importance in volunteers such as members of the local country Fire authority and Phillip Island surfing community partnering with wildlife management bodies to protect ground nesting birds, in particular the Penguin and short tailed shearwater rookeries at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade and other parts of Phillip Island. The article also reflects the growing awareness by the Victorian government of the importance of the Phillip Island Penguin Parade to the Victorian tourism economy. Written by naturalist Graham Pizzey, wrote regularly for the Melbourne Herald, the article is another example of how this journalist frequently emphasised Phillip Island’s flora and fauna in his newspaper column.Photocopy made in 1980s of newspaper cutting. Black print and black and white images of original photograph of author Graham Pizzey within the article.5/1/67little penguins, fairy penguins, eudyptula minor, phillip island penguin parade, graham pizzey, penguin rookery, penguin behaviour, phillip island tourist attractions, short tailed shearwaters, phillip island conservation society, arthur rylah, victorian government, phillip island cfa, phillip island surfers, fires on foreshores

This letter to the editor of an unknown newspaper probably dates from the late 1960s or early 1970s. At that time the Victorian government’s Liberal Party Premier was Sir Henry Bolte. In a reference to the major industrial valley in Germany, he and his government had a vision to make Western Port and Hastings into “the Ruhr of Victoria”, if not Australia. While this letter does not refer to Western Port, but apparently to Wiliamstown, the situation was similar in both bays. Substantial land was zoned in Hastings by the Bolte Government for industrial purposes, where BP built a refinery for oil imported through the Port of Hastings. The large oil tankers entered Western Port Bay via the western channel, which required dredging to accommodate them. It became a common site to see globules or patches of oil washed up on beaches around Western Port, and oil-affected wildlife. It is impossible to know how many wildlife were affected directly by oil spills and other forms of pollution in the Bay during that era. Sufficient numbers of oiled Little Penguins were found to prompt numerous references to the problem in newspapers, including letters, articles and even major features. The refinery eventually closed, with tanker traffic dramatically reducing in Western Port from the late 20th century.Statement of significance: This letter to the editor is significant in making reference to pollution caused in Port Phillip and Western Port bays by tanker traffic and the presence of oil refineries on industrial land in the bays. It is also indicative of the emergence of many conservation-related community groups of volunteers in Australia during the 1960s and 1970s in response to growing concern around conservation issues. Letters to the editor were a common means for these groups to have their concerns aired in public.Photocopy of newspaper cutting, single column letter to the editor.little penguins, oil spill, western port, port of hastings, henry bolte, "ruhr of victoria", oiled penguins, oiled wildlife, bp refinery, oil tankers, , mrs d waight, williamstown and district animal relief society

The article describes a fire incident which took place in January 1965 at Swan Lake, a water reserve at the entrance to Summerland Peninsula, Phillip Island. Due to an extremely heavy infestation of gorse (noxious weed) and natural tea tree scrub, along with poor vehicle access, the volunteer fire fighters could apparently not gauge the extent of the fire. A light plane operator visiting Cr Arthur Hamilton nearby was able to fly Phillip Island Shire Engineer, Jock McKechnie, over the lake to better direct the fire fighters. Swan Lake has many Bunurong Aboriginal middens and short-tailed shearwater rookeries, and, being not far from the Penguin Parade, a fire there posed a direct threat to the birds. The article is significant because it indicates the vulnerability of the Summerland Peninsula reserves to fire, the way the Shire Engineer, local bulldozer contractor and volunteer fire fighters tackled the fire outbreak. photocopy of newspaper cutting. Dark copying at top. Double column heading. Single column black text on white paper28-1-65 EXswan lake phillip island, summerland peninsula, bunurong aboriginal middens, short-tailed shearwaters, mutton birds, little pengiuns, penguin parade, jock mckechnie, cr arthur hamilton, fire fighters, , max stewart, jim jeffery

BHS CollectionThree photocopies of a newspaper article titled Old Battery to charge-up tunnel tourism. The date 11/1/85 is written at the top of the article. There is a photo of the battery mentioning it was the Thompson's Foundry battery and it was being re-erected at Maldon, near Castlemaine. It has been in far of Victoria to crush rock taken from mines there. The battery will be one of the attractions in the Parkin's Reef Reserve being developed by the Conservation, Forests and Lands. Also mentioned is the work of volunteers, grants they received, restoration and tourism.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - old battery to charge-up tunnel tourism, thompson's foundry, parkin's reef reserve, conservation forests and lands department, carman's tunnel, north british mine, parkin's reef, carman's tunnel committee, dr doug kemsley, prospectors' and miners' association of victoria, ken garden, north british mine, george ellis

Bridge opening by Sidney Clifton. The bridge was designed and built by Clifton and volunteers, under supervision of Sidney Clifton.Colour photograph. This item and all other Darebin Parklands Association archival material is now held by State Library Victoria (Accession No: YMS 13746). Please contact State Library Victoria if access is required.Annotated on back.

Sidney Clifton was a mechanical engineer and a lecturer at Melbourne University. He built the house, which is still in the family. He was a foundation member and treasurer of Darebin Parklands Association. He designed Clifton Bridge in Darebin Parklands and built the wooden formwork for it in his living room in this house. It was built with volunteers and funded by a grant from Heidelberg and Northcote Councils. He was a foundation member and treasurer of Darebin Parklands Association.B&W photograph. Sidney Clifton's house is on the right. This item and all other Darebin Parklands Association archival material is now held by State Library Victoria (Accession No: YMS 13746). Please contact State Library Victoria if access is required.

C.D. - BEFORE AND AFTER RESTORATION 40 PHOTOS OF VOLUNTEERS DISPLAYED IN FIRE BRIGADE (BELL SHAPE ARRANGEMENT OF IMAGES). FIRE FIGHTING EQUPMENT ILLUSTRATED AT BASE OF BELL - WAGON, REELCART AND WATER CARRIER. .1 ENLARGED COPY OF POSTCARD PHOTOGRAPH, FRAMED, .2 POSTCARD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CLUNES VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE - ESTABLISHED MARCH 1864. .3 PHOTOGRAPH MOUNTED ON CARDBOARD .4 CD WITH PHOTOS OF CONSERVATION, BEFORE AND AFTER .5 PHOTOCOPY OF ENLARGED PHOTO PRINTED ABOVE THE IMAGE: MOTTO - "READY TO SAVE" PRINTED ON FRONT: J. R. FARMER PHOTO REGISTERED JUNE 10TH, 1870local history, photography, photographs, fire brigade

The author of the letter the Princess Royal is patron of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia. The letter marks the 150th anniversary in 2007 of the establishment of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia. It acknowledges the work of the Mission and the men and women in Melbourne and the Victorian Ports offering the "hand of friendship to seafarers from all over the world".It also acknowledges the significant role of volunteers in supporting the work of the Missions. This letter is one of 3 letters held in the collection and received from Royal patrons. Letter, signed, on Buckingham Palace letterhead mounted and housed in gilt painted frame, glazed . Fitted with single twist hanging wire, and 4 felt stoppers; Core flute backing with Brown paper tape to seal. Signature bottom right in Black ink "Anne" / Conservation Framer's label initials in black ink : "E LH 22/2/08"mission to seafarers, sesquicentenary, commemorations, princess anne, princess royal, letter, 2007

Printed foolscap size book. Softcover. 112 pages. Colour and black and white photos. Maps, figures, tables. Index. Publication details. Graham Simpson (Publisher, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, 2021. Lead authors Graham Simpson, Jeanette McGonegal and Alan Morton.This book contains a collection of articles written by landholders, local residents and members of corporate and volunteer organisations describing their roles in the restoration of Rowsley Valley. The historical scope of this book encompasses the geological and environmental history of the area prior to human habitation, occupation by the Wadawurrung people prior to European colonisation, and the colonial and post colonial eras. This introductory contextual background is complemented by the rest of the book which describes the various aspects of the environmental restoration of the Rowsley Valley from the latter part of the 20th century continuing to the present day.environmental restoration projects, rowsley valley victoria environmental history, conservation of natural resources, aboriginal australians bacchus marsh region history, wadawurrung people history