MEDIA RELEASE
Cape York landholders win Landcare Nature Conservation Award
Cape York Peninsula landholders Tome and Sue Shephard have won the prestigious 2007 Landare Australia Nature Conservation Award.
National Landcare Facilitator Coral Love presenting Tom and Sue Shepherd with the Landcare Australia Nature Conservation Award
Winners of the ten award categories were announced a gala dinner in Mackay on Thursday 23 August. The awards, which were organised by Queensland Water and Land Carers, were one of the highlights of the Queensland Landcare Conference, hosted by Pioneer Catchment and Landcare Group.
“Tom and Sue Shephard’s work is truly inspirational and they are fitting winners of the Landcare Australia Nature Conservation Award,” QWaLC Chair Esma Armstrong OAM said.
“These awards recognise the fantastic work being done by more than 16,000 volunteers and 300 community groups to protect and restore Queensland’s precious lands and waterways.
“Simply being nominated for a Landcare award is an honour; to win an award is a fantastic achievement.”
Tom and Sue Shephard’s property “Artemis” is located in central Cape York Peninsula. They are involved in conservation of the endangered Golden-shouldered Parrot.
Having grown up on the peninsula, Tom has a good understanding of the nature of fire and its effects on the environment. Tom not only knows how to burn for cattle, but how to use fire to keep country open and therefore to maintain Golden-shouldered Parrot habitat using storm-burning.
In 1994, Sue started working casually for the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service as a field worker, undertaking surveys of Golden-shouldered Parrots and their habitat. With no formal training, Sue learnt to identify the grass and herb species essential to the parrot's survival, putting many field biologists to shame. Sue continues the annual monitoring of parrots, grasses and habitat.
The awards were presented by the National Landcare Facilitator, Coral Love. Steve Parish Publishing donated gifts for all finalists and guests who attended the Queensland Landcare Awards gala dinner.
Queensland’s winners will vie with winners from the other states and territories for the 2008 National Landcare Awards, which will be presented at Parliament House.
The winners and finalists in the 2007 Queensland Landcare Awards were:
Individual Landcarer Award
1st: Jeff Campbell (Mitchell & District Landcare Association)
2nd: Robert Wallace (Emu Creek Catchment Landcare Group)
3rd: John Armbruster (Condamine Catchment Management Association)
Murray-Darling Basin Commission Rivercare Award
1st: Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee
2nd: Maroochy Catchment Centre
3rd: Glenda Pickersgill (Mary River)
Landcare Australia Nature Conservation Award
1st: Tom and Sue Shephard (Artemis Station, Cape York Peninsula)
2nd: Bush Heritage Australia
3rd: Cooloola City Farm Tin Can Bay
Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award
1st: Noosa and District Landcare Group
2nd: Dalrymple Landcare Committee
3rd: Mitchell and District Landcare Association
Leighton Holdings Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award
1st: Crows Nest Shire Council
2nd: Ipswich City Council
3rd: Townsville City Council / Thuringowa City Council
Australian Government Coastcare Award
1st: Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association
2nd: Cooloola Coastcare
3rd: Moreton Bay Coastcare
Rural Press Landcare Primary Producer Award
1st: David Hunter (Mt Dalrymple, north-west of Mackay)
2nd: Geoff Fearnside (“Wallaroo”, north of Injune)
3rd: Patrick and Ellen Leahy (Tully)
Westpac Landcare Education Award
1st: Crows Nest State School
2nd: Mount Gravatt High School
3rd: Trinity Anglican College
Australian Government Landcare NRM Region Award
1st: terrain NRM (Far North Queensland)
2nd: Desert Channels Queensland
3rd: SEQ Catchments
Alcan Landcare Indigenous Award.
1st: David Thomson (Desert Channels Queensland)
2nd: Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (Cardwell)
For more information about the 2007 Queensland Landcare Awards, visit the QWaLC website: www.qwalc.org.au
Media contact: Paul Rees 0409 580 597
