BirdLife Australia Distinguished Service Award (BDSA) - CITATIONS
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BirdLife Australia Distinguished Service Award (BDSA) CITATIONS 2021 Hazel Britton, BirdLife Tasmania, has been a member of BirdLife since 1983 when she arrived in Australia with her late husband Peter, who was active in Queensland before moving to Tasmania in 2000. She has been organising counts of waders across northwest Tasmania for 18 years, contributing to BirdLife Australia’s Shorebirds 2020, BirdLife Tasmania’s long-term database and as Guardian of the Rubicon Estuary Key Biodiversity Area. Hazel ran a collaborative 10-year project (in conjunction with Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management) to monitor resident shorebirds on almost 50 sites across the northwest, inspiring 173 volunteers to participate, and providing workshops, education, interpretation and events to engage the public in how they could contribute to the protection of resident shorebirds. Hazel is an outstanding example of how science and engagement together can benefit our birds. Ralph Cooper, BirdLife Tasmania, has been a member of the Bird Observers Association of Tasmania (BOAT), now BirdLife Tasmania, since its first year and has encouraged its members to be involved in collaborative study projects and facilitated their involvement. He has monitored key Tasmanian sites since 1973, providing long-term data that has been widely published and used to evaluate the changing status of bird species in Tasmania. Ralph was the State Organiser for the second Atlas, 1998 – 2002. He is the Guardian for two Key Biodiversity Areas, contributing to continued monitoring of these important sites, as well as regularly engaging with visitors at his local Tamar Wetlands Key Biodiversity Area, where he promotes BirdLife Australia and its conservation program. Kathleen Shurcliff, BirdLife Northern Queensland, is an inspirational leader and a passionate advocate for birds. She has made an outstanding contribution as Convenor of BirdLife Northern Queensland for six years as well as to BirdLife Northern Queensland's Carpentarian and Kalkadoon Grasswren Project since 2008 (12 years). Kath has helped raise funds, recruit and train up to 20 grasswren survey volunteers annually, engage pastoralists and Indigenous Groups, and worked with project partner, Southern Gulf NRM, to influence and change regional fire regimes to help grasswrens and other species that rely on healthy spinifex. Kath's long-term dedication has helped strengthen conservation efforts for the endangered Carpentarian Grasswren.
2020
Sue Abbotts, BirdLife Western Australia, has made an outstanding contribution by undertaking
significant work as Chairperson of the WA Excursions Committee.
She has developed a very extensive and successful program, whilst promoting bird monitoring
skills with members and the community. Weekly excursions and campouts are organised in a
diverse range of locations, for example in 2019 there were 64 excursions and six campouts.
She contributes enormously to Greater Western Woodlands and Australian Wildlife Conservancy
survey work. She regularly contributes to shorebird data and promotes Birdata.
Sue’s diligence, leadership, dedication and ability to nurture birdwatchers, by both organising
and leading excursions, make her a worthy recipient of a Distinguished Service Award.
Jan Olley, BirdLife Northern Rivers. Jan’s work to realise the BirdLife vision to ensure that
native birds are protected and valued has been carried out since 1997.
Through her earlier work with Cooloola Coastcare and now with Byron Bird Buddies in
association with BirdLife Northern Rivers, Jan has been instrumental in the local protection of
shorebird nesting and habitat. She has instituted regular surveillance and monitoring of nest
sites together with protective fencing and signage, with these measures being adopted by
several local Councils on the North Coast.
In terms of community education, Jan has produced multiple bird watching brochures covering
Tin Can Bay, Byron, Ballina, Richmond Valley Council areas with another in production for
Kyogle. She has organised bird week celebrations and community education events, and
undertakes regular surveys for Shorebird 2020, the Nightcap Key Biodiversity area and Latham
Snipe project.
Rob Parker, BirdLife Photography Special Interest Group. Rob Parker has been heavily
involved in a voluntary capacity with BirdLife Photography and a committee member for over 10
years.
Over the years Rob has been – and continues to be – highly committed and engaged. He is
unwavering in his dedication to management of the BirdLife Photography website and its image
galleries, which is visited by members, photography lovers and people sourcing stand-out
images for use in various mediums; and is committed to the broader goals of BirdLife
Photography as a means for introducing and engaging people with birds, bird conservation and
BirdLife Australia.
Rob performs with great commitment the following integral roles for BirdLife Photography:
1. Maintaining the BirdLife Photography website, including updating information for
members, organising hosting companies and fixing website issues
2. Compiling and publishing the comprehensive and educational BirdLife Photography
membership newsletter that is issued every second month
3. Involvement on the committee and in committee meetings and BirdLife Photography
decision making including the major task of organising, with partners, the BirdLife
Photography conferences
4. Always responding promptly to emails and queries from members or people requesting
images
5. Organises the many photo competitions held for BirdLife Photography members.
2Rob is a very active and vital member of BirdLife Photography and the BirdLife Melbourne
photography group, and spends time on BirdLife Photography business on a daily basis. His
passion for helping others enjoy birds and photography shows through with every newsletter
and educational resource produced for members.
Rob is a great strength to BirdLife Photography – his long-term commitment, the history and
knowledge he brings to the table and his attention to detail make him a well-respected
cornerstone of the group.
2019
Frances Bray, BirdLife Shoalhaven. For almost three decades Frances has advocated for
birdlife conservation at Lake Wollumboola, NSW South Coast. The lake is a KBA for Black Swan
and Chestnut Teal, an EAAF migratory shorebird site and Little Tern and Pied Oyster Catcher
nesting site. She is the KBA Guardian, an active member of BirdLife Shoalhaven and a long-
term contributor to Shorebird 2020 surveys and the NSW NPWS Shorebird Recovery Program.
In 1993, Frances and friends established what became the Lake Wollumboola Protection
Association Inc, which was successful in 2000 in preventing major urban development in the
lake catchment and in 2002 the lake’s inclusion in Jervis Bay National Park. Working closely
with BirdLife Shoalhaven and lobbying at all three levels of government, they also successfully
opposed further urban expansion, with NSW Independent Planning Comission refusing two
major developments in 2018.
As the public face of these campaigns and against acrimonious opposition, Frances has
effectively helped save a KBA and an EAAF site. Local action of global significance.
Colin Kohlhagen, BirdLife Southern Highlands, has been instrumental in establishing,
maintaining and growing the BirdLife Australia Branch, BirdLife Southern Highlands.
Very much due to his efforts and continuing work, BirdLife Southern Highlands now has a
membership of over 130 members. He took an early initiative and wrote articles for the local
paper through which he was able to gain the support of other birdwatchers who were interested
in establishing a formal birdwatching group in the area.
Col has undertaken a range of roles with BirdLife Southern Highlands. Particularly, he has been
the Liaison Officer since its commencement. In this capacity he has been at the forefront of
raising the profile of BirdLife Southern Highlands in the local community and beyond.
More importantly, he also played a significant role in obtaining an order under the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to protect a site used by Latham’s Snipe from the
development of the proposed Southern Highlands Botanic Garden.
2018
Hans Lutter, BirdLife Northern NSW/Northern Rivers is a man who "gets things done" and
"never gives up". He has a distinguished record of promoting liaison between birdwatching
groups, NPWS and local Councils to develop conservation initiatives in the northern NSW region.
These include establishing Guardianship roles at Nightcap (with Brunswick Valley Birdwatchers
and Tweed Bird Observers) as part of the KBA program; promoting wetland development and
surveys along the lower Richmond River for Shorebird 2020 and leading the drive for
preservation and study of Coastal Emu populations threatened by realignment of the Pacific
Highway. He is an inspiring leader and mobiliser of volunteers and, as a result of his more than
20 years working in the field, is a very worthy recipient of a BDSA.
32017
Judith Hoyle, BirdLife Southern Queensland: Judith has volunteered her time, passion for
conservation and leadership to BirdLife Australia and its predecessor organisations for over 20
years which, in 2012, led her to become convenor of BirdLife Southern Queensland. Since that
time she has developed the first business plan for BirdLife Southern Queensland, been involved
in helping to save the Yandina Creek Wetlands, undertaken extensive media work to educate
and promote bird conservation in south-east Queensland, guiding BirdLife Southern
Queensland’s role as a founding group of Protect the Bush Alliance and coordinating dialogue
with government agencies to prevent development of important wetlands for threatened
shorebird species. The award of a BDSA recognises her inspirational leadership and long term
role in advocacy and conservation programs for the preservation of birds and their habitat in
Southern Queensland.
Sonja Ross, BirdLife Melbourne: Sonja has been a driving force in connecting people with
birds via Bird Photography, contributing significant time to engaging people with birds and
furthering photography as a means of engaging people, helping them learn about birds and
engaging with BirdLife Australia, and the predecessor BOCA and the Melbourne Branch. She
has done this through her involvement and moderation of the relevant websites for 9 years
where she was required to verify all the photographed species correctly. Sonja has been
establishing and developing the Melbourne branch’s photography group since 2008. Today the
Photography group has over 600 members thanks to Sonja’s ongoing commitment to this
group. Sonja has organised a Challenge Count team in suburban Melbourne for 9 years and has
been leading walks for the Melbourne Branch for over 10 years; contributing to its educational
activities and courses such as a Shorebirds ID for the branch. Sonja has, over the years, taken
interstate and overseas visitors to Western Treatment Plant to show the wonders of Shorebirds.
All the above show she is a worthy recipient of a BDSA.
2016
Allan Briggs, BirdLife Capricornia, Queensland: A founding member of Birds Capricornia in
2003, Allan has served as Secretary or Convenor since that time. He has organised the
branch's monthly activities and edited the newsletter on a continuing basis. His educational
interests led him to become a founding member of Birds Australia's National Educational
Committee in 2007 and he has chaired that committee for BirdLife Australia since 2013. He
organised the National Congress and Campout at Yeppoon in 2007, the Campout at Byfield in
2013 and organised the speaker programme for the National Congress in Portland in 2014. He
played a major role in developing BirdLife's IBA programme in Central Queensland by assisting
the identification of 16 such areas, writing nominations for them and providing expert
comments on them. Allan has been inspirational to the local community, bringing birds and
their habitats to the fore through his organising of media appearances, shorebird workshops,
discussion forums and advocacy. This resulted in his nomination for a 'Local Hero" award in the
ABC Open Awards in 2013 and, now, to a BDSA award from BirdLife Australia in 2016.
4Sheena Gillman, BirdLife Southern Queensland: Sheena, in her roles as Conservation
Coordinator and Committee member for BirdLife Southern Queensland, is an outstanding
organizer, leader and one-person information hub for the conservation community in the
Brisbane area. She has since 1998 coordinated the effort of volunteers for the Northern
Recovery Project of the Eastern Bristlebird in Queensland, resulting in greater outreach to bird
watchers and land holders for this species now recognised as a priority in the Australian
Government’s Threatened Species Strategy. Sheena established the "Protect the Bush Alliance"
to protect areas of high conservation value and she coordinates the "Birds on farms" surveys
across South East Queensland educating landholders to value birds on their properties. She is a
regular contributor to public hearings, stakeholder consultations and Ministerial roundtables
providing a voice for birds as well as for people who care about birds. Sheena exemplifies how
local people working through local groups can help drive conservation achievements by building
effective alliances and partnerships which extend BirdLife's influence in the wider community.
Beth Williams, BirdLife Northern NSW: Beth has been closely involved in bird habitat and
biodiversity preservation for over 30 years, including seven as Conservation Officer for BirdLife
Northern NSW. She was instrumental in establishing the Bundarra-Barraba Regent Honeyeater
Recovery program which has had a significant impact on the survival of this threatened species.
Currently her focus is on saving significant travelling stock routes for bird and wildlife habitat
preservation rather than for long term lease to local graziers. Her lifelong championship of
nature conservation at local, state and national levels makes her a most worthy nominee for the
BirdLife Distinguished Service Award.
2015
Val Ford, BirdLife Mornington Peninsula, Victoria: Val is a “mover and shaker” and puts her
organisational and graphic design skills to good use in raising the awareness of the general
public to the value of birds and their habitat. For 10 years (1997 – 2007) she was secretary of
PENBOC (now BirdLife Mornington Peninsula) and, since 2008, has edited that branch’s very
extensive and colourful newsletter. She has designed and produced posters for outdoor
displays, flyers and information sheets for the branch’s extensive community education
programs. Val also served as inaugural secretary of the Mornington Peninsula chapter of the
Friends of the Hooded Plover, edits the newsletter and served as a representative on the Parks
Victoria Hooded Plover Advisory Committee. She liaises with the Beach-nesting Birds team as
well as being an active participant in their monitoring and data collecting activities.
Judith Harrington, BirdLife Southern New South Wales: A long-term committee member and
current Vice Chair of BirdLife Southern New South Wales, Judith is dedicated to raising public
awareness about birds and their conservation. At the Discovery Centre she plays a hands-on
role in educating the general public, especially children, through bird walks and informative
displays, as well as contributing to Birds in Schools. Her most well-known achievement was
establishing EagleCam, our high-profile webcam which has attracted thousands of viewers. She
is also active at public events, leading bird walks at Science Week, the Youth Eco-Summit and
the Australasian Bird Fair. Judith is also involved with Network BIGnet, building collaboration
between birding groups in NSW and ACT, and she is a regular participant in surveys for
Shorebirds 2020.
5Clive Nealon, BirdLife Western Australia: Clive is ‘the person prepared to put his hand up and
do the things that others don’t want to do’. Accordingly, he has held a number of important
positions within the organisation, including stints as a Councillor for Birds Australia and Chair of
the Western Australian Branch. Clive ran the Western Australian Research and Conservation
Committee for some time, reputedly a particularly difficult task. His many organisational skills
have often come to the fore, illustrated by his initiation and organisation of the successful
Stirling Ranges bird walks, which have raised both awareness and income, as well as being the
organiser of the Perth Suburban Bird Surveys. Clive regularly leads birdwatching excursions for
members and hosts popular bird walks for the public.
Bob Semmens, BirdLife East Gippsland, Victoria: Described as the ‘go-to’ birdman of
Mallacoota and a ‘champion for birds’, Bob has made a huge contribution to bird conservation in
East Gippsland over the past 30 years. As an active member of the Threatened Bird Network,
he regularly monitors species such as Little Terns, Hooded Plovers and Eastern Ground Parrots
and is also a Regional Organiser for the Atlas and Shorebirds 2020. Bob is tireless in raising
public awareness about birds and their habitats, hosting informative weekly community bird
walks and regularly talking to school groups. His contributions are vital when preparing
submissions for the conservation of local threatened species, as well as on issues such as the
effects of prescribed burns and infrastructure development on the environment. He is widely
respected in his local community as well as by other birding and conservation organisations
visiting the Gippsland region.
Rod Smith, BirdLife Western Australia: As the Schools Liaison Officer in BirdLife Western
Australia’s Community Education Committee, Rod’s commitment to the wide-reaching program
is unsurpassed. Recognising that educating and encouraging young people to be interested in
birds is a vital component of our conservation work, he regularly organises visits to schools,
providing students with an informative and interesting presentation on the local birds of the
area. He then takes them out into the field, visiting local reserves and the like to add a
practical component to what they’ve just learned. He also encourages others to make similar
presentations by providing them with the resources and equipment to make this possible.
Duncan Turnbull, BirdLife Melbourne, Victoria: Duncan was for many years a regular fixture
of BirdLife Australia’s Education program in the Melbourne area, providing valuable hands-on
assistance to the Education Officer. As an extension of this, Duncan initiated an education
program at Kingswood College in Box Hill, teaching its students about bird identification and
survey techniques, using specially designed sheets illustrated with his own photos. He provided
nest-box designs for the students to build, install and monitor in a nearby reserve as well as
designing and building folding nest-boxes for other projects. Duncan used his design and
construction skills to develop mobile display boards to raise awareness about birds among the
general public and to provide safety equipment for bird camps. Duncan is one of BirdLife
Australia’s quiet achievers for developing practical solutions to problems that other people tend
to overlook.
Brice Wells, BirdLife Western Australia: Brice’s commitment to BirdLife Australia is obvious
from the many responsible roles he has taken on. The first of these was as Warden of Eyre and
then Broome Bird Observatories. His extensive knowledge was also valuable in his role as a
Regional Organiser for the Atlas and Arnhem Land Bird Surveys. He has been a valued member
of several committees, notably Chair and founder of the successful BirdLife Western Australia
Community Education Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee, Chair of
BirdLife Western Australia’s Excursions Group, and Community Liaison Officer. Brice has been
an active member of the Gouldian Finch Recovery Team and the Red Goshawk Study Group, as
well as taking part in wader dispersal studies and wetland surveys for NT Parks and Wildlife.
62014
Graham Harrington, BirdLife Northern Queensland: Graham Harrington is the Important Bird
Area Co-ordinator for North Queensland. He has initiated and led surveys to establish the
status of significant restricted-range species including the Carpentarian and Kalkadoon
Grasswrens; Tooth-billed, Golden and Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds as well as investigating crop
damage by Brolga and Sarus Cranes on the Atherton Tableland. He has himself trained and led
many field volunteers, raised funding, liaised with local landholders and ensured publication of
results. His work has led to important information being collected about north Queensland
species at a time of major environmental change while generating enthusiasm for, and
promoting the value of, citizen science.
Tim Mintern, BirdLife Horsham: Tim Mintern is the Secretary/Treasurer of Horsham BirdLife,
and has been for the past fourteen years.
During this time, he produced the quarterly newsletter for Horsham BirdLife. Tim is also a
volunteer monitor of several Wimmera sites for the Wimmera Catchment Management
Authority. He is the principle organiser of annual campouts and outings. He is the driving force
behind the publication of the Guide to Wimmera Birds booklet, obtaining local finance for this
publication to be produced to its now second edition. Tim also disseminates concurrent
information to all members of Horsham BirdLife.
Tim’s BDSA is recognition of his sterling efforts as Secretary/Treasurer of Horsham BirdLife for
the past 14 years.
Ian Morgan, BirdLife Horsham: Ian Morgan is President of Horsham BirdLife, and has been for
the past fourteen years. He is a popular and enthusiastic President and always leads the group
from the front.
His attention to detail and vast knowledge of birdlife, in general, is highly regarded throughout
the community. Outings and campouts are always well researched and interesting where he
ensures all members have an equal opportunity of what’s on offer. His passion for and his
results of bird photography are well known and highly regarded. He willingly provided his
photos for the publication of the Wimmera Bird Guide, identification boards, and magazines.
Ian’s award recognises his enthusiastic and energetic journey as President of Horsham BirdLife.
2013
Michael Bamford, BirdLife Western Australia: Mike joined Birds Australia in 1979 participating
in the first Atlas Survey period 1977 - 1981. He also contributed to the Australasian Wader
Studies Group and South-West Water Bird Project. He served on the West Australian Executive
Committee from 1995 - 2005, was Chairman, 2002 - 2004, and a Birds Australia Councillor
2005 – 2011. His vision for BirdLife Australia is to see the profile of birds raised throughout the
community with birds being used as a basis for raising environmental awareness - an important
concept borne out by his own numerous contributions to bird studies in Australia and worthy of
recognition with a BDSA award.
7Max Burrows, BirdLife Mornington Peninsula: Max joined BOCA in 1967 and has been
President of the Mornington Peninsular branch (now BirdLife Mornington Peninsula) since 2004.
He was the driving force behind the reformation of the branch committee structure to more
clearly focus its activities in Education, Conservation, Membership and Publicity. He personally
launched the branch newsletter “Penboc News” in January, 2005, initiated the concept of the
branch publication “Where to find birds around Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula” and
the “Rare Birds of the Peninsula” project which is still ongoing. He started the “What Bird is
That?” annual beginners’ days at The Briars and for four years contributed to the
BOCA/Melbourne Water bird surveys. Max is an innovative and energetic President and well-
deserving of BirdLife’s recognition of his significant service to birding over many years.
Shirley Cook, BirdLife Northern NSW: Shirley has been an enthusiastic participant in fieldwork
on the Regent Honeyeater project in Bundarra-Barraba area and bird surveys of Currawinya and
Diamentina National Parks in Queensland from the early 90s to the present day. She has also
been actively involved in the running of the Northern NSW Regional Group of Birds Australia
(now BirdLife Northern NSW). She has been Editor of the newsletter since 1996, a vital
member of the Executive Committee and Secretary since 1998 and Secretary/Treasurer since
2005. She was the driving force in the organisation and running of successful campouts and
congresses in 1995, 2003 and 2012, the 2000 Birds Australia National AGM and Members’ Day
and the 2009 Australasian Ornithological Conference.
Shirley’s continuity of service, organisational capacity and corporate knowledge is much valued
by the NSW group and is now recognised by BirdLife Australia with a BDSA award.
Suzanne Mather, BirdLife Western Australia: Sue has been Chair of BirdLife Western Australia
for the past two years having previously served on the Branch Executive, Excursions Committee
and Organising Committee for the Australasian Ornithological Congress. She catalogued and
re-organised the Branch Library and is co-editor of the quarterly “Western Australian Bird
Notes”. She co-ordinates the ongoing Rottnest Shorebird and Bushbird Surveys and continues
with her own research interests in mistletoes and bird species of the arid zone. Sue is
passionate about the conservation of Australia’s native birds and her own contributions and
dedication to this goal have earned her a BirdLife Distinguished Service Award.
Clive & Wendy Napier, BirdLife Western Australia: Clive & Wendy have played outstanding
roles in the management and success of the West Australian branch of Birds Australia (now
BirdLife Western Australia) for over three decades. Clive was a member of the Executive and
Excursions Committees for many years while Wendy organised volunteers in the branch office in
Perth. Both have organised and led numerous excursions and campouts in many parts of
Western Australia and have actively sought out and mentored new members for the branch.
Their long period of service to the branch and contributions in many different fields makes them
both worthy recipients of BDSAs.
Margaret Philippson, BirdLife Western Australia: Margaret has been actively involved in the
Western Australian branch since 1993, being initially an office volunteer and then Secretary of
the Executive Committee from 1994-2000. Her most important contribution to the branch has
been in initiating improvements to the production of the quarterly “Western Australian Bird
Notes” and acting as typesetter for that publication – a not-inconsiderable job as its size
increased to 44 pages per issue. She was also typesetter for the Hooded Plover report, the
Western Australian Ground Parrot booklet and the 2007 Australasian Ornithological Conference
program, timetable and abstracts. She has also made major contributions to the design
associated with production of other quality documents and booklets produced by the branch.
Margaret’s BDSA recognises her role as an invaluable member of the team of dedicated
volunteers in Western Australia over many years.
8Liz Walker, BirdLife Western Australia: Liz contributed to fieldwork on the Perth Biodiversity
and Carnaby Black-Cockatoos Projects and, in her role as Manager of the Perth office for the
last eight years, has also assisted both volunteers and researchers in other projects such as
Australasian Bitterns and Greater Western Woodlands. She has served on the Branch Executive
Committee for six years, Eyre Bird Observatory Committee, Excursions and Grants Committees.
She has been a very effective fundraiser for the branch both through LotteryWest and other
grant-giving bodies. Liz is described by her colleagues as a ‘fantastic contributor to all the
activities of BirdLife Western Australia” and it is this diversity of her work and ongoing
commitment that has earned her a BDSA award this year.
2012
George Baker: As Conservation Officer for the Townsville Region Bird Observers Club (TRBOC)
since 2005, George has forged strong ties with all levels of Government, pertinent organisations
and local businesses so that TRBOC is now respected as a major conservation organisation in
the Townsville region. He has overseen the production of three local bird conservation booklets,
organised conservation projects involving many hundreds of school children and actively
promoted the conservation of shorebirds and Black-throated Finches. His BDSA acknowledges
this important work for protection of birds and their habitat.
Janet Hand: Janet joined BOCA in 1981, participated in the Melbourne Planning Committee for
the establishment of MELBOCA in 2006 and is currently involved in merger discussions between
MELBOCA and the BA Vic group. For MELBOCA, she has been Secretary since 2006 and
Education Co-ordinator since 2007. In the latter role she has organised many promotional
displays and activities, spoken to many outside organisations and assisted BOCA staff in school
education programs. Her BDSA acknowledges her administrative skills and hard work to
promote BOCA and the pleasures of birdwatching over many years.
Graeme Hosken: Graeme has been an active participant and volunteer for BOCA for over 50
years. He was a Board member (2003-2012) and President of MELBOCA (2006-2011). He has
collated Challenge Count results since 1987, is a long-term participant in both the Melbourne
Water and Westernport Bay surveys, and was a much-valued advisor and hands-on helper with
the physical maintenance of the Nunawading National Office for many years. Graeme’s BDSA is
well-earned.
Trevor Quested: Trevor began his birdwatching in Sydney in 1976. He was a longtime
member of Birds NSW and served on the committee. He is a founding member of the
Cumberland Bird Observers Club Inc. He has been President of the Bundaberg Bird Observers
Club for six years. He commenced the newsletter and website.
He has a broad knowledge of birds, is a competent photographer and has excellent computer
skills. He has used his wide range of expertise to assist many newcomers to birding. His
dedication and leadership are much respected and are the basis for the award of his BDSA.
Barbara Reidy: Barbara has been an active committee member of TRBOC since its formation
20 years ago, serving as Treasurer for some years and as an active member of the Education
sub-committee. She has participated in many bird surveys and conservation projects and has
also been the contact person for liaison with the Townsville City Council. Her BDSA
acknowledges her long and dedicated service to the branch.
92011
Robert Anderson: BOCA played a major role in persuading the Victorian State Government to
set up the Yellingbo State Wildlife Reserve in 1965 to preserve habitat for the endangered
Helmeted Honeyeater. BOCA again took a lead in the establishment of the Friends of the
Helmeted Honeyeater in 1988 when the local community felt that not enough was being done to
save the bird that was now the State bird emblem.
Bob Anderson has been President of the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater for 18 years and
was awarded an OAM for this work in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2010. Under his
leadership the Friends have been an effective lobby group in pushing the State to continue
funding to save our State bird. Bob himself has served on the Operations and Recovery Team
committees. He has been a long-term volunteer on the supplementary feeding programme at
Yellingbo and in the plantings to revegetate the Woori Yallock Creek for the future release of
captive-bred birds.
BOCA is proud to be associated with the Yellingo Reserve and with Friends of the Helmeted
Honeyeater which is now one of our affiliate groups, and to present a BDSA award to Bob for his
hard work, drive and commitment to one of the longest-running conservation projects in
Victoria.
Rod Bloss: BrisBOCA was formally established as a BOCA branch in 2001 and Rod Bloss has
been the driving force behind its rapid growth and innovative style since its inception. He has
been President since 2003, Secretary until 2010, and managed the day-to-day finances as well
for many years. Under his leadership, BrisBOCA forged close ties with many Government
agencies and local Councils as a result of which the branch obtained significant outside funding
and its members are heavily involved in survey work, revegetation and community education
projects across south east Queensland including the Eagleby Wetlands. Rod negotiated the
establishment of a local headquarters for the Branch at the Beenleigh Historical Village which
provides office space and meeting room. Rod also developed working relationships with other
conservation organisations in the area such as the Glossy Black-Cockatoo Conservancy and the
campaign to preserve Queensland Stock Routes.
Rod was appointed as an Alternate Director of BOCA Board in 2007 and elected a full member of
the Board, 2008-2011.
Rod’s resignation from the Board and from the Presidency of BrisBOCA, due to ill health, was
received with regret. His significant contributions in both areas of responsibility well merit a
BDSA award and we hope that in his retirement he may find more time to enjoy the fruits of his
past labours.
Andrew Ley: Andrew was originally a BOCA member in the fifties and then rejoined in the
eighties after a break of some years. He is also a member of Birds Australia and has been
working primarily with their regional group in northern NSW. On the BOCA scene, he has been
a frequent contributor to the Australian Bird Watcher (now Australian Field Ornithology), was
appointed a sub-editor in 1998 and has been editor (Aquatic Birds) since 2002. Andrew’s
dedication to birds and the environment together with his encouragement of contributions made
by non-professional birdwatchers epitomises the link which already occurs between BA and
BOCA, one which should be strengthened by the merger.
10Peter Mason: Peter has been a long-serving Committee Member of the Yarra Valley Branch of
BOCA. He has been a Vice-President and, for the past 11 years, Conservation Officer. He has
been a frequent speaker at branch meetings and led member outings. He has also served on
the Education and Tours Committees at National Office.
Peter has spent five years on research and, finally, publication of a very successful guide to the
“Birds of the Yarra Catchment and where to find them”. This new book is much needed, fills a
gap in the regional bird guides in Victoria and is proving of great use to both local Victorians and
interstate and international visitors to the Yarra Valley.
Ian Muir: Ian Muir, and his wife Elva, joined BOCA through an “Introduction to Birdwatching”
course in 1996. At the end of the course, on asking what he could do for the club, Ian was,
with his strong financial background, immediately invited to become Honorary Treasurer - a role
he filled with distinction for 13 years and which was made all the harder by the recent financial
downturn.
Ian oversaw the introduction of GST to BOCA’s business transactions in 2001; managed the
finances of the purchase and renovations associated with the establishment of the Bird
Environment and Education Centre at National Office in 2000-2002, and in the same period
together with Bob Shanks, revised BOCA’s Constitution to reflect changes in business practice.
Ian continues to act as a Trustee and Treasurer of the Australian Bird Environment Foundation
(ABEF).
On his retirement from the Board, BOCA would like to thank Ian for his long years of dedicated,
meticulous work and hope that he and Elva will find much more time for good birding in the
years ahead.
Bill Ramsay: Bill joined BOCA in 1977 and has made many significant contributions to BOCA
since then. In 1999-2000 he provided structural engineering advice and assistance in the
design and development of the Bird Environment and Education Centre at National Office. In
2002 (on the retirement of Peggy Mitchell) he took over the preparation of the regular “Bird
Notes Series” for The Bird Observer, expanding the additional comments, for example, on the
relationship of new sightings to historical records and indicating where such sightings provided
evidence of movements of bird populations in a changing environment.
Bill played a major role in the planning for, and establishment of, the formal MELBOCA Branch
(2004-2006) and continues as its Treasurer. In 2007, he initiated the formation of the
MELBOCA website (with the technical assistance of Damian Kelly), and continues to be
responsible for its day-day management. More recently, Bill initiated the discussions between
MELBOCA and the BA Vic group to develop new working relationships in the light of merger
discussions.
Bill’s administrative drive, attention to detail and enthusiasm is much appreciated by many
BOCA members and his BDSA is well-earned.
11Don Saunders PSM: Don has devoted his working life to conservation of the natural
environment. As BOCA’s Conservation Co-ordinator (since 1998), Don has combined his
extensive knowledge of Australia’s birdlife, together with his considerable political nous, to
advocate for our birds on a wide range of critical conservation issues: protecting threatened
species, opposing inappropriate commercial developments, commenting on government policy,
contributing to projects such as identifying “Important Bird Areas” (IBAs) and “Western Port
Welcomes Waterbirds”. Don has always contributed countless volunteer hours over and above
his contracted position and is always willing to answer a very wide range of ‘out of the blue’
questions from BOCA staff and members alike.
More recently, Don has been a driving force behind the editorial team for “The Bird Observer” in
editing and maintaining the high standard of conservation and education articles alongside
members’ contributions.
On his impending retirement from his formal position as Conservation Co-ordinator, BOCA
acknowledges, with deep gratitude, Don’s pivotal role in BOCA’s conservation efforts over the
last 13 years and hopes that his knowledge and quietly-spoken, but always effective, counsel
will not be lost from us entirely.
Peter Sedgwick: Peter has been an active member of BOCA’s Ballarat Branch since 1992 and
was nominated as their representative on the Clarkesdale Committee of Management in 1995.
He became Chairman of that committee in 2002 and continued as Chairman of the newly-
established Clarkesdale Advisory Committee when this replaced the Committee of Management
in 2005.
With his gentle, thoughtful and engaging approach, Peter has consistently made valuable
contributions to management decisions at Clarkesdale and has undertaken many hands-on
activities with the Friends of Clarkesdale support group.
Bob Young: Bob initiated and presented a course in digital photography as part the Education
Committee’s offerings in 2005. This course was so successful that, by the end of that year, he
had established an enthusiastic Digital Photography Group in Melbourne. In October 2006, he
ran the first “Digital Photography in the Bush” program in conjunction with the BOCA‘s Nhill and
Horsham branches which attracted country and interstate members and provided practical
experience in both photographic technique and photo-editing.
In 2008, Bob led the Steering Committee which established BOCA’s National Photographic
Special Interest Group (PhotoBOCA) which now has over 240 members. Bob is President,
Acting Secretary and Newsletter Editor - busy roles - yet he still manages to take an active part
in digitisation of BOCA’s bird slide collection and in establishing (in conjunction with Webmaster,
Dave Torr) the Photogallery of Australian Birds on the BOCA website.
Bob’s photographic knowledge, drive and administrative expertise has led to the practice of
digital photography being one of the fastest-growing and most popular educational activities for
BOCA members – and all in 6 years!
122010
Shirley Cameron: Shirley has been leader of the ‘Werribee Wagtails’ for the last 12 years,
inducting may new birders, visitors and BOCA members to the delights of birding at sites to the
west of Melbourne. She also collates and prints the group’s monthly newsletter Werribee Wag-
tales which encourages members to contribute bird photography, reporting and bird counts.
Shirley is a volunteer guide to many visitors to the wetlands at the Western Treatment Plant at
Werribee, has been Community Representative on the Western Treatment Plant Community
Liaison Committee, and is a member of Birdline and Australian Birding. Her terrific knowledge
of the movement of migratory birds at the Treatment Plant is shared with all her contacts in her
inimitable style.
Keith Stockwell: Keith joined the Echuca & District branch of BOCA at its inception in the
1990s and has made a very significant contribution to bird knowledge and conservation in
northern Victoria and Southern Riverina since that time. He has acted as Secretary to the
Echuca branch for 12 years, organised many camps and outings including the very successful
‘3-day events’ each May. He manages two websites detailing the activities of the branch,
publishes the bimonthly newsletter The Plains Wanderer and has overseen the publication of
several Guides to Birding pamphlets, all of which act as important resources for visitors to the
area. Keith represents birding interests on several local conservation advisory bodies and has
made many presentations on conservation issues in the region.
Trish Teesdale: A keen, active member of BOCA for a number of years, Trish joined the staff
and volunteers in the National Office in 1998 and quickly became the friendly voice that
members recognised when they contacted National Office for help. For eleven years until her
retirement in 2009 Trish was at the centre of National Office activities, working countless extra
hours to ensure members got the best from their organisation.
Trish took over the responsibility for organising the ‘Flyaways’, finding many new and isolated
places to visit in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania and, of course, Lake Eyre.
She acted as Secretary to ABEF doing enormous work for the Trustees, tirelessly working with
ABEF grant applicants in honing their applications and getting their grants to them when they
were successful.
Trish’s efforts in keeping the office running when people were sick, on holidays, and off doing
other things – filling in for everyone –with care, attention to detail and willingness to serve all
hours of the day and night to support members, volunteers, staff, committee members, Board
members, branches and the public are well known to BOCA people everywhere.
Barb Williams: Barb joined BOCA in 1983 and then the Ballarat Branch in 1989 on moving to
Talbot. Barb has willingly and capably served as Vice-President of Ballarat BOCA (three terms),
President (three terms) and Newsletter Editor (ongoing since 2003). A well-travelled birder,
Barb is a regular and entertaining speaker at Ballarat Branch meetings and has spoken about
birds and their habitat to other organisations. She is involved in several ongoing bird surveys.
Barb has hosted regular outings to her bird-rich property near Talbot, Victoria, and has
contributed in many other ways to the well-being and success of the Ballarat BOCA Branch.
132009
Xenia Dennett: Xenia has had a 40-year association with BOCA and has served with
distinction on many committees including the Board (1996 – 2000) and as inaugural
Chairperson of the Activities Committee (1997 – 2002). She is currently a Trustee of the
Australian Bird Environment Foundation (since 1997), Convenor of the Westernport Survey
(since 2003), Chairperson of the Conservation Strategic Committee (since 2006) and Scientific
Advisor to the Community Monitoring of Bird Utilisation of Melbourne Water Constructed
Wetlands (since 2006). To all her many contributions to BOCA, Xenia always brings both
scientific stringency as well as her deep commitment to the need for preservation of birds and
their environment.
Laurie Living: Laurie has been a participant in the Westernport Survey since 1990. He
designed and has maintained the Westernport Survey’s database since 1994; makes all the
entries and provides the quarterly summaries. From this database, he has also provided
regular information to Victoria’s Department of Sustainability & Environment and to
Environmental Assessment enquiries relating to the Westernport area. He was a member of
BOCA Board, 1995 – 1998.
Joan Peters: Joan joined BOCA in 1977 and the Peninsula Birdwatchers Club (which later
became PENBOC) in 1983. She served with distinction on the PENBOC committee and led many
outings for PENBOC and MELBOCA weekdays group. Her activities with U3A have seen her
extensive avian knowledge passed on to many Peninsula residents with subsequent recruitment
of members for BOCA. She has also worked extensively in association with The Briars Park
where her birdlists for that site are always available. She has great communication skills and is
always successful in passing on her extensive knowledge to both old and new birdos alike.
Richard Stevens: Richard joined Sou’West Branch in Victoria as an inaugural member, serving
as Committee member, Secretary, and Bulletin editor. He has produced birding leaflets,
organised and led many camp-outs and outings. He was instigator and driving force behind
Warrnambird05, a very successful part of BOCA’s Centenary celebrations. He was prime mover
and compiler of the Sou’West Bird Observers’ Guide and also compiles and edits the Sou’West
Birdlife Register. He has represented BOCA widely within the community and works with local
municipalities, schools, wildlife shelters and coastal parks of the southwest.
Jon Wren – Bowen: Since 1983 Jon, has proved to be a great ambassador for BOCA in that
he has single-handedly furthered the cause of bird observation and conservation in the Bowen
area of North Queensland some 200kms away from either of the closest BOCA branches at
Mackay and Townsville. He has initiated and continued many conservation and education
projects to increase awareness and protection of local birdlife by making presentations to local
schools and community groups and liaising with local authorities. He has lead projects to
preserve Beach Thick-knees and reduce deaths of local birds including Wedge-tailed Eagles at
rail kills.
2008
Marleen Acton: Marlene has been an active and much respected member of the Townsville
Branch of BOCA since its inception in 1992. She has been Tours Convenor, an enthusiastic
promoter of many Branch activities including tagalongs, and hosted many visitors to the area.
She is a very effective Editor of the ‘The Drongo’, one of the most innovative and colourful
branch magazines.
14Peter A Allan: Peter has maintained BOCA membership since 1957 and has attended
meetings, outings and surveys, and given talks, guided groups as well as individuals, and
written articles for various publications. He has participated in BOCA’s Challenge Count since
1987. Since joining the Echuca Branch of BOCA in 1995 he has been a leader, Treasurer and,
since 2004, President of the Branch. He is a very much respected member of the birding
fraternity of Central Victoria.”
Celia Browne: Celia has been a stand-out contributor to BOCA in the Melbourne area for
many years. She has served on the MELBOCA committee, organising speakers for the monthly
meetings, leading many outings and providing printed records of these outings. In 2004 she
initiated the ‘Wednesday Wanderings – Warrandyte to Westgate’, a series of walks along the
Yarra River from Warrandyte to the bay to monitor bird activity and has just started a second
series of these walks to investigate seasonal differences and changes to habitat as a result of
Melbourne’s prolonged drought.
In 2005, Celia initiated and coordinated C5 the “Centenary Plantation” project which planted
593 indigenous trees at Banyule Flats, Heidelberg, thereby establishing a new bird habitat
corridor from the wetlands to the Yarra River. Celia also led the weeding and watering group
for 12 months to ensure the success of the plantation.
Alec Hawtin: Alec was a foundation member of the Sunraysia Branch of BOCA in 1982, served
as its President for 7 years and led many Club outings and camps. He has played a major role
in bird and habitat conservation in the Mildura area including Branch surveys at Koorlong &
Mildura Sewerage sites. He contributes to surveys for the Trust for Nature’s Ned’s Corner
project and was an active participant in the opposition to, and defeat of, the Victorian
Government’s plan to establish a toxic waste facility in the Mallee. He has been a member of
the Black-eared Miner Recovery Team and the Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group for many
years.
Clare Miller: Clare has the longest association with the Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary of all
current BOCA members. She assisted Gordon Clarke with the re-planting and enhancement of
habitat in of the Bird Paddock in the 1960s and ‘70s and her extensive knowledge of the flora of
the area has always been of particular value. Clare was one of the inaugural Trustees of the
Gordon Clarke Trust which provides significant funding to the Sanctuary, a founding member of
the Clarkesdale Committee of Management and of the Friends of Clarkesdale. For over 40
years, Clare has worked tirelessly with the Committee and Friends to promote Gordon Clarke’s
vision for the Sanctuary and still encourages and nurtures new members and the local
community to follow that vision.
2007
Wallie Coles: Wallie has been closely involved with BOCA since the early 1970s and has
recently completed a term of more than 25 years as the Club’s Ballarat district Conservation
Liaison Officer. He formed a network of local contacts at all levels and has campaigned
persistently and successfully for the preservation of birds and their habitats in the Ballarat
region and beyond. He has been a long-time supporter of BOCA’s Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary;
was a co-founder of the Ballarat branch in 1983, has been active in the branch ever since and
led many outings for Branch members and local schools.
15John Crowhurst: For well over twenty-five years John was the unofficial face of BOCA and
birdwatching in the Cairns area – in particular, helping many thousands of visitors with
shorebird identification on the Cairns waterfront. His reputation is world-wide and his
unstinting, entirely voluntary help was publicly recognised in 1995 by the award of a Public
Services Medal for services in promoting ecotourism in the Cairns area. In 2000, he became
BOCA’s official representative in Cairns and continues to support many members visiting the
area.
Tina Dotto: Tina was a founder member of the Bundaberg Branch of BOCA in 1995 and has
served two extended periods as Secretary. She has coordinated the activities of organisers of
the regular outings, campouts, and surveys, participated in many of these events herself, and
continues as the prime ‘mover and shaker’ of birding activities in the district.
John Kirton: John was President of BOCA in 1984-86. He was the initial Convenor of the
Australian Bird Environment Fund Guidelines Committee (1984) and subsequently served on the
Administrative Committee until 1988. He was Convenor of the Melbourne Branch Committee
(1996-2006), organiser of New Members’ Days and a long-time participant in the Westernport
Survey. From 1999 to 2006 he was also Coach Tour organiser, introducing longer tours with
overnight stays which provided opportunities for Melbourne members to liaise with many of
BOCA’s Victorian branches and visit a greater variety of bird habitats.
Marlene Lyell: Marlene joined BOCA in 1980 and, as an avid user of the Club Library, saw a
need to protect the books. Over many years, Marlene covered the entire collection with
protective plastic sleeves. Since the early 1990s, she has also been the manager of the Club’s
master slide collection – selecting, maintaining and cataloguing this extensive and valuable
resource for educational purposes and Club publications.
Helen O’Donnell: Since 1992, Helen has been Secretary to the Ballarat Branch of BOCA. As
well as coordinating the activities of the branch, she has organised the speakers for the monthly
meetings since 1995 and participated in regular surveys and working bees at BOCA’s
Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary.
2006
Marjorie Andrews: Since its formation in 1991 Marj has been a major contributor to the
success of MACBOCA. She has been Secretary since 1995. She introduced Mine Surveys in
1993 and still conducts these on a regular basis. She has written many articles for local
publicity for birds and worked for environmental education in local schools. She has also
conducted surveys and worked for the conservation of the Eungella Honeyeater.
Colin Barraclough: Colin has contributed to BOCA in several areas. He began his third period
on the Board in 1990, was President in 1994 and 1995 and retired from the Board in 2002. He
represented BOCA Board on the Clarkesdale Sanctuary COM and became the Board
representative on the Clarkesdale Trust in 2001. He was the Chair of the ABEF Administrative
Committee from 1987 to 1990 and the Advisory Committee, 1993 to 2002. He has represented
BOCA for many years on the Helmeted Honeyeater Committee and as a member of that group
has assisted the recovery team in the conservation of Victoria’s bird emblem.
Ian Boyd: A founding member of Townsville Region Bird Observers Club in 1992, Ian has been
an active Committee member ever since, and is currently President. He has been involved in
the promotion of the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park and co-representative on
Airports Australia Townsville Bird Strike Committee. He has been involved in several local
conservation and educational initiatives and has worked tirelessly to enhance the profile and
prestige of BOCA.
16Tania Ireton: Tania served on the BOCA Board from 1991 to 2004 and was Junior Vice-
President from 1996 to 2003. In 1996 she was one of the founders of BAYBOCA and has been
an inspiring President since 1997, as it has grown into an active and vibrant Branch. She also
contributes regularly to BAYBOCA’s website and Newsletter. Tania has also been a regular team
leader for the Westernport Survey and Challenge Bird Count since 1990, Saturday shop
volunteer for many years, member of the Activities Committee since 2002 and a member of the
Editorial Board of Australian Field Ornithology since 2003.
Don Roberts: For 21 years Don’s efforts and commitment have underpinned the success of
the Murray-Goulburn Branch. He willingly shares his interest and extensive knowledge of birds
and encourages the interest of others. His organisational contribution has been pivotal,
including 15 years as Secretary and 3 as President. He is widely respected for his birding
knowledge and regularly consulted by organizations and individuals in the region.
Leonie Robbins: Prior to taking over the organisation of the Weekdays Outings from
February, 2000 to February 2006, Leonie had been one of its leaders for over 20 years. Her
organisational skills and attention to detail are legendary. With her husband Trevor, she has
also collected the oral histories of BOCA members for the Centenary Historical Collection and is
an active member of the BOCA Speakers Panel.
Nancy Taylor: As President of EGBOC from 1994 to 2004, Nancy tirelessly promoted the club
in the region, editing the Newsletter The Chat and obtaining grants to publish the East
Gippsland Birding Guide and the club’s website. She actively promoted bird conservation
through talks to local schools and clubs and liaison with local authorities. She always generated
a warm, friendly atmosphere within our club, which has flourished under her exemplary
leadership.
2005
David Ap-Thomas: David has taken responsibility for a number of club activities for over 10
years. David served on the BOCA Council from 1986 to 1994. He was Vice-President in 1990
and Club President from 1991 to 1993. During his Presidency, he initiated the employment of
Club’s first Conservation Officer. He has been coordinator of the Challenge Bird Count for
16 years (since 1988), and coordinator of the Yellingbo monthly excursions for 17 years (since
1987). Since 2002 he has been Camps Organiser.
Frances Ashburner: Frances designed and produced BOCA’s first Little Blue Birdlist (a
taxonomic checklist of the birds of Australia) in 1995. As well as her contribution as a library
volunteer, she has served in various record-keeping positions over the past ten years, assisting
with conservation filing, indexing library materials and organising club archives. She is
currently a member and co-Convenor of the Library Committee. Since 1993, Frances has taken
responsibility for editing and production of the BOCA Report Series.
Ronald Bone: Ron was Secretary/Treasurer from the initiation of BOCA’s Nhill Branch from
1985 to 1995. He was a nomination from Nhill for the contribution he has made to the success
of the Branch and also for his contribution to important conservation projects in the region. He
has been associated, both as a volunteer worker, and as Treasurer, with a number of large-
scale Landcare Projects in the region, including Project Hindmarsh and the Nhill Swamp
Boardwalk, which was nominated as the Best Landcare Project in north-western Victoria for
1999.
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