Meet the DPA

How long have you been involved in the parklands for?

I first started using the park as place to walk my dogs. Like many people, I didn’t think that much about the parklands; I just thought it was lucky that this nice piece of bush had been kept aside as a park. It was years later that I found out more about the parklands story, and learned that virtually every tree has been painstakingly planted by hand, much of it by DPA volunteers over the decades. Now I have huge respect for the vision and sheer hard work of the park’s founders.

In 2003 a friend roped me in to the committee “just to do the newsletter”. Within a year I was vice-president, and in 2007 I was elected president. I still do the newsletter!

What is your role and what does it entail?

As president, it’s my role to steer the Good Ship DPA. Luckily, we have an awesome committee, who make the job a whole lot easier.

The president’s role is to keep all the big picture stuff on track – the DPA’s three year Action Plan, submissions on major issues like the parklands’ master plan, liaison with government, councils and the Darebin Creek Management Committee, major grant and award applications and any other official duties.

I help out with events and also coordinate a couple of Action Plan projects – strategic revegetation and the concept plan for the new environment and education centre.

As well as the newsletter, a job I just can’t seem to delegate away, I am the DPA’s webmaster, so I am responsible for maintaining our website and Facebook page and I handle member communications, media and publicity.

What is your favourite part of the parklands or best parklands moment?

Best parklands moment is a tossup between winning the 2006 United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day Award and the 2007 Junior Ranger camp out, when Ranger Pete brought along the couches and lounge furniture from the environment centre, and we sat under a beautiful full moon in front of a roaring fire on the Ivanhoe floodplain listening to his crazy tales of life as the parklands’ head ranger. (Some of these stories are fit to print and appear in our parklands history Darebin Parklands: Escaping the Claws of the Machine.)

What are your interests or hobbies?

Sadly, my paid and unpaid work involves too much sitting in front of a computer, so my therapy is doing anything active. I’ve done a few Oxfam Trailwalkers (100 k hike), a couple of Murray Marathons (as part of a K4 kayak relay team) and lots of bike events like the Otway Classic and the ATB 250. I enjoy voluntary work, and I’m also a trustee of the East Timor Hearts Fund, an aid organisation that brings young Timorese to Australia for life-saving heart surgery.

How long have you been involved in the parklands for?

I have been involved in the parklands since moving to Alphington in 2006.  The parklands were a key attraction for us in moving to this area and it didn't take long to get involved with the DPA.

What is your role and what does it entail?

I am the vice-president of the DPA and apart from occasionally deputising for Ingrid I have taken a keen interest in running Junior Ranger and community events.  The JR program is a great way of getting kids and families involved in the park.  Our JR activities have an environmental focus and it is always a delight seeing kids out discovering things in the natural world and having fun.
What is your favourite part of the parklands or best parklands moment?

One of the things I love about the park is that when you are down in the creek valley surrounded by trees you could be anywhere in the bush.  I love too the way the park is flexible and diverse and offers so many different opportunities for people to get outside experience nature and enjoy themselves. When I learnt about the history of the park I thought it  was an inspirational story of people taking action locally to protect the environment and involve their community.  We need this inspiration in our modern times!
What are your interests or hobbies?

With three sons my main hobbies are shopping for food and driving to sports venues!  When I have more time I like to grow veggies, cook, plan holidays and run and cycle on the Darebin Creek trail.

How long have you been involved in the parklands for?

On the committee for almost three years and with the parklands in general for 10 years

What is your role and what does it entail?

For the last 18 months I have held the position of secretary for the DPA which means administrating, managing and circulating all the meeting agendas and minutes, as well as updating committee member contact details. I also get involved with most DPA events especially the enormously popular Junior Ranger activities.  More recently I have become more involved with helping manage our growing membership, with regard to improving communication and the administration thereof, so watch this space!

What is your favourite part of the parklands or best parklands moment?

That’s a no-brainer…the Junior Ranger camp out…and for someone who hates camping that is quite a statement from me!!  It’s such a great opportunity for city kids to get a taste of camping in the bush…and only six kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD

What are your interests or hobbies?

Walking, running, gardening and drawing to name but a few.

How long have you been involved in the parklands for?

My official involvement with DPA is short. I decided to get into it on a whim earlier this year because I have been really impressed with the improvements in the parklands over recent years, and I have a little bit more time than I used to.

I have enjoyed the parklands for 25 years. My children were practically raised in the parklands, my dogs have loved the freedom to run (under effective control of course!). We have celebrated many birthdays and we have cycled the paths for years.

We have picked mulberries and made jam, talked about using olives…we have seen weedy trees removed and beautiful stands of native shrubs and trees replacing them.

What is your role and what does it entail?

I am new to the committee so at the moment my role in the DPA is to watch and enjoy a well oiled machine go through its paces. I am amazed at how much work the committee members do and how professional they are. I am a great believer in the old saying "many hands make light work”

What is your favourite part of the parklands or best parklands moment?

My favourite part of the parklands is Snake Grass. I love that it can be so hot and dry there but still so green and lush with all the divine grass plantings. It is a botanical wonderland and I just love it.

I also love the new plantings of Poa around the bridge area. They are so intensely green and are growing so well.

I love the mulberry trees. They look gnarled and cranky and ooze personality.

I don’t like walking up the bluestone steps!

My most recent best parkland moment was seeing two tawny frogmouths.

What are your interests or hobbies?

I am addicted to cycling. I love walking my dog. I love collecting the rare eggs from my chickens. I have to make and eat cakes. I dream about spending more time in my garden and I love walking in open spaces.

How long have you been involved in the parklands for?

Five years.

What is your role and what does it entail?

I am on the DPA committee and I help with organisation and events

What is your favourite part of the parklands or best parklands moment?

Looking out our living-room at the gum trees, especially by moonlight.

What are your interests or hobbies?

Walking, adventure travelling, yoga/fitness, bike riding, family, reading, movies, native gardens, Inverloch and the DPA