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Profile - Stephen Lord

Stephen is one of NPA’s most effective quiet achievers, with a history of involvement in the Association going back to the early 1980s. So keen indeed, that the first night after returning from his honeymoon he was off to an NPA meeting!

A keen lover of the bush – friends and family think of him as a "bushbaby" – he has made a strong contribution to the NPA in a host of ways. His vision for a good guide to NSW parks culminated in the excellent NPA publications National Park Guidebooks for Northern and Southern NSW, with production financed by a preliminary and more modest couplet of best sellers, Bushwalks in the Sydney Region (Volumes 1 and 2) compiled with George Daniels. He also helped to get out the ground-breaking work by Gethin Morgan on Conservation in Western NSW.
Growing up near Berowra, Ku-ring-gai Chase just over the back fence offered many and marvelous opportunities to explore the bush. Coupled with encouragement to "up and at 'em" by his father who sadly passed away only last year, Stephen has moved up through a burgeoning medical research career. In recent years he has led a research team seeking to understand and overcome loss of balance as a cause of the damaging falls experienced as people age. Dubbed by his work colleagues as "The Fall Guy", this work is leading on to further understanding of human balance.

Stephen first joined the NPA State Council Executive in the mid-eighties. Juggling the competing demands on his time and interest with his growing family as well as his research career, for a while he retreated to a less prominent role. With a bit of arm twisting he was persuaded to become NPA’s representative on the NPWS State Advisory Council, in addition to work with the Northern Metropolitan Advisory Committee, and a return to the Executive. His skills as thinker, writer and negotiator contributed in no small way to State Council’s adoption of policies recognising the rights of Aboriginal people in nature conservation and in national parks (see pp 11-12).

His wry sense of humour, bush skills and stamina, and unflappable calm and strategic approach in fair weather and foul, are much appreciated by bushwalking friends. He also enjoys good tucker and makes sure a few delicacies are included when off camping, as evidenced by the impression made on a Westpac helicopter crew – called in one time to rescue an ailing member of his group – on noting the scattered evidence of his gourmet tastes in the wild!

Anne Reeves,
 Junior Vice President

  NPA in Canberra

Cath Webb has relocated to Canberra (based in the new World Wide Fund for Nature office) but continues to work on western wetlands and the NPA/WWF Western Project. She would be very happy to hear from NPA members with an interest in Ramsar or wetlands in Western NSW, or both. You can contact her on: ph 02 6257 4010; fax 02 6257 4030; e-mail cwebb@wwf.org.au; postal address 15/71 Constitution Ave, Campbell ACT 2612.

Cath Webb,
Western Wetlands Officer

Southern Sydney round-up

Thank you to John Macris: John Macris, Southern Sydney Branch Secretary and State Councillor, has reluctantly announced that he will not be available for nomination at the AGM, as he has moved out of the area. John’s tremendous effort over many years is greatly appreciated by the Branch. Thank you John from all at Southern Sydney.

Southern Sydney Branch Annual General Meeting: The Branch AGM will take place at 8 pm on 24 July 2000 prior to the slide show Vietnam Then and Now at Sutherland Multi Purpose Centre, 123 Flora St, Sutherland. All Branch members are encouraged to attend, nominate (or volunteer) and vote on your committee for the next 12 months.

Your Branch needs you: Joining the Southern Sydney Branch Committee is the ideal way to give something back to NPA. This is an opportunity to get involved in the organisation of the Branch (or simply run a display at your local fete). Nominations or volunteers would be most welcome at the AGM on 24 July, especially for Branch Secretary and State Councillor. Please ring Peter on 9528 7341 or Milton on 9524 2886.

Our monthly business meetings (8 pm to 10 pm) take place at a member’s home, normally at Kareela on the third Thursday of the month. Meetings are interesting, relaxed and informal.

NPA displays: Branch members represented NPA at Sutherland Council’s Big GIG, the Get Involved Gala, to promote interest in local community groups. The NPA display highlighted local environmental issues, the conservation work of NPA and the benefits of membership including the activity program. Thank you to the Branch volunteers.

Peter Vaughan,
Southern Sydney Branch

Biodiversity surveys
Kumbatine National Park: 

Nearly 60 people attended the four-day biodiversity survey held over the October 1999 long weekend, in the new Kumbatine NP. Consisting mainly of NPA Sydney Branch members, there were also representatives from Macarthur, Three Valleys and Mid North Coast, plus a good round-up of NPWS staff from Port Macquarie under the leadership of Andrew Marshall, the local ranger.

On Friday marquees, tarpaulins and individual tents were erected as well as four bush toilets. Recycling bins, drinking water drums, mountains of food, gas cookers, gas lamps, trestle tables for cooking, food preparation and the "science" lab - the hive of activity was rather like an ants’ nest.

Cooking dinner was organised by activity group. A menu for each night was prepared by Claire Carlton in advance, with recipes written for 40, 60, 70 or 80 people. Staggering!

Jenny Kaberry and Roy Pullen from Mid North Coast Branch took part, as did Gwen O’Dea and Margaret Smith (from the same Branch) who between them purchased and freighted all food supplies - another prodigious feat! Who has ever gone shopping for a week’s food with a budget of about $1500?

There were eight groups of 6-8 people: one group was "birdos"; two were veg(etation); one was water (quality and life); three were mammals; and one herp(etology). The birdo team was the first on the go, setting off at 5 am ready for sunrise. Veg 1 and veg 2 and the mammal and herp crews took off at a more respectable hour, like 8-9 am. Water team suffered from lack of a 4WD vehicle, and had to wait their turn.

Mammals also had to go out after dark to lay various traps and these had to be checked during the day. The veg teams spent many hours in the afternoon and at night with microscope, lenses and key texts trying to identify everything from grasses to vines to eucalypts and rainforest trees.

Some of the fauna records of interest were Mixophyes iteratus (giant barred frog), golden whistler, sooty owl and yellow-bellied glider.

To see such a large gathering seemingly so easily organised and working together was an experience in itself. At the beginning we were told to not only work hard, but to take time to enjoy ourselves, and I am sure everyone succeeded on both counts.

Jenny Kaberry,
Mid North Coast Branch

Know your NPA!!

We REALLY need some volunteer help in the NPA Head Office with answering the phone, computer tasks, photocopying, filing – all those little things that make an office run smoothly. 
We can guarantee you will get a first-hand view of the workings of NPA! 
We'd like someone who can come in regularly, 3-5 days a week.

(The office is in the centre of Sydney, near all the main shops and public transport links.)

Please call Karen Petley on 9299 0000
as soon as you can!

  More surveys

NPA held a survey over Easter in Woomargama State Forest. It was a great success with 70 people attending, many of them locals from the Albury-Wodonga, Wagga Wagga and Holbrook region. It was also an excellent public relations exercise for NPA, as the survey attracted a lot of regional media attention; we look forward to flow-on effects from this. We will bring you a report of this survey in the August issue of the Journal.

The next NPA survey is on the October long weekend in the Riverina region north of Corowa. Please contact the NPA head office on 9299 0000 if you are interested in attending, or to have your name added to the Biodiversity Survey mailing list.

Claire Carlton,
Convenor, Biodiversity Committee

NRMA shares

Fed up with the demutualisation of the NRMA? 
Put your shares to the mutual cause of conservation.

By donating your shares to the National Parks Association 
you can be sure that the proceeds will be put to good use, 
and you may be entitled to a significant tax deduction.

For more information on how to donate your shares contact the NPA office on 9299 0000.

You should seek independent financial advice about any tax benefits 
from donating NRMA shares to the NPA.

Roger Lembit,
NPA President

Exciting new benefits for NPA members!
Read all about it!

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