GOOD to see young citizens of Gold Coast recognised, including environment advocate Pacha Light.

Pacha follows in the footsteps of conservationist grandmother, mother and aunt, early members of original GC Environment Protection Association, Wildlife Queensland.

Elders too deserve credit and Wildlife Q’ld GC & Hinterland

Branch this year hosts State Wildlife Annual General Meeting and Southern Q’ld Branches Get Together, honouring founders the Fleay family and life member Rosemary Fleay Thomson, daughter and biographer of her internationally recognised father, Dr David Fleay.

Also honoured will be Gene Rosser, former WQ GC & H committee member, whose family gave so much of their land to enable the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens.

Of course there are others, no longer with us, who contributed to Gold Coast natural heritage. Edith Gear and Margaret Thorsborne’s dedicated ‘keyboard warrior work’ was, of course done on typewriters but their advocacy ensured the existence of Pine Ridge Conservation Park, last stand of wallum on the Gold Coast.

Fitting to honour the past, as well as looking to the future.

WQ GC & H also acknowledges the many, old and young, whose advocacy ensured the State Government Spit Masterplan project finally guards the future of an area WQ GC & H began a watch over decades ago.

Respect due to young and old, who are defenders of our Nerang National Park and the fragile and remarkable Gold Coast World Heritage Site, Springbrook National Park, not extensive like World Heritage Wet Tropics and therefore not suitable for adjacent cable cars but nevertheless a jewel in our city’s crown.

Of course our bush heritage, guarded sustainably for more than 50,000 years by the original people, is what Australians identify with when they think of their homeland and it is well to ensure that its wide and unexploited beaches, its oceans and marine life and its climate, natural vegetation and fauna are guarded for future Australians.

SALLY SPAIN, WILDLIFE QUEENSLAND GOLD COAST & HINTERALAND PRESIDENT