An Australia Day birthday present

“Every year I have an afternoon tea with my girlfriends, a couple of glasses of bubbles. I don’t think that will change, other than I might have an extra glass in the afternoon” – Rosemary Nater, left

Every year Moyston community leader and Landcare advocate Rosemary Nater celebrates her birthday on Australia Day with an afternoon tea with friends.

Her celebrations this year are extra special, with Mrs Nater awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM, for her tireless work in the Moyston community and Landcare organisations.

Mrs Nater has been secretary of Moyston Landcare Group for the past 12 years and was a board member of Project Platypus, a Landcare network in the Upper Wimmera Catchment, from 2012-2018

She was Moyston Primary School president from 1998-2003.

Mrs Nater has been Moyston Progress Association secretary since 2017 and Moyston Sheep Dog Trial Club vice-president since 2003.

She is the co-ordinator of the longest-running three-day sheep-dog trial in the state.

When Mrs Nater received an email notifying her of her OAM, she said she thought it was someone playing a joke on her.

“I thought it was spam – I nearly deleted it,” she laughed.

Mrs Nater said she believed the award was more appropriately a recognition of the Moyston community than herself.

“In my opinion, the medal is more a recognition of the community and if people know Moyston, they know it is not very big,” she said.

“But a lot can get done because so many people volunteer or become part of a community group. Everyone gives it their all.”

Despite all Mrs Nater’s work, she said the most rewarding thing she was doing was being active with primary school children and sharing with them the importance of Landcare.

“They are great little planters. It is so important to get the kids involved in revegetation work or controlling invasive weeds – the kids are a delight,” she said.

Mrs Nater said Moyston Landcare Group first started in 1989 and was mostly made up of farmers, but had evolved to also include smaller ‘lifestyle’ landowners.

“They are a great group of people,” she said.

“Landcare is lots of things, not just planting trees.

“It is about caring for your local area.”

Mrs Nater said her birthday plans would not change, but might have a ‘double significance’ this year.

“Every year I have an afternoon tea with my girlfriends, a couple of glasses of bubbles. I don’t think that will change, other than I might have an extra glass in the afternoon,” she said.

Indigenous honour

Wimmera identity and Wergaia elder Associate Professor Eleanor Bourke became a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, for a lifetime of significant service to Indigenous heritage, to justice and to education.

She is chairperson and commissioner of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission in Victoria, the first truth-telling body established in Australia in May, 2021.

Her long list of service includes being the former chair of the Victoria Heritage Council, former chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at Monash University and former director of the Aboriginal Research Institute at the University South Australia. • Shire council awards, pages 20 and 21.