Fay and Terry White provide a rich insight into the combination of their own huge respect for the land, their enjoyment of living and working in rural communities and by providing a clear history of what and whom they were working with during early government projects that progressed land, water and music based environmental ‘on-ground’ activities.
This interview clearly supports the link between many like-minded progressive people who were around, were active and committed during the early era of tree groups, landcare and other community-based land protection activities. With an enormous amount of goodwill, innovative thinking and a willingness by Governments to listen to the people on the ground, much was achieved.
Terry and Fay have shared their considerable talents and teaching qualifications to benefit many areas of programs and activities that developed in the 1970-1990 era. Particularly so with dryland salinity, landcare, community participation and by their belief of reinvigorating rural communities through supporting youth environmental employment while ensuring community revival happens through people working together in groups within catchments rather than working one-on-one as landholders.
Keen thinkers, both have taken on board the teachings and knowledge of others to enrich their own work.
Terry provided strong input working with Saltwatch, which morphed into Waterwatch and other community programs like Ribbons of Blue.
Fay, seeing the link of the meaning of ‘song-lines and environment’, wrote many words and music to fit with occasions, such as when the Girl Guides undertook a State-wide tree planting project for which she wrote “With Our Own Two Hands” or for Junior Landcare with a memorable number “Soil Ain’t Dirt”.