The Joan Kirner Landcare Award honours a long-term Landcarer in Victoria who has forged partnerships and inspired, encouraged, and mentored others to undertake on-ground action.

Marie Jones was born in Rutherglen and worked as a primary school teacher and assistant principal in inner suburban Melbourne for many years before moving to Central Victoria in 1994.

“I knew nothing about the environment when we first arrived, I’m certainly not a botanist, but it was clear the environment needed help, and I was willing to learn. Teaching gave me a social conscience and skills at organising and multitasking,” Marie said.

In 1995, Marie was a founding member of Golden Point Landcare Group, making connections with members, overseeing projects, and mentoring other members. She has driven many projects within the Forest Creek Valley, working in partnership with Parks Victoria within the Castlemaine Diggings National Park, and caring for Golden Point Reservoir – a highly valued conservation asset in the region. She has contributed to the planting of over 15,000 indigenous plants and many hectares of pest management in disturbed gold-mining country.

Marie became involved with Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests in 1998. She is currently president of this active group that runs monthly walks, organises photographic exhibitions, and develops educational materials to promote and advocate for the box-ironbark forests of the region.

In 2007, Marie was instrumental in the creation of Connecting Country (Mount Alexander Region) Inc, a community conservation organisation driving landscape-scale restoration in the region and operating as a Landcare network for 30 Landcare and environmental volunteer groups. Marie has worked tirelessly to ensure that Connecting Country is successful and sustainable, serving for many years as secretary or president and being involved in multiple sub-committees.

Under Marie’s guidance, the network has successfully protected, restored, and enhanced over 13,000 hectares of the region’s landscape.

Marie has spearheaded several major community campaigns, including successfully fighting the proposed Calder Freeway upgrade in 1995 to protect the local environment of Chewton, and as a founding member of the Post Office Hill Action Group, which was granted the right to manage a 22.5-hectare site proposed for residential and commercial use as a bushland reserve.

Marie believes Landcare has become even more important in smaller communities since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Getting people together to do something for the environment is so positive. It’s a way of creating community. We need this every day, and it is essential in times of crisis. Landcare is such fun and you meet fantastic people. The first time someone called me a greenie I was taken aback, but now I wear that hat with pride,” Marie said.

Marie has now been involved in Landcare and environmental projects for more than 30 years. She is acknowledged in her community as an exceptional grassroots environmental leader. Marie is the person who people want to talk to about new ideas, project funding possibilities, how to partner with other groups and working on new issues.

Marie has a constructive and positive approach to her community work. She treats everyone with respect and is always keen to listen and learn even when there is disagreement.

Marie was especially honoured to be nominated for the Joan Kirner Landcare Award as she was Joan’s neighbour in Williamstown for many years.

“I remember her fondly,” Marie said. “Joan was a very compassionate woman.”