As a teacher of horticulture, conservation and land management at Gordon Institute of TAFE, Elizabeth Ross has inspired countless students to pursue a meaningful career in natural resource management.

But it is her tremendous passion for the natural world that drives her support for numerous environmental groups in many roles – as a leader, educator, as well as volunteer – over more than 20 years.

Better known as Beth, her warm sense of humour and exceptional people skills help create an inclusive atmosphere that encourages active participation and brings out the best in everyone involved.

She emphasises mental, emotional, and physical well-being in conservation work – with a strong focus on OH&S – and good governance to enhance organisational effectiveness and longevity.

Beth’s expertise in land management has led to significant ecological benefits. Her advocacy ensured the preservation of topsoil during the development of a car park at Ocean Grove Nature Reserve. Salvaged soil and plants were taken to the Bellarine Landcare Group (BLG) nursery where they are yielding seed for three locally rare species: wattle mat-rush (Lomandra filliformis), native cranberry (Astroloma humifusum) and common flat-pea (Platylobium obtusangulum).

On another occasion, she identified remnant vegetation containing locally rare plants for Friends of the Bellarine Rail Trail, and organised seed collection. The Bellarine Landcare Nursery has since produced thousands of swamp everlasting (Coronidium gunnianum), prickfoot (Eryngium vesiculosum) and smooth riceflower (Pimelia glauca) seedlings for use in revegetation projects.

Beth credits her love of nature to growing up on a small farm near Nyah West, in the Mallee, with parents who were keen observers of native birds and wildflowers and members of the Mid-Murray Field Naturalists group. She discovered botany at university.

“I can remember the first time I looked down the microscope at a flower and I got the best buzz in the whole world,” she said.

Her involvement with community groups began as a way of learning more about the local environment.

“Then I got into doing more and if I didn’t go and play with nature then I had to stay at home and do much less interesting work. Why on earth would I do that when I could be out saving the world!” she said.

Her engagement with citizen science through platforms such as iNaturalist and the BLG Facebook page has bolstered community participation in research, enhancing the quality and reach of local conservation data. She has also developed the Bellarine Nature Search website which has made local environmental information accessible to a wider audience.

Private landholders seek advice from Beth on flora identification and biodiversity management, and she happily engages with groups outside regular Landcare circles.

Her contributions to the community and the field of conservation were recognised at the BLG’s 30th anniversary dinner in 2016, where Beth’s exceptional service to Landcare was acknowledged. Beth is Bellarine Catchment Network vice-president, supports Bellarine Secondary College and the BLG nursery, sits on the Landcare Nursery’s Committee of management, and is the nursery representative on the BLG committee.

She’s also secretary of the Friends of Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, and supports Friends of Edwards Point, Friends of the Bellarine Rail Trail, and Queenscliff Community Nursery.

Highly Commended

Marney Durie

Five years after joining the Wycheproof and District Landcare Group Marney Durie’s leadership potential was identified and she was elected president – at the age of 23. In 2023 Marney helped to run the Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network (BNGLN) inaugural month-long Landcare Festival, which saw more than 50 events across the region with over 1000 participants. As well as her own farm and business commitments, Marney has taken the lead for BNGLN’s Junior Landcare program, the planning of the Buloke Biolinks project, and the Wycheproof Wetlands project.