Celebrating Nillumbik Women 2009 - Nillumbik Shire Council

Bronwyn South
Nominated by Suzi Kerr
Bronwyn South lives in Strathewen with
husband Eric. They have three adult children.
Bronwyn is a member of the Apted family,
who are well-known for their apple and
pear orchards in Nillumbik. She grew up in
Strathewen as a fourth generation member
of the community. She attended Strathewen
Primary School and started at Hurstbridge
High School in its first year, when it
operated from portables on the grounds of
Eltham High School.
Over the years, Bronwyn has held positions
with Strathewen Playgroup, School Council,
parent’s club and hall committee. She was
Treasurer of the oval committee before
the administration was handed to Council
and has sat on the Nillumbik Shire Council
Statutory Planning Committee. Bronwyn has
been an active member of the Strathewen
Landcare Group since 1992. She was the
inaugural Treasurer and currently holds the
position of President. Strathewen Landcare
is the second oldest Landcare Group in
Nillumbik.
Following the Black Saturday bushfires,
Bronwyn has led the local Landcare Group
in providing much needed advice and
support to bushfire-affected residents.
Bronwyn takes great pleasure in helping
young members of the group. She recently
lent her support in organising an excursion
to provide information to landholders on
pasture recovery, fencing, native vegetation
regeneration and erosion control.
Bronwyn and her husband Eric have
offered use of their property below the fire
line in Strathewen as a recovery centre
and community meeting place since the
fires. Bronwyn has committed many hours
to participating in the Strathewen Interim
Recovery Committee process and has lent
her expertise in business and information
technology, as well as her amazing knowledge
of the local environment.
Given that Strathewen was all but
destroyed in the fires, many of its residents
are temporarily accommodated well
outside the area. As such, local community
members are deeply grateful to Bronwyn for
setting-up and taking responsibility for an
SMS phone tree that helps keep them
informed regarding bushfire recovery
events, grants and initiatives.
Bronwyn is on the Board of Port Phillip
and Westernport Catchment Management
Authority, the Melbourne Water Waterways
Advisory Committee and the Nillumbik
Green Wedge Community Consultative
Group. Her connections have placed
Bronwyn in an ideal position to network and
advise across community, local government
and state departments.
In addition to her local involvements,
Bronwyn is a computer scientist, business
manager for the family orchard and a
graduate of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors.