Celebrating Nillumbik Women - Nillumbik Shire Council

Celebrating Nillumbik Women2008 – 2013

ForewordCelebrating Nillumbik women was conceived by the Nillumbik Women’sNetwork as a way of writing women in to our local history. Our manymarvellous local histories provide some general accounts of the lives of‘pioneer’ women but as far as we could see, surprisingly little has beenwritten about the contribution of local women to the development ofthe area.Women as a group are frequently excluded from the official histories andeven in death the gravestones of early settlers will often read ‘wife of...’.Indeed in response to a question posed about the poor representationof women in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, one of the editorsremarked, “well women don’t really do much”! This project providesclear evidence to counter this claim.The first edition of Celebrating Nillumbik women was launched at anInternational Women’s Day lunch hosted by Nillumbik Shire Counciland the Nillumbik Women’s Network in 2008. The aim of thispublication was to make a start on locating and celebrating the manylocal Nillumbik women, who may appear ordinary to some, but wholive extraordinary lives.We have recently been encouraged by those responsible for producingthe Australian Women’s Register to incorporate our local biographiesin to this archive. The searchable online Australian Women’s Registeris a valuable and growing source of biographical data about Australianwomen and their organisations, with hyperlinks to the archivalrepositories and libraries where their records are held and to othersources of information. We will be seeking permission from nomineesto allow us to add our local women’s biographies to this archive.Finally, as always, we are deeply appreciative of those who havetaken the time to nominate these inspirational local women and to theCouncillors and staff of Nillumbik Shire Council who have been generousin their support of the project.Mandy PressConvenor Nillumbik Women’s Network

2013NomineesRoslyn AddisonSue AldredLucy AndersonSue ArnoldMary AvolaAnna FolettaMorag FraserDanielle Green MPColleen HackettPam HayesBarbara JoyceCarol LeesonSandra and Bruno PoloniMandy PressCarolyn RoyseHannah SkyLorna SmithLynlee TozerKlianthi VassiliadisKerry WailesGali WeissIrma WintonAlexis Wright

Roslyn(Ros) AddisonNominated byElizabeth Savage KooroonyaRos Addison has tirelessly and selflesslyencouraged, supported, inspired andadvocated for women and their families from theSt Andrews Black Belt. She has seen and heardthe struggles and needs of the families wholost their loved ones and their homes, animals,gardens and life’s work in the firesof Black Saturday.For three years following the fires, Rosattended recovery meetings of varioussorts every week to ensure that Black Beltfamilies at least had a voice and presencewhen others were making ‘recovery’decisions. Ros was instrumental in savingseven lives on Black Saturday as shewatched her own home burning tothe ground.Just months after the fires, Ros startled,amused and inspired Black Belt womenby consulting a professional stylist beforerushing out to buy replacement clothes.She then invited the stylist to a morningtea so everyone could get hints onrebuilding a wardrobe. This story has nowbecome local folklore, as has her readylaugh and generosity.Ros will drop everything to call onsomeone in need. She has been the‘barefoot emergency counsellor’, carer andsupporter to many St Andrews Black Beltwomen and their families.Note: The Ladies of the Black Belt are a group ofSt Andrews women who came together after the2009 fires. The term Black Belt has become a localterm for the areas of St Andrews impacted byBlack Saturday.Sue AldredNominated by St AndrewsCommunity CentreSue Aldred was born in Wales and came toAustralia in 1992. She moved to Nillumbik in1997 and since then has been involved with abroad range of community organisations.Over the years she has balanced timebetween her paid work in social andeducational research and communitydevelopment, raising her three children andvolunteering within Nillumbik and beyond.She has played a significant active rolein various organisations, demonstratingleadership in a number of these groups.Sue is a fearless champion of worthycauses, an invaluable ally and afierce opponent.She is passionate about her localcommunity, social justice, sustainabledevelopment and caring for theenvironment locally and more broadly.She has fought for these causes toenhance St Andrews and Nillumbikmore broadly.Sue is a keen naturalist, vegetablegardener and cook. She is married toMichael Aldred and together they arevery proud of their three adult childrenand granddaughter.Sue loves living in St Andrews and wishesto continue to work towards enhancingboth its community and its environment.Her studies, both at the formal and informallevel, have enabled her to make a significantcontribution to her community.

Lucy AndersonNominated by Fee SeiversLucy and her husband, Tom, moved to Elthamin 1974. They raised three children and wereheavily involved in local sports; Eltham Wildcats,Eltham Cricket Club and Eltham Leisure Centre.Lucy and Tom were also original Lions Clubmembers, joining in 1977.Tom started his own business and Lucyworked as Secretary. She also volunteeredat Food Swap during this time. In 1990 theybought Eltham Tattslotto & Gifts in the oldEltham Village Arcade. To attract morepeople to Eltham Village, Lucy took it uponherself to create some marketing andpromotional events, like Lucky Ticketsand fashion parades, until they sold theshop in 1994.In 1995 Lucy began working asMarketing Coordinator for ElthamTraders. Lucy has developed thisposition over the years, creating manyopportunities for the traders andother organisations.Lucy created the first Jazz Festivaltogether with Sandro Donati in 1998,where they had five bands playing onstreet corners for an afternoon. The Jazz,Food and Wine Festival is now a hugeweekend event with two stages andabout 30 bands.Lucy also created the Christmas WishingGiving Tree project to provide Christmashampers and gifts to those who need them.She was also instrumental in developing theannual Let’s Turn Eltham Pink Campaign,where traders work with the community toraise money for breast cancer research.Sue ArnoldNominated by Mandy PressSue Ingrid Arnold, aka Miss Wattle, is aprofessional entertainer, designer, teacher whohas lived in Nillumbik since roughly 1998.She started her theatrical career in hermid-teens in Adelaide but soon movedto Melbourne to enjoy its broader artistichorizons. There followed many years ofnational and international travel beforeSue found Bert Tucker’s cottage in HaleysGully Road, Hurstbridge. Although neverfortunate enough to meet Albert inperson she enjoyed the use of what hadonce been his studio. From then on Suebecame more and more involved in herlocal community.Through a long association withAllwood Neighbourhood House inHurstbridge, Sue has made greatfriendships, conducted courses andis now a member of the committee.After the Black Saturday fires Sueran free courses to help localfire-affected people.Sue was also one of the foundingmembers of the Bohemian Women’sAssociation – an informal group aimingto create connections in the community.In 2012 Sue worked with the AustralianChildren’s Music Foundation. In that yearSue spent a day each week at thefire-affected Strathewen and MiddleKinglake Primary Schools teaching music.For the first Hurstbridge Wattle Festival,Sue created an alter-ego, Miss Wattle – acharacter from early 1900s. Miss Wattle (withher OMG bloomers) has become a very wellknownpersonality in the Shire.

Mary AvolaNominated by Barbara JoyceMary was born in London during the SecondWorld War. She travelled to Australia with hermother and father in 1952.Mary met Peter, her ‘special, one of a kind man’and eventually settled in Strathewen in 1973,Peter and Mary have two children who grew upin Strathewen and had become grandparentsto five grandchildren.On 7 February 2009, a firestorm hitStrathewen and Mary lost her beloved Peter,her home and a lifetime of possessions.In the aftermath of the fire, Mary was electedonto the Strathewen Community RenewalAssociation (SCRA) to assist with thetown’s recovery and renewal. She noted‘something gave me strength’ and felt thatPeter had passed his strength on to her.Mary joined the Resident SupportCommittee, a subcommittee of SCRA,and helped put in place an ongoingprogram of activities such as soup nightsand barbeque nights to support recoveryand renewal in the community. Maryassisted with sensitivity to the planning ofAnniversary events to mark the tragiclosses incurred on Black Saturday.Involvement on the committee became partof Mary’s journey to recovery and her strengthgave others courage. Mary also joined groupsto assist with the support of bereaved familiesfrom Black Saturday.Mary, who has a beautiful soprano voice,joined the Chocolate Lilies and infuses thechoir with her courage, beauty and abilityto harmonise.Anna FolettaNominated by Mandy PressAnna Foletta has lived in Eltham with herhusband and two children since 2003.Before having children, Anna trained andtaught as a primary school teacher in theinner suburbs of Melbourne, where sheloved the challenges and experiences beingaround children provided her. Her particularinterest was teaching upper primaryand making the transition into puberty asmooth and more easily navigated pathfor her students.Anna and her husband moved to Elthamfor a greener landscape and a moreopen minded community. When Anna’syoungest daughter was five weeksold, she joined the Warrandyte NaturalParenting Melbourne playgroup, whereshe met two other mothers whom sheworked closely with to produce theplaygroup newsletter Nurture. Anna,along with Rachel Watts and CharlotteYoung, went on to become BuddingIris Publications, which createdBarefoot magazine.Barefoot was published for threeyears, providing a resource to support,challenge and inspire parents, familiesand carers to live and parent consciouslyand with passion. It was operated purelyfrom love, dedication and support fromwithin and from those around them.Since Barefoot ceased publication, Annahas created a program for young womencalled The Wisdom Seekers, which sheplans to implement in secondary schoolsto encourage young women to connect withthemselves, their communities and the earth.

Morag FraserNominated by Meera GovilMorag Fraser AM is a writer, newspapercolumnist, and one of Australia’s mostexperienced literary judges and commentators.Her books and essays range across a widerange of subjects, from higher educationto literature, gardening, politics and theology.In 2004 Morag received the Order ofAustralia for services to journalism.She was a judge of the Miles FranklinLiterary Award from 2005 to 2011, and iscurrently Chair of Australian Book Reviewand Chair of the Board at Montsalvat.Morag is a very fond grandmother,enjoys good food, native gardensand conversations, is deeply in lovewith her home in Montmorencyand a passionate advocate forall matters literary.Danielle Green MPNominated by Mandy PressDanielle Green was elected to the district of YanYean in 2002. She is the mother of two sons andlives in Doreen with partner Steve.She is also Shadow Minister for ChildSafety, Disability Services, Health Promotionand Women.Danielle believes in taking action to build herlocal community and is a member of variouslocal clubs and the CFA.She actively supports the NillumbikWomen’s Network and has been apassionate advocate for the NillumbikSays No to Violence program, funded byVicHealth. She also supports Victorianwomen with disabilities who experienceviolence at far greater rates than otherVictorian women. Danielle believesstrongly that all women have the rightto live free of violence – whatever formit takes.She has been tireless in her quest to getmore women screened for breast cancerfollowing BreastScreen Victoria’s AnnualElectorate Report Card Eventin Parliament.Danielle has been active in therecent campaign to protest the StateGovernment’s plan to further develop theGreen Wedge, helping residents in theircampaign against the building of houseson local green wedge land.Finally, her Italian heritage and her love forher family has led to her strong advocacy forRainbow Labor Network Victoria and supporterson their passionate campaign to have all loverecognised as equal.

Colleen HackettNominated byCr Anika Van HulsenColleen Hackett lives with husband Grahamon a bush block regularly visited by variousbirds and wildlife. Colleen is passionate aboutpreserving our native flora and fauna as wellas the heritage values of Hurstbridge.After a 35 year career in education and asa teacher and coordinator at Eltham HighSchool and having served her time onvarious school councils and committees,Colleen ‘retired’ to become a dedicatedvolunteer in the interest of NillumbikShire while also taking a bit more timefor her family.Over the past five years Colleen hasbeen the Chair of Friends of Nillumbik,a very large and active group primarilysupporting Neighbourhood Characterand the Green Wedge. This is aposition she has taken on with hercharacteristic enthusiasmand competency.She works closely with residentsfrom various parts of the Shire offeringassistance with submissions aboutinappropriate planning applications,making media comment, askingquestions at Council meetings andmeeting with politicians on behalf ofFriends of Nillumbik and residents.In her spare time Colleen is a keenbushwalker, gardener and a member ofAustralian Plants Society, actively promotingthe planting of Indigenous plants. She alsohas a strong interest in watercolour paintinghoning her skills at the Panton Hill Living& Learning Nillumbik centre with otherlike-minded community members.Pam HayesNominated byDawn McDonnellPam was born in Ivanhoe and lived in Bulleenas a child. In the 1960s and 1970s she workedas a secondary art teacher in Melbourne andthen spent eight years teaching in PapuaNew Guinea and training the first indigenousprimary teachers.Pam returned to live in the Bend of Islandsand helped set up the EnvironmentalLiving Zone in 1976. She later lived in StAndrews and Panton Hill, and taught atHurstbridge High.In 1996 Pam set up a RegisteredTraining Organisation to train adultpractitioners in health, safety andinfection management for the bodyart industries and wrote nationallyrecognised courses for this field.Pam worked with Reg Evans to formthe first St Andrews CommunityTheatre group in 1981. She enjoyswriting songs and now sings with theChocolate Lilies Choir.Pam is the designer of the Panton HillSchool logo and screen printed theoriginal run of T shirts and windcheatersfor the school in the mid-1980s.Through the 1980s and 1990s Pamvolunteered as a weaving and printmakingtutor at Panton Hill and Warrandyte Living& Learning centres. Since retiring from herbusiness in 2010 she has supported theNillumbik Neighbours group as a volunteer atLiving & Learning Nillumbik in Panton Hill.Pam and her husband Garry are very proud oftheir five adult children and seven grandchildren(with more on the way!)

When Barbara Joyce first came to Nillumbikin 1995, she felt at home, living first in CottlesBridge and then in Strathewen from 1998.For a number of years, Carol has been anactive volunteer in the Kangaroo Ground RuralFire Brigade.Barbara has been a voluntary Director on theBoard of the Dunmoochin Foundation since1997. Barbara was on the DunmoochinFoundation rebuilding committee whichoversaw the rebuilding of artist residenceswhen the main house at Dunmoochinburned to the ground in 2001.She is Secretary of the Brigade, a member ofthe Brigade Management Team and Presidentof the Friends of Kangaroo Ground Rural FireBrigade, the group responsible for fundraisingfor the Brigade’s needs. She hasalso been Secretary of that group inthe past.Barbara JoyceNominated by Mandy PressAfter Black Saturday, Barbara feltcompelled to help the community ofStrathewen to heal. She joined theResident Support subcommittee ofthe Strathewen Community RenewalAssociation. She also joined theMemorial Reference Group asshe wished to honour the friendsand neighbours she had lost. ThisCommittee undertook a lengthyprocess of community consultationand the Memorial was completedin 2012.Carol LeesonNominated by Fran GronowCarol is the long-term Secretary of theAndrew Ross Museum, situated in theKangaroo Ground Primary School. TheMuseum is the custodian of the historyand many artefacts from the area’spioneering days.Carol is one of the Museum’s delegatesto the Combined Nillumbik HistoricalSocieties organisation, and a leader inthe digitisation program of theMuseum’s records.As an art therapy project after thefires, Barbara undertook a projectwith the Strathewen Primary Schoolwhere the children were asked to colourin a drawing of a chook. Using thesedrawings, a group of women cametogether to knit the whimsical chooks inorder to bring comfort and warmth into thelives of these children.Barbara completed a Diploma of ArtTherapy and continues to run workshopsbringing people together to create. Barbarafeels that creativity connects people andpromotes a sense of community when peoplecome together.

Sandra andBruno PoloniNominated byThe Press/Morris familyA shop with a heart:Yarrambat Store 1982–2003You’ve come of age21 years and you’re off.For 21 years you haveBeen part of our lives.And you will live in our memoriesAlways.Morgan remembershow the store was once the centreof Yarrambat.The meeting place.Sometimes he’d ride there and backSix times a dayTo buy lolliesAnd ride over a few jumps on the way.He’d hang out thereWith his mates and Magnus.Bruno never intervened intheir squabbles.Would shrug his shouldersat the language,Make no judgement.Whether rough, quirky or ‘normal’He would treat everyone the same.Tilly remembersSpending hours at the shop,In the corner,Gossiping with Emma and Sarah.Reading Girlfriend cover to cover.Bruno didn’t mindAnd we all rememberSandra’s aromatic stuffedbarbeque chickens,Warming the cockles on many a coldand hungry night.We will miss Bruno’s video recommendations,Or should I say the collective judgementsof his customers,For he never could be botheredwatching them himself.And the elastic credit system,Whenever the childrenMorgan, Magnus or Tilly,Needed stuff at the store,They’d put it on the account.Of course.And we would pay itsometime later,when we received the next quarterlyand sometimes annual bill.Sandra and BrunoAlways welcoming,Usually with precisely what was neededAnd often what was wanted(mm those delicious Italian chocs)And if there’s no fresh garlic,Sandra will provide from herown supply.Asking after the children, ours, their healthAlways caring.Soooo ... after 21 yearsEnjoy your freedom,Knowing that you have earned the keyto Yarrambat and all the goods life stillhas in store for you;Our love and thanks.

Mandy PressNominated byNerida Kirov andThe Chocolate Lilies ChoirMandy’s early work in community mentalhealth and the Brotherhood of St LaurenceFamily Centre Project led to a commitment tosocial justice and to building strong andconnected communities.Mandy spent eight years lecturing in socialwork at Phillip Institute and the last 20 yearsof her working life as a senior executive inlocal government.As director of community and culturalservices at the Shire of Eltham from1984 to 1995 Mandy established anumber of new arts projects, and threechildcare cooperatives. She also securedfunding for community education whichbenefitted the Council’s two Living &Learning Centres.Active on many local boards andcommittees, Mandy helped establishthe Eltham Community Health Centre,and as a member of the SutherlandHomes Board oversaw the transitionfrom a cottage based care model to adeinstitutionalised model of care. Mandyjoined the City of Port Phillip in 1995.Her work included integrated planningand place management, municipal healthplanning and community strengtheningand participation.In pursuit of a more balanced lifestyle,Mandy left full time work in 2005. Shecontinues to research and write, and in2009, received a first class honours Mastersby Research degree from the Universityof Melbourne.Carolyn RoyseNominated by Jenni MitchellDr Carolyn Royse is an inspiring doctor andsupporter to the women in the Nillumbik region.As a caring General Practitioner she has oftengone beyond her call of duty to tend terminallyill patients and the elderly; putting her patientsand friends first. As a community memberand the Vice President of the Eltham CollegeBoard she lends her support to causes inthe local community.Carolyn moved to Nillumbik in 1991,living for 20 years in Research beforemoving to Eltham. She worked in generalpractice in Diamond Creek as well as forthe Army at Watsonia Barracks beforejoining the Nillumbik Medical Centrewhere she became a partner.She has been instrumental in helpingshape the evolution of the NillumbikMedical Centre during its expansionand diversification. She is proactive ingetting young medical practitioners tocome to the area, through her roles assupervisor of specialist general practicetraining as well as medical studenteducation through The University ofMelbourne. As such, she is a greatmentor to the younger generation ofmedical practitioners.However, her first love is her family andhas always managed to strike a greatlife-work balance in being a professional,wife and mother. Her ability to achieveand serve, but also to enjoy life is a greatinspiration and example to the womenof Nillumbik.Mandy is the convenor of the Nillumbik Women’sNetwork, a local advocacy group which aims tofurther the interests of women through local andbroader action.

Hannah grew up in Panton Hill and attributes herlater passion for community to her childhood inthat small bush community.Lorna Smith moved to Eltham in 1956 aftermigrating from Manchester in the UK withher family.Hannah SkyNominated by Mandy PressHannah began her working life as a teacher.At Diamond Creek Tech, she co-designed andtaught (with artist and teacher Ross Grounds)a multi-disciplined model for progressive,integrated education – as well as makingmany lifelong friendships.In 1979 Hannah began teaching Tai Chiwhich she has continued doing for 34 years.Years of practising Tai Chi and studyingdance and movement therapy haveinformed the many workshops and classesshe has conducted. Lifelong connectionsto the bush and small countrycommunities, plus a love of storytelling,have also permeated her solodance performances.Hannah moved to Steels Creek andbegan working in Healesville, establishingthe Melba Support to Isolated Women,a program that pioneered the linking ofisolated country women via teleconference.Securing funding (and a working partnershipwith Mary Robertson), Hannah went on toestablish the Melba Community SupportProject which provided social support andnetworking to elderly people living inthe community.A desire to raise the profile of the elders of ourcommunity led Hannah to design Listen ToOlder Voices, a radio program she producedfor six years.Since rebuilding after Black Saturday,Hannah is focussing on movement work,writing and counselling.Lorna SmithNominated by Mandy PressLorna married and moved to Hurstbridgein 1968. The 1969 bushfires which burntout much of Diamond Creek, Elthamand Panton Hill saw Lorna joining theHurstbridge Fire Brigade Auxiliary andshe remains a member of the brigadesupport team.In 1977, Lorna was employed by theShire of Eltham at the newly establishedNorth Riding Living & Learning Centre.Lorna became coordinator of theCentre in the early 1980s and becameinvolved in the wider movement of adultlearning across the State. Appointedto the Northern Metropolitan Adult andFurther Education Board under thechair of the legendary Connie Benn,Lorna was involved in the distribution offunds across the region.Lorna later purchased WildwoodRestaurant in Hurstbridge which shesuccessfully operated and enjoyed forthree years.On the death of her father, Lornaassumed the primary care for her motherwho suffered from frontal temporaldementia for her last five years. Since hermother’s death Lorna has been caring forthree of her grandchildren.The physical, mental and financial burden oncarers (mostly women) in the community hasbecome Lorna’s latest concern.

Lynlee Tozer is a long-standing resident ofNillumbik. Having discovered Smiths Gully25 years ago she just had to live there!Around 20 years ago Klianthi and her husbanddecided to move to the bush for a new,healthier, more wholesome life.Lynlee TozerNominated byColleen HackettA founding member of Friends of the Panton HillBushland Reserves System, Lynlee has alsoserved for the past 14 years on theGreen Wedge Protection Group. Shehas been a passionate defender of thegreen wedge and its precious andvulnerable vegetation.An ecologist by profession, Lynlee workedfor five years for Trust for Nature, fourof those as Regional Manager, placingprotective covenants on privately-ownedbushland, managing Trust-ownedbushland properties and acquiring – forreservation – properties that containrare or threatened species including onenationally significant site in Nillumbik.Lynlee currently owns Habitat LinksNurseries aiming to promote the useof indigenous species for revegetationand landscaping and encourage the useof non-invasive ornamental natives fordomestic gardens to reduce the risk ofnew weeds establishing.Klianthi VassiliadisNominated by Mandy PressTheir children were grown up so they felt theyneeded to keep busy, but city life was not anoption. They wanted to mimic the lives theyhad lived in their village in Greece.The property they bought in Kinglakeneeded much work, but they weredetermined they wanted to producefresh organic produce, originally just forthemselves and their family and theneventually for others.They have had the same stall at StAndrews Market for nearly 20 years.It brings Klianthi great joy to be atthe market in the presence of suchbeautiful people who value what sheand her husband offer.Lynlee has worked on diverse CouncilAdvisory Groups, was a member of thePanton Hill CFA for 10 years and hasbeen involved in a number of localcommunity groups.On top of all her community involvementLynlee also runs a small animal rescue shelterfor guinea pigs – a common, yet fragile andoften overlooked domestic pet. Her involvementincludes advocating for legislation to betterprotect smaller domestic pets.

A born adventurer, Kerry has lived a number ofincarnations in a few decades.She grew up in Whittlesea completed aBachelor of Forest Science at the Universityof Melbourne at a time when there were onlyeight qualified female foresters in Victoria.Gali Weiss is an Israeli-born Australian visualartist. Her practice mostly takes the form ofworks on paper and artists’ books. She hasover 20 years’ experience in community arts,working with refugees, women’s groups, andpeople with mental health issues orintellectual disabilities.Kerry WailesNominated by Mandy PressKerry was the first woman to be employedas part of an elite forest fire-fighting crewbased in the area now known as the AlpineNational Park.Kerry trained as a Yoga teacher with thelegendary Swami Sarasvati, and as amassage therapist. Her passions nowlay with the healing arts, her family andher community.On Black Saturday, Kerry and husbandTony lost their home at Pheasant Creek.Many neighbours lost their lives, andthe community was devastated. Tony, aspecialist in fire management, was on themountain during the event. Suffice to say,Kerry is blessed to still have him. Kerryand Tony relocated to Hurstbridge withtheir children.Kerry sings with the Chocolate Lilies Choirand helped to establish the Yellow Tree andChristmas Tree community yarn bombingprojects in Hurstbridge, where over 100people contributed to beautiful hand-madedecorations in the main street.Gali WeissNominated by Mandy PressWhile much of her work has been withpeople who are marginalised in society,Unfolding Projects: Afghan and Australianartists’ books collaborations has openedup further possibilities for integrating herown arts practice and theory with issuesof social justice. Gali was awarded a PhDfrom Victoria University for her creativebasedresearch on portraiture anddiaspora, and her artwork can be foundin public and private collections.She has received awards for her art andpublished research, and her work isrepresented in public collectionsincluding the National Gallery ofAustralia, State Libraries of Victoria andQueensland, University of Melbourneand the Israel Museum.Gali is on the Board of Directors ofThe Dunmoochin Foundation inCottles Bridge.Kerry’s vision is to help inspire and createnothing less than world peace, beginning onethought at a time!

Irma WintonAndrea Klindworth nee Winton& Karen Gardam nee WintonIrma Winton was a vital member of theStrathewen community from 1964 until she dieddefending her home in the 2009 bushfires.Born in 1931, Irma Mary Field grew up inwar torn England and married Robert (Bob)Winton in 1950. Her first child, Andrea,was born the following year and four morechildren followed.Before 1970, Irma lived and worked at theorchards and packing shed of Apted &Sons. She successfully campaigned forequal pay for women in her workplace.This has benefitted many womenincluding her daughter Karen.Irma was an active member of theStrathewen Progress Association andencouraged other family members tocontribute to the community. Irma wasfond of saying “do not expect a fairrepresentation if you do not attend thecommittee meetings”.Alexis WrightNominated by Meera GovilAlexis has campaigned for Indigenous humanrights and presented analytical and insightfulreadings into the cultures and history ofour land.Alexis is a Miles Franklin Literary Awardwinner and much loved and celebratedwriter and poet, and is awe-inspiring in hercalm humility and readership. A great natureand music lover, a warm mother and wife,Alexis is internationally revered for herlyrical wondrous writing and voice.Her books Grog War, Plains ofPromise and Carpentaria havechanged the face of Australian literature.Passionate, intelligent and unique, itis an amazing privilege to have herresiding in our Shire.Sadly, in 1974 Irma was widowed. Shewent back to school to complete herHSC and a Bachelor of Education. Shebegan a new career, teaching Englishas a second language.Toward the end of her teaching career,Irma was diagnosed with breast cancer.Participating in a trial treatment, Irma washerself cured.During retirement Irma continued to live activelyand independently in her own home. Her legacyto Strathewen continues with ownership of herland passing to her youngest son Duncan.