| It is with deep
regret that we inform our members that Don and Leonie perished during the
firestorm that swept through Strathewen on Saturday 7th of February.
APS Yarra Yarra
extends our sincere sympathy to Bronwyn and David, family and friends.
Don and Leonie
lived in Templestowe, but in 1984 they bought a 20 hectare property at Strathewen
which they named Laanecoorie. Between 1984 and 1998 they travelled between
homes with their daughter Bronwyn, moving permanently to the property in 1998.
Together with their children David and Bronwyn they turned 20 hectares of rundown over-grazed
property to an unbelievable landscape. Don and Leonie’s dream was to conserve
as much as they could of the biodiversity and habitat of the north-east
foothills of the Great Dividing Range, and they constantly introduced species
they believed belonged there.
I had the pleasure
to work for Don and Leonie constructing bridges, pathways and steps throughout
the property. Considering they both had considerable health problems, their
energy amazed me.
Don showed me a
report card from people who had stayed at their B&B. He was quite chuffed
with the glowing praise he received about their property.
Whenever I worked
at the property I was always greeted by their little dog Perrie, who was a
faithful pet always at their side.
In September 2003
Yarra Yarra hosted the APS quarterly meeting, visiting the property on the
Sunday. As I was showing the visitors around the property we came upon a
lyrebird’s nest on the ground with a mother hen sitting on it. This showed that
the diversity of fauna and flora was coming back.
Don was always
videoing or photographing new plants or birds that they had found. They loved
their orchids, of which there were about twenty-seven species.
Leonie was the one
who knew more about the plants. She was always off somewhere planting, or
eradicating weeds. Those who have been to the property would know that some of
it is quite steep, but this never worried her.
Don
was into
science, and he designed all the buildings on the property. Prior to
retiring
he worked as an aeronautical engineer for the ARL. Don had a few
sayings - ‘isn’t it great’, ‘how about
that’, ‘isn’t it fantastic’ - referring to
new ways of harnessing energy.
Don purchased a
small four-wheel-drive vehicle called a gator to get around in. It always put a smile
on my face to see them coming down the track. Leonie looked like a boxer,
ducking and weaving from overhanging branches, while Don had a clear run. Hence
one of my jobs was to make the track a bit wider.
Don and Leonie’s
wish was to leave their property in some kind of trust which would ensure that
their work was everlasting. Unfortunately, I think they never envisaged that
their time would be cut short. I only hope that someone will come forward who can carry on their
work. I say farewell to my friends. I will miss them deeply.
Mike Williams, President |
