“My passion for marine has been there since I was a child.”
“I grew up in Ireland and we had a holiday house and it was by the sea.”
“I would be looking more in the water than swimming. My sisters would be swimming. I'd be looking.”
“I was very fortunate and very honored to, in the Queen's birthday, to receive the AM for significance to the environment, conservation and the community.”
“I farmed for 30 years and through perhaps the involvement of myself in my own community and then going on to a local government, which was the Shire of Violet Town in those days, and speaking up at meetings, I guess I came to the attention of the then Minister of Conservation, Forest and Lands, which was Joan Kirner, and also met Heather Mitchell, who was the chair of the Victorian Farmers Federation.”
“And of course, they became the mothers of Landcare.”
“It's not so much about people becoming your heroes.”
“It's about actually becoming your mentors.”
“A responsibility I now feel with my honor, is that really how can I progress people's interest in the land and in the oceans?”
“You know, there are other people who are equally deserving of awards, but I didn't make the decision, somebody else did.”
“And then I will use it now for whatever I can.”
“I would really encourage people to nominate others.”
“It's really important because you can't have gender equality and recognition of women as well as men if there aren't nominations.”
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