LAMBERT Gully Bushcare Group foundation member Gavin Wright has always felt an affinity for the bush – and this love has fostered the same appreciation within his family, friends and neighbours.
Weed warrior Gavin has been involved with the group’s monthly weed management and planting activities since moving to Sandy Bay 20 years ago.
“I find the broad leaf weeds which are near the track and dab them,” he said.
“Every weed that Bushcare gets rid of, that’s one weed less.
“We would have got rid of thousands of weeds over 20 years.”
Gavin and his wife Sue moved to Tasmania from the NSW Blue Mountains and lived in Sheffield, Tullah and Strathgordon before settling at Sandy Bay.
“We’ve always lived in bushland and it is just beautiful,” Gavin said.
“When we moved to Sandy Bay word spread that the council wanted to establish a Bushcare group and we started going to meetings.”
On the fourth Sunday of every month about 10 Bushcare members gather at Lambert Gully to help beautify the parkland area. “The nature reserve wins as we’re maintaining the natural bushland as a community, but then there’s the social activity of volunteering with others,” Gavin said.
“It’s also good physical exercise and we’re learning about the native environment, so we’re winners all round.”
While he labels his understanding of plants as “fairly basic”, Gavin’s peers argue otherwise.
Gavin was presented with the 2017 Bushcare Golden Secateurs Award in November for “making a positive and lasting impact on Hobart’s bushland and inspiring others to contribute to caring for Hobart’s bushland,” City of Hobart Bushcare co-ordinator Sjaan Field said.
“Gavin’s love of the bush encourages others to get involved as he continues to help the group recruit members, bringing along recently retired neighbours to working bees.
“Gavin has, and continues to be, a wonderful ambassador for Bushcare.”
- To find out more about the City of Hobart’s Bushcare groups, phone Sjaan Field on (03) 6238-2884 or go to www.hobartcity.com.au and search for Bushcare.
