ISSUE 24 Weed expert a worthy winner Award honours three decades of expertise Veteran campaigner against declared weeds communities. Mr Moore has been involved John Moore is the recipient of the 2011 in the fi ght against declared weeds for more Great Southern Development Commission than 30 years, most of that time in Albany. Medal for Excellence in NRM. His infl uence reaches far beyond Albany; Mr Moore, a senior research offi cer with weed control practices he developed are the Department of Agriculture and Food, used Australia-wide and his work is known received the award at a gala dinner on internationally. Thursday 18 August. His award was the tenth in a series that started in 2002 when Mr Moore said the award was an honour, Gairdner farmer Ross Williams was honoured and the $10,000 grant would enable him to for his innovative farming. pursue avenues of research that might not Minister Robyn McSweeney MLC and 2011 fi nd support in conventional programs. To mark the tenth award, the presentation GSDC Medallist John Moore. dinner was held for the fi rst time at the Community Services Minister Robyn The other fi nalists were WOW Wilderness Albany Entertainment Centre. The event took McSweeney presented Mr Moore with his proprietor Gary Muir and the late Andrew centre stage in the auditorium in a natural award and lauded his long-term contributions Marshall, a former catchment group leader environment-themed setting created by to natural resource management and his from Torbay. Albany design outfi t Smash Creation. standing in the scientifi c and agricultural •More page 2 New grants approved Regional Grants Scheme funds 16 projects Royalties for Regions funding of almost $1 $65,000 towards a $444,252 upgrade of the million will support 16 projects in the Great sub-centre facilities Southern that were recently announced inside this issue: as grant recipients in the third round of the Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup, Regional Grants Scheme (RGS). $145,000 towards a $1.7 million project to GSDC Medal dinner ......................... 2 build independent living accommodation for Surf club boost .................................3 Great Southern Development Commission seniors Chair Peter Rundle said the Great Southern Borden Pavilion Committee, $140,000 Backing for saleyard......................... 3 would receive $957,000 for the 16 towards a $889,970 project providing new Regional science showcase............. 4 community projects, with a total project value and consolidated sports facilities of $5.1 million. Publication boosts university .......... 4 Albany Speedway Club, $49,000 towards “Members of the Great Southern a $107,215 upgrade of the track and pit area Katanning a super town................... 5 Development Commission, who administer the fund, had an incredibly tough job The Great Southern grants were among a total National tourism profi le ................... 5 determining this allocation of money,” Mr of 128 new projects to receive approval by Rundle said. the nine regional development commissions PIAF support option ......................... 5 across Western Australia. Vice-Chancellor’s view ..................... 6 “I would like to congratulate all successful applicants for their thoroughness in The Regional Development Commission RGS approved grants .......................6 developing and submitting project grants total $7.9 million State-wide and will proposals.” assist in delivering projects with a total cash New festival blooms .........................7 value of $36.7 million. Projects that received Regional Grants Wine publisher visit ..........................8 Scheme funding for the 2010-2011 fi nancial See page 6 for a full list of RGS round three year include: grant recipients. Mount Barker St John Ambulance, Contact: Christine Grogan ph. 9842 4888 Weed expert a worthy winner Award honours three decades of expertise •From page 1 2000 and was a regional leader in natural confi dence to take on projects and achieve resource management. outcomes. Mr Muir and representatives of Mr Marshall will receive $1000 grants to further their GSDC Chief Executive Offi cer Bruce “The people who were fortunate enough NRM work. Manning led a tribute to Mr Simpson, and to work with John will be only too aware noted his gifts as a mentor and leader who of these qualities and it is his leadership Mr Marshall had been battling a serious drew out the best in co-workers. in NRM that we particularly wish to illness and passed away after the short- acknowledge tonight, on this the tenth listing of nominees for the award, and was “John is remembered for his meeting style, anniversary of this GSDC Medal of represented by family members at the his mentoring, and his negotiation skills, Excellence in NRM,” Mr Manning said. presentation dinner. particularly when it came to securing funding,” Mr Manning said. Mr Manning presented Mr Simpson’s wife Guests at the dinner also honoured the Katherine with a photographic memento. memory of the late John Simpson, who “He had an ability to recognise and died earlier this year. Mr Simpson was encourage skills and talent in the people Contact: Jessica van der Waag chairman of the GSDC from 1994 to he worked with, and give them the Ph. 9821 3211 2 Above and right: The GSDC Medal presentation dinner was held on-stage at the Albany Entertainment Centre with entertainment by the Pepperjacks, in a setting arranged by Smash Creation. Below left: GSDC Chief Executive Offi cer Bruce Manning leads a tribute to former GSDC Chairman John Simpson. Below right: Mr Simpson’s wife Katherine (left), daughter Angela and son Chris attended the medal dinner. Premier adds to surf club funding Boost for surf club upgrade Premier Colin Barnett visited Albany in August to inspect two Great Southern projects gaining extra funding through the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program. Mr Barnett announced extra Royalties for Regions funding of $337,226 for the $1.36 million Albany Surf Life Saving Club upgrade. The funding adds to an original grant of $650,000 through the Great Southern Caption Regional Grants Scheme for the clubroom extension project, which will include a second storey extension to provide education and training rooms, storage and toilet facilities. Mr Barnett said surf lifesaving volunteers throughout Western Australia performed Premier Colin Barnett at the Albany Surf Life Saving Club, where he announced further funding an invaluable service to beachgoers. for a project to upgrade the clubhouse. “The club has a thriving junior membership CLGF grants are part of the Royalties for Mr Barnett said it was important that and with room for extra training and Regions program and are distributed to Albany’s role as a departure point for certifi cation courses, it will be great to see country local governments to help build soldiers in World War I was recognised. more junior lifesavers coming out of the and maintain community infrastructure. club,” the Premier said. “Middleton Beach “There is growing community support and is immensely popular and the volunteers The City of Albany and the Shire of awareness of the Anzac story throughout 3 at the Albany Surf Life Saving Club do a Denmark combined their current CLGF Albany and this signifi cant site provides a great job.” grants to fi nish the Anzac Peace Park space for this story to be told,” Mr Barnett project, an acknowledgement of its said. Mr Barnett also announced the grant regional importance. The funding will of $897,773 from the Country Local enable completion of the fi nal elements Mr Barnett also inspected construction Government Fund (CLGF) to complete the of the park, including the Lone Pine Grove, progress at the Albany Health Campus. Anzac Peace Park in readiness for the pathways, performance space and lighting Anzac centenary. installations. Contact Bruce Manning ph. 9842 4888 Commonwealth backs saleyard project Katanning secures contested funding Commonwealth funding of $7 million has GSDC Chief Executive Offi cer Bruce when the funding was hotly contested and helped secure the progress of Katanning’s Manning said the Shire of Katanning was only 35 projects were approved out of 550 $25 million project to build new sheep to be congratulated for the strength of its applications received Australia-wide.” saleyards east of town. application to the RDAF. Four applications were approved in The project gained $17 million of State “Katanning has long wanted to relocate Western Australia and the Katanning Government funding in December 2010 the saleyards away from the existing saleyard was the only one in the south- and the latest announcement of success town centre site, an aim supported by the west of the State. in the Regional Development Australia GSDC,” Mr Manning said. “The Shire did Fund (RDAF) brings a further $7.42 million. well to gain the full amount it requested, Contact Bruce Manning ph. 9842 4888 Science takes centre stage Great Southern research in focus Scientists from the region reported recent research fi ndings to a keen audience at the Great Southern, Great Science conference on Friday 12 August. Western Australian Chief Scientist Professor Lyn Beazley gave the keynote address at the 120-delegate conference, noting the wide range of research opportunities and challenges facing scientists in the Great Southern, including biodiversity, dieback, climate change and maintaining agricultural productivity. Great Southern, Great Science is presented by the University of Western Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Albany Senior High School science teacher Tracy Brothers (left) and students Isaac Longworth, Conor Resource Management (CENRM) to McCabe, Heidi Burl, Renee Ayres and Melissa Harness with WA Chief Scientist Lyn Beazley. showcase scientifi c research related to or based in the region and is supported by research carried scientifi c weight and Great Southern seniors and Department the GSDC. was unusual because it had taken place of Agriculture and Food scientist Rob over a long period of time, since funding Woodgate spoke on changing practices in Professor Beazley lavished warm praise conditions limited many conventional relation to mulesing sheep.