meet the Barung team

barung landcare management committee

Janet Carew

President

Janet Carew has had a multi-faceted career from investigative work as an auditor, intelligence officer, forensic financial investigator specialising in tax and corporate law; through to IT project management, financial management and development, and business consulting.  She is also a patented inventor and artist.  However, at heart, Janet is a Conservationist.  She moved to her 36 acre property in the Mooloolah hills in 2002 (set up a Conservation Covenant a few years later), joined Barung Landcare, and together with volunteer work in conservation and bush regeneration, has come to specialise in the conservation of the vulnerable Glossy Black-Cockatoo and its habitat.  Janet is the founder and driver of the Future Food For Glossies Project (FFFG).

As President, Janet is passionate about contributing to the further development of Barung Landcare’s important work in conservation of native flora, fauna and habitat in a changing climate. 

Ian McMaster

Vice President

Ian has had a varied business career, firstly in the steel industry, then in the sugar industry, and finally as chairman and independent director of several companies, mainly in the mining sector. Having fully retired, Ian now devotes much of his time and energy to conservation. 

Ian and his wife Chrissie live on Mount Mellum, on a 100ha property that they had gazetted as a Nature Refuge. Both of them are passionate about native plants, and have a broad interest in the ecological systems they care for. 

Ian is a past president of Native Plants Queensland, and is past President of Barung Landcare, and has been instrumental in supporting Barung to gain clarity on its vision and to design an organisational structure that will set Barung up for success.

Stephanie Hicks

Secretary

Born in England, Steph has lived an adventurous life working and travelling abroad in her youth in countries such as Singapore and France. Emigrating to Australia as a young child, and then again as an adult, she completed a law degree at Sydney University and moved to Brisbane where she had a baby (three months premature – but it’s okay, she’s doing a PhD at University of California Berkeley now!). 

After working ridiculously long hours in a law firm for many years, she eventually retired to the Sunshine Coast. 

Steph now spends her time weeding, planting, playing quartets (viola) and trying to learn how to throw pots on a wheel! She is also a vital part of the Barung team, contributing her wealth of knowledge and experience to Barung’s vision for the future. She has a particular passion for the Gardens for Wildlife and supporting landholders on smaller blocks to adopt more sustainable practices. 

Geoff Holmes

Treasurer

Geoff has lived in the Maleny area for over 15 years and has been a member of Barung since September 2006. Geoff and his wife Yvonne (who is also actively involved in sustainability initiatives in the community), have a 1.5 acre property at Bald Knob where they are working to reduce invasive weeds and replace them with suitable local species. During the 1990s they participated as volunteer growers for the ‘Trees for Life’ seedlings program in South Australia. Through this program, Geoff enjoyed linking up with farmers who were planting their seedlings.

Geoff comes to Barung with a wealth of experience in the banking sector, and now that he is retired he has become more involved in Barung Landcare activities here on the Blackall Range.

Alan Harrington

Committee Member

Moving to Conondale in 1993, Alan and his wife Mary have been highly active in the community over the years. Alan spent much of his working life in the public sector working for the ATO (Australian Tax Office) and was instrumental in developing and implementing the PAYG system in Australia. Alan also worked closely with the Federal Police in their investigations of high-level criminal offences against the tax office. After winding up with the ATO Alan transferred his skills to running his own business in partnership with Mary and once in the Maleny area, he supported the Upfront Club and Maple Street Co-op (of which he was manager for a period of time).

Alan’s latest contributions have been towards the financial operations of Barung Landcare, as previous Treasurer, he remains on the committee to support ongoing operations, in particular the delivery of the Maleny Wood Expo.

barung landcare staff

Doug Evans

General Manager

 doug@barunglandcare.org.au

Charlotte Pond

Accounts Officer

 doug@barunglandcare.org.au

Brydie Gordon

Administration Officer

brydie@barunglandcare.org.au

Megan Lee

Education & Communications Officer

megan@barunglandcare.org.au

Cam Burton

Nurseries Manager

 cam@barunglandcare.org.au

Wayne Webb

Production Nursery Manager

wayne@barunglandcare.org.au

Maia Stegman

Nursery Assistant

maia@barunglandcare.org.au

Kate Seehuusen

Natural Area Services Manager

kate@barunglandcare.org.au

Benjamin Child

Environmental Administration Coordinator

benjamin@barunglandcare.org.au

Dave Luhrman

Natural Area Services Operational Coordinator

david@barunglandcare.org.au

Sarah Dixon

Skilling QLD Coordinator

sarah@barunglandcare.org.au

Trevour Pitt

Skilling QLD Supervisor

trevour@barunglandcare.org.au

OUR QUALIFICATIONS

Barung Landcare staff have various qualifications, licences and inductions which include the following:

Bachelors degrees –

  • Science
  • Land Management
  • Coastal Science
  • Environmental Science
  • Applied Science
  • Arts

Certifications including –

  • Chainsaw Level 1 & 2
  • Construction card (White card)
  • Commercial operator’s licence for using herbicides (ACDC)

Certificate in Conservation and Land Management –

      1, 2, 3 and 4

Certificate in Horticulture –

      2, 3 and 4

Graduate Certificate –

  • Environmental Management
  • Sustainability

Diplomas –

  • Conservation and Land Management
  • Business
  • Applied Science
  • Project Management

Fauna Spotter / Catcher certificate

HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

HLTAID010 Provide basic emergency life support

HLTAID011 Provide first aid

HLTFA311A Apply first aid

Safety and site induction certificates from –

  • Sunshine Coast Council
  • Moreton Bay Regional Council
  • Noosa Council
  • Unity Water
  • SEQ Water

Barung Landcare holds a number of current licences, certifications and policies including:

Ground Distribution Contractor Licence (ACDC) no.GDC343

ISO certifications  –

  • ISO 9001: 2015 quality management systems
  • ISO 14001:2015 ENvironmental management systems
  • AS/NZS 4801:2001 occupational health and safety management systems

Up to date insurances including – 

  • Public Liability 
  • Association Liability
  • Work Cover
  • Personal Accident
  • Landcare Activities