In the long weekend’s Queens Birthday Honours, one of our region’s heroes Bob Anderson has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia celebrating his environmental contribution and his work with Yarra based conservation group, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater.
The Order of Australia is the pre-eminent way that Australians recognise the achievements and service of their fellow citizens. Nominations can come directly from the community and President of the ‘Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater’, Bob Anderson, although a reluctant recipient, is certainly a worthy one.
The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater formed in 1989 in direct response to the critically low numbers of Helmeted Honeyeaters (Victoria’s bird emblem). At that stage just 50 of the birds were thought to exist, primarily in the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve. The group’s goals include the protection and increased the connectivity of habitat, and awareness of the plight of the endangered bird.
Since it began, the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater has attracted support of landholders and volunteers alike, it has revegetated significant tracts of streamside, floodplain and other forest in the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve, hosted educational events and currently runs an indigenous nursery.
The group has many supporters including Zoos Victoria and their Helmeted Honeyeater captive breeding program run at the Healesville Sanctuary, Yarra Ranges Council, environmental program Yarra4Life (a collaborative partnership including government, community and private stakeholders) and support from the Victorian and Australian Governments.
CEO of the Port Phillip and Westernport CMA David Buntine says “the work of people like Bob Anderson, and indeed all those involved with the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, is important because it not only reminds us that there are real people out there, doing real work for the environment, but also because recognition reminds us that the broader community notices, and is inspired by, the work of volunteers in groups like these. We’d like to congratulate and thank Bob, and all those involved with Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, for their great work.”
For more information about the Order of Australia medal and other Queens Birthday recipients, please see the following link:
http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/medal_order_australia.cfm
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