Tony Haslam has worked as a volunteer in Noosa for over 20 years to help monitor, protect and improve Noosa’s natural environment. He has been actively involved in a number of programs which encourage best practice land management in the Noosa River catchment in Noosa’s urban areas to increase natural biodiversity.
He has been part of the Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) since 2004 during which time he has taken on many roles including president, secretary and treasurer.
During this time he has maintained an active role in many NICA programs. With River Rangers, he helped with water testing and general rubbish collection from the River Rangers Boat, and later organised the roster for weekly boat trips.
He has manned the NICA tent at many NICA Community events and been active in the weeding group for years in both administrative and practical roles. He has participated in numerous NICA ‘Clean Up Australia’ events.
In 2009, he encouraged the Bushcare volunteer group to apply for grants with NICA as Auspice Partner. That partnership has continued, with Tony participating in many tree planting days organized by them.
In 2010, when he was told by the Waders and Shore Bird Count team that the weed infestation on a Sand Island in the Frying Pan was hindering feeding and roosting of resident shorebirds and the soon to arrive Migratory Shorebirds, Tony supported the Island’s rehabilitation. He put out a call to many other groups and then organized 3 trips in the final week before the bird’s arrival. Those rehabilitation works continue to this day.
In 2011 he initiated, with MangroveWatch, the filming of the Noosa River Mangroves from the river mouth to the top end of Lake Cootharaba which produced the Noosa River Baseline Data Report, and in 2014 he supported the ‘Noosa River Seagrass Monitoring Program’ to assess the extent of Seagrass meadows and their condition.
Tony also worked with NICA volunteers helping them create the magnificent resource existing in NICA’s Books and Publications, and liaising with the authors, graphic artist and printers.
In 2019 he established, with his wife Stephanie, ‘Urban Wildlife Gardens’ (UWG) as a NICA program and has been chairperson, secretary and treasurer of its subcommittee since then.
This program encourages increased biodiversity in urban gardens in Noosa and Tony has helped to organize and run many monthly workshops and open garden visits over the last six years.
His government background has been beneficial for NICA and UWG with Tony being responsible for many funding applications and acquittals for both groups.
Tony is a passionate advocate for Noosa’s environment and its natural biodiversity. He never seeks acknowledgement, is always supportive of all other members of the NICA committee and the UWG subcommittee and gets things done efficiently and without any fuss.
It has been a privilege to work with Tony on the UWG subcommittee and discover the extent of Tony’s knowledge about and advocacy for the local environment.
Vanessa Presling
