While on full time study leave in 1990 I majored in Science with units that included Australian Flora and Fauna, Environmental Management and others which were designed to improve the science curriculum in primary schools.

Grants from the Victorian Environmental Education Council funded the Canadian Creek Community Revegetation Project, resources for our primary school and the production of a book called Environmental Action Mt Clear 1990-92. This explained our whole-school approach to environmental education.

We made many friends in the Ballarat area and beyond as we sought expertise to help us carry out the programs. Over the years the school had many visitors and won numerous awards. Details can be seen at Environmental Education at Mt Clear Primary School.

When the Premier of Victoria came to launch the first Ballarat Region Conservation Strategy (1991) Mrs J Kirner visited the school's revegetation site to see an example of a grass roots project. The school was closely associated with the City of Ballarat LINCS Project (Linear Network of Communal Spaces) which was an initiative to implement sections of the Region Conservation Strategy. We worked with the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Conservation Volunteers and and were affiliated with the Gould League of Victoria, South Ballarat Urban Landcare Group and the Victorian and Australian Associations of Environmental Education.

The 1990s were a very busy time for some environmental action.
I continued this interest as a member of the Ballarat Region Conservation Strategy Implementation Committee which produced the next 5 year strategy for 1999-2004 and then served as Chairperson of the Ballarat Region Conservation Committee in 2001.

I also had a continuing interest as a community representative on the Lake Wendouree Advisory Committee for 6 years from 1992 during which time a Master Plan (1994) was developed and the Lake Wendouree Information Brochure (1993, 1996) was produced. In the course of my work conducting environmental science field studies at the Lake I developed a set of teaching resources for school excursions.

From 1999-2010 I was a community representative on the Lake Wendouree and Ballarat Botanical Gardens Special Committee of Council which provides advice and makes recommendations to assist Ballarat City Council in its management of these assets. I am a member of the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens History Group.

Visit the BIRD website of the Ballarat Environment Network (BEN) which is the umbrella organisation for environmental groups in the area.