“I am fortunate to be here with you, my valley and Landcare community and lifelong friends. This award is incredibly important to me – thank you. However, as we all know Heather and I are 100% a team and I accept this award on behalf of both of us. Thanks to the Austinville Landcare team for working so hard over the last 17 years in transforming this valley into one of the most beautiful and weed free habitats in the Gold Coast. I am also inspired and motivated by the Watergum team. We are engaging thousands of people in meaningful environmental work and with your passion, energy and good management I think we can realise our dream of changing society. These awards are ultimately about our landscapes, our rivers, and our wonderful Australian animals – so thank you Landcare for putting them on.” Wal Mayr, QLD Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award Finalist.

Wal Mayr has been a dedicated Landcarer for over 40 years. Since the 1970’s he and his wife have restored their remote 25ha degraded property back to its original rainforest habitat and have protected the land in perpetuity as a Nature Refuge. Wal is co-ordinator of Austinville Landcare which has been working actively in the Catchment since 2005. The Group has raised over $1 million in grants which has been used to fund ecological contractors to work with the community to restore over 10km of riparian vegetation including critically endangered sub-tropical lowland rainforest. Wal is also president of Watergum which is the umbrella Group for Landcare groups in the Gold Coast Region. Watergum engages thousands of people annually through its Citizen Science Programs, Bioblitz and tree planting events, and national Cane Toad management program.