National Trust of SA 2016 Volunteer Awards

Since its inception in 1955, The National Trust of South Australia has become one of the State’s leading and most successful conservation organisations. This is thanks primarily to the continual work of a dedicated community of National Trust volunteers. The Trust awards each year the following; Dr Mildred Mocatta Award, Distinguished Service Award, Honour Awards, and Certificates of Appreciation to the National Trust SA volunteers.

 

2016 Volunteer Awards

Mocatta Award

Anthony Presgrave
Anthony has been a member of the National Trust for 44 years and has played a leading role in a number of projects during that time, including ‘Australia’s first mobile home’, the ‘barrage house purchase and siting’, historic beam engine restoration, archive establishment, and the World War/Goolwa enlistment photo gallery.

Anthony has served in many official capacities on the Goolwa Branch Committee between 1987 and 2016, and is currently Branch Treasurer.  Other volunteer work he has carried out includes building a replica tramway carriage for 2004 Goolwa-Port Elliot Tramway, helping to establish an art gallery in the Superintendent’s Cottage, supervising the restoration of Goolwa Slipway beam engine, advising Council on rebuilding the first railway carriage house in Cadell Street, and conducting walking tours from the Museum. He has given time to the National Library, State Library and National Museum, attended conferences and assisted with exhibitions. Anthony is a most worthy recipient of the 2016 Mildred Mocatta Award.

Distinguished Service and Honorary Life

Richard Stewart
Richard Stewart has made vast contribution to not only the Trust, but also to the Riverland community, as he has been the Renmark Paringa Council’s nominee to the Board of the Riverland Health Authority and has also been involved with the development of tourism in the Riverland Region over many years.

Richard was Chair of the Renmark Meals on Wheels organisation for approximately 9 years until last year. His contribution to these organisations demonstrate his focus on the sick and the welfare of the elderly in the Renmark community.

Now to his Trust activities. Richard’s passion for collectables and built heritage led him inevitably to Olivewood, where he has been a staunch advocate and contributor to the Trust, and in particular, the Renmark Branch.  He has been energetic in pursuing items to further the Renmark history collection at Olivewood, and has been an advocate for retaining, restoring, promoting and collecting history throughout the Riverland.

Richard has been the National Trust Riverland Regional Representative to Council for 12 years, which is a demonstration of his resilience and dedication.

Honorary Life Membership Awards

Wendy Monger
Wendy moved to Mount Gambier in 1959 to continue her career in nursing.  She became a member of the National Trust of South Australia in 1973, holding many leadership positions, including Chair of Mount Gambier Branch for 29 years. During this time she represented the South East and the Limestone Coast at Regional and State level.

Wendy accepted the key to the Mount Gambier Old Court House in 1975, and became instrumental in fundraising for the refurbishment, maintenance and upgrading of the building. This allowed continual use of the Old Court House, the only heritage building open to the public in Mount Gambier.

In 1975 Wendy was responsible for the Leake Bros Woolshed at Glencoe being donated to NTSA, accepted responsibility for fundraising, restoration, development and promoting the Woolshed to the outstanding property it is today.

Wendy has been an excellent advocate for Heritage, History and Tourism for the Limestone Coast Region. Wendy has devoted her volunteering life to National Trust of SA, her involvement and knowledge of Heritage and History spanning more than 40 years.

Judy Murdoch
Judy Murdoch has been a dedicated member of the National Trust for over fifty years.   She was instrumental in the establishment of the Naracoorte Branch in 1966 and has been involved in every aspect of the Branch since that time.

Judy has served the Branch as President, Secretary, Museum Coordinator and Curator to name just a few of her roles.  Due to Judy’s hard work and diligence the Naracoorte Branch gained full Accreditation by the History Trust, now History SA, in 1988, and has ensured that the Branch has maintained Accreditation since that time – no easy feat.

Much of the recent development of The Sheep’s Back has been designed and facilitated by Judy who is also an expert at grant applications and is often successful.

Each Wednesday morning at the Branch’s working bee, Judy is in demand by the up to 18 volunteers for her expertise in all aspects of the museum development and maintenance.

Judy has been passionate about local history, encouraging regional historical events and exhibitions to showcase the heritage of the Limestone Coast.  Judy was instrumental in the formation of the National Trust Branches’ Regional Meetings in the South East, as it was then known.

Judy has used her expertise by being a board member of History SA and by organising and as a speaker at State History Conferences.

The Sheep’s Back Museum and the work of the Naracoorte Branch is testament to Judy’s dedication, vision and perseverance to the ideals of National Trust.

Honour Awards

Patricia Uppill
Patricia has been a Member of the National Trust for 12 years and has represented the Victor Harbor Branch on the Victor Harbor Heritage Advisory Committee (now the Environment and Infrastructure Advisory Committee) since 2009.  She has also served on the Victor Harbor Branch Management Committee and worked in the Encounter Coast Discovery Centre since 2006.  Patricia has been prominent in the research and writing of more than 60 plaques placed on a number of heritage buildings in the area.

Brian Stephens
Brian has been a National Trust member for almost 50 years, 14 as an active member of Mt Lofty Branch, serving as assistant Treasurer and Secretary, providing the Branch with financial and governance advice. He has also provided invaluable assistance with the wedding functions at Stangate House.

David Smith
David has been a National Trust member for 14 years and has provided invaluable help with maintenance for all NTSA properties in Penola. He served as Vice Chair of Penola Branch in 2010.

Kate Spencer
Kate has provided invaluable help with the establishment and day to day running of the community herb garden on Petticoat Lane in Penola since 2006. She also conducts school and garden tours of Petticoat Lane, and participates in working bees.

Frank Tuckwell
Frank has been a National Trust member for 35 years, during which he established a heritage standing committee within the Goolwa Branch to provide advice to local government on heritage matters. He also created the inland rivers marathon register, a Branch project, which is recognised nationally as a place to record voyages along the Murray-Darling River system.  He has served as Chair of Goolwa Branch for 25 years.

Robert Williams
Robert has been a National Trust member for 20 years, serving as Goolwa Branch archive officer, research assistant and working front of house at the museum.  He maintains the archival collection of the Goolwa Branch and has provided research assistance to the public since 1999. He has expanded the archive to hold over 5000 files and 1000 photographs. The archive now includes the Ronald Parson’s Shipping Collection and a large collection of maps and plans. Frank is an active member of the Goolwa Branch Committee and has assisted in the recent establishment of the Goolwa World War I Soldiers Memorial Wall.

Val Yelds
Val has been secretary of Victor Harbor Branch since 2006 and has only just retired from this position, after ten years.  During that time she took on many more roles, including the design and management of the Branch annual program, designing and publishing the Branch newsletters twice a year, organising guest speakers and Branch events and research for grant applications.  In short, she has been a pivotal member of the Branch Committee and the main point of contact for the Branch. Although Val has resigned her position of Secretary, she remains an active member of the Branch and continues to volunteer for duty at the Encounter Coast Discovery Centre and is also assisting with duties related to the on-going audit and documentation of the Branch collection.

 

 

 

 

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