SES Volunteer Wins Parks and Wildlife Award
The Minister for Environment Hon Albert Jacob MLA and Parks and Wildlife recognised the outstanding efforts of Parks and Wildlife volunteers at the 2015 Volunteer of the Year and Outstanding Service Awards on 2 December. No less than 4636 volunteers contributed more than 610,000 hours to Parks and Wildlife projects in 2014-15, a record amount. Volunteers perform a variety of tasks from staffing the Wildcare Helpline to working in national parks, assisting in plant and animal monitoring, invasive weed control programs, species recovery projects and many others.
Minister Jacob presented Bruce and Kay Withnell with the prestigious Parks and Wildlife Volunteer of the Year award. He said the Withnells showed great commitment as full-time caretakers of the homestead at Matuwa over a six-month period, welcoming and managing visitors and maintaining amenities while contributing to the Rangelands Restoration project at the former pastoral lease. “They also went above and beyond the call of duty, responding with initiative and dedication when two bushfires came through the area, threatening the fenced enclosure where many species of rare and unique native animals live.” Source: Touring WA Issue 28
Bruce Withnell OAM is a long standing member of the Harvey SES Unit. He was recognised years ago for his commitment to SES and in particular to the units Road Crash Rescue response with an Order of Australia medal (OAM).
Bruce was later involved in National Road Rescue Challenge in 1999 as a competitor and later as organiser for Western Rescue 2001, a National Road Rescue Challenge hosted here in Perth by FESA. He was also committed to training SES volunteers in this vital skill. Well done Bruce and Kay.
Phillip Petersen ESM
Photo: Bruce Withnell OAM Source: HARVEY-WAROONA REPORTER May 15, 2015
