Liz Kirkby arrived in Warmun eighteen years ago straight from Sussex England. Her initial trip to Australia was simply to visit friends. One thing lead to another and now the Kimberley is well and truly her home. A move from Warmun to Kununurra allowed Liz to pick up her love of sailing, although the transition from a sailing ship plying the Atlantic, to sailing dinghies on Lake Argyle and Lake Kununurra was noticeable. In the meantime Liz took up flying to regain that loss of the ocean’s expanse and closeness to the elements.
With her partner Torben, a long term member of the local farming community, Liz now enjoys the tranquillity and wildlife of a bush block. Liz has been a Board Member of Ord Land and Water for more then two years and with a background in health and sustainable development, has a keen interest in the Town and Conservation components of the Ord Land and Water Management Plan. Although similarly to other Board members Liz firmly believes that the integration of all the components of the Plan is crucial to the group’s effectiveness. Liz believes that the town needs the Local Planning Strategy, that is currently being completed by the Shire, to guide the town’s development. Other important issues to be pursued include ensuring an increased level of cross-cultural understanding and achieving a healthy economic base that is environmentally sustainable and provides employment for the young people of the town. These issues will be particularly relevant over the next decade when Liz expects there will be huge opportunities for everyone. That is, provided that we as a community work together to ensure that the future of the area is based on wise use of our resources, respect for one another and respect for the environment. Liz believes that Ord Land and Water is well placed to take a lead role in the future of the area because of its overarching interests, ability to recognise the strengths within the community and to bring different people, groups and organizations together to manage and protect our natural resources.
Nathan Wilson moved to Kununurra following a previous visit to the area to conduct research for a masters, and to visit friends living in Kununurra. Nathan has a strong interest in the region that has developed from his current employment within the irrigation area and previous postgraduate research he has conducted into developing a means of assessing the sustainability of the Ord River Irrigation Area and measuring its performance against in sustainability terms.
Nathan is originally from Melbourne with a background in sustainability and project management gained from working with an engineering consultancy on a number of water and aviation infrastructure projects in Melbourne. He is currently employed as a forester by Integrated Tree Cropping establishing and maintaining Indian sandalwood plantations within the irrigation area. Outside of work Nathan also has a strong interest in a range of outdoor activities including running in and around Kununurra and hiking.
Nathan believes that Ord Land and Water currently plays a vital role in engaging various sections of the community with environmental issues, with the result of creating better environmental outcomes for the local area.
In 2003 I was a teacher at the Western Australian College of Agriculture Cunderdin when my fiancé Tara was offered of a graduate recruit position with the Department of Agriculture in Kununurra. A visit to the Ord in June of that year was enough to convince me to leave the dry salt affected plains of the central wheat belt, and pursue my passion for agriculture on the rich soils of the Ord.
Upon my arrival in Kununurra I commenced work at the Department of Agriculture working as a technical officer on the Bollgard two cotton research program based a the Frank wise research institute. In 2005 I left the Department of Agriculture and joined the Production Mining team at the Argyle Diamond Mine where I have worked since as a heavy mining equipment operator.
Whilst not working at the diamond mine I scratch my agricultural itch by running a small Pawpaw plantation and assisting my In-laws on their mango orchard. In spare time I enjoy fishing on the Ord River and entertaining my son Malcolm born in 2007.
My interest in Ord Land and Water was sparked by the Neem Tree eradication project which virtually wiped the weed from the Ord Irrigation area over a period of 18 months. I am an enthusiast of a ‘hands on’ approach to land conservation and the Neem tree project an inspiring example of what can be achieved by a small team willing to put in some hard work.
My key interest in Ord Land and Water is to see the Management plan plays a role in the establishment of the Ord Stage Two land release. Irresponsible management of soil and water resources on farms in the Western Australian Wheat belt has created many problems for future generations of farmers to inherit. The development of Ord Stage 2 creates an opportunity for the Ord River community to develop irrigation and soil management practices that will allow farming to be sustained for many generations, and set an example for future land developments in Northern Australia.