Former Warrenbayne farmer Pam Robinson has worked in boardrooms in many parts of Australia and influenced environmental issues across diverse landscapes, but she hasn't forgotten the starry nights and the changing seasons of the Strathbogie foothills.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Mrs Robinson, 76, has been acknowledged in the Queen's Birthday Honours, with an Australia Medal (AM) for significant service to conservation and the environment, and to the community.
Mrs Robinson said she was honoured to receive the award and hoped people would see it as an acknowledgement of the organisations she had been associated with.
She was Violet Town's first female councillor, and the first and only female shire president for the municipality that was eventually merged with Strathbogie Shire.
Mrs Robinson came from Ireland ostensibly for a working holiday in 1963, but fell in love with the country and made her home in Australia, marrying an Aussie and running a fine wool operation at Warrenbayne.
She became concerned about the land in the 1970s when she noticed patches of land, denuded of vegetation, began showing up in the region.
Sheep would roll on the bare ground and then lick at the fleece.
She had uncovered an emerging problem with dryland salinity.
Mrs Robinson set out on a mission to find out what was happening to the landscape and, through contacts with the Soil Conservation Authority and the support of neighbouring farmers, helped to develop a local land management plan.
The management plan morphed into Landcare in the days when the organisation was still emerging in Victoria.
Mrs Robinson — a founding member and life member of the Warrenbayne-Boho Land Protection Group and a member of Australian Landcare International/Global Landcare — remembers those days with affection and still wonders how they were able to bring the community together, make deputations, implement the work and still run their farms.
She joined the Boho Fire Brigade and remained a member for 21 years.
“One of the best things I learnt was how to back a trailer,” she remembers. "That has lasted me a lifetime!”
Mrs Robinson was very aware in the 1990s that many women did not have the opportunity to serve in public life, and worked hard to achieve support for the people who wanted to serve.
She was recognised for her work by the Australian Local Government Women's Association – Victoria, which made her a life member, and she continued to be involved with the association's Northern Territory branch between 2011 and 2016.
Mrs Robinson also acknowledged she benefited from being surrounded by "good men" in her life.
She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1990.
The Warrenbayne farm was sold in 2000, a year after her husband, David, died.
She pursued other work in Melbourne and further studies, then she got an offer for a six-month position working with the Darwin City Council. This became a job as Climate Change and Environment manager from 2008 to 2011.
She had been charmed by the region on a previous visit — "it was just breathtaking" — so jumped at the chance, and the half-year turned into nine years.
Now retired and living in Melbourne, Mrs Robinson still has a few jobs on the go and does voluntary work.
Her advice to younger people is to consider voluntary work.
“Find something you are interested in and join it. You will meet interesting, new people and learn so much.
“When you give time to something or someone else you will get back, more than you give.
“I've been very fortunate to work with a lot of good people.”
Some of Pam Robinson's positions:
Landcare:
● Founding member and life member, Warrenbayne-Boho Land Protection Group, Victoria.
● Member, Australian Landcare International/Global Landcare (current).
● Member, Oral History Committee, Landcare Victoria, since 2016.
● Member, Rapid Creek Landcare Group NT (current).
● Member, Friends of Fogg Dam NT (current).
● Member, National Landcare Advisory Committee, 1993-1996.
Environment:
● Co-founder, International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC) 2005.
● Member, End Users Reference Committee, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF), 2014-2018.
● Petitioner, Monster Climate Petition, 2014.
● Member, Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee, 2009-2011.
● Member, Ministerial Reference Council for Climate Change Adaptation, 2007-2009, Victoria.
● Director, Parks Victoria Board, 2000-2006.
● Chair, Independent Community Engagement Panel, River Murray Environmental Flows and Water Quality Project, 2002-2003.
● Member, Land Conservation Council, Victoria, 1995-1997.
Community:
● Ambassador, Honour a Woman, since 2017.
● Member, Victorian Women's Trust (current).
● Life member, Government House Foundation of the Northern Territory.
● Life member, Benalla Regional Art Gallery, Victoria.
● Life member, Koorie Heritage Trust Victoria.
● Chair, Northern Territory Board, Volunteering SA&NT, 2014.
● Member, Ministerial Advisory Council for Senior Victorians, 2004-2006.
● Non-government representative, Australian Government Delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, New York, 2002.
● Volunteer, Country Fire Authority, Boho Brigade, 21 years.
● Australian Local Government Women's Association - Victoria, life member, 1992.
● Australian Local Government Women's Association - Northern Territory: committee member, 2015-2016; newsletter editor, 2011-2015; president, 2012-2014; treasurer, 2011; Northern Territory Ambassador, Year of Women in Local Government, 2010; founding member, 2006.
Professional:
● Environment and Climate Change strategic planner, City of Palmerston NT, 2011-2015.
● Manager, Climate Change and Environment, Darwin City Council, 2008-2011.
● Victorian facilitator, Australian Government Natural Resources Management Team, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and The Arts, 2006-2008.
● Principal consultant, Robinson Consulting, 1993-2006.
● Forest Community coordinator, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 1996-2000.
● Joint Consultant, Development of Landcare New Zealand, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, New Zealand, 1992.
Shepparton News assistant editor