The Office for Volunteers fortnightly e-newsletter, The State of Volunteering On-line, features the real life stories of volunteers in South Australia.
Here you can read their inspirational stories on why they volunteer, what they've experienced and achieved along the way, and how their volunteering has affected their life and the lives of others.
Under the spotlight
This fortnight's feature volunteer story is:
Back in the late 1960’s, Barbara Hardy started taking two of her sons camping in the Flinders Ranges, bush walking and exploring Wilpena Pound. For someone who had not previously spent any time in the Australian ‘bush’, little did she realise how life changing these experiences would be!
After developing a desire to learn about rocks and geology, in 1973 and assisted by a Flinders University friend, Barbara ‘sat in’ on some geology lectures. This led to Barbara’s enrolment at the university, study of Earth Sciences and love of the environment.
When the South Australian Conservation Centre began in Adelaide, Barbara volunteered her services and set up a newspaper clipping service on the state of the environment.
Barbara’s contribution to the environment was recognised by the Federal Government when she was appointed a Commissioner of the Australian Heritage Commission, as the South Australian representative. This “was a wonderful experience and a great honour,” says Barbara.
In 1981, Barbara was one of a small group who set up the National Parks Foundation of SA, later known as the Nature Foundation SA Inc. Aware of the work done by the National Parks & Wildlife Service, they wanted to help give the community the opportunity to financially support the natural environment. From funding research to supporting on-the-ground projects, they are now making a real impact in protecting the natural environment, saving native wildlife and enhancing the parks and reserves system.
Barbara has now been working in the environment field in a voluntary capacity for over 30 years - locally, nationally and internationally. She has received a number of prestigious awards, including an Order of Australia Award, Advance Australia Award, SA Great Award and she was the 1996 South Australian Citizen of the Year. Well done Barbara!
Archive
Want to read more real life volunteer stories? Read volunteer stories previously published in The State of Volunteering On-line by visiting:
Tell us your story
Do you have a story for The State of Volunteering On-line? Articles and photos about your volunteering experiences, events, projects and achievements can be emailed to freeman.linda@agd.sa.gov.au.
