Gareth Johnston
Chair
Board Director – Murray and Riverina electoral zone
Gareth has a background in Land Management. Gareth sees Landcare as a critical element of support within a strong, resilient agro-ecological system. He believes water security, climate variability, cheap energy, adaptation and community wellbeing as key challenges for rural Australia. He hopes to connect smaller community groups with knowledge and resources that contribute to a stronger region and supports Landcare NSW leadership.
Mobile: 0433 108 391
Kathy Kelly
Treasurer
Independent Director
Kathy is a chartered accountant, registered company auditor and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Kathy is a Director and Company Secretary for the Mulloon Institute, a leading research, education and advocacy charity focused on regenerative agriculture. Kathy is also a director of Plant Health Australia. Until June 2019 Kathy was a director of Boyce Chartered Accountants where she had a long career in practice where she specialised in the support of both family and corporate farms. Kathy brings her financial skills, governance experience and widespread agricultural experience to the Landcare NSW Board. Kathy lives in Cooma.
Mobile: 0428 883 044
Steve Bunnell
Vice Chair
Board Director – South East and Greater Sydney electoral zone
Steve is a member of the South East Landcare Regional Landcare Coordinator steering committee and Treasurer of the Boorowa Community Landcare Group. Currently dividing his time between a finance and administration consultancy in Sydney and his wool and sheep trading property at Boorowa, Steve is active in his local Landcare and Regenerative Grazing Groups. Steve is currently undertaking several revegetation projects on his property including recently completing several tree planting and direct seeding sites.
Mobile 0419 284 836
Lyn Thomson
Secretary
Board Director – North Coast and Hunter electoral zone
Lyn Thomson has been involved with Landcare for the past 10 years. For part of that time Lyn was Richmond Landcare’s School Officer, working on various projects with many schools in their area.
Lyn has a passion for Australian Native Bees and has worked with schools and the community educating them on the importance of native bees.
Lyn is a member of NCRLN, Secretary of Richmond Landcare, member of Bagot Park Landcare, Chair of Broadwater Koala Trust and Secretary of Ballina Outrigger Canoe Club Coastcare.
Mobile: 0410 319 311
Bev Debrincat
Regional Representative for Greater Sydney Landcare Network
Bev Debrincat is the Founder and Executive Director of International Environmental Weed Foundation trading as Habitat Network and co-manages The Habitat community native plant nursery and food garden in Ryde.
Bev is a founding member of Greater Sydney Landcare Network. Bev has represented Greater Sydney’s various care groups such as Landcare, Bushcare, Coast Care, Dune Care on the Landcare NSW Council since 2015. Bev is involved Bushcare as well as Local Council and NPWS habitat corridor projects.
Mobile: 0419 206 253
Steve Harvey
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR NEW ENGLAND LANDCARE INC.
An Armidale sheep and cattle farmer, Steve is a passionate believer in agricultural sustainability, from river and stream health to grazing management and revegetation of degraded landscapes. He is Chairperson of Southern New England Landcare, representing 25 local Landcare groups in the region and also a member of New England-North West Landcare Network Chairs.
Mobile: 0427 751 301
Paul Heley
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR WESTERN LANDCARE NSW INC
Paul is the representative for the Western region. Paul is the current chair of Western Landcare NSW and secretary of Bottle Bend Reserve Land Manager, a community managed crownland reserve in the far south west of NSW. Paul has a background in commercial construction and completed a degree in Environmental Science (Land and Water) in 2016. He currently operates a construction company focusing on environmental infrastructure, grows wine grapes and operates a small winery with his wife Cindy at Monak NSW. He has a strong interest in sustainable agriculture and economically beneficial conservation practices.
Mobile: 0417 596 244
Margôt Jolly
Regional Representative for Central West Region Landcare Inc.
Margôt Jolly is Chair of Central West Lachlan Landcare, and provisional chair of the Central West NRM Working Group.
Margôt became interested in caring for the environment in a more active way when moving back to Parkes after living in Sydney. Undertaking a Conservation and Land Management Certificate armed her with a little knowledge and a thirst for more.
Margôt works as a volunteer in her region with Landcare and in community arts and museums – Secretary Arts Outwest Board, Vice Chair AMaGA NSW, Chair Parkes Community Arts Inc.
Mobile: 0423 938 145
Balaji Seshadri
Regional Representative for Hunter and Mid Coast Landcare Hub Inc.
Balaji is an outdoor person and loves to work at the grassroots level. He started his Landcare journey in Australia in 2017, after having been already involved in similar activities in India. Since joining Hunter Region Landcare Network (HRLN) in 2019, Balaji has been caring for the land around his dwelling place in the bushlands of Kurri Kurri (Wonnarua Nation). In the quest to learn more about the flora, fauna and the overall ecosystems of this region, decided to enhance his environmental skills through a Certificate III in Land Conservation and Management at Kurri Kurri TAFE.
Being an environmental researcher by profession, Balaji is passionate about agriculture, and believes that farmers can do better as landcarers and stewards of the environment. He wishes to continue his Landcare journey and contribute towards a better environment for our current and emerging communities.
Mobile: 0433 577 948
Edwina Hayes
Regional Representative for Murray Regional Landcare Inc.
Edwina Hayes is the Murray Regional Representative. Edwina is the Chair of Murray Regional Landcare Inc, A Director of Holbrook Landcare Network and Committee Member of Mullengandra Landcare.
Edwina is a social worker, wife and mother from the south west slopes who helps her family with a small farm, rural fencing and specialist agricultural events labour businesses. She has experience in Landcare, mental health, executive health management and developing economic, environmental and social outcomes in southern NSW.
She is committed to building community capacity to participating actively in land management, natural resource management, biosecurity and emergency management.
Edwina is the CEO of Regional Development Australia Murray Inc. She was appointed to the Murray Local Land Services Board in 2019.
Mobile: 0427 267 753
Larry Langman
Regional Representative for North Coast Regional Landcare Network
Larry is the representative for the North Coast Region. Larry has been involved in Landcare for 17 years and is currently Secretary of the North Coast Regional Landcare Network Inc, Secretary of Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare Inc. and member of Nana Glen Landcare Inc.
Larry has a particular interest in promoting urban Landcare and the recognition and documentation of a Landcare Community of Practice and Body of Knowledge in conservation, landscape management and community engagement.
Larry’s professional background is in Systems Management. Larry holds qualifications in Permaculture Design and Organic Farming.
Kate Groth
Regional Representative for North West Regional Landcarers Inc.
Kate is the representative for North West region and a long standing member of the Northern Slopes Landcare association.
Kate is a cattle grazier in Upper Horton on the Northwest Slopes. She is passionate about the positive role agriculture will play in repairing and restoring our soil and water health.
Kate is currently the Chair for Northern Slopes Landcare Association and North West Landcarers.
Mobile: 0427 827 313
Gemma Purcell
Regional Representative for Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc.
Gemma is the representative for the Riverina Region. Gemma and her husband Reiner run a mixed farming enterprise on Wiradjuri country near Grong Grong in NSW. They have spent the past decade rebuilding habitat with plantings of connected multi layered canopies, forbs and grasses, and protecting and connecting farm dams.
Gemma comes from a writing background and now focuses her time and energy on family, farm and community – with a focus on climate change, NRM and community renewable energy. She is interested in the power of circular economies, and robust, sustainable food and natural resource systems.
She sees Landcare as a unique model for building community capacity and creating positive cultural, social, economic and environmental impact.
Lawrence Balcomb
Regional Representative for Central Tablelands Regional Landcare Network Inc.
Lawrence is the representative for the Central Tablelands Region. Lawrence is the fifth generation of his family farming at Toogong sixty kilometres west of Orange. He runs an integrated meat sheep/cropping operation on the property with his wife Trish and his parents. He has been involved in Landcare for thirty years. Firstly as one of the foundation members and later chair of his local Cranbury Landcare group which started in 1992. In 2012 he became chairperson of the regional group Mid Lachlan Landcare. In 2022 he became the inaugural chairperson of the Central Tablelands Regional Landcare Network. He sees local Landcare members as a massive library of knowledge and his passion is getting them together to share it for the betterment of the environment, agriculture and communities.
Greg Thompson
Regional Representative for South East Landcare Inc.
The 11 regions and the regional bodies that represent Landcare within each region are defined in the Landcare NSW Constitution and shown in the map here.
