2020 AGM
The 2020 AGM was a bit different to previous AGMs. Some people attended remotely by Zoom and the presentation was broadcast to them.
All of the reports were interesting and informative but one of the best was the Coordinators so I urge you to read it.
Some of the reports were PDF so didn't copy and past well onto the web page. They have been inserted as attachments.
All of the reports were interesting and informative but one of the best was the Coordinators so I urge you to read it.
Some of the reports were PDF so didn't copy and past well onto the web page. They have been inserted as attachments.
Presidents Report
MRWL 2019-20 Presidents report (written collaboratively by Tim and Joum)
Management Committee
The management committee of any organisation is a group of people responsible for the task of managing the organisation. I would like to note that this task, and this group of people, is no more or less important than any other part of our organisation. We are all important.
As this is the “President’s Report” - it must be noted that Tim Odgers, our President for many years, who has been (and continues to be) a vital ingredient in the revival, survival, and thriving of MRWL, has had to end his role as President and now has the position of Immediate Past President. Tim has done this because holding the position of President would have been a ‘conflict of interest’ for his employer.
The character of our organisation reflects the efforts and contributions of all its people, and Tim’s wisdom, effectiveness, knowledge and caring nature is most certainly a huge part of our organisation.
On behalf of the organisation I would like to thank Tim for all that he has given, done, and continues to do.
LB Joum has taken the position of President.
The management position of Treasurer has also changed. Marnee Stinton is another person who has enacted many positive changes to the organisation. The managing of the books is a challenging one and Marnee has carried this role beautifully. Marnee continues to face challenges with her new business and we wish Marnee the best for this endeavour.
On behalf of the organisation I would like to thank Marnee for her wonderful work and contribution to our management committee. Marnee continues to help whenever possible.
Jasmin Annett is the new Treasurer. Thank you Jasmin.
I would like to thank out continuing Management members. We have become a wonderful team and I look forward to many great meetings in the year ahead.
The year past and year to come.
This last year has been one of positive growth amongst adversity for MRWL Inc and I’m happy to report that we have come to a new level of strength and involvement as a community organisation. We have had significant levels of volunteerism - are in a healthy financial condition - have had an excellent safety record and, while we had to confront the challenges of an incredibly dry end to 2019 and then COVID-19, - we are stronger and are taking on new directions and opportunities.
COVID 19 Response
MRL’s whole of organisation response to the pandemic meant many new challenges and the ongoing wish for a crystal ball so staff and the committee would be able to predict and plan for how best to respond. Our approach has been measured and while it has been challenging (we dearly missed our volunteers) we have been very fortunate that our financial position has been well sustained during this time with solid sales and Jobkeeper support.
We have our COVID plan in place and are working well within a new normal, and we would like to thank our staff for their absolute professionalism and dedication. We also thank the volunteers for their support during this difficult time.
Mooloolah Landcare Nursery
The nursery goes from strength to strength, with a strong volunteer crew, excellent support from the ECOLABORATION “Pinks” trainees, quality stock and a strong customer base.
With changes in staff availability we needed to find a nursery assistant while there were no volunteers on site - and while Sarah is had a maternity break to care for New Child Zoey. Sharon found Suzanne Wilson for the role, and we welcome Suzanne as Assistant Nursery Manager.
Suzanne has brought a huge amount of experience, energy and ability to the nursery, as new people often do, and we are grateful for our luck in finding such good help with all our people.
As mentioned, there was a time when no volunteers were able to help at the nursery and biocontrol facility. The biggest impact of COVID on MRL was to the operation of the nursery without valuable help of the volunteers. With the dangers of COVID we felt it best to close to volunteers for several months and conduct pre-booked sales of plants at the gate. This lead to a significant drop in our propagation ability and, when combined with a rise of “pandemic planting” leading to good pre-booked sales at the gate, it has lead to our nursery having low stock.
Everyone is back hard at work propagating stock for the upcoming peak season. We thank all our nursery staff and volunteers for the wonderful way you have navigated these challenges and for all the great effort you put into our Mooloolah Landcare Nursery.
Sunshine Coast Biocontrol Facility
Jess and the biocontrol volunteers have really worked hard to bring bug production up to full speed. The facility is looking fantastic and has more than doubled production from 12,000 to 40,000 this year. The forward aim is for 100,000 beetles for this financial year, which will see the biocontrol facility become a cash positive operation for MRL. Again, as with all our people, we are grateful to have Jessica working with us. Jessica has taken over where others left off and then raised it higher by looking for, and finding, better ways of doing things. And there is more to come.
Thank you Jessica; and a big thank you to all our bug crew volunteers.
Seqwater Partnership – Catchment Management
We have been fortunate to secure a 5-year partnership with the water supply authority- Seqwater for a Source protection partnership to work in the Landsborough area to reduce water quality risk to the Ewen Maddock water treatment plant. We recently advertised for the role to coordinate this program and welcome Sandra O’Sullivan to MRL as Catchment Officer. Sandra brings a huge amount of experience and capability and we are really excited to have her as part of the team. This work will be implementing a whole range of catchment management actions in the Ewen Maddock Catchment, which includes Landsborough. It is a very exciting project to be given and we thank Seqwater for this opportunity and Sandra for leading this project with extreme capability and energy.
MRWL Coordinator – Karen Schmidt
Karen Schmidt is the coordinator of our whole organisation. Karen is responsible for knowing everything about our organisation and communicating, and alerting us to, the needs and responsibilities of its different people and activities. Wow – how do you do it! Karen is amazing, and her addition to our organisation has made an incredible difference to our effectiveness, efficiency and harmony. Karen’s help has relieved the considerable operating pressures and workload of the management committee. Before we found a Coordinator, the management committee members were feeling overloaded and it was likely that we would be unable to continue to do the amount of work required. If we had not found a coordinator we would not be in as strong a position as we are today, and we may have lost some people along the way. Thank you Karen.
Mooloolah River Landcare
Our organisation (Mooloolah River Waterwatch and Landcare inc.) acts as a governing, managing, accounting, Retail, and enacting body for all our activities. All of us; the Nursery, Biocontrol, Catchment Officer, Book Keeper, Coordinator, Volunteers, Customers and members – I would like to thank us all for our contributions to our wonderful organisation.
Management Committee
The management committee of any organisation is a group of people responsible for the task of managing the organisation. I would like to note that this task, and this group of people, is no more or less important than any other part of our organisation. We are all important.
As this is the “President’s Report” - it must be noted that Tim Odgers, our President for many years, who has been (and continues to be) a vital ingredient in the revival, survival, and thriving of MRWL, has had to end his role as President and now has the position of Immediate Past President. Tim has done this because holding the position of President would have been a ‘conflict of interest’ for his employer.
The character of our organisation reflects the efforts and contributions of all its people, and Tim’s wisdom, effectiveness, knowledge and caring nature is most certainly a huge part of our organisation.
On behalf of the organisation I would like to thank Tim for all that he has given, done, and continues to do.
LB Joum has taken the position of President.
The management position of Treasurer has also changed. Marnee Stinton is another person who has enacted many positive changes to the organisation. The managing of the books is a challenging one and Marnee has carried this role beautifully. Marnee continues to face challenges with her new business and we wish Marnee the best for this endeavour.
On behalf of the organisation I would like to thank Marnee for her wonderful work and contribution to our management committee. Marnee continues to help whenever possible.
Jasmin Annett is the new Treasurer. Thank you Jasmin.
I would like to thank out continuing Management members. We have become a wonderful team and I look forward to many great meetings in the year ahead.
The year past and year to come.
This last year has been one of positive growth amongst adversity for MRWL Inc and I’m happy to report that we have come to a new level of strength and involvement as a community organisation. We have had significant levels of volunteerism - are in a healthy financial condition - have had an excellent safety record and, while we had to confront the challenges of an incredibly dry end to 2019 and then COVID-19, - we are stronger and are taking on new directions and opportunities.
COVID 19 Response
MRL’s whole of organisation response to the pandemic meant many new challenges and the ongoing wish for a crystal ball so staff and the committee would be able to predict and plan for how best to respond. Our approach has been measured and while it has been challenging (we dearly missed our volunteers) we have been very fortunate that our financial position has been well sustained during this time with solid sales and Jobkeeper support.
We have our COVID plan in place and are working well within a new normal, and we would like to thank our staff for their absolute professionalism and dedication. We also thank the volunteers for their support during this difficult time.
Mooloolah Landcare Nursery
The nursery goes from strength to strength, with a strong volunteer crew, excellent support from the ECOLABORATION “Pinks” trainees, quality stock and a strong customer base.
With changes in staff availability we needed to find a nursery assistant while there were no volunteers on site - and while Sarah is had a maternity break to care for New Child Zoey. Sharon found Suzanne Wilson for the role, and we welcome Suzanne as Assistant Nursery Manager.
Suzanne has brought a huge amount of experience, energy and ability to the nursery, as new people often do, and we are grateful for our luck in finding such good help with all our people.
As mentioned, there was a time when no volunteers were able to help at the nursery and biocontrol facility. The biggest impact of COVID on MRL was to the operation of the nursery without valuable help of the volunteers. With the dangers of COVID we felt it best to close to volunteers for several months and conduct pre-booked sales of plants at the gate. This lead to a significant drop in our propagation ability and, when combined with a rise of “pandemic planting” leading to good pre-booked sales at the gate, it has lead to our nursery having low stock.
Everyone is back hard at work propagating stock for the upcoming peak season. We thank all our nursery staff and volunteers for the wonderful way you have navigated these challenges and for all the great effort you put into our Mooloolah Landcare Nursery.
Sunshine Coast Biocontrol Facility
Jess and the biocontrol volunteers have really worked hard to bring bug production up to full speed. The facility is looking fantastic and has more than doubled production from 12,000 to 40,000 this year. The forward aim is for 100,000 beetles for this financial year, which will see the biocontrol facility become a cash positive operation for MRL. Again, as with all our people, we are grateful to have Jessica working with us. Jessica has taken over where others left off and then raised it higher by looking for, and finding, better ways of doing things. And there is more to come.
Thank you Jessica; and a big thank you to all our bug crew volunteers.
Seqwater Partnership – Catchment Management
We have been fortunate to secure a 5-year partnership with the water supply authority- Seqwater for a Source protection partnership to work in the Landsborough area to reduce water quality risk to the Ewen Maddock water treatment plant. We recently advertised for the role to coordinate this program and welcome Sandra O’Sullivan to MRL as Catchment Officer. Sandra brings a huge amount of experience and capability and we are really excited to have her as part of the team. This work will be implementing a whole range of catchment management actions in the Ewen Maddock Catchment, which includes Landsborough. It is a very exciting project to be given and we thank Seqwater for this opportunity and Sandra for leading this project with extreme capability and energy.
MRWL Coordinator – Karen Schmidt
Karen Schmidt is the coordinator of our whole organisation. Karen is responsible for knowing everything about our organisation and communicating, and alerting us to, the needs and responsibilities of its different people and activities. Wow – how do you do it! Karen is amazing, and her addition to our organisation has made an incredible difference to our effectiveness, efficiency and harmony. Karen’s help has relieved the considerable operating pressures and workload of the management committee. Before we found a Coordinator, the management committee members were feeling overloaded and it was likely that we would be unable to continue to do the amount of work required. If we had not found a coordinator we would not be in as strong a position as we are today, and we may have lost some people along the way. Thank you Karen.
Mooloolah River Landcare
Our organisation (Mooloolah River Waterwatch and Landcare inc.) acts as a governing, managing, accounting, Retail, and enacting body for all our activities. All of us; the Nursery, Biocontrol, Catchment Officer, Book Keeper, Coordinator, Volunteers, Customers and members – I would like to thank us all for our contributions to our wonderful organisation.
Report Downloads
Strategic Plan
|
| ||||
| mooloolah_river_strategy_for_agm_review.pdf |
We would love you to become a member and help us care for our waterways and nursery, or please consider a tax deductible donation to our Gift Fund.
