Living in Eurobodalla: Community lifeblood
Published: 18 July 2024
There are 730 incredible people who donate their time to Council’s community programs and services – that’s more volunteers than Council staff!
Volunteering with Council is easy. Head to our volunteers webpage to read about the different programs we run and the opportunities they present. Then register your interest using the simple online form. We can’t wait to welcome you aboard.
- This story was first published in Council’s quarterly newsletter for residents, Living in Eurobodalla. A printed edition is delivered to Eurobodalla's 26,000 households.
Di propagates partnerships
Volunteers are truly the backbone of the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden. More than 100 passionate green thumbs and nature nerds pour their hearts into the looks, upkeep and activities at the garden. There’s volunteers in the herbarium looking after the collection while others prune and buzz about, maintaining the garden grounds. There’s a keen group of educators who volunteer with school groups and guide monthly walks. Volunteers also welcome people into the garden’s visitors centre with the biggest smiles. In the nursery, volunteer groups come and go every day to produce and maintain plants – this is where you will find Di Clark. Di gets a kick out of learning scientific plant names as they are collected, numbered, and entered into the data system. Every Tuesday her group comes in to propagate plants and tend to seedlings. After school, Di studied botany and zoology then owned a nursery. She moved on to work at Melbourne’s royal botanic gardens and was soon ready for a coastal change. In 2016, she scored the supervisor job in the nursery at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden. Instead of supervising staff, Di was working with volunteers – quite a culture shock compared to the big city. “Eurobodalla’s garden is punching well above its weight; it’s amazing what’s achieved because of the volunteers,” Di said. Di transitioned to retirement but couldn’t let go of the atmosphere and friendships on the job. “It felt a bit weird coming back to work as a volunteer, but it’s such a wonderful place. I couldn’t imagine having this much fun anywhere else.” Di settled into the volunteer lifestyle, saying it's tricky to give up being “in the know” all the time, however admired the new supervisors and their collaboration with volunteers. Every Tuesday she meets the same group of keen green thumbs in the nursery. “It gets chilly in winter, but it’s great working outdoors. There’s always so much work to be done, but we do like to take time out to talk about plants and look at insects.”
Andy's investing time for richer lives
A serious accident left Andy Hodson with a life-long injury. After learning to walk again, he realised life was short and you don’t need much to be happy. For the past 19-years, he travelled Australia moving about free campsites with his infamous chihuahua, Rocky. Life on the road helped Andy slow down and it was a quirky series of events that grounded him in Moruya. The motor blew up in his van and he made some special friendships here, so he's stayed put. “I was so lucky to have landed here, it’s such a prime spot.” Andy signed up as a volunteer out of the need to “do something” when his beloved Rocky died aged 23. He’s become a popular character supporting Council’s Community Care programs, taking elderly men on outings, giving them a new lease on life. “It means a lot to them; they look forward to it each week and so do I.” Andy also spends three days a week volunteering with Anglicare, and says spending time with older people has reinforced his perception on life. “They have amazing stories and I learn a lot from them. They have taught me to be patient and let things be as life goes on. I've found that having less can make me feel richer.”
Jill finds fellow travellers
Moving to Eurobodalla in 2014, Jill Howell thought volunteering might be a way to meet others and get to know some faces around town. One friend was volunteering at the zoo, showing groups of children around, but “I’m not really good with children so that wasn’t for me” says Jill. What was for Jill, it turns out, was our Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, despite not being the least bit artistic herself. “I enjoy seeing the changes with each exhibition,” says Jill. “I don’t know enough about art to hold erudite conversations – I tend to hold my tongue. People are very interested in the gallery itself, why it’s called ‘the Bas’, how did it get to be here.” From when it opened in February 2019, Jill’s always had an interest, attending the grand opening and a regular visitor since. After chatting with a volunteer behind the desk at a 2020 exhibition, Jill signed up.
“They provide an orientation. There’s no roster you must stick to, rather it’s a matter of do it when you can. I’m not that regular, maybe two or three times each exhibition. Some days it’s quiet, others very busy. Some people like to offer their expert opinion – in great detail – while others whip in-round-and-out in no time.” Jill says she enjoys shows that attract the locals. One exhibition included streetscapes of Broulee and a couple came in whose house had been painted. “While painting that house the artist could see the gentleman owner peering out, watching him paint. I pointed out to the couple that the artist had captured that in the painting – the man’s shape a shadow behind the screen door.” Making friends with other volunteers, and with Indi and Sue who run the Bas, Jill says volunteering at the gallery suits her well. “It’s a great place and it’s close by. We are so lucky to have the patronage of Basil Sellers. This gallery has given us so much – it’s making Eurobodalla a main attraction for arty folk.”
Road rules with Robyn
On a winter’s evening, Robyn Major drives to the Toyota Yaris parked in Narooma - one of the six Y drive cars. She hops in and goes to pick up the learner driver she is mentoring. A trip from Narooma to Ulladulla and back should be an easy three hours – a good contribution to the logbook. Nowadays, 20 hours of night driving and a total of 120 hours experience is required to gain a licence. Over the past four years, Robyn has mentored six learner drivers of the Y drive program. After working a busy corporate job in Canberra, Robyn chose the quiet countryside of Bodalla to retire with her partner. At times she felt rural life can get a bit “too quiet”. “I don’t like to be bored,” Robyn laughed. “I like doing lots of different things.” As soon as she retired, Robyn joined the Rural Fire Service and Council’s Y drive program, where she is currently one of 30 mentors to 199 learner drivers. Y drive supports teens and adults who are facing setbacks to gaining their drivers licence. Access to a car, help with licence fees, as well as a bunch of volunteer mentors have contributed to the success of 340 learners becoming independent on the road over the years.
“As Y drive mentors, we have helped kids get a better start to life. Transport is a barrier where we live and to gain a licence helps get jobs.” Robyn’s enthusiasm for teaching and calm demeanour most likely stemmed from her pastime as a motorcycle rider trainer and yoga teacher. “A big passion for me has been teaching kids how to spot hazards on the road. Driving is not all about physical skills but having the right mental skills to stay safe and alert – to avoid situations rather than be involved in a crash.”
Gee's looking at nature anew
Not five years ago Gee Perera barely noticed the birds in her back yard. Now she’s an avid contributor to avian citizen science and a local Landcare volunteer.
“In late 2020 I got interested in birds generally. A long-time friend was photographing birds – I always thought this was reserved for godlike creatures of amazing talent, a species apart – but she’s only human, like me, so I though maybe I could do that too,” says Gee. Recently retired, Gee bought herself a camera. After the fires she noticed gang gangs drinking from her bird bath and all along the Broulee bike path, eating the coastal wattle, obviously desperate for food.
“In 2021 I photographed gang gangs at a tree hollow near Broulee’s Captain Oldrey Park, including some fledging young. I was contacted to check on the birds while their official watcher was away.” She was contacted by conservation scientist Susan Rhind, who heads up Eurobodalla’s gang gang conservation project in collaboration with Council. Listed as endangered, gang gang's have declined in numbers by nearly 70 percent in the last 20 years. Gee says her interest is in spreading awareness about the gang gangs plight, and she’s become famous locally for her terrific photos. Lately she’s been spending a couple of hours, morning and night, alongside other enthusiasts recording the behaviour of the Captain Oldrey Park gang gangs, “we’re getting a pretty good picture of what the Broulee birds are doing.” Wanting to know more about birds generally led Gee to the Eurobodalla Natural History Group, which in turn led Gee to Landcare – another Council supported volunteer opportunity – quickly joining the Broulee/Mossy Point Dunecare Group. “I love the people in Landcare. They are so friendly and full of knowledge. It’s a place to learn and be around people with similar interests to me … and of course, you can’t save the endangered animals without saving the places they live in.”
Hatcher hails helping hands
Mayor Mathew Hatcher is a busy guy but loves to volunteer when he can – whether that’s jumping behind the canteen on game day or fundraising for non-profits. Here’s his two cents on the importance of volunteering in our community
Living in a rural area, volunteers aren't just a nice addition, they're the lifeblood of our community. Eurobodalla covers a large area, and within it, each town has its own unique activities and events happening where every pair of hands counts. We all have something valuable to contribute, whether it's time, skills, or simply a willingness to lend a hand or a listening ear. Whether it's mentoring someone younger, providing leadership, volunteers not only make a difference—they inspire others to do the same. If everyone was able to give a little bit of time it would make a huge difference. Time is the valuable thing you need to be willing to give to become a volunteer. It's about choosing to invest your time where it counts most. You can light up someone else's world with your generosity and kindness. If you're still not convinced, why not start small? Maybe it's cooking sausages at your local sports club or helping a neighbour with their garden. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, ripples through our community, making it stronger, brighter and more vibrant.
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