Indigo’s Environment Advisory Committee's (IEAC) role is "to provide advice to Council on the development of Council policy as it relates to environmental and sustainability matters".
The Committee was established by Council on 9 February 2010 and has had an integral role in the development of our Environment Strategy, our Greenhouse Action Plan as well several other programs and policies.
The Committee's objectives are:
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To provide a recognised forum that Council and community alike can refer environmental concerns for further consideration;
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To provide recommendations to Council about the means to encourage and support increased community awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability matters;
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To provide advice on the implementation and ongoing review of the Environment Strategy;
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To provide advice on the review or development of other environmental Council plans;
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To provide recommendations to Council, as necessary, to ensure environmental programs, both internally and externally funded, are consistent with priorities identified in the Environment Strategy;
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To provide advocacy for Council’s environmental portfolio within other forums and within the community;
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To provide input on special projects where directed by Council.
Current Committee Members:
Members: Cr Dianne Shepheard, Cr Roberta Horne, Cr Sophie Price (Sub), Helen Robinson, Lesley Milne, Janice Milhinch, Rik Thwaites, Nicki Munro, Philippa Noble, Jane Roots, Pat Giltrap, Narelle Martin and Russell James.
Introducing our Current Committee Members:
Dr Helen Robinson
Dr Helen Robinson is a Veterinary Surgeon with over 35 years in rural mixed practice in various states of Australia and overseas. She has also completed a Masters of Sustainable Agriculture. Helen is the owner and principal veterinarian of a veterinary practice in Beechworth since 2011. She is an active member of Beechworth Urban Landcare and Sustainability Group, having held various committee roles since joining in 2012. Helen joined the IEAC committee as a Community and Landcare Representative in 2016.
Lesley Milne
Lesley Milne is an educational leader, cognitive coach and mentor who has worked as a teacher of English Language, Literature, and Literacy in the UK, Botswana and Australia for over forty years. She settled in Beechworth with her family in 2004 and is an active participant in the local community in the fields of education, governance, social justice, environment and community arts. She is studying Permaculture with a particular focus on community strategies for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. She has served on the Quercus Board, leading the development of the Quercus Climate Change Policy. She has experience of Asset-based Community Development and has completed the Changemakers Workshop with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. She is currently a member of Indigo Shire Atauro Island Friendship Committee, Volunteer Coordinator for Beechworth Biennale, and a founding member of Indigo Regen.
Dr Janice Milhinch
Jan is a graduate of Melbourne University and La Trobe University, completing her Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Diploma of Audiology and Doctor of Philosophy in areas including psychology, audiology and decision-making behaviour. She moved to North East Victoria after 30 years of clinical practice and research and began her next career, studying and creating a now thriving business in viticulture and winemaking. Jan has contributed to the Indigo community in Council committees on wine tourism and community awareness of trees - their recognition and protection - for more than 25 years. She is committed to building respect for our green infrastructure including trees, parks and gardens, and open spaces, both private and public. She sees Indigo as an exceptional place in which to live and supports community participation in all decision making related to preserving and enhancing our natural environment for future generations.
Dr Rik Thwaites
Dr Rik Thwaites is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Gulbali Institute at Charles Sturt University, and is currently Chair of Indigo Power and a Director of Precinct Destinations, owner of the Old Beechworth Gaol, and of the Cape Otway Conservation Ecology Centre. Rik has been a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee to Indigo Shire since its inception over a decade ago. Rik completed an Honours degree in geology at Melbourne University before working with the Australian Antarctic Division as a glaciologist. After writing an award winning strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development for Albury Wodonga in 1993, Rik embarked on a PhD at Charles Sturt University, investigating sustainable land management on the steppe grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China. Rik was employed in an academic position for over 20 years in the School of Environmental Sciences at Charles Sturt University teaching and researching across many fields including sustainable development, community development, ecotourism, protected area and natural resource management. Rik has been an active environmental advocate for many years being a member and leader of many groups in the Indigo Shire.
Dr Nicki Munro
Nicki has been an ecologist for 25 years, specialising in wildlife ecology, biodiversity conservation, and restoration and landscape ecology. She has experience in practical conservation and land management as well as in academic research, policy and environmental education. After growing up in Beechworth, Nicki left at 18 to go to university, then worked in Gippsland, South Australia and Canberra, before moving back to Beechworth ten years ago. She enjoys to run and bike ride, and particularly loves the many tracks through beautiful bush in this Shire. Nicki currently volunteers for CFA and is an active member of Beechworth Landcare, where she is most involved with the Beechworth Bush Botanic Gardens, and the Glades. She is passionate about assisting our most threatened species and ecosystems, working with people to affect positive conservation change, regenerative farming, and creating environments that benefit people and the environment.
Philippa Noble
Philippa has an Agricultural Science degree, and post graduate training in aquaculture, climate change and ornithology. She has worked with the Victorian government in agriculture, natural resource management and farm forestry for over 30 years as an extension officer, advising farmers and managing various research and plantation establishment projects. She is currently President of Farm Forest Growers Victoria and secretary of the Rutherglen Landcare Group. Philippa and her husband own a farm at Brimin on the Murray River where they produce fine wool, prime lambs and timber, as well as provide on-farm accommodation. They have done extensive remnant forest protection and revegetation works, as well as agroforestry throughout their pastures.
Dr Jane Roots
Jane is a passionate environmental leader with over three decades of experience in policy, conservation, and community engagement. Since joining the Shire’s Environment Advisory Committee in 2010, she’s helped shape key strategies including ISC’s first Environment Strategy and the Climate Emergency Action Plan. After a decade tackling Murray-Darling Basin issues, Jane settled in north east Victoria, where she has led riparian protection, lectured in environmental science, and completed a PhD focused on planning and governance in changing landscapes. Most recently, she oversaw biodiversity programs for the Victorian government in the Hume Region, collaborating with agencies, researchers, and communities to protect threatened species and restore ecosystems. Her commitment to grassroots conservation is reflected in her role on the Board of the Albury Conservation Company and active involvement with the Ovens Landcare Network and the Rutherglen Landcare Group. Jane brings energy, expertise, and a collaborative spirit to every project—always championing nature and community working together.
Pat Giltrap
Pat has a BSc in Earth Sciences (geology), he is a certified professional soil scientist recognized through the Australian Society for Soil Scientists. Pats day job is in major industrial projects. He has over twenty years experience in environmental, approvals, project and sustainability management on large scale construction projects primarily for the civil, oil and gas, mining and state government sectors. Pat has worked with in both consulting, private delivery and government roles over the years managing ecology, planning, heritage, waste, water and all other environmental aspects for major projects. Pat lives between Beechworth and Stanley where he runs a small farm with his family. He grew up in the North East but only moved back in the last 5 years after a long time working around Australia on various projects and has lived in Melbourne, Sydney, Orange, Kalgoorlie, Darwin, Canberra and now back home in the Indigo shire.
Narelle Martin
Narelle has extensive experience in local government as an employee, consultant and working with local government in a State government role. She has also been an elected Councillor (Gawler, South Australia.) She has an ongoing interest and involvement in energy related matters and substantial experience in working with others to develop plans and strategies. Narelle also has volunteer experience in heritage issues, Landcare, planning, event planning and renewable energy. For the last thirty years Narelle’s focus has been working on environmental sustainability within state government (Victoria); local government (Victoria and Ontario, Canada), wine industry (Canada) and as a self-employed consultant (Australia and Canada.) Since 2008 her focus of work has been predominantly on climate change. In 2018 she returned to university (Melbourne) where she completed a Master of Applied Positive Psychology. She also has an Economics degree and a Master of Environmental Studies.
Russell James
Russell has more than 30 years’ experience in natural resources policy and management covering land & biodiversity, fisheries and, particularly, water. He was an Executive Director at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) from 2011 to 2020 where his Division led the development of the Basin Plan. Before this, Russell was a senior executive at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and elsewhere developing the $10 billion National Plan for Water Security and the Water Act 2007. Russell was also a key contributor to other national reforms such as the National Action Plan on Salinity and Water Quality (2000); the National Water Initiative (2004) and structural adjustment of the Commonwealth fishing industry (2006). Russell is a forester by training and began his career in the private forestry sector in New South Wales and Tasmania. He moved to Beechworth in 2021, working part time at a local winery. He is an active member of Beechworth Landcare and is passionate about local environmental issues such as planning for urban growth, control of illegal tree clearing, and water management.
Council Officers: Ian Ellett, (Director Infrastructure Services), Isla Fitridge (Coordinator Environment and Sustainability) and Annie Brien (Climate Change and Environment Officer)