Our Committee
The Blackwood Basin Group has a 15-member committee, representative of shires, landcare groups, industry and government agencies across the 22,000 square-kilometre Blackwood catchment.
Per Christensen
Chairman & Middle Catchment Shires representative
Per has spent his life working in Natural Resource Management (NRM). A retired biological scientist, now based in Balingup, Per remains active in NRM groups and his passionate approach and wealth of experience brings great value to the BBG committee.
Derek Dilkes
Vice Chairman & Middle Catchment Community representative
Having served as the BBG chairman for more than 5 years, Derek has been a strong influence on the management of the organisation. A Bridgetown beef and dairy farmer, Derek is passionate about community-driven management of natural resources and has overseen strict adherence to good governance practices at the BBG for many years. Additional to his work on the BBG, Derek has served as a Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire Councillor for 11 years.
Peter Wren
Treasurer & Lower Catchment LCDC representative
Peter migrated to Australia from California in 1971. He and his wife Maya took up farming near Karridale in 1972, with market gardening and beef production as their main enterprise. Peter believes farming capabilities and opportunities have been grossly marginalised through arbitrarily enforced land use changes and controls. Peter now describes himself as a “de-facto natural resource manager of privately held lands”. As an avowed property rights activist, Peter feels that his role on the BBG is to keep a watchful eye on processes that jeopardise the private values of land and resources.
Nick Dodson
Secretary & Middle Catchment Conservation representative
One of only two founding members of the BBG still serving on the committee, Nick Dodson brings his life-long passion for environmental protection to his role with the group.
Ray Colyer
Lower Catchment Shires representative
Ray Colyer has served on the committee since 2005, and as Chairman for 2 years between 2009 and 2011. Ray was elected president of the Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council in October 2009. He lives and operates a small business in the Karridale area and is a strong believer in the need for careful, well-planned and efficient management of natural resources in Western Australia’s south west.
Mick Quartermaine
Upper Catchment LCDC representative
A 5th-generation Katanning farmer, Mick’s passions are sustainable land use and communities. As a committee member of the Katanning, Wagin, Woodanilling and Beaufort River LCDCs, the BBG’s upper catchment representative, Mick pursues his passion with much energy and enthusiasm.
Russel Thomson
Upper Catchment Shires representative
A die-in-the-wool farmer, Russel takes a pro-active approach to NRM within the bounds of running a viable farming entity. As a founding member of the BBG, Russel has worked hard to help build an organisation of which he and others can be proud. His common-sense approach and excellent understanding of technical and social issues associated with natural resource management make him a well-regarded and highly effective member of the BBG committee.
Jill Richardson
Upper Catchment LCDC representative
Jill’s tireless work in NRM has its base in Katanning, where she manages the Katanning Landcare Zone office. A long-serving member of the BBG, Jill is passionate about the effective use of NRM funds and offers lively, considered input in her role on the BBG committee.
Janette Liddelow
Upper Catchments Shires representative
Janette Liddelow is based in Williams on a farming property and is passionately involved in the local landcare movement and associated agricultural issues.
Upper Catchment Industry representative
Currently vacant
Clark Ward
Middle Catchment Industry representative
Clark ward has been involved with the BBG for 10 years, initially as the manager of Blackwood Valley Landcare Zone and recently as an industry representative. A geologist by profession Clark has worked in mining and exploration throughout Australasia and brings another facet of natural resource management experience to the BBG.
Felicity Bunny
Dept. of Water representative
Currently working with the Department of Water as the NRM coordinator for the South West region, Felicity is involved in the development and implementation of works designed to improve water quality in waterways in the region. Through her work and previous positions, Felicity has developed a strong understanding of the issues facing natural resource managers and NRM bodies.
Stephen Tunbridge
Dept. of Food and Agriculture WA representative
Steve represents the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) on the Blackwood Basin Group committee. Based in Katanning since 2007, Steve has been the project manager for a recently completed salinity project and deep drainage project in the Dumbleyung Shire. Steve works with the NRM team in Katanning to provide advice to landholders on managing soil acidification, waterlogging, soil erosion and other soil constraints.
Greg Durell
Dept. of Environment and Conservation representative
Greg is the District Manager for the Department of Environment and Conservation, Great Southern District Office. Based in Narrogin, he has more than 30 years experience in NRM at an operational and management level. Greg represents DEC on the BBG, providing support, advice and updates on DEC activities in the Blackwood Basin. Greg has 30 staff in the district, responsible for the managing more than 400 nature reserves, 60 Declared Rare Flora and threatened fauna, and several Threatened Ecological Communities including Toolibin Lake, a Ramsar-listed wetland.
