Long Lunch Celebrates Volunteers

Without volunteers, the future of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth system faced an uncertain future. Thanks to many hard-working and passionate people, the ecosystem in this area is getting back on its feet. To celebrate the achievements of the volunteers who helped revegetate, monitor and preserve the Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth System, a special lunch was held at the Milang Jetty Foreshore on April 8.

The Long Lunch was presented by Country Arts SA through its Change and Adaptation program, South Australian Murray Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board and Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association. “The SA Murray Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board wishes to acknowledge volunteer commitment to ensuring environmental and community resilience in times of drought, to celebrate what communities can do when they “pull-together”, we want to say thanks, and learn from the past,” said Sharon Starick, Presiding Member, SA MDB NRM Board. Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association Manager Tony Randall said the volunteers are passionate about their community. “GWLAP have a lot of respect for the dedicated long term volunteers from around Lakes Alexandrina and Albert and the Coorong,” he said. “These volunteers have remained committed to their local community and environment through extremely tough times.

“GWLAP is proud to work with this community and we feel this is a fitting event to celebrate the work of volunteers and the environment we live in.” Dishes at The Long Lunch were prepared from local produce and served to the key players in the volunteer group, ministers and high-profile community people to champion the local volunteer effort and bring to the fore the environmental issues of this region. The table was designed by Clayton artist Annabelle Collett in collaboration with writer/researcher Michelle Murray.

Following the lunch, guests were invited to go on a short trail that shows seasonal cycles, wet to dry to wet, which has been commissioned from renowned environmental artist Evette Sunset who will work with local artist and sculptor Mike Tye. The installations constructed from local natural materials to last through a 12-month cycle. Country Arts SA Chief Executive Officer Steve Saffell said the Long Lunch was a great way to bring together arts and the environment. “We want to celebrate the achievements of the volunteers and what a great way to do it in the open air with an artistic narrative that reflects the local surround ings that are on the mend,” he said.