Landcare lost a titan last week with the passing of Warragul’s Geoff Lockwood, with tributes flowing for his dedication to the local environment.
Mr Lockwood died on Wednesday, 17 December.
Committing his life to conservation, with a personal love for Australia’s rich world of reptiles, he is regarded as a Landcare legend for his years leading many pivotal local projects.
“He was a treasured local Landcare legend and we will miss him dearly,” former facilitator for the Western Port Catchment Landcare Network (WPCLN) Sue Finley said.
His love for nature began at a very young age, when he spent his childhood exploring the wilderness.
His passion was unwavering and driven by an acute sensitivity to the loss of biodiversity seen in his lifetime.
“We are witnessing a massive silent loss of biodiversity which will have serious ramifications for society in the future; many species that were common when I was growing up are now classed as endangered,” he said to the Gazette in 2024.
His career was based on supporting and leading new, innovative ways to conserve native fauna and flora.
In 2020, he became a project facilitator for WPCLN, driving critical projects such as the Cannibal Creek Catchment Biodiversity Project.
He also played leading roles in the Lovers Lane and Walker Drain restoration projects with Cannibal Creek Landcare Group, biodiversity monitoring for Melbourne Water across a number of regional project sites, and the WPCLN Bandicoot Buddies project with the City of Casey.
His patient and soft-spoken temperament belied his expansive knowledge. Many deferred to Mr Lockwood with their questions, whether about a new plant they had spotted or how to support a new project they had started.
He knew true change would come through collaboration. Mr Lockwood had the drive to reach out to farmers and explain how conservation could benefit them.
He led local efforts to coordinate action against deer and their harmful effects on farms and the environment through the organisation of several community meetings on deer management.
With WPCLN, he promoted Cardinia Shire’s Biodiversity Grants to assist many local property owners in creating shelterbelts and bio-links across the region.
Last year, Mr Lockwood received the Golden Wattle Award, an individual honour from WPCLN recognising outstanding service to Landcare.
“His peers and many of those he worked with considered his expertise to be invaluable and all regarded themselves as very fortunate to have worked with and beside him,” WPCLN board member Marijke de Bever-Price said when presenting the award last year.
Previously, he volunteered with the CFA and SES. He also caught snakes from properties, which evolved into raising awareness about reptiles within schools and community groups.
A service will be held as a celebration of Mr Lockwood’s life on Friday 23 January from 6pm at Sherwood Park Orchards Packing Shed, 3165 Princes Hwy, Bunyip.
