This is a work in progress.

In December 2020, I lost my beautiful Dad to cancer. This is a small part of a project that we were working on together. He always loved a project!

This is section of a sign we planned which includes history facts on his local village of Seaham in Worimi country NSW, home to the Garawegal clan. I’m so sad that Dad won’t get to see the finished artwork but he knew I would get it done. Working on this has served as a form of grief therapy for me during such a rotten time. It has been nice to feel like I’m still connected to the man who taught me to be sensitive to the world around me.

Dad devoted his life and work to the protection of the natural environment. He held senior roles in NSW EPA and National Parks and worked for organisations all over the world in environmental education, conservation and land management. However in his last year, it was his local community that gave him great satisfaction. During the 12 months between his diagnosis and death, he took great enjoyment and comfort working with local friends and community volunteer groups on projects in Seaham. In his last days Dad really wanted to stress the message that everyone can make a positive difference to the world around them. “You can always do something at the local level, even if you failed to change the world”.

But he did change the world by gently guiding us to observe our surroundings and to appreciate the things that matter. He showed that in the way he lived his life by cherishing his family and friends and always looking to move things in a positive direction. I miss him every day