CRC’s first secretary Heather Harford died 30th May in Ballina NSW

Heather was born in at Epping NSW 1946. In 1970 she and her husband came to the Sunshine Coast to a farm in Palmwoods – growing macadamias, strawberries and kiwi fruit.

She became aware of environmental issues when local farmers were frequently spraying chemicals on their crops and hormone which resulted in massive soil loss on the surrounding farms.

In 1976 Heather read an article in the local paper by a teacher in Caboolture Greg Czechura  (now Qld Museum). Greg wrote of the loss of trees and wildlife and adverse forestry practices. He organised a meeting in Nambour which Heather attended. Margaretann Stannard and others were there and before Heather knew it she was (willingly) involved in the then “Save the Conondale Range Committee”. She became the first secretary and stayed in that position for many years.

Heather recalls many journeys with Richard Giles (Project Officer) to lobby and hassle the Forestry Department decision-makers and the National Party and Liberal Party politicians of that era. The aim was to put in place the first logging guidelines.