On Wednesday 16th November 2011, the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife hosted an event at Government House to thank its Patron.
The Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO has been an excellent Patron to the Foundation for the last ten years.
During the decade of patronage by the Governor, the Foundation donated over $11 million dollars to conservation projects in Australia. It also gifted over 41,000 hectares of high conservation value land (about the size of Barbados) to the National Reserve System to become part of our national parks. This is about the size of 328,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.
On the day, Her Excellency spoke fondly of her experiences and memories of the Foundation and of Australia’s amazing network national parks. Foundation President Peter Janssen thanked Professor Bashir and spoke of the Foundation’s goals for the future.
“This year, we celebrate the tenth anniversary of Her Excellency as Patron of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, and we would like to thank her for her enthusiastic and unwavering support. Her passion, dedication and commitment have been a source of inspiration,” said Mr Janssen.
On behalf of the Foundation, Mr Janssen presented Her Excellency with a gift of significance to both—a framed photograph of Mungo National Park, part of the World Heritage Listed Willandra Lakes Region, showing the famous Walls of China.
Professor Bashir has experienced personally the ethereal beauty of Mungo on a recent visit, and the Foundation has a strong history of involvement with the park.
In 1979, the Foundation acquired the land for Mungo National Park, and in proceeding decades funded archaeological works, tourism improvements, and publicity for the site.
From 2010, the Foundation has been fundraising to build a world class centre at Mungo as a place for artefacts, archaeological remains, research and the living culture of this area. Glenn Murcutt AO, Australia’s only Pritzker Prize winner, and Wendy Lewin have agreed to take on the commission.
Over 80 attended to thank Professor Bashir, including many of the Foundation’s Governors, major donors, government and corporate partners and the Board of Directors. This event was kindly sponsored by Stuart Alexander & Company Pty Ltd.
