Ross McDonnell, NPA Treasurer
Dr Grahame Douglas AM recently stood down from his role as the State President of NPA. Ms Liz Jeremy, previously the Vice President of NPA, and member of Coffs Coast Branch, has agreed to act as NPA President until the next Annual General Meeting.
The purpose of this article is to reflect on Grahame’s many achievements as a member of NPA and more broadly within the conservation movement.
Grahame has been a member of NPA for more than 4 decades. Over those decades he has been State President on nine occasions, while also making significant professional contributions to conservation, planning and land management in the RFS, academia and as a Ministerial policy adviser.
Grahame joined the then Macarthur sub-Branch of NPA in the 1980’s. The sub-branch proposed and advocated for the establishment of Dharawal National Park and for extensions to the Georges River NP to protect koala habitat (a proposal currently being implemented). As a member of Macarthur Grahame helped develop the original NPA 20 national parks proposal, which was later expanded into the current NPA 50 parks proposal which he also authored.
When the Macarthur sub-Branch became a full Branch, Grahame was elected as its first President.
Grahame is currently serving a second term on the NPWS Advisory Council. He has previously been a member of Blue Mountains, Kosciuszko and Sydney Regional Advisory Committees and is currently a member of the North Coast Regional Advisory Committee and Coffs Regional Park Trust.
During his time as NPA President, Grahame led NPA through difficult financial periods when activities were contracted, and more recently where NPA advocacy capabilities have expanded. Grahame remains dedicated to NPA conservation campaigns, playing critical roles in relation to the Great Koala National Park and the koala additions along the Georges River, and many other advocacy approaches.
In parallel with his contributions to NPA Grahame has had a diverse and distinguished career in planning, fire and land management. Key highlights include regional and strategic planning with the Dept of Planning; as the Rural Fire Service’s first environmental officer; as National Parks advisor to environment Minister Bob Debus; and developing and delivering tertiary bushfire and planning courses. While at the RFS, Grahame championed the need for dedicated courses and required qualifications for consultants providing advice on land-use development proposals in fire prone areas.
His work for, or liaison with, Environment Ministers influenced the declaration of national park and wilderness areas in Sydney water catchments and a successful RAMSAR nomination for Narran Lakes. Following the disastrous 1994 fire season Grahame was asked by State Ministers and the head of the RFS to lead the transformation of land use planning laws to give better effect to both conservation and property protection. Grahame played a major role in drafting the revised legislation and the Planning for Bushfire Protection code that it still used by local government and other approval authorities. He continues to be engaged as an expert witness in complex planning hearings. In 2024 Grahame was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community through bushfire governance, research and mentoring roles.
The NPA Executive wishes to thank Grahame for his long-term contributions to NPA and conservation. We wish him well and look forward to working with Grahame on current and future campaigns.