ANOTHER chapter of achievement has been written for the Reef Champion Awards program.
At a celebratory dinner at the Mackay Entertainment and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday, more than 100 guests, including Queensland Farmers' Federation chief Dr Georgina Davis, applauded nine of their own at the 2019 awards.
Len Parisi, V Rossi and Sons, Graham Volck, Kate and Peter Waddell, Neil Farmer, Ellie Carter, Jayson Gowie, Jolly Rogers Fishing Club and William Darvenzia were showered with justified praise after taking the honours in various categories.
The prestigious Prince of Wales Environmental Leadership Reef Sustainability Award was bestowed on Lenny Parisi, Fishery Falls. He was acknowledged for work on restoring wetland environments.
An elated Mr Parisi said he was surprised to claim the award and quick to thank Mulgrave Landcare, Greening Australia and QFF for their support.
"I'm a third generation farmer - my grandfather bought here in 1947 and we live in a really beautiful part of the world with the Bellenden Ker ranges behind us. We're in a high-rainfall, short-catchment part of the wet tropics," Mr Parisi said.
"But I am an avid snorkler and fisherman and been going to the reef for the last 30 years. It is a beautiful ecosystem and people who dive there are probably mesmerised by it as I am.
"It must be cared for so my grandchildren can enjoy it as I have. It is my duty to leave it in a better place than I found it, so we're working to improve the water quality.
"We started three years ago on a seven hectare block to get the wetlands to filter water coming from the upper catchment. Some of it is experimental and some of it is science based. We're a bit over halfway through but we are excited about the progress."
V Rossi and Sons, Aloomba, were given the Reef Nurtrient Award after using homemade compost to cut inorganic nitrogen fertiliser use by 30 per cent.
Graham Volck, Emerald, was recognised for his input to the cotton industry's reef water quality project and his work on cost savings for nitrogen fertiliser.
The Reef Sediment Champion Award was given to Kate and Peter Waddell, Ravenshoe, in acknowledgement of their efforts to preserve topsoil.
Neil Farmer, Yaamba, was given the Reef Conservation Champion Award for his efforts to protect riparian areas.
The Reef Extension Officer Champion Awards have gone to Ellie Carter, Rockhampton, who demonstrated a keen interest in agricultural innovations, and to Jayson Gowie, Home Hill, who worked on a nitrogen reduction project.
Jolly Rogers Fishing Club , Rockhampton, was given the Reef Community Champion Award after helping remove debris from the Fitzroy River.
The Reef Youth Champion Award was granted to William Darveniza, Mourilyan, who uses graphic design to create extension resources.
Dr Davis said it was important to acknowledge the efforts of everyone working to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef and coastal systems.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
