The John Winter-Irving Memorial Bequest is for use as a study grant in the field of sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, or rural development and leadership. The $1250 bequest is donated by Ona Winter-Irving and her family

Bruce's first reaction when receiving the award was one of shock.

"I was stunned," he said. "I had no idea."

Read also:

Bruce was on the original Armidale Council Creekland Vegetation Committee and his involvement has only increased since then.

While working at UNE, Bruce was involved in environmental flow work on Dumaresq Creek.

He established and participated in the first planting along the creek by a Landcare group around Claude Street in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Landcare was just a fledgling organisation.

As a founding member, Bruce helped establish Armidale Urban Rivercare Group as a sub-group of Southern New England Landcare Ltd, in 2002, and still plays an active role in its management.

Between 2002 and 2018, Bruce's work with Armidale Urban Rivercare Group has been impressive:

He has applied for multiple grants for all environmental works along Dumaresq Creek and facilitated $250,000 worth of direct investment and more than $1.15 million in total investment in the creeklands.

Through his efforts more than 80,000 native plants have been established and more than.5,500 tonnes of woody weeds across approximately 10 ha of the creeklands have been removed, rehabilitating 8.9 km of Armidale's riparian corridor.

Mr Whan is currently actively engaged in grant applications and administration, including group planning and guidance of activities. That has developed diverse group membership, including schools, university students, Scouts and local families.

He gets his hands dirty, too, clearing exotic weeds, preparing sites for plantings and organising community working bees along the creek.

And it doesn't stop there... once planted, these areas require care and maintenance - weeding, and in arid times, even watering. Mr Whan does this both as a volunteer and a contractor.

As the results along the creek have gained notoriety, Mr Whan has been asked to present to visitors to Armidale, including at national conferences held at the University of New England and The Armidale School.

In September 2011, the Landcare community experienced the sudden and unexpected loss of the network's highly esteemed and hard-working Chairman, Mr John Winter-Irving.

Mr Winter-Irving died while working on one of the six properties that he ran with the help of his wife Ona, on behalf of the family partnership. He was in the third year of his chairmanship of Southern New England Landcare at the time and had shown dedication to Landcare for nearly 20 years, bringing a perspective that balanced traditional agricultural with alternative environmental approaches.

The Board of Southern New England Landcare Ltd has the honour of administering the John Winter-Irving bequest on behalf of the Winter-Irving family each year.

"My congratulations and appreciation go to Bruce for all the hard work he's done over so many years," said Mrs Winter-Irving.

"The work he has done with Armidale Urban Rivercare and the Dumaresq Creek is wonderful, an extraordinary achievement, and a marvellous legacy for Armidale and its residents."

The bequest is to be used as a study grant in an activity of the recipient's choosing.

"I'll look towards furthering my knowledge with it," said Mr Whan.

"But I'd also like to honour John Winter-Irving in some way," he said.

A spokesperson for the board said Southern New England Landcare recognises that Mr Whan is the key to the success of Armidale Urban Rivercare Group's progress through a combination of leading by example, essential contact with local government, a vision for restoration of the creek lands and the ability to make it happen.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: