Our People
Our Story
Biodiversity McLaren Vale was created from a casual chat between a couple of McLaren Vale farmers and mates, Geoff Hayter and Jock Harvey, as well as the indomitable Dana Miles of Landscape SA.
Geoff and his partner Tess had on their property “Sometimes Creek” a section of Willunga Creek that was overrun by feral woody weeds. It became Tess and Geoff’s mission in 2007 to personally remove this vegetation, one weed at a time, and replant with natives. Today the result is a beautifully restored creek line, rich with native biodiversity. It’s been a hard slog, but truly rewarding, ultimately inspiring the idea behind Biodiversity McLaren Vale.
Jock Harvey, who is no stranger to improving the environment and regenerative agriculture, saw the potential and benefit of bringing Geoff’s idea to the entire region’s degraded creek lines. When Geoff & Jock realized they were each doing similar work on their own properties, and saw the opportunity to do more, they swung into action. Their immediate goal was starting on the task of cleaning the scene and so restoring biodiversity. Beyond this was opportunity to create an organisation that would engage industry, empower community and drive change in the local landscape.
Next came a visit to Dana Miles at NRM (now Landscape SA), who had worked with Geoff & Tess on Sometimes Creek. They proposed a three-way collaboration – community, industry & government – that is still at the heart of Biodiversity McLaren Vale. Dana, a passionate environmentalist, ‘got it’ from the get-go and went in to bat for the idea. Very quickly, it turned into something real. Tools, gloves, consumables, know-how, everything we needed. Dana not only found it for us but also loaded the ute and delivered it to the Field Days.
Biodiversity McLaren Vale was up and away.
Committee Member Profiles
Geoff Hayter
Geoff, along with Jock Harvey is the co-founder of Biodiversity McLaren Vale. His family property at “Sometimes Creek” was the pilot and inspiration for the original project back in 2007. It was through that work Geoff was convinced a project needed to be undertaken in the wider region, “Because if we – collectively, as a community – don’t do something about cleaning our creek lines, the weeds will eventually over-run us, to the great detriment of our environment in every way.”
Apart from his work with BMV Geoff is a property consultant, grows garlic, capers and a few grapes on his property and tends to his own creek line. With all that, Geoff always makes sure he keeps some time to work his way through the piles of books on the bedside and coffee tables. And if you are looking to spend hours discussing which of Dylan’s albums belong in the top ten and in which order - Geoff is your man.
Geoff is proud of the many on-ground achievements of Biodiversity McLaren Vale to date and acknowledges there is still much to do. Alongside the community of like-minded individuals that all have the determination for positive change, Geoff is confident the good work will continue.
Jock Harvey
Jock has always taken time and effort to give back to the community. From removing weeds and planting trees to raising money for the Hutt St. Centre in Adelaide, through the Homeless Grapes Project, Jock is not one to sit around and let others do the heavy lifting. Naturally when Geoff and Jock realised they were doing similar work on their own properties, they knew the importance of creating an organisation that empowers the community to drive change.
Jock reckons that tree planting is an inclusive and effective way to improve the visual landscape and understanding the underlying geology of the land allows the preservation of the right native species in the right location. “The success of this work could be measured by sitting against the trunk in the shade of a tree we had planted years before”.
Aside from his community work, Jock spends his days (and a few nights) as a farmer, winemaker and distiller for his family business, Chalk Hill Wines.
Jeff Edwards
Willunga resident Jeff Edwards is passionate about helping local growers live and work in a healthy regenerative landscape. With a love of native flora and the important role it plays in strengthening biodiversity in agricultural systems, Jeff is in his element when working with plants and designing revegetation programs to help restore biodiversity across the landscape.
Jeff has been working with landholders across the state on revegetation and bush management programs for over 20 years…. ‘ and loves seeing these projects come to life and flourish in the landscape’. Jeff confesses the Biodiversity McLaren Vale planting at Shingleback has been a real standout …’to be part of something so amazing right from the start has been a wonderful privilege’ …. , ‘and to see the way it is not only growing and being maintained by BMV and the Shingleback team , but the many beneficial insects, including lady bugs and lacewings it is attracting to manage grapevine pests naturally is just terrific’ - its nature’s way of keeping our environment in balance! Acknowledging his own aboriginal heritage from the far west coast, Jeff is keen to see more engagement with local First Nations groups and the wine industry , coming together for shared learning and managing land for a long and healthy future .
Jeff can’t wait to see you all out at the next big BMV revegetation or weed whacker day’ !
Gavin Malone
Gavin has been a member of our committee since mid-2019 and has brought with him many skills from his varied career and life experiences. Over time Gavin has been, and sort of still is, an academic, bureaucrat, Doctor of Philosophy, visual artist and cultural geographer; particularly the bi-cultural landscape of indigenous and settler.
Gavin spends most of his time on the cultural and ecological regeneration of Lot 50 Kanyanyapilla, a parcel of land near McLaren Vale he acquired in 2015. In particular a reed swamp is being rejuvenated and a grassy woodland re-established upon an ancient Kaurna campground.
It was through his work to promote the integrated management of the Maslin Creek Reed Swamp he became involved with BMV and he brings with him a cultural perspective to the value of ecological regeneration.
Through the work at his property and with BMV, Gavin spends much of his time improving the biodiversity of the region, ‘We have to substantially improve regional biodiversity to redress long-term degradation and enhance the functioning of ecological systems that support all life, including ours.”
Mads Spry
Mads has been involved with Biodiversity McLaren Vale since July 2020, joining the committee at our last AGM in October 2021.
Mads’ interest in volunteering began when she was a child and her paternal grandparents initiated the regeneration of wetlands along the Murray River in Wellington, known now as Murrundi Reserve, which Mads and her siblings helped to plant trees in.
More recently she became involved with the Great Australian Bight Alliance and their Fight for the Bight campaign to see Big Oil companies out of the Great Australian Bight.
Concurrently to this, Mads wanted to participate in something more tangible and that led her to her first Field Day with Biodiversity McLaren Vale and here we are! Mads thoroughly appreciates the opportunity to be able to participate in an organisation that values regeneration and education about native flora.