Congratulations to the joint winners of the 2020 Moreland Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award: MCMC President, Ann McGregor, and her husband Bruce, for their decades of work on Merri Creek; and Stephen Northey, who founded the Friends of Edgars Creek. Below is a summary of their citations:

Ann & Bruce McGregor: When Ann and Bruce moved to Moreland in 1976, the Merri Creek trail was overgrown with weeds, loads of rubbish and neglected. They saw the Merri Creek as “a damaged asset that just cried out to be restored, not only for people but also for native birds and animals.”
They were founding members of the Friends of Merri Creek and have continued to be active members for over four decades of both the Friends of Merri Creek and the Merri Creek Management Committee, of which Ann is the current President. Without the foresight and commitment of people like Ann and Bruce McGregor, the Merri Creek would not be what it is today - a much loved environmental and social space, a valuable habitat for a range of native animals and home to significant indigenous vegetation.

Stephen Northey: After establishing the community group, Friends of Edgar’s Creek in 2007, Stephen has had a huge role in restoring and protecting Edgars Creek, His strategic thinking, vision, dedication, hard work and commitment to ongoing community involvement in environmental sustainability has been instrumental in setting a clear strategic direction for the planning and management of open space along Edgars Creek between Merri Creek and Edwardes Lake. Stephen ensured the Edgars Creek Master Plan was written in collaboration with all stakeholders and he showed dedication to clear strategies and methods for community involvement, fundraising, site preparation techniques, plant selection, planting events, volunteer training and site maintenance.
In 2007, Stephen Northey had a vision and planted the seed which enables suburban bushland to flourish now and into the future.