A Millgrove resident who moved heaven and earth to save a much-loved community nursery in Mooroolbark has been named Environmental Achiever of the Year at Yarra Ranges Council’s 2025 Community Awards.
Debbie Shaw has taken out the award for her efforts to keep the Candlebark Community Nursery running last year.
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child said at the beginning of 2024, Candlebark Community Nursery faced certain closure, due to a downturn in volunteer workforce and reduced finances.
“Debbie Shaw is one of the people squarely responsible for turning this tide, stepping in to ensure the nursery’s continued growth, success and certainty,” he said.
“A founding member, returning after 30 years, Debbie joined the committee at the start of 2024 and wasted no time in creating a positive culture and ushering in change. She is committed to transparency and communication, and has transformed the experience of volunteers at Candlebark, earning her kudos from her coworkers,”
“Her expertise in environmental governance, business administration, propagating native plants and managing staff and volunteers has been instrumental to getting Candlebark back on the right track.”
Ms Shaw had returned to buy plants from the nursery in February 2024 and hearing the dismay of the volunteers, joined the committee on the spot. Many volunteers, including the treasurer, had stepped away during Covid, leaving no one with financial experience monitoring the nursery’s accounts.
Mostly supplying plants to local councils, schools, community groups and other organisations who want to establish indigenous gardens or reintroduce habitat, sales dried up during the pandemic period due to unsustainable rates.
Cr Child said Ms Shaw re-established community contacts with the business, and now Candlebark is a provider of local, native plants for Council’s Ribbons of Green, Healing in our Gardens and Gardens for Wildlife programs, directly benefitting the local environment, community members taking part and local fauna that will thrive with more native plants around.
“She now has a goal of meeting a demand of 120,000 locally-native plants for revegetation and biodiversity works in 2025, which will have a tremendously positive impact on the environment,” he said.
“Debbie is an inspiration who has made 2024 a fantastic year for so many others, while helping support our spectacular natural environment. Congratulations on this award, Debbie.”
Ms Shaw was contacted for comment.
