Helen Richards was recognised on Australia Day for her contribution to the conservation of Australian orchids.
By Kath Gannaway
THERE was one overriding criteria for Helen Richards when she and husband Barry decided to move to Yarra Glen 12 years ago.
It had to be a bush block… which was code for “it must have native orchids on it”.
“I rushed up into the bush and found orchids and that sealed it,” said Mrs Richards who on Wednesday received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to horticulture through the cultivation and propagation of orchids.
Conservation of Australia’s native orchids has been a passion for Mrs Richards, the town’s locum pharmacist, since the early ’70s when she picked up an Australasian Native Orchid Society (ANOS) leaflet.
“There was a piece about going out on field trips and I thought ‘wow, that’s for me’,” she said explaining that orchids had fascinated her from a very early age.
“I had the privilege of running around the bush in Ringwood as a kid and remember when I was about 13 or 14 being so upset when they developed the bushland near home into what is now Jubilee Park.
“You want your grandchildren to be able to enjoy these things too.”
Mrs Richards contribution to the conservation of the unique plants she describes as both beautiful and intriguing is from the ground up.
She is as comfortable digging her fingers into potting mix to cultivate tubers in her orchid house as she is heading up the Australian Orchid Foundation as chairman of directors, a role she took on in 2003.
Her award recognises the outstanding contribution she has made over almost 40 decades.
In addition to her role with the AOF she has served as president and show conveyor with the ANOS and is a member of the Threatened Orchid Recovery Team and the Orchid Specialist Group.
She is particularly passionate about the role of the AOF which was established 30 years ago to provide funding for research with an emphasis on rare and endangered native orchids.
The award also recognises her work as co-author and editor in 1984 of Cultivation of Australian Native Orchids. Proceeds of the book went to the ANOS.
Her expertise at what is often a challenging process resulted in her working with researchers at the National Botanic Gardens to grow tubers from material produced as part of their research.
Mrs Richards said she is honoured to have been nominated and chosen for the award but admits her first reaction when she opened the letter from Government House was “don’t be ridiculous” … then tears.
“I have been a referee for two Australia Day Award nominees and I thought it was another request for a reference.
“You think of all the other people out there who have been nominated and think ‘why me?’.
“It is a very great honour,” she said.
Mrs Richards will receive her Medal of the Order of Australia at a ceremony at Government House in Melbourne in May.
