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A Black Saturday tragedy that unfolded in the Victorian bush has inspire<i a remarkable legac-y, your newest addition

On September 21, fhnrill. and friends

ofthe coupie gathered on the reserve's

lorv-i,ving slopc's ol
gt ass,v

l.oodlancl to

to Bush Herita3e's re\el'\cs.

ienn1,3n6 .[ohn Barnett's ]or.e of natnre drove their commitnrent to their carcers,
ti-rcir life as a couple and the legacy they

celebrate its christering trs the Bamctt

Block. The 190-irectare ploperiv, whicli u'as purchased in h'{a-r'', thar-rks to the Barnetts'

l.ished

1o lear.e behincl. It rras this shared lision for both tl-reir lir.es ancl deaths that has ied to the es[ablishrnent oi Br,rs]r Heritage's

joint be<luest to Bush Heritagc and'liust firr Naturc, rvi1l be combinecl r,ilh our n.ig,lrboLrrin5 \.rr.loc I liii5 ProPCrlie\ lo cre.ite a I 000-hectare coliectioit of resen es.

near

nerr,csi adclition to our suite of rcsencs, -vVedCerburn

l)oug llumann,

a cicse

friend ol tl'rc couple

irr central Victoria.

irnd the executor of their estaie, sa].s it's a ntiing tribute to a coupie rvhose abidrng
love fbr' lhe Australian bush rvas t.:ratci-reii bv a qr-riei determination and .leciication ro protect the enl'ironmenl ancl its cteirtuies.

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"lenny

rea11y

liked the fact that through

a

Bush Heritage they could get property into the conservation state," says Doug. "It's

is perhaps fitting that the purchase of the Barnett Block will now a11ow Bush Heritage to build firebreaks that will protect the entire Nardoo Hills resen es from bushfires approaching from the west.

It

wonderful thing that, thanks to the Barnetts

and Bush Heritage's many other passionate supporters across Australia, there will be another bit of protected bush, which
Jeroen van Veen, Bush Heritage's Regionai Reserve Manager, Victoria, says the block not

will

carry their name into the future and recognise

their contribution, their commitment and their passion for nature conservation."
Jenny worked for more than 25 years as a researcher for Mctorian Nationai Parks

only erlends our conservation of threatened grassy woodland habitats at Nardoo Hilis but it also provides a home for some rare plains woodland - the lirst of its kind in
Bush Heritage's portfolio ol reserves. "Plains woodland is very rare these days, so it is officialiy endangered as a vegetation

Association (\NPA), where she was knou,n

for her tireless campaigning and her exlensive knowledge. She was also known for her quiet but pointed way of getting her message across.
"Jenny dug her heels in when she needed to

community under the state of Victoria

1egislation," says |eroen.

but had a lovely gentle side that we saw with the T-shirts she painted with beautiful designs
of plants and animals,"
a
says

Buloke trees are a feature of this community and, together with a sentinel of grey box and yellow gum trees lining the Barnett Block creek, they will provide a home for declining

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.ic!

Amanda Martin,

former \NPA executil-e director.

John r,vorked for more than 30 years at Melbourne Universityt Animal Welfare Science

woodland birds such as the hooded robin, painted buttonquail, the chestnut-rumped thornbill and the endangered swift parrot.
According to Jeroen, the sheer size of the combined Nardoo Hills reserves will also
greater weight to our conservation work

Centre, where the director, Paul Hcmsworth,

has lauded

him for his "outstanding scientilic

ler-rd

efforts" in animal welfare.

The couple was no less dedicated on their da,vs off. For 35 years, the two zoologists volunteered for the Mammal Survey Group

in

the area.

"It

means landholders pay atter-rtion

to rvhat we are doing and you can influence land management decisions that are made
elsewhere in the

number of mammal surveys on Nardoo Hills reservei.

of Victoria and conducted
a

distlict: on a council level 1evel," he says. f,re-management on a and

Much of their spare time was also spent on their property at Steels Creek, where they planned to retire. Tiagically, u,hile the Barnetts saw their life and legacy in tire Australian bush, they did not foresee that their death rvould be there too. On 7 February 2009, Jennv and lohn perished in their Steels Creek home during the Black
Saturdav bushfires.

Gerard O'Nei11, Bush Heritage CEO, says the Barnetts have left behind them a legacy to the growing conservation netn'ork

of
. ..
;

Central Victoria. "Their contribution joins with the efforts of so many supporters and partners rvho love and help to care for the bush in this treasured part ofAustralia."
For more about the Barnett Block, visit www' bushhe ritage,ot g. au / ba rnett-legacy

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