Meet Our Team

Melanie first learnt about Landcare by planting trees along the Wilson River with the local Landcare group in Lismore over 20 years ago, while studying Media at Southern Cross University.

With ancestral ties to Wilcannia and Menindee, she recently returned to live in Broken Hill after walking out of chest deep floodwaters on the north coast of NSW where she’d raised her family of three.

Since returning to her heartland, Mel has used her multi-media production skills and coordination experience to support the goals of various local organisations, including the Broken Hill Kart Club and Broken Hill’s former Barrier Truth newspaper, where she worked as a journalist before stepping into the Landcare Broken Hill Coordinator role. Having supported the board at Landcare Broken Hill to host several successful community events during 2024, like the Landcare Broken Hill Garden Awards, Mel is delighted to now be supporting Western Landcare in the Regional Landcare Coordinator role.

Sonia has lived in Western NSW since 2007 with her husband and 2 children.  She currently lives on a grazing property supporting goats, sheep and some cattle.  Her 2 children completed School of the Air and are now attending an agricultural boarding school.

Living on the land Sonia has a close connection to the environment and is passionate about protecting our land and rehabilitating areas that have previously been neglected.  Sonia is also involved in supporting a variety of local community groups, Landcare being one of these.

Sonia has been a member of Western Landcare since 2018.  She took on a role as Treasurer and Secretary initially.  She then moved into a role of admin and finance until the beginning of 2023 where she took on the Executive Officer position, moving into the RLC position in early 2024. 

Tracey grew up in Broken Hill and is is very familiar with the region and has managed properties with her partner in both the South and East of Broken Hill. During this time Tracey has educated her three children through Broken Hill School of the Air, Yanco AG and Dubbo distance Ed, she is now based in Broken Hill as they finish High School.

Tracey has taken many opportunities to gain extra skills and education through employment, volunteering on committees and attending clinics and workshops.

While living out of town for the past 30 years Tracey has lived through and experienced the effects horrendous droughts have had on the land and its inhabitants and is looking forward to working with other land managers to address sustainability and environmental issues. With this perspective along with vast rural networking skills we look forward to Tracey’s input and local knowledge.

Sarah has lived in Western NSW since the year 2000 after moving to the area with her husband and deciding to stay. She has since raised and homeschooled six children on a small block of land where a variety of farm animals keep them company.

Sarah enjoys being involved in various community groups and loves being part of a small town community.

A background in administration, along with living and traveling throughout the western region, has led to a position in Western Landcare and Sarah is looking forward to being a part of the Western Landcare NSW team.

Having spent her early childhood in Moree, Kelly now resides in Bourke, on Ngemba Country, with her husband since January 2024. She holds a deep appreciation for Aboriginal cultures and the diverse natural landscapes of the Western District. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, exploring the area’s wildflowers, and practicing meditation.

With an extensive background in government agencies, Kelly brings experience in governance, community development, and project management. She also continues to coach small business owners and support leaders in developing emotional intelligence to strengthen their own leadership, and the teams they work in.  Passionate about leadership, personal development, creativity, and innovation, Kelly runs her own small business offering holistic counselling, coaching, meditation workshops, and Reiki both in-person and online.

Diana is new to the Far West of NSW, though she see’s many similarities with the places where she has lived and the people she’s worked with. Warm welcomes, wide open spaces, big blue sky and a horizon that takes your breath away.

Having lived in the Victorian Mallee on a dry land broad acre cropping property Diana has firsthand experience of the challenges land managers face in their work and private lives. She’s been part of local, State and National groups improving the understanding of the impacts of living in remote areas, adapting to weather conditions, access to infrastructure, changes in economic and political structures.

The Knowledge Broker position is funded by the Southern NSW Innovation Hub. The Hubs priority is to support collaboration, leverage expertise and investment, driving action in social, economic and environmental priority areas.

Through this role Diana is looking forward to using her project management experience to assist the people of the Far West define the region-specific major issues, develop sustainable solutions, improve connection to vital services and put drought resilience at the forefront of our region’s future.