We are about helping the community to be part of something real.
Our Vision
To be recognised across Australia as a leading organisation that cultivates cultural change through community engagement and on-ground environmental initiatives.
Our Mission
We help people gain skills, knowledge and a better understanding of the environment. Collectively we restore and maintain our landscapes to places of beauty, clean water and native habitat that will support our community and wildlife for generations to come.
Watergum Key Activities:
- Providing project management and environmental services to Watergum and member projects including the large multi-year Seqwater source protection program
- Invasive Species Programs that educate and engage the community in the management of Invasive Species. This includes the cane toad tadpole product sales and the management of cane toad busts in numerous locations
- Managing Citizen Science Programs for government and private clients that engage large numbers of adults and children in regular surveys in numerous and diverse locations
- Hosting and co-hosting small and large environmental events such as the Gold Coast BioBlitz, that directly engage the general community; Deliver and facilitate once of educational workshops for adults and children
- Helping our member groups to focus on their core environmental work by providing services including insurance, grant sponsorship, grant application and management support, financial management and social media marketing
Meet our Committee
Our governing committee is a balanced mix of professionals, volunteers and business people.
Wal Mayr
President
Wal has a business background with his Australia-wide mapping company being recognised as 2001 Queensland Business of the Year. Wal was also recognised as the Gold Coast’s 2016 Environmental Citizen of the Year. He is President of Watergum and coordinates Austinville Landcare. Over the last 40 years he and his wife Heather have restored their 25 Ha property from an ex-banana farm to a weed free Nature Refuge. Wal spends his free time birdwatching, swimming and being with his family and valley community.
Paul Donatiu
Vice President
Paul is a valuable asses to the Watergum committee with his extensive experience in the environmental field, having worked for Griffith University, WWF, Greening Australia and the Qld National Parks Association, before settling at Healthy Land and Water, managing their Biodiversity Conservation Team. Paul is extremely passionate about the natural environment and is a keen Field Botanist. In his spare time, he can be found photographing wildflowers or taking his daughters on outdoor adventures.
Heather Mayr
Treasurer
As a Chartered Accountant and a long-term teacher in the Business School at Griffith University, Heather brings valuable experience to our organisation in her accounting / finance role. Heather also has a love of Australian native flora and landscapes and is a keen bush walker. She is an active member of Austinville Landcare, Flowers by Friends and enjoys working in rainforest restoration. Along with husband Wal, Heather has dedicated the last 40 years of her life to restoring her land into prime habitat for native species
Sue Durance
General Member
Sue has been an active member of the Watergum committee, as well the secretary for Northeast Albert Landcare, since 1992. Sue is passionate about protecting vulnerable species such as the Critically Endangered Ormeau Bottle tree. Her primary focus is restoring critical habitat for their ongoing survival as well as delivering environmental education to the community. Sue works closely with volunteers, local community groups, local industries and all levels of government to achieve positive outcomes for the environment.
David Cuschieri
General Member
David is a solutions-based thinker and environmental actionist. He combines his business and creative backgrounds with his passion for community and environment to find unique solutions to local environmental issues. He heads Koalas On the Green, a grassroots environmental organisation that creatively connects businesses and communities with biodiversity. Together with his wife, he volunteers as a koala rescuer with Wildcare Australia. David spends his free time trekking in nature.
Natalie Hoskins
Secretary
Natalie’s passion is the environment we share, and the community we live in. She has worked as an Environmental Scientist for 30 years, and 28 of those have been servicing the beautiful Gold Coast environment. During this time she has gained the respect of environmental scientists, industry leaders, Local and State Governments, and community groups. This allows her to work across a number of sectors to achieve real environmental outcomes. And she loves Platypus! Natalie developed Watergum’s PlatypusWatch Program.
Andrew Taylor
General Member
Along with his partner Gabby, Andrew fulfills his primary passion by managing Dundas Nature Refuge, a 43Ha land tract of old vine, dry rainforest on the border of D’Aguilar National Park in the hinterland of Brisbane. Professionally, Andrew is a lawyer practicing in corporate and intellectual property lawyer since 2001, which makes his a real asses to the Watergum committee. Andrew has been a great team member for Watergum sharing his knowledge across our initiatives and strengthening our outcomes.
Meet our Staff
Rosalinde Brinkman
Chief Executive Officer
Rosalinde is our Chief Executive Officer. She is passionate about everything nature and loves working for Watergum and with the local community. Rosalinde has a B.Sc (Hons) in Wildlife management (Coastal habitats and community engagement) and is the 2019 Queensland Young Landcare Leader. Her main passion is environmental research and connecting community to science. Rose spends her free time rescuing wildlife for Wildcare Australia, caring for orphaned possums and gliders, on the beach or in her organic garden.
Emily Vincent
Contract Delivery Manager
Emily has a degree in history and a passion for the natural environment and community outreach. In her spare time Emily plays netball, takes lessons is Horsemanship and volunteers for Wildcare Australia raising orphaned birds for release. She is also completing her own bush-regen project at home as well as restoring an old Queenslander with her partner. Emily started working for Watergum in 2019 and delivers much of our community engagement work and leads numerous programs.
Kristyn Way
Contract Administration Manager
Kristyn is an environmental science graduate majoring in ecology and conservation. Since graduating she has undertaken a variety of volunteering roles focused on ecological research and restoration. Kristyn has a passion for native flora and fauna, and a keen enthusiasm for conservation. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, bush walking and tending to her veggie garden. Kristyn’s works focuses on making sure all contracts are delivered in a timely manner and leads the Source Protection Program.
Nikki Tomsett
Invasive Species Project Officer
Coming Soon
Taylor Hines
Invasive Species Support Officer
Taylor is an Environmental Science graduate who immerses himself in nature through his career and conservation work. He was Watergum’s first intern, involved with invasive species projects and has contributed as a survey assistant at BioBlitz events. When he is not at Watergum, Taylor works in bush regeneration, restoring natural areas from the beach to the hinterland and everywhere in between. In his spare time, he enjoys bush walks, snorkelling, skateboarding and DJing.
Aleta Saville
Administration Officer
Aleta is Watergum’s admin wiz, she will be answering your calls and helping the team to stay organised and on track behind the scenes. With a background in finance and the veterinary industry, and 5 years of being a dedicated Wildcare Australia and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital volunteer, Aleta has a passion for our native wildlife and protecting their habitat. Since joing Watergum Aleta has found a new passion for Platypus Watching and you will find her assisting on our regular surveys.
Charley Rayner
Support Officer
Coming Soon
Caitlin Mandrusiak
Support Officer
Caitlin has a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Marine and Wildlife Biology. Caitlin helps to deliver Watergum’s citizen science programs and you may see her on the beach collecting data of marine debris or in our fresh water rivers and creeks sampling and identifying macro-invertebrates. In her spare time she enjoys long walks on the beach, swimming and tidepooling.
Jackson Merrigan
Support Officer
Coming Soon