Meet The Team

As a local organic farmer and dedicated member of the MDLN board, Sandra brings a wealth of experience to the team and to the community of farmers in the district.

Peter is a dairy farmer at Newry with his wife Kate and three boys.

Dennis has a Diploma in Horticultural Science from Burnley Horticultural College. He and his wife Betty milked cows for 40 years near Maffra and although retired still on acreage with beef cows.  Dennis enjoys growing seeds and grafted plants and bottling fruit.

Kate Mirams is quietly working towards understanding and using profitable farming practices that create thriving life on farm.

Kate is grateful to farm with her husband, three sons and some incredible staff, on the deep alluvial flood plain soils of the mighty Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River).

Kate loves winding up the strip fence to give the cows a bit more grass, worms, birdsong, dancing and doing the hard yards for community projects.

Kate has worked in extension and community development, and is a board member of the Macalister Demonstration Farm.

With 14 years experience in conservation & natural resource management, Bernie's worked for several local organisations as a Ranger, Project Manager and Environmental Consultant.

Bernie specialises in the management of pest plants and animals and is currently employed in pest animal control and holds a Diploma of Conservation Land Management and a Graduate Certificate in Catchment & Waterway Management.

At home, Bernie is building a beef and olive oil business with his partner and daughter

Narelle McDonald is an experienced Gippsland dairy farmer with a strong interest in regenerative agriculture, soil health and sustainable farm management.

Together with her family, she has developed a progressive farming enterprise incorporating dairy genetics, beef-on-dairy production, multi-species pastures and reduced reliance on synthetic inputs.

Narelle brings extensive practical farming knowledge and a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing local landholders, with a focus on productive, resilient and environmentally responsible farming systems.

Fiona is an Australian-trained forester, with 30+ years working in natural resource management in SE Australia: in the field, as well as times perched behind a keyboard and monitor.

Fiona's career, has spanned native and plantation forest management, the catchments of Gippsland's water industry, bushfire risk reduction and a few stints as a TAFE teacher, sharing and building-on the knowledge people have generously shared with her.

Please contact us if you are interested in joining the team.