Wednesday, 10 September 2025

 Daniela DE MARTINO (Monbulk) (09:50): Across the Dandenong Ranges and its foothills we love our local environment, and we have much to thank Save the Dandenongs League, one of Victoria’s oldest and most respected environmental groups, for ensuring that so much of it has been preserved for generations to come. Next month the SDL celebrates its 75th anniversary, and I rise to pay tribute to its extraordinary legacy. Founded in October 1950 by Miss May Moon, Professor John Turner and Cr Eric Leane, SDL has been a cornerstone of environmental advocacy in our region. Their early efforts led to the establishment of the Karwarra Australian plant garden and the preservation of Birdsland Reserve, now a much-loved 75-hectare bushland sanctuary in Belgrave Heights. Much is owed to the late Betty Marsden, who served as president for an incredible 37 years. It was she who convinced Sherbrooke shire to purchase the land that became Birdsland, saving it from suburban development, and today it houses the Southern Dandenongs indigenous nursery and the Birdsland Environmental Education Centre and hosts the much-loved platypus festival. SDL’s commitment to bushland preservation, wildlife protection and community engagement and education continues to inspire, and I commend and extend my deepest thanks to them for 75 years of tireless service to our environment and community.