Celebrating Our Local Environmental Champions

DDEC Announces 2025 AGM Award Winners

The Darling Downs Environment Council (DDEC) is proud to announce the winners of our 2025 Annual Awards, formally recognised at our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 27 August.

This year’s recipients embody the spirit of grassroots action, resilience, and care for the land, water, and wildlife of the Darling Downs. DDEC Coordinator, Ahri Tallon, said the awards are a way to honour those who have gone above and beyond in protecting and restoring our local environment.

“These award winners have shown that change is made by people who care enough to act — whether that’s rescuing a single injured koala, planting thousands of trees, or fighting for our precious farmland in the courts,” Mr Tallon said. “They are an inspiration not just to our region, but to Queensland and Australia as a whole.”
The Koala Whisperer – Mrs Sandra McKay:  Individual Annual Achievement Award
From the quiet streets of Crows Nest, Sandra “Sandie” McKay has become a tireless protector of our local koalas. Through the High Country Koala Action Group Inc, she rescues injured wildlife at all hours, organises habitat restoration plantings, and inspires her community through education and events. Her dedication proves that one person’s passion can mobilise an entire community for conservation.
Local Legend of the Land Court – Ms Aileen Harrison:  Individual for a Lifetime Achievement Award.
For more than a decade, Aileen Harrison led the Oakey Coal Action Alliance in a landmark fight to protect prime agricultural and strategic cropping land from coal mining. Standing firm against political shifts, legal challenges, and intense pressure, Aileen has defended water resources and farmland that feed our communities, embodying courage and tenacity in the face of enormous odds.
Koala Krusaders – Gomaren & Doctors Creek Catchment Landcare Group:  Group Annual Achievement Award.
For over 24 years, this Landcare group has brought landholders together to care for their catchment. Their ambitious “Bring Back Koalas” project has already planted more than 6,000 koala food trees, linked vital wildlife corridors, and engaged hundreds of residents in habitat restoration and environmental education. Their work ensures future generations might still see koalas in the wild.

Mr Tallon said the AGM was not just a governance milestone, but also a celebration of community. “Our region’s environmental future depends on everyday people stepping up. These winners remind us that whether your impact is felt in a single valley or across the state, it matters — deeply.”

The DDEC AGM and Awards Ceremony was held on Wednesday 27 August at 5.30pm at 1a Heller St Rangeville, with all members and supporters attending

Submitted By:
Ahri Tallon – Coordinator, Darling Downs Environment Council
info@ddec.org.au
0455 619 454
Photographs: Ann Alcock.