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Nigel Waters ~ a community and environmental champion!

We’ll miss you Nigel, your dedication, intellect and passionate contribution in making Port Stephens a better place!

“Nigel is a community champion of Port Stephens who has given his time to numerous volunteer groups including EcoNetwork Port Stephens, Port Stephens Greens, Climate Action Port Stephens, the Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association, and the recent Anna Bay 7 Day Makeover. Nigel is passionate about making Port Stephens a great place!”

… this summary above of Nigel’s involvement in our Port Stephens Community is from the inaugural Port Stephens Council Environmental Award, January 2020, recognises him as a most deserved winner, though tells us little of the real depth of the amazing contribution Nigel made to the community and the environment that won him this award.

Professionally Nigel qualified with a Masters in Planning, was the Deputy Privacy Commissioner with the Human Rights Commission, and has been a leader in the Better Planning Network (BPN) for many years.

His environmental commitment was also ‘hands on’.

As an inaugural member since 2020 with the Friends of Tomaree National Park, he was a curious and keen to learn participant, who strove to improve the park’s integrity.

His landcare also included the Nelson Bay West Landcare Group where he worked to improve the quality of the vegetation on the Bridle Path and at Bagnall’s Beach.

Betsy Hussin, the Landcare Group’s coordinator, wrote the next segment, Nigel’s Commemorative Tree – the Lilly Pilly, giving us a glimpse into the personality and skills Nigel brought to the community.

Nigel’s Commemorative Tree – the Lilly Pilly1

The Lilly Pilly, Syzygium smithii2, is a tree of the littoral rainforest – an endangered ecological community of the coastal fringe. Lilly Pillies help other plants and animals in a littoral rainforest stay resilient. 3

This resilience is emblematic of Nigel’s contribution to our community in Port Stephens.

The littoral rainforest4 is a forest environment striving to keep a balance between competing pressures: the natural pressures of wind, salt spray and extreme weather pushing from the ocean to the land, and the pressure of people pushing into the forest to reach the coast.  

The ability to remain in balance when faced with competing pressures is how we’ve come to know Nigel – a person of strong and steady balance, and great generosity.

Lilly Pillies are generous trees: they light up the forest when in flower5, freely sharing their showy white blossoms with pollinators, followed by juicy berries which are a magnet for birds. Lilly Pillies are one of the best Australian native plants for birds and in addition to food, they also provide shelter, perches and nesting sites.  And Lilly Pillies are ‘ever Greens’ – just like Nigel! 6

The Lilly Pilly has been used by First Nations people for generations as a medicine plant to treat sore ears, wounds and skin conditions, and as a rich source of vitamin C.  And in a way, this also reminds us of Nigel – amid a heavy discussion with people arguing about this and that, we’ve often seen Nigel inject a calm and steady voice into the various points of view to find common ground, which – when you think about it – is a different kind of treatment for sore ears!

Our humble Lilly Pilly is also one of Australia’s most prolific globetrotters, evolving first in Australia and then spreading in waves of emigration, adaptation and evolution; there are now over 1200 species found in rainforests across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, forming the largest genus of trees – a true testament to resilience. Although Nigel’s original home was in England, he’ll now be heading back, and part of Australia will go with him.So, when you see a Lilly Pilly, you can think of Nigel Waters – Waters for the littoral rainforest; an evergreen tree of generosity and resilience; and if you should need it, a helpful remedy for sore ears.

Lilly Pillies around the Tomaree Peninsula will be a growing reminder of Nigel

The commemorative tree is being grown at Ngioka Nursery to plant on the Bridle Path this Autumn. The seed was collected under permit from a Lilly Pilly on the Tomaree Coastal Walk near the Boat Harbour entrance where a tiny patch of littoral rainforest persists. Nigel also worked in Tomaree NP’s northern end of Zenith Beach with the Friends of Tomaree NP, removing bitou to discover remnant Lilly Pilly growing there too. More Lilly Pillies will be planted in part of Tomaree National Park and some landcare sites where remnant littoral rainforest or Lilly Pillies need augmenting. Nigel’s influence permeates so much of the Tomaree Peninsula, as well as the broader Port Stephens area and beyond. The Lilly Pillies will be an ongoing and growing reminder of the legacy he has left to our Port Stephens community and environment.

EcoNetwork Port Stephens

As a member of the EcoNetwork committee, Nigel was a powerful, prolific submissions writer, with meticulous attention to detail. He was across all the major environmental issues, local, state and national. He was always ready to provide advice to community groups on their best course of action in objecting to development proposals of concern. With his knowledge of ordinances and the workings of Council he kept a close watch on how Council dealt with any unusual or questionable DAs and whether follow up action was needed.

Nigel was our ‘go to’ person for advice, support or considered judgement on all manner of issues in our deliberations. His support for EcoNetwork and belief in its widespread value was unwavering. In many ways, Nigel was the ‘glue’ in many of the issues EcoNetwork and its affiliate groups considered. We are fortunate to have had the privilege of Nigel’s involvement and support for many years.

Nigel, third from right, actively participated in EcoNetwork’s forum addressed by Mark Diesendorf April 2024

Nigel at EcoNetwork’s Gala Dinner June 2023

Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association

The first objective of TRRA is ’to be a representative voice for the ratepayers and residents of the Tomaree Peninsula in all matters that will enhance and protect their residential amenity and the local environment, both natural and manmade’. Nigel Waters has been a leader in the management and operations of TRRA since its inception in 2008 and has dedicated his services to achieving this broadly based and idealistic outcome. He is held in the highest esteem by his colleagues and friends in TRRA.

Nigel’s long experience as a senior public servant, his academic qualifications including town planning, his knowledge of political processes and his involvement in grassroots community activities equipped him well for his role on TRRA’s Committee and as convenor of their Planning Sub-Committee.  In these roles Nigel ‘s capacity to read a diverse audience, be they association members, politicians or captains of commerce, together with his capacity to strike a reasonably balanced way forward on highly contested issues, greatly assisted TRRA to achieve its objectives.

Nigel’s attention to detail and strategic thinking produced watertight submissions which challenged the politicians and decision makers at all levels of Government as well as private sector proponents. 

On a personal level Nigel brought a great sense of humour to any gathering of lobbyists and often rallied the team to celebrate a win at the bar or over a much-deserved meal. 

Caption: Nigel’s sign “Listen to your Community” epitomises Nigel approach in all gatherings.

Nigel’s return to the UK should be very much welcomed by the badgers, moles, robins, ancient oaks and supporters of the local soccer team. 

Koala Koalition EcoNetwork Port Stephens

The Koala Koalition was formed with Nigel’s support – in finding a home for us within EcoNetwork, and resolving our goals and objectives.  Then we needed expert guidance from a larger support group to build more convincing arguments to conserve corridors allowing koalas to survive even in the short term.  His wealth of knowledge in local and state planning policy and processes, and his expert steadying influence, has allowed our special interest group to become recognised as a strong, well-informed entity, worthy of consultation. 

Nigel is an expert leader and guide, without a thought for domination, allowing us to take initiatives beyond the Port Stephens LGA boundaries at times, to support other groups wanting to reduce the environmental destruction of development proposals.  I fervently believe all EcoNetwork’s small groups with niche interests are stronger if we work together.  And although Nigel jokingly said KKEPS meetings would run faster without his contributions, the truth is we will take longer to decide on the best way forward without him.   However, family is more important than anything else in life, so we wish him well in returning to the UK.  I hope he’ll miss us too.

Port Stephens Greens

Nigel was a founding member of Port Stephens Greens 20 years ago, when he retired here from a busy Sydney life. As a qualified town planner and leader in the BPN, Nigel became the go to person for any planning-issue ruling on local government or state legislation.

His accumulated experience and expertise to challenge vested interests and poor government decision making will be sorely missed. Nigel is also a renown stickler for accuracy and detail, so much so that he has been thrown out of a council meeting when he challenged ‘the facts’ as presented by a council officer.

We were reminded of Nigel’s contribution to many Greens campaigns at his Greens’ farewell recently. Former Senator Lee Rhiannon extended her thanks for his work on Privacy Policy, while Senator Mehreen Faruqui sent her best wishes and appreciation for Nigel’s work on the PFAS contamination at Williamtown.

As a mark of the esteem with which Nigel is held within the Greens, Senator David Shoebridge with his wife Patricia, attended his farewell. Senator Shoebridge spoke for us all in expressing Nigel’s invaluable contribution to policy development and local Greens issues, and the relevance of Nigel’s work on privacy policy with the current issues facing the community on data harvesting and the marketing of our private information.

Nigel has guided the local Greens through every local, state and federal election. He will be sadly missed at the booth where the Greens also happen to win the most votes, the Baptist Church on Government Rd in Nelson Bay, where Nigel has handed out How to Votes for many years.

Caption: Behind every activist in a supporter keeping the home cogs turning. Nigel and Nikki Waters at the Greens farewell dinner.

A snippet of Nigel’s diverse approach to activism and gaining knowledge

Nigel would use opportunities to galvanise people in promoting causes, and CLIMATE ACTION in its broadest sense pervades everything we do. He would not hesitate to support groups such as CAPS in making representation to Council.
Whether walking the streets in support of declaring a Climate Emergency, or attending a business luncheon with PSC and Beyond Zero Emissions on how renewables are driving business in Port Stephens, Nigel’s diverse approach is aptly encapsulated..
Nigel took the opportunity to put rhetoric into action ~ improving the integrity of our natural areas will help provide a more resilient system in the face of climate impacts.

Nigel’s 2020 inaugural Port Stephens Council Australia Day Award.

Just a skim of this article and we can understand why Nigel was such a deserved choice for the Award.

Bon Voyage Nigel ~ we hope you enjoy some restful time in the UK.

Acknowledgements

  1. Information in this plant story was sourced from
    https://coastadapt.com.au/sites/default/files/case_studies/SS66_Littoral%20Rainforest.pdf;https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/land-and-freshwater/land-freshwater-stories/fun-facts-native-australian-plants;https://theconversation.com/lets-show-a-bit-of-love-for-the-lillipilly-this-humble-plant-forms-the-worlds-largest-genus-of-trees-and-should-be-an-australian-icon-191080; Benson DH, McDougall L (2001) Ecology of Sydney Plant Species: Part 8, Cunninghamia Vol. 7(2).  ↩︎
  2. Pronunciation: sigh-ZIDGE-ee-um smith-ee-eye ↩︎
  3. Lilly Pilly fruit image: Atlas of Living Australia, M. Fagg, CC-BY 3.0 (Au) ↩︎
  4. Littoral rainforest image: Atlas of Living Australia, hughberry, CC-BY-NC 4.0 (Int) ↩︎
  5. Lilly Pilly flower image: Atlas of Living Australia, ryanthughes, CC-BY-NC 4.0 (Int) ↩︎
  6. Nigel The Greens image: Friends of Tomaree regen session in which the Greens participated ↩︎