Margaret Thorsborne celebrating her 80th birthday with friends in 2007.
Photo © Wildlife QueenslandIt is an honour for Wildlife Queensland to announce that on Australia Day 26 January 2011, our Patron Margaret Thorsborne, was named an Officer of the Order of Australia. She was one of only 2 Queenslanders and 16 Australians nationally to receive this level of award in the General (non-military) Division.
Margaret is a constant inspiration, through her energy, commitment and well grounded approach to tackling the big environmental issues of our time. Margaret was an active member of the Gold Coast and Hinterland WPSQ Branch in its early days and later transferred her enthusiasm as a founding member of the Tully WPSQ Branch. Margaret has had an active role in numerous other organisations that have focused on the protection of the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage Areas in north Queensland. Her selfless efforts are internationally recognised in working to preserve the unique and outstanding world heritage values of Hinchinbrook Island and its immediate environs.
Improving knowledge is a key aspect of Margaret’s passion. Her love of the Brook Islands and the Pied Imperial Pigeon that annually migrate there to breed has been long in the making and well recognised. A long-term project initiated by Margaret and her late husband Arthur in the 1970’s, travelling from the Gold Coast, monitored the recovery of the southern-most large colony of Pied Imperial Pigeons formerly known as Torresian Imperial Pigeons since their critical decline from illegal shooting in the 1960’s. Margaret has also invested personal funds in research undertaken by others. Studies carried out on the endangered mahogany glider is one such example.
There is no question that Margaret Thorsborne represents the epitome of what it is to be passionate, inspiring and committed to the care and protection of the natural environment for its own sake and for the enjoyment of us all. She has done everything, and more, that could be done: studied, reported, fought, gifted money, encouraged and educated. It is fitting that the inspirational efforts of this remarkable and amazing woman be recognised by the broad community.
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