Jim Holdsworth – President
Jim is an architect and town planner. While his work is mainly in inner Melbourne he has always been interested in the history of how Australia developed and travels widely in regional areas. He says; Preserving and celebrating the best dry stone structures will allow the stories behind and within them to be remembered and told.
Allan Willingham – Vice President
Allan is an architect and architectural historian and maintains a specialised interest in the architectural and cultural history of Western Victoria and his Camperdown home town. He is published widely on these subjects including a history of fencing in the region. His interest in the dry stone walls on the volcanic plains of Western Victoria led to his involvement with the DSWAA. His current interest is the aero-dynamics of volcanic bombs!
Andrew Miller – Secretary
Andrew’s interest and involvement with the wonderful craft of dry stone walling developed when he resided in Camperdown from 1977 to 1999. He was a member of Corangamite Arts at the time and we saw an opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural and heritage value in the walls that crisscrossed much of the Corangamite landscape. The Corangamite Dry Stone Wall Conservation Project, publication of ‘If These Walls Could Talk’, formation of the DSWAA in Ballarat in 2003 and many wonderful field trips with DSWAA members have been highlights for him. He can’t recall how many years as Secretary! Andrew is a civil engineer by training and enjoys volunteering in Timor Leste, especially activity relating to the arts.
Raelene Marshall
Raelene is an arts and culture practitioner. She was commissioned by the Australia Council to research drystone structures in the Grizedale Forest, Cumbria, UK. She curated the exhibition; A Stone Upon A Stone; undertook the Shire of Melton Dry Stone Walls Pride of Place Study and represented Australian at the Societe Pierre Seche, presenting at their bi-annual International Congresses.
Stuart Read
Stuart trained in science, horticulture and landscape architecture, specialising in working on Australian World, National and NSW heritage areas, seeking wider acceptance of landscapes as valid type of heritage place worth managing better. Based in NSW, some of Stuart’s passions are learning lessons from historic gardens, lost plant diversity and dry stone walls.
Bruce Munday – Journal editor
Bruce and his wife Kristin for 42 years ran a cattle property in the Adelaide Hills from which Bruce also worked as a communications consultant. He has had a long fascination with dry stone walls, built a few, run workshops and published a book on dry stone walls in SA: Those Dry-stone Walls. His most recent published book, Those Wild Rabbits, describes herculean but futile attempts to control the pest by every conceivable means including dry stone walls.
Geoff Thomas – Archivist
Geoff joined the DSWAA Committee in 2016 and is currently developing the DSWAA Archive on the Collections Victoria system. His interest in rocks and stone structures resulted from the acquisition of land on North Redesdale Road, Redesdale 36 years ago. Since then he has built a dwelling from materials on the property and attempted to construct and repair dry stone walls. Joining DSWAA has been an inspiration causing much rethinking about the love affair with stone.
Natalie Paynter, elected Aug 2017
Natalie is an archaeologist and cultural heritage advisor, who has worked across Australia. Her Honours thesis focused on dry stone walls in Victoria’s western district, analysing historical mapping and interpreting stylistic variations. She has completed numerous Aboriginal cultural heritage assessments working closely with Traditional Owner groups. She has also been involved in a number of historical archaeological projects including the Glenrowan Archaeological Siege project, a number of inner city excavations, interpretation plans, archival recording projects and has experience in collections management.
Dr Ian Crouch, elected Aug 2017
Ian is a professional materials engineer and experienced researcher who has worked within the defence community, both here and in UK, for the past 40 years or so. He has just published a technical book entitled “The Science of Armour Materials” (Elsevier, October 2016). He attributes his love for stone structures to his early life in England and, whilst now residing in Central Victoria, has recently purchased a holiday home in the Lake District which is surrounded by dry stone walls. “I couldn’t resist it”, he says!
Geoff Duggan, elected Aug 2017
Master Craftsman dry stone waller, Geoff Duggan is an advanced instructor, examiner and professional member of the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain. As Director of Geogenic Landscapes, he is also a horticulturist, landscaper and Landscape Architect. His interest is in native plants and all aspects of dry stone walling from free standing walls, retaining walls and their incorporation into landscape, design and sculptural projects. Passionate about his craft and passing on his knowledge, he has conducted over 130 dry stone walling workshops over the last 20+ years.
Chris Payne, elected Aug 2017
Chris has spent his working life in heritage conservation, especially the fine arts, but increasingly in historic interiors. He is also very interested in the preservation of traditional rural skills and trades, and living in an area of abundant stone has found many opportunities to repair and create dry stone work.