Wildcare Tasmania pays tribute to the life of Barbara Willson, a cornerstone of the Melaleuca community and a tireless advocate for conservation.

Barbara’s name is inseparable from the Orange-bellied Parrot recovery program. For more than 30 years she was among the first to record the parrots’ return to Melaleuca each spring, often weeks before the official observer program began. Her home became a base for scientists and volunteers, her hospitality as generous as her commitment was steadfast. Many fondly referred to the OBPs as “Barbara’s birds,” a reflection of both her passion and her remarkable knowledge of their habits and behaviours.

2024 Barbara With Friends of Melaleuca Working Bee Team at Melaleuca (photo G Fenton)

Barbara was also a driving force in Wildcare’s Friends of Melaleuca and Friends of the Orange-bellied Parrot groups, serving as a longstanding committee member. She contributed not only her time and wisdom but also the warmth of her home, which was a haven for rangers, bushwalkers, yachties, and fellow volunteers. Those lucky enough to share “beer time” at Melaleuca recall the lively debates, laughter, and Barbara’s sharp wit, which enlivened every gathering.

Her conservation service was formally recognised in 2009 when she was inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women for her support of the Orange-bellied Parrot recovery program and her broader contributions to community life.

Barbara and her husband Peter arrived in Tasmania in the 1960s, eventually settling at Melaleuca in Southwest Tasmania. Together, they built a life of resilience and resourcefulness in this remote landscape, adapting from teaching and engineering to tin mining, and later becoming legendary hosts and volunteers. Even after Peter’s passing, Barbara remained an active and respected member of the Melaleuca community, continuing to walk the gravel tracks and support conservation well into her later years.

Barbara and Janet Fenton Volunteering at Claytons Photo Geoff Fenton

Barbara is remembered as independent, capable, generous, and down-to-earth. She inspired generations of volunteers, scientists, and friends through her example of service and her unwavering love for the wild southwest.

Vale Barbara – a legend of Melaleuca, a champion for the Orange-bellied Parrot, and a treasured member of the Wildcare family.

With thanks to Barbara’s friends Janet Fenton, Peter Marmion and Marianne Gee for informing this tribute.

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