On Monday 9 November, Dr Bill Birch AM, President of the Royal Society of Victoria presented the annual Australian Natural History Medallion to Margaret MacDonald OAM referring to Margaret’s many achievements in natural history, conservation and education.
A group of Angair members and Margaret’s close family attended the evening as her guests. The presentation, held at the Victorian Field Naturalists Club Headquarters in Blackburn, was preceded by a buffet dinner catered by the Field Naturalists.
In accepting the Medallion, Margaret acknowledged members of Angair and Friends of Eastern Otways who had regularly accompanied her on field excursions and surveys. Margaret paid special tribute to her sister Kath Morgan with whom she first discovered the beauty of the terrestrial orchids of Anglesea, and to her mentors Everett Foster and Mary D White.
Margaret then gave a presentation “O’Donohue Heathland Magic”, describing the battle to save the Anglesea heathlands from developers, the rich orchid population that has been conserved there, and the excitement of her own discovery of the endemic Caladenia maritima, in that area.
Ros Gibson