NORTHERN SUN, Friday,
June 12, 1998
Sir Arvi pays tribute
to WMC employees
WMC chairman Sir Arvi
Parbo paid tribute to Olympic Dam environmental scientist
Mr John Zwar and WMC director and former Head of
Exploration Roy Woodall at the official opening of the
$250,000 WMC Ltd Herbarium/Meeting Room at Port Augusta's
Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden on Wednesday, May
27.
During his opening
speech, Sir Arvi described the garden as a "special
place", and one which should make everyone
proud.
"Proud of the vision
shown in its establishment; proud of what has been
achieved to date; and proud of its undoubted progress in
the future," he said.
"The logic of Australia
having a centre such as this seems so compelling that the
obvious question is why have we waited until recently?
"In my experience, there are too many brilliant ideas
that never happen because nobody is prepared to work for
them.
"As an Australian, I
thank and congratulate the many people who disregarded
the odds and made this dream possible.
"You have had the faith
to persist and create a very special resource for present
and future generations.
"With facilities like the
Visitor Reception Centre and the new HerbariumiMeeting
Room, we are beginning to see the tourism and educational
potential of what will be one of the world's significant
centres for arid zone botany display and
research.
"I understand that
visitor numbers have climbed sharply in the past two
years."
Sir Arvi paid tribute to
several WMC employees who had been instrumental in the
development of the garden.
"John Zwar, an
environmental scientist at Olympic Dam, initiated the
concept in 1981 when he was superintendent of parks and
gardens for Port Augusta (City) Council.
"John was also one of an
enthusiastic group of 'Friends' who lobbied for funds and
talked to anybody who would listen to keep the idea alive
in its early years.
"My fellow WMC director
and then long-time Head of Exploration, Roy Woodall, was
another member of the 'Friends' group, and from around
1989 I remember he would slip through all sorts of minor
but important support for this special
project.
"John and Roy
consistently maintained an active involvement, and over
time interested many of our environmental and operational
staff in supporting it in various ways.
"My colleagues on the
Board and I were left in no doubt that WMC was going to
be involved in this Port Augusta project whether we liked
it or not.
"Fortunately, we liked it
and we found the enthusiasm of our colleagues
infectious.
The Advertiser,
Thursday, May 28, 1998
Centre
opens
A HERBARIUM opened at
Port Augusta yesterday will be home to varIous pressed
nanive flowers and plants, as well as a centre for native
flora research.
The $220,000 WMC
herbariu;in and meeting room complex is part of the
AustralIan Arid Lands Botanic Garden.
The official opening was
conducted by WMC chairman, Sir Arvi Parbo.
