Meet the Interim Steering Committee

With nearly 30 years in Natural Resource Management, including 17 years in the Wet Tropics region, Penny has a deep commitment to enhancing the ecological and social resilience of this unique area. Her expertise encompasses strategic planning, facilitation and conflict management.

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Noel is an ecologist, environmental consultant and Adjunct Associate Professor with James Cook University and Charles Darwin University. He has worked as a ranger, researcher and landscape restoration practitioner in northern Australia for over 30 years and has published over 200 technical reports and scientific papers. He is also a beef cattle farmer and carbon forest grower.

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Carla Catterall is an ecologist and ornithologist. As of 2021, she is an Emeritus Professor at Griffith University. She spends much of her time researching ecology, rainforest ecosystems, species richness, habitat and biodiversity. Her research in ecology includes aspects of biological and seed dispersal. Her studies on rainforests are interdisciplinary, drawing from both agroforestry and reforestation.

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Peter, President of the Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation (C4), is a dedicated leader in local conservation. He has a long history of promoting sustainable land management in the Innisfail and Mission Beach areas, volunteering with community organisations and serving on various committees. A former director and now lifetime member of Terrain NRM, he passionately trains conservation volunteers and the unemployed, sharing knowledge of tropical forest ecology, landscape repair, and environmental appreciation.​

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Stephen Purcell, a proud Mamu Traditional Owner from North Queensland, is a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights and cultural heritage. As a respected Elder, he educates communities on the importance of land stewardship and sustainable practices rooted in Mamu traditions. His commitment to environmental conservation and community engagement makes him a vital figure in advancing Indigenous rights in Australia.

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Julia Leu is a dedicated community leader and proud resident of Douglas Shire, where she has lived for 30 years. Julia has a diverse professional background, starting as a high school teacher and progressing to senior management roles in various Federal Departments, alongside experience in hospitality and agriculture. She holds a Masters in Business Administration and has been a key figure in local governance, establishing the Community Services Department of Douglas Shire Council in 1994 and serving as its first Mayor after de-amalgamation in 2014 and re-elected 2016.

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Howard is a Senior Farm Services Officer at Bega Dairy and Drinks in Malanda and has been on the Board of Subtropical Dairy since 2021. With 32 years of experience in the tropical dairy industry, he began as a Dairy Husbandry Officer with the DPI in Malanda and has spent over 20 years as a Farm Services Officer with the region's major milk processor. His work has focused on extension and adult education, collaborating extensively with research staff at the DPI Kairi Research Station until its closure, and now with DAFF Gatton. 

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As a Malanbarra Yidinji Traditional Owner, Allison is a strong advocate for Rainforest Aboriginal People in the Wet Tropics. Since the establishment of the Rainforest Aboriginal Network in 1992, she has taken on leadership roles in numerous committees and organisations. Allison has played a key role in the initial negotiations and the current refresh of the Wet Tropics Regional Agreement and was instrumental in the campaign to have the cultural values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area recognised on the National Heritage list. As a former Director of both the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Terrain NRM, she has been an advocate for the bio-cultural values of the Wet Tropics and the importance of traditional knowledge in rainforest management.