I am extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Valmai Burnett of Avocavale, a woman with true passion and vision for the environment and sustainable land management.
Valmai first made contact with me not long after I took on the role as the Local Member in 2012. During our first meeting, it was obvious that this was a woman with a wealth of information on the Somerset region, in particular, the headwaters of the Brisbane River. She shared maps, articles and reports on as much as she could, and over the years, kept me updated with her work and environmental commitments.
The fax machine in my office was frequently busy receiving her lengthy, typewritten letters, and accompanying information, as she was very good at communicating the issues which impacted on the management of our natural resources, especially our water and soil.
I will greatly miss Valmai. She was an incredible woman who had travelled the world, but loved her unique property here in the Somerset. Our region is blessed to have been the beneficiary of the passion and vision of Valmai and her late husband Graham. May she rest in peace at Rathburnie.
