Staff Profile

Phillip Moran

General Manager
(Aquatic Macrophyte Trainer, Regional Ecosystem Assessor, Dip. Conservation and Land Management, Cert. IV Workplace Training and Assessment, ACDC, Chainsaw Licence)

Phil is a respected local biodiversity expert, and with a background in business. With more than 30 years’ experience, he is trusted by private and public landholders to provide sound advice on conservation, property planning, restoration and sustainable land use. He a well-known contributor and board member at local, state and national levels for Landcare, Conservation, and Business initiatives. He is a charismatic educator who has inspired many professionals, school and university students in his 22+years with Noosa Landcare and has dedicated many hours to building relationships with partners, supporting community initiatives and hundreds of traineeships. He has also established a Nature Refuge in Cooran. Phil heads up Noosa Landcare operations and sits on the Management Committee.

• nrmanager@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468 / 0412 507 363

Rachel Lyons

Business & Partnerships Manager
(B. Regional and Town Planning (Hons), Grad. Cert. in Environmental Management)

Rachel has more than 20 years’ experience in strategic planning, natural resource planning, wildlife and biodiversity management. She has considerable involvement in natural resource management program delivery and cultural heritage management through working in private consulting, local council and regional natural resource management bodies. Rachel helps lead the development of new projects and opportunities for enhancing Noosa Landcare’s strategic objectives and undertaking natural resource management planning activities. Rachel is also a committed and well-known wildlife rescuer and trainer.

• bdm@noosalandcare.org 
• 07 54852 468

Kim Maddison

Administration and Finance Manager,
(Grad. Cert. Management – Business Administration, Dip. Conservation and Land Management, Cert. IV Business Administration, Cert. IV in Workplace Assessment and Training)

Kim has a background in administration and support roles in Australia and the UK. She has worked with Noosa Landcare for 18 years and has been instrumental in the establishment of key positions, and the foundational development of current business operations. Kim now manages the finance and administration outputs of the group and co-ordinates the training programs for Noosa Landcare, while providing executive support to the Management Committee in relation to compliance and reporting. In her spare time, she can be found swimming, doing Traditional Archery, or immersed in regeneration activities at her property in Cooran.

• admin@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468 / 0488 551 723

Brent Whitworth

Field Crew Manager
(Dip. Science, Dip Conservation & Land Management, Cert III Lands, Parks & Wildlife).

Brent has over fifteen years’ experience in weed management, rehabilitation and restoration in on ground works, and experience in Council Reserve Management. Brent brings a broad knowledge and understanding of environmental issues and conservation management to the team having worked in Northern Territory, Fraser Coast, and for the past several years here on the Sunshine Coast. In his spare time, Brent is a drummer, and dedicated Bonsai enthusiast.

• brent.whitworth@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468 / 0407 167 139

Jen Coleman

Field Operations Manager
(Bachelor of Science – Major in Human Geography, Certificate II Conservation and Land Management, ACDC, Chainsaw, First Aid, Safety White Card)

Jen has extensive experience as a team leader in Natural Areas management throughout the Sydney and Sunshine Coast areas. Jen has recently overseen a large-scale offset project for the Sunshine Coast Council and a survey & relocation project of threatened plant species for TMR near Gympie and is managing several bushfire recovery projects in the Noosa region.

• jen.coleman@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Jaymie Suares

Administration Officer – Memberships and Payroll
(Cert III Business Administration; Diploma of Childcare & Education – Children’s Services)

Jaymie has over 15 years’ experience as an early childhood educator and administration support officer in both private and public education systems. Jaymie oversees Memberships and Payroll, assists with HR/Onboarding, and manages much of the day-to-day staff certification and compliance while also supporting the broader needs of the administration and project teams. Jaymie is a passionate and long-term local who spends many weekends bushwalking along the Sunshine Coast.

• office@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Sophie Chegwyn

Administration Officer – Accounts Payable
(Cert III Visual Art, Cert III Accounts Administration – underway, B. Arts – Major in Australian Literature)

Sophie has 10 years’ experience in administration roles and recently joined Noosa Landcare in a key admin role while also undertaking a Cert III in Accounts Administration. Sophie has been in Noosa for many years, and has a passion for Australia’s flora which she loves to explore through drawing and painting.

• payables@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Aurora Daniels

Administration Assistant
(Master of Strategy and Security, UNSW; B. Journalism and Tourism Management (Admin), JCU; Blue Card)

Aurora joined our team in February 2023. She has a background in journalism and communications management across, NT, NSW, ACT, Qld and abroad and has worked for local, state and federal government departments, corporates, and NGOs. She is also is a small business owner, runs a local animal charity, and is studying a Cert IV in allied health assistance – bolstering her business administration skills. In her spare time, she can be found undertaking regeneration activities at her property in Kin Kin and supporting local kids as a foster carer.

Ilana Kelly

Project Officer – Seqwater Source Protection Program
(B. Science in Ecology and Conservation Biology (Hons Class1), Cert III Cons Land Management)

Ilana has extensive knowledge in ecology and conservation management. She has completed a variety of environmental studies and has previously worked in ecological research. Ilana currently works as a project officer within Noosa Landcare, focusing on water quality and catchment management in the Lake Macdonald area. Ilana has a passionate interest in soil health and is also a bee-keeper, veggie-grower, and active surfer who sits on the committee of the Noosa chapter of Surfrider Foundation.

• ilana.kelly@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Jamie Knight

Project Officer – Keeping it in Kin Kin; Trainee Supervisor Skilling Queenslanders for Work
Bachelor in Environmental Science (Hons) – Major in Sustainability

Jamie has years of management experience in the hospitality and tourism industries on the Sunshine Coast before completing his degree. He has held volunteer positions with Noosa Biosphere Ltd, and sustainability advisor to Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Jamie combines his life and formal training to concurrently manage several projects including the Keeping it in Kin Kin project. On a personal note, Jamie has raised the profile of Disc Golf on the Sunshine Coast and has recently established an active Disc Golf group in Pomona’s Cooroora Creek Park.

• jamie.knight@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Sarah Lawson

Projects Officer – Carbon offset revegetation projects and Business Development
(Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Science Hons), Doctor of Philosophy (Phd), Cert III Horticulture)

Sarah joined the Noosa Landcare Consulting Team in 2023 after first working with the Production Nursery Team. With a background in environmental science across research and leadership roles with CSIRO, Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion to Noosa Landcare. In her spare time Sarah is indulging her great love of native plants by volunteering as a Group Leader with the Castaways Beach Bushcare Group, is a member of the Noosa Parks Association Botany Group, and also takes our trainee cohorts on local flora walks to increase their knowledge and interest levels in our local environment.

• sarah.lawson@noosalandcare.org
• 07 54852 468

Owen Snowden

Nursery Manager
(Cert III Cons Land Management, Dip. Network Engineering(I.T), ACDC, Chainsaw Licence)

Owen has an extensive background in Landscape maintenance and has been Noosa Landcare’s Nursery Manager for two years. Owen has a background in surveying, IT, and as an arborist assistant. After spending time as a trainee and in our field crew, Owen found his interest was in plants and now manages propagation, scheduling, sales, stock movements and inventory across two of our three nurseries. Owen also manages IT solutions for the organisation.

• nurserymanager@noosalandcare.org
• 0419 377 423

Lorin Burns

Assistant Nursery Manager
(Cert 1 Conservation & Ecosystem Management, Diploma of Applied Fashion Design & Technology, currently studying Bachelor of Design (Architecture)

Lorin has been with Noosa Landcare since early 2022 first undertaking a traineeship in Conservation & Ecosystem Management. With a background in retail management and customer service, together with her obvious love of native flora and fauna and creative design, she brings her skillsets and passion to supporting the nursery management processes as Assistant Nursery Manager, combined with a role as one of the Hinterhub Managers (Noosa Landcare’s retail outlet).

• Hinterhub@noosalandcare.org
• 07 5485 2468

Darrin Barden

Field Crew and Trainee Supervisor,
(Cert. III Horticulture, Chainsaw Licence, ACDC, Safety White Card)

Darrin has been working with Noosa Landcare’s Conservation Services for over 15 years, and has acquired specialised skills in developing practical approaches to environmental restoration, plantation establishment and crew management. He is a recognised mentor to NDLG personnel and talented problem-solver in operational matters.

Tamara Kubica

Projects Manager and Field Crew Supervisor
(Bachelor of Science – Coastal Management & Environmental Resource Management, ACDC, Chainsaw, First Aid, Safety White Card)

Tamara has been working in bush regeneration for a number of years. Currently undertaking a Masters in Environmental Science, in early 2021 Tamara managed a revegetation project planting 136,000 native tubestock with her team within a 5-month period. At the same time Tamara has established the successful Noosa chapter of the Roving Restorers program and is working on several large revegetation projects.

Kyle Sanderson

Projects Manager and Field Crew Supervisor
(Bachelor of Science – Environment, ACDC, Chainsaw, First Aid, Safety White Card)

Kyle has been with Noosa Landcare for 8 years and has become a talented client liaison, working concurrently with new landholders wishing to develop on-the-job training in weed management techniques while managing the outputs of a crew onsite. Kyle has a broad range of skills in applied natural areas management through the Noosa Hinterland and coastal ecosystems and has started to manage project works throughout the Mary River catchment.