The Estuary Care Foundation SA

Promoting nature-based solutions through community action.

Constitution

The Estuary Care Foundation SA was established in 2016 to promote the protection of the ecology and shorelines of South Australia’s Port River and Barker Inlet.

The Foundation has a culture of engaging with communities (including environment, government, business and education), and a strong foundation in citizen science. It promotes nature-based solutions through community action.

The key objectives of the Foundation are to:

• Conserve, protect, enhance and promote the ecology of the Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary, and the benefits thus provided

• Support, undertake, facilitate and monitor eco-engineering solutions to safeguard shorelines, community assets and the habitat of estuarine species, from rising sea levels

• Facilitate research, education and training relevant to the conservation, protection and restoration of, and carbon sequestration in, the Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary

• Pursue the objects of the Foundation in collaboration with local residents, community organisations, industries, corporations, and governments

Port Adelaide aerial view, 2008 by Gary Sauer-Thompson

FULL CONSTITUTION PDF

STRATEGIC PLAN PDF

Governance

Estuary Care Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission.

It is governed by a Board (the members of the Foundation) with the power to establish advisory panels or project based Committees.

Board members are elected annually by special resolution at an Annual General Meeting.

The current Board of the Foundation is:

• Chair – Vanessa Tulloch

• Deputy Chair – Karina Albanese

• Secretary – Catherine McMahon (Founder and Hon. Executive Officer)

• Treasurer – Karina Albanese

• General Board members – Dennis Steffensen, Sam Taylor, Mitch Bacon.

John Watson was a member of the Board from 2016 to 2021 and resigned at the 2021 AGM, following a relocation to Melbourne.

Board members (from left): Catherine McMahon, Vanessa Tulloch, Karina Albanese, John Watson (retired), Sam Taylor, Mitch Bacon and Dennis Steffensen

Volunteers

All roles in the Foundation, including Board positions, are undertaken by volunteers. Volunteers and supporters are essential to everything the Foundation does. The willingness of people and organisations to get involved underlines the relevance of the Foundation to a diverse range of interests.

All projects undertaken by the Foundation involve volunteers of the Foundation and members and/or volunteers from other community organisations.

Volunteers have been extensively involved in the Port River Shellfish Restoration Project, seagrass monitoring and restoration and community education initiatives.