I was born into bogan roots in Bathurst, Sydney, a little revhead who wanted to drive in the Bathurst 1000 – and now I’m in Launceston, Tasmania, in love with the natural environment, the forests and mountains.

I studied Interior Design at university, that was my first degree. A Bachelor of Science and Architecture is my second, I graduated this year from studying down here in Tasmania. I’ve been working for various public and private organisations this year – I’m having time out to work out what I want to do in the future. I’ve been getting involved in Wilderness Society campaigns, they’re totally removed from the rigidity of university.

Just now I’m working in the leadup to a Pulp Mill rally [against Gunns Ltd.’s proposed mill in northern Tasmania]: I’m organising volunteers, designing leaflets, coordinating banners – the visual side of the rally. It’s cool, it’s arty farty stuff, and has made quite a difference to the visual side of the rally. I can’t help with the scientific research, so this is the only way I can contribute to the campaign.

The campaign’s a cool thing – it’s a whole cross section of the community, from over-educated hippies to concerned farmers. There are so many concerns: tourism impacts, effluent discharges into Bass Strait, local air quality, and the traditional Wilderness Society concern to protect old growth forests and the animals in these forests.

Campaigning with the Wilderness Society takes my passion for bushwalking and makes it more effective. I always said architecture would be half of my life, and the other half would be outdoors stuff. Over the last week coming up to the rally, the Wilderness Society work has been taking all my time.

I’ll keep volunteering on an on-going basis – we’re at the crux of the campaign, I have no idea how long it will take. I’ll keep going as long as it takes to stop the pulp mill. The good thing about the Wilderness Society is that it’s nationwide, there’s always another battle to help fight.

We’ve got to stop this pulp mill. It’s inappropriate for the location and threatens our impressive and precious old growth forests. The Tasmanian government shows no inclination towards protecting these forests despite previous promises. I think the mill will be stopped, even if it takes grandmas tied to trees.

I talked to Sarah on June 16, 2007. The pulp mill rally the following weekend attracted more than 20,000 people.