Celebrating the remarkable life of a dear friend and defender of nature
Geoffrey Arthur Durham OAM 1931-2025
The VNPA team honours the life of an incredible champion for nature.
VNPA’s staff and many supporters were saddened to hear of Geoff’s death on Saturday 15 Nov 2025, aged 94.
The following words are a compilation from Executive Director, Matt Ruchel, and those presented by Doug Humann AM (VNPA Executive Director 1989-97) at a celebration of Geoff’s life held on Monday 1 December.
Geoff was an absolute stalwart for the protection of parks and nature in Victoria. He made an enormous contribution to the Victorian National Parks Association through a range of our programs and associated initiatives including as a member from 1959, Councillor, President, bushwalking leader, Park Watch article author and much more. (See list below).
Doug Humann writes:
To quote VNPA past president, Stephen Johnston, ‘Geoff was VNPA’s wise, elder statesman who cared deeply for the organisation and the fulfilment of all its environmental objectives and whose words therefore carried great weight’.
Geoff cultivated the VNPA family and embodied the spirit of VNPA like no other. His second office was at the law firm, Hall & Wilcox where he worked as a Partner. His first was that of VNPA which he came to frequently first thing in the morning, over lunch and often after work. He was all of intimidating, exacting, no-nonsense, passionate, logical, and constructive. We periodically disagreed, and we had great discussions, and he always had my back.
Geoff had an abiding interest in nature and outdoor activity. He understood the generational connections and lifetime commitments that underwrite community-based conservation. Through his connections to VNPA’s origins, and his own knowledge and wisdom he carried the flame for future generations.
James Ensor, who was both a campaigner and then President of VNPA 1998-2001, remarked that Geoff, with contemporaries such as Dick Johnson, Joan Lindros and Stephen Johnston ‘combined passion, principle and decency to transform the VNPA into a grassroots and politically influential conservation powerhouse in the 1980’s and 1990’s’.
Geoff connected people with nature in any way he could: whether through Friends of Parks groups, his ‘Walk, Talk and Gawks’, work in the office or on administrative matters, or through publications, both his own and those of VNPA’s publications team of which he was an integral part. He did all those things himself, that he encouraged others to do, to become involved at VNPA and to meet its objectives.
Geoff knew, or at least was aware of, pretty much anything going on in parks. He was knowledgeable and respectful of the science, operations and governance of parks based on lived experience and wide engagement and reading. He respected people at every level and particularly public servants doing the heavy yards under changing governments. He was a major asset in VNPA’s engagement with government.
Former Executive Director, Amanda Martin remarked: ‘Geoff had brilliant judgement of character and situations and while he was no diplomat he was an effective negotiator.’
In fact, Geoff was a sheep in wolf’s clothing. His laugh, enthusiasm and passion were infectious.
Geoff Durham – early morning at Wonga Campground in Wyperfeld National Park, June 2017
Geoff’s broader contribution is both immediately evident by his various public roles and achievements, including an extended stint on the government’s principle advisory body for national parks, the National Parks Advisory Council, but also by his apparently incidental but time-consuming efforts in other ways outlined (see below).
Geoff spent many years leading the management of ‘Wanderslore’ a magnificent property at Launching Place. Owner, Constance Coleman, inherited Wanderslore and through Geoff’s encouragement donated the property for its long-term protection to the Victorian Conservation Trust (now Trust for Nature). Constance had inspired Geoff as a student, and he retained a lifelong connection with her. After Constance died in 1990 Geoff became convenor of the Friends of Wanderslore and worked tirelessly to keep the site healthy and well known to the wider community, for 30 years.
Werribee Gorge was a park and area of lifetime interest to Geoff. Here his life at VNPA goes full circle: from the decision to join the VNPA after a walk in the Werribee Gorge in 1959, to conversations about furthering park protection there in 2024 – 65 years of interest and care!
The Victorian parks system and the care of our natural environment has been the envy of Australia and Geoff helped make it such. Countless people have benefitted from his support and wisdom and we all tackle things differently and are influenced because of knowing Geoff, his analysis, his standing, honesty and integrity, his loyalty, his humility and his authenticity.
The parks’ estate in Victoria needs more ‘Geoff’s’ right now and his passing reminds all of us of the need to continue to stand up and speak up. Like you all, I am the richer for knowing Geoff as a colleague and friend and carry his legacy. If I were to reach for a single person who epitomises generational commitment and dedication, it is Geoff. We and Victoria owe him a great debt.
Our thoughts are with Geoff’s daughters, Sue and Robyn Durham, and his extended family and friends.
- Joined VNPA as a member in 1959.
- Council member from 1974–2000 – 26 years!
- VNPA President from 1978-1981.
- Active member of the Bushwalking and Activities Group (now Bushwalking Program), leading over 379 bushwalks, ‘Walk, Talk and Gawk’ events, ‘Daylight Saving Strolls’ and in later years, ‘Easy Going Ambles’.
- Very active in the formation and support of Friends groups around the State. He was involved in establishing the Victorian Environmental Friends Network and along with Leon Costermans, for 8 years he produced a quarterly newsletter in which there was a section called ‘Geoff’s Group Grapevine’.
- Received the VNPA Best Friend Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2020.
- Active member of the Friends of Wyperfeld National Park from 1976 until 2024.
- Wrote the comprehensive book: Wyperfeld – Australia’s First Mallee National Park book published by Friends of Wyperfeld National Park Inc in 2001.
- Established the Friends of Red Gum Triangle (St Kilda) and attended twice weekly pulling out weeds and picking up rubbish.
- Geoff wrote an extraordinary 88 articles over 23 years for Park Watch magazine, up to March 2024 about his visits to Victoria’s protected areas.
- And many other wonderful things…