Kay Bolton recognised for her commitment to Fingal Head
She has long been held in high esteem among environmental and cultural groups on the Tweed Coast. Kay Bolton has now been nationally recognised.
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Kay Bolton has long been held in high esteem on the Tweed Coast.
Now, her dedication to environmental causes in Fingal Head have landed her with the high honour of a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Ms Bolton was among a handful of North Coast residents who received an OAM in the Australia Day Honours.
The list of her contributions to the community is extensive, including her time as president of Fingal Head Coastcare from 2003 until November 2021.
Ms Bolton remains on the committee and is looking forward to impacts of an ongoing project at the headland.
“We maintain 32 hectares of Crown Land and there’s a whole lot of maintenance going on,” Ms Bolton said.
“We have got a major project which is being driven in fact by the new president … restoring the native grasslands on Fingal Headland.”
Grant funding has supported that project, which will involve “low key pathways” to help return the headland to a stronger ecological position.
At times, 200 people an hour have been counted visiting the headland.
“It’s been loved to death,” Ms Bolton said.
“We had to do something to protect it.”
Preserving Fingal Head’s natural environment has been a “long battle”, and a collaborative one.
Ms Bolton said she was “really pleased” but surprised to receive an OAM.
“I do a lot, certainly, but so many do so much,” she said.
Protecting the environment has been a lifelong passion of hers, but her retirement in 2000 gave the former Victorian teacher the time and freedom to focus her efforts.
“It wasn’t really until then I had time to devote to what I really was passionate about,” she said.
Ms Bolton’s contributions to the community have also involved the Fingal Head Community Association, helping establishing a bush tucker garden at Fingal Head Public School and more.
She was NSW champion at the Coastcare Awards in 2017, was inducted into the NSW DPI Hidden Treasures Honour Roll in 2015 and received an Outstanding Contribution Award from Fingal Head Public School in 2014.
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