Artist’s Bushcare volunteer efforts ‘brought out Picasso’

The Birrong resident, who first volunteered for Bushcare during her studies in Natural History Illustration to find inspiration for her botanical masterpieces, has joined Mayor Khal Asfour in encouraging other residents to get on board.
The Mayor wants “all locals to roll up their sleeves and do their bit to help our natural landscape thrive”.
“Canterbury Bankstown has a rich, diverse and unique natural environment, that we all must nurture and care for,” he said.
Volunteering for Bushcare has taught Ms Chau more than she could ever learn from a textbook.
“Bushcare allowed me to observe the parts of flowers, plants and insects that I would only read about in textbooks. It really brought out the Picasso in me,” she said.
“And from expert birdwatchers to those skilled in environmental management, you get to volunteer with people who have a wealth of knowledge about the environment.”
When out on Bushcare expeditions, Ms Chau hunts for exquisite plants and animals that she can replicate in her botanical drawings and sculptures. She’s created intricate, hand-made, lemon myrtle cards, painted Macedonias with watercolour, and even built a 3D paper Cockatoo.
Ms Chau says volunteering at Bushcare is a great opportunity to enjoy nature and learn something new.
“You’ll make friends with people who have different skills and improve your knowledge on the environment,” she said.
Volunteers are needed across the 17 locations to help remove weeds, plant native vegetation and maintain wetlands.
For more information or to get involved, visit cb.city/bushcare