Noosa mourns the passing of Cecily Fearnley, Noosa’s dedicated and proud conservationist. Over the past 66 years, long before the term eco-warrior was coined, her love for the natural world profoundly influenced the development of Noosa and surrounds. Noosa is famous for the unique ambience our close interactions with the natural world bestows. This joy is Cecily’s legacy to her community.
Born in 1925, Cecily’s parents instilled in her a love of the natural world and an abiding desire to know more while still a child in suburban Brisbane. Many weekends were spent bushwalking, with the mountains of the Scenic Rim and Binna Burra her favourite haunts.
Cecily finished school while World War II raged and her older, extended family and friends were risking their lives fighting overseas. She was determined to contribute to the war effort and worked for the US army drawing maps for Allied pilots of Japanese-held targets in the Dutch East Indies.
War ended, with the opportunity for Cecily to recommence her love of the natural world. As luck would have it, she was sketching nature while on an outing to Redcliffe when a man noticed her drawing. He was the director of the Queensland Museum and was looking for an artist to draw specimens. Her work as a museum artist commenced, leading to overseas travel and work through post-war Europe and the British Isles.
Returning to Australia, Cecily became a founding member of the Brisbane Bushwalkers Club. Her friendship with a fellow member and naturalist was rekindled, having met many years earlier while climbing Mountain Tibrogargan. Jim became the love of her life, cemented by marriage in 1953 and the arrival of four children: Celia, Jonathan, Roger and Anna.
In 1956, shortly after their wedding, Jim and Cecily purchased a seaside cottage at Little Cove beginning a tradition of cherished family holidays, which later became their retirement home. For the following 66 years, they worked tirelessly to ensure development sympathetic to Noosa’s natural environment.
Their dedication to the protection of Noosa’s natural heritage began simply. Cecily started a bird observers group, and with Dr Arthur Harold led monthly walks exploring surrounding bushland.
Cecily and Jim’s commitment to preservation of the local flora and fauna grew when plans to build a road around Noosa National Park’s coastline were mooted. They joined with other like-minded and determined locals to stand up for the environment, forming Noosa Parks Association, and successfully lobbied against the proposal. This was the first of many significant wins for the protection of Noosa’s beloved natural beauty.
With the continued push of developers to clear the natural habitat of Noosa and surrounds, Jim decided political action was the only way to make a difference. He ran for council in 1978, topped the polls, becoming the first person elected on a conservation-based policy.
Jim and Noosa Parks Association’s political strategies at local and state government levels were instrumental in the southern extension of Noosa National Park to include the whole of stunning Alexandra Bay. He also played a key role in the limiting of high-rise development to treetop-height allowing Noosa to keep its unique laid-back ambience and natural beauty.
While Jim used politics to protect the environment Cecily chose her own talent; education. She began writing a weekly newspaper column “Noosa Nature”, accompanied with her own sketches of local flora and fauna. The baton was passed onto others after 30 years and 1500 articles, and several popular books.
For her work protecting the environment Cecily was awarded a raft of awards including Queensland Naturalist of the Year in 2001 and Noosa Council’s Australia Day Award and Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award in 2004.
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Cecily’s other legacy combined her interest in her community and her impressive ability to speak prepared or impromptu. She took on many and varied leadership roles in local organisations.
Cecily’s community roles usually entailed detailed and diligent organisation; be they people, places or things, and always with her trademark smile and warm welcome. The groups, to name a few, included Noosa Bird Observers Group, Noosa SES, Noosa Arts, the Penguin Club and Cooroy and District Historical Society.
Cecily passed away peacefully just short of her 97th birthday. She is survived by her four children, 11 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.
Due to Covid limitations a private funeral will be held at 10am Friday 28 January. The service will be available for viewing on Zoom latrobe.zoom.us/j/88113773656
In lieu of flowers, a donation to Noosa Parks Association to help with their on-going work to protect Cecily’s beloved natural world will be very much appreciated (www.noosaparks.org.au).
