Connecting Country staff

Lori Arthur (lori@connectingcountry.org.au)
Director 

Lori joined Connecting Country in early 2023.  She comes to us after working in conservation and land management roles with local governments in Melbourne, collaborating with a range of environmental stakeholders and community groups.  She moved to Castlemaine with her family in late 2020 and is very excited to get involved with a grass roots conservation organisation doing great things in the local community.  She has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Horticulture) with University of Melbourne.  Her office days are Monday- Thursday.  When she’s not working, she’s kept pretty busy with family life, often riding, bushwalking or swimming in and around the local environs with her two young boys and her kelpie, Dusty.

Lori works Monday to Thursday, overseeing Connecting Country’s projects, organisational management and administration.

Bonnie Humphreys (bonnie@connectingcountry.org.au) 
Landscape Restoration Specialist

Bonnie Humphreys joined the Connecting Country team in 2011. She grew up in Bendigo and Castlemaine and has completed her Diploma in Conservation and Land Management at Bendigo TAFE. Bonnie has a special interest in native flora and weed ecology, and an extensive knowledge of local plants. Her current work includes on ground site assessments of landscapes within the Mount Alexander Shire. These assessments will help determine the best ways to protect and manage remnant vegetation.

Bonnie works on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hadley Cole (hadley@connectingcountry.org.au)
Landcare Facilitator

Hadley lives in Guildford with her young family and has been actively involved in local community-based projects in the Guildford area. She is passionate about conservation of local landscapes and enjoys spending time in the garden and in nature. After completing a Bachelor of Conservation Biology and Ecology, she worked in the non-government environment sector and with the former Victorian Department of Primary Industries in Bendigo. Hadley is delighted to be part of the Connecting Country team as Landcare Facilitator for the Mount Alexander region and is excited to be working with and supporting our local Landcare groups. She believes strongly in the power of community, and values the knowledge and passion volunteers bring to local conservation projects.

Hadley works at Connecting Country on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Ivan Carter (ivan@connectingcountry.org.au)
Engagement Coordinator

Ivan has worked in environmental management and community engagement roles with state government and private enterprises over the past two decades. He brings a strong background in environmental science, community engagement, event management, reporting and project management. Ivan has run a small environmental consulting business and been Communications and Engagement Officer for a small environmental community group. He’s run stakeholder forums, workshops and field days, produced landowner and roadside signs, and prepared reports, media articles and communications products. Ivan manages social media pages for two other community groups, and a website for the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party. You may have heard him interviewed on local radio and ABC Country Hour!

Ivan lives in the Daylesford area with his young family, and has a passion for soccer and food gardening. He is based at Connecting Country on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Anna Senior (anna@connectingcountry.org.au)
Ecological Project Officer

Anna (she/her) is a terrestrial ecologist with experience working in environmental management for state government and private sectors throughout eastern Australia. She has a passion for the conservation of lesser-known species, particularly reptiles. Her PhD explored the conservation biology and ecology of some of Victoria’s rarest lizards; the guthega skink, mountain skink and swamp skink. She lives in Castlemaine with her partner and enjoys working in the garden and looking after their ever-growing menagerie of bantam chooks.

Anna is coordinating our woodland bird and nest box monitoring projects, and providing additional project support at Connecting Country from Monday to Thursday.