Kathleen keeps on fighting

Sunshine Coast Weekly 11 April 1984

KATHLEEN KEEPS ON FIGHTING, by Garry West

Advancing years have calmed Caloundra’s environmental watchdog Kathleen McArthur, but they have not reduced the strength of her convictions. At 68, she is just as firmly committed to protecting the natural environment as ever.

Her home of the last 41 years gives an insight into this author, painter and environmentalist. The two-storey wooden house is within earshot of the Kings Beach breakers and the yard is overgrown because she prefers to leave it in its natural state. Kathleen sits in her living room where books and other literature are stacked high on crammed shelves. Sea-shells line the top of an open window through which the ocean breeze blows.

Surrounded by papers relating to Pumicestone Passage, she says: ‘I used to be very emotionally disturbed but I realised it was self-destructive. I am calmer now, but then again I am a lot older. But emotionalism is very necessary to give people the drive to act. I have always tried to play it low key because when you become a name, people are more interested in you than your message.’

Kathleen could not keep her name out of the 1969 campaign against mining of the Cooloola coloured sands. She also gave evidence at a hearing on the issue. The campaign involved the printing of postcards which were sent to the Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen and the end result was victory––declaration of the Cooloola National Park.

Such experiences have taught her a few lessons. ‘Keep the issue simple and clear. Don’t confuse it with separate issues. There are a lot of conservationists who are irrational. They want everything at once.’

Her last eight years have been devoted to, among other interests, studying coastal management and estuary ecology. A proposal to declare a marine park in Pumicestone Passage is her major talking point at the moment. And she can talk about it for hours. Her research involved wading through a 1600-page government committee’s report on environment and conservation, and other literature. In a submission to the State Co-ordinator General she will oppose the proposal. She says fish life is protected under the current fisheries habitat and wetlands reserves, but if the Passage is declared a marine park it could be used for multiple purposes.

Kathleen has been observing the Passage ever since her family started holidaying at Caloundra, where she delighted in climbing among the rock pools and swimming.

Passage Battle Looms

But annual holidays were not enough. She visited Caloundra almost every weekend when she was old enough to drive. ‘When I went overseas after I got married I think I was homesick for Caloundra––not Brisbane,’ she says.

She watched the destruction of frontal sand dunes at Kings Beach following the removal of wire fences soon after World War Two. Angered by the destruction of part of the beach she loved, she fought a lone losing battle to preserve the dunes. That taught her another lesson. ‘An individual cannot do much alone,’ she explains. ‘With politicians it’s numbers that count. You would condemn this sort of thing, but it’s done out of ignorance. They never seem to ask for any advice.’

Kathleen cannot pinpoint who shaped her environmental instincts although her father was a marine engineer. ‘I think it’s just me,’ is her explanation.

A 1961 trip to the United States to paint wildflowers rekindled her interest in the environment. She read a paper on wetlands ecology by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the United States’ oldest conservation society. Her interest in waterways has blossomed.

She is a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Noosa Parks Association, Caloundra Branch of the Queensland Wildlife Association [Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland], the Sydney-based Coast and Wetlands Society, a life member of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the David Stead Memorial Foundation, Caloundra Lunch-hour Theatre and Sunshine Coast Wildflower Society.

Her published works include The Bush in Bloom, Queensland Wildflowers, Pumicestone Passage––A Living Waterway, A Living River––The Noosa, and A Living Beach.

Kathleen travels the countryside painting wildflowers, constantly researches subjects and reads literature which arrives in her mail box. She is currently writing a follow-up to The Bush in Bloom. She also runs lunch-hour theatres in schools and in the Caloundra Committee for the Ageing hall. How does she find the time? ‘I don’t have much of a social life,’ she explains. ‘But it interests me––it’s my life.’

[This front page article contains two photos, one captioned ‘Kathleen McArthur––still firmly committed to the environment.’ and the other, ‘Kathleen McArthur in the garden of her Kings Beach home where she has lived for 41 years. Time has calmed her, but she is still committed to protecting the environment. Her latest project is the Pumicestone Passage marine park proposal.’]


	Home Who is Kathleen McArthur? Introducing Kathleen A book of Queensland wildflowers Practising what she preaches Kathleen keeps on fighting Sunshine Coast Citizen of the Century Engage Engaging the community Painting with purpose Introduction Inspiration The paintings Banding together Writing for the newspapers Showing and telling Educate The power of education Newspapers Lunch Theatre Working with Golden Beach State School The books Energise Energising the community Growing and showing Campaigning Environmental advocacy Cooloola The Pumicestone Passage Beach protection Volunteering Past and future Reflecting on the past Disappearing species Vanishing habitat Currimundi Park When the mind opens Sources
	Kathleen keeps on fighting Sunshine Coast Weekly 11 April 1984 KATHLEEN KEEPS ON FIGHTING, by Garry West Advancing years have calmed Caloundra’s environmental watchdog Kathleen McArthur, but they have not reduced the strength of her convictions. At 68, she is just as firmly committed to protecting the natural environment as ever. Her home of the last 41 years gives an insight into this author, painter and environmentalist. The two-storey wooden house is within earshot of the Kings Beach breakers and the yard is overgrown because she prefers to leave it in its natural state. Kathleen sits in her living room where books and other literature are stacked high on crammed shelves. Sea-shells line the top of an open window through which the ocean breeze blows. Surrounded by papers relating to Pumicestone Passage, she says: ‘I used to be very emotionally disturbed but I realised it was self-destructive. I am calmer now, but then again I am a lot older. But emotionalism is very necessary to give people the drive to act. I have always tried to play it low key because when you become a name, people are more interested in you than your message.’ Kathleen could not keep her name out of the 1969 campaign against mining of the Cooloola coloured sands. She also gave evidence at a hearing on the issue. The campaign involved the printing of postcards which were sent to the Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen and the end result was victory––declaration of the Cooloola National Park. Such experiences have taught her a few lessons. ‘Keep the issue simple and clear. Don’t confuse it with separate issues. There are a lot of conservationists who are irrational. They want everything at once.’ Her last eight years have been devoted to, among other interests, studying coastal management and estuary ecology. A proposal to declare a marine park in Pumicestone Passage is her major talking point at the moment. And she can talk about it for hours. Her research involved wading through a 1600-page government committee’s report on environment and conservation, and other literature. In a submission to the State Co-ordinator General she will oppose the proposal. She says fish life is protected under the current fisheries habitat and wetlands reserves, but if the Passage is declared a marine park it could be used for multiple purposes. Kathleen has been observing the Passage ever since her family started holidaying at Caloundra, where she delighted in climbing among the rock pools and swimming. Passage Battle Looms But annual holidays were not enough. She visited Caloundra almost every weekend when she was old enough to drive. ‘When I went overseas after I got married I think I was homesick for Caloundra––not Brisbane,’ she says. She watched the destruction of frontal sand dunes at Kings Beach following the removal of wire fences soon after World War Two. Angered by the destruction of part of the beach she loved, she fought a lone losing battle to preserve the dunes. That taught her another lesson. ‘An individual cannot do much alone,’ she explains. ‘With politicians it’s numbers that count. You would condemn this sort of thing, but it’s done out of ignorance. They never seem to ask for any advice.’ Kathleen cannot pinpoint who shaped her environmental instincts although her father was a marine engineer. ‘I think it’s just me,’ is her explanation. A 1961 trip to the United States to paint wildflowers rekindled her interest in the environment. She read a paper on wetlands ecology by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the United States’ oldest conservation society. Her interest in waterways has blossomed. She is a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Noosa Parks Association, Caloundra Branch of the Queensland Wildlife Association [Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland], the Sydney-based Coast and Wetlands Society, a life member of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the David Stead Memorial Foundation, Caloundra Lunch-hour Theatre and Sunshine Coast Wildflower Society. Her published works include The Bush in Bloom, Queensland Wildflowers, Pumicestone Passage––A Living Waterway, A Living River––The Noosa, and A Living Beach. Kathleen travels the countryside painting wildflowers, constantly researches subjects and reads literature which arrives in her mail box. She is currently writing a follow-up to The Bush in Bloom. She also runs lunch-hour theatres in schools and in the Caloundra Committee for the Ageing hall. How does she find the time? ‘I don’t have much of a social life,’ she explains. ‘But it interests me––it’s my life.’ [This front page article contains two photos, one captioned ‘Kathleen McArthur––still firmly committed to the environment.’ and the other, ‘Kathleen McArthur in the garden of her Kings Beach home where she has lived for 41 years. Time has calmed her, but she is still committed to protecting the environment. Her latest project is the Pumicestone Passage marine park proposal.’] Reproduced with permission of Sunshine Coast Newspapers © WPSQ, Sunshine Coast & Hinterland Inc