Bill Hollingworth

Joined the Board of Management in 2024

Bill is a Great Southern region local who grew up on the family farm in Denbarker. He started a forestry career with the WA Forests Dept in Manjimup and Dwellingup for several years, then returned to agriculture on his farm south of Mount Barker. A production nursery was added to the enterprise, which developed and grew rapidly. The production nursery supplied containerised seedlings to the plantation industry and Landcare species for rehabilitation projects. This nursery supplied seedlings across southern Australia for blue gum, revegetation and oil mallee plantations. Wetland species, vegetable seedlings and a retail section for the public were set up as the nursery diversified. The nursery outgrew its water supply, and another production nursery was developed at Green Valley just north of the Albany Airport.

The nursery business was sold in 2019, but the consulting side was retained, and Bill continued to advise the forestry, agriculture, and horticulture industries and work as an auditor for Soils Association (UK) in the Forestry Stewardship Council Certification programs.

Bill recently became an Extension officer for WA and NT with Greenlife Industry Australia, which coincided with a family move to the Perth region in late 2024. Bill is looking forward to working with production nurseries and allied industries to build skills for best management practises through the NIASA, EcoHort, and BioSecure HACCP programs.

Over the years, Bill contributed to several community boards and committees, including the Chair of Timber 2020, the Chair of South Coast NRM and NRMWA boards, a councillor for the Shire of Plantagenet and then the City of Albany, plus a member of both the Wilson Inlet and Oyster Harbour Catchment Committees. Bill joined the board of Green Skills Inc. in 2024 and looks forward to contributing to the governance of the organisation’s broad-scale environmental work.