Supporting communities and the natural environment of Melbourne’s west.
NatureWest is a not-for-profit Environmental Group operating in the Local Government Areas of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Melton and Wyndham.
Vision
To enhance biodiversity values within Melbournes western fringe.
The NatureWest Team
Robert Szatkowski
Chair
Robert Szatkowski is the Chair of NatureWest and a Wyndham City Councillor representing Brinbeal Ward. He has lived in Melbourne’s west since 1986, growing up and going to school in Wyndham, and has spent much of his life working with community organisations across local government, sport, social enterprise and environmental advocacy.
Robert brings strong environmental leadership to NatureWest. He is the former Chair of Wyndham City Council’s Climate Futures and Environment Portfolio, the current President of the Association of Bayside Municipalities, and a member of the Victorian Labor Environment Policy Committee. Through these roles, he has worked on issues including climate action, coastal protection, biodiversity, local environmental planning and stronger regional advocacy for Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne’s western shoreline.
Robert’s connection to NatureWest has grown through his love and support for Coastcare and Landcare programs across Melbourne’s west. He sees NatureWest as a natural extension of the work he cares about most: helping people feel they belong, connecting communities to place, and protecting the natural environments that make the west special.
He believes conservation groups have a unique ability to bring people together across age, culture and background. For Robert, the western shoreline, grasslands, wetlands and waterways are among Melbourne’s most undervalued natural wonders. His goal as Chair is to help NatureWest grow its visibility, support local volunteer groups, and make it easier for more people to participate more often in nature and environmental care.
His advice to anyone thinking about getting involved is simple: just show up. The best way to care about a place is to spend time in it.
Doug Osborn
Vice Chair
Ever the rebellious teen, Doug eventually returned to ecological restoration after spending decades in corporate Australia making tens of millions of dollars for other people.
Persuaded by his parents that Marine Biology was an “unsuitable” career path, he completed a BSc in Psychology at ANU in Canberra, picking up odd jobs along the way including statistical analysis of wildlife populations and local government finances before briefly bouncing back to Brisbane, then moving to Melbourne on a whim.
Still wondering what happened, Doug later completed a Masters in Ecommerce focused on how organisations can better use information to adapt to a changing world, followed by corporate roles spanning digital transformation, cybersecurity, knowledge management, process design and geospatial intelligence.
Doug is particularly interested in IoT & remote sensing, organisational governance, AI applications in conservation and cancer treatment, and the intersection between ecological restoration and public health. For now.
Bruce Boddington
Secretary
Bruce Boddington has been a central part of NatureWest since 2015 and serves as both Secretary and Coordinator. His passion for conservation grew from witnessing the loss of biodiversity through urban growth and recognising the importance of protecting what remains.
With a career spanning agronomy and decades of success in software development, Bruce brings strong management experience and systems thinking to conservation work. He is known for breaking complex challenges into achievable steps with clear outcomes. He has a particular appreciation for grasslands, which often go unnoticed despite their ecological richness.
Bruce’s role focuses on supporting Friends groups to remain happy, resilient and independent, yet connected to the local community. His advice to new volunteers is simple: step up, do what you can, and trust that small actions matter.
Outside his work with NatureWest, Bruce enjoys nature and portrait photography. He believes education and understanding are essential to helping people care for nature with confidence.
Asif Hussein
Treasurer
Asif is a highly experienced finance and accounting professional with 30+ years of global experience across Australia, the Middle East, and Africa. He is a Fellow of ACCA and IPA, a Registered Tax Agent, and a certified Xero and QuickBooks advisor, with additional qualifications in international auditing and financial reporting. He also holds a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL).
He has a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Audit and completed his ACCA in Nairobi. Since 2012, he has led AMH Accounting Experts in Melbourne, providing a full range of accounting, tax, and business advisory services. His prior roles include senior finance positions in Kenya, Dubai, and beyond.
Beyond his profession, Asif is active in the community. He has been involved with the Werribee Table Tennis Association since 2016, serving on its board since 2018, and contributes as a photographer for local organisations. His interests include sport, nature, community engagement, and sustainability.
Paula McGlashan
Board Member
Paula has a great passion and energy for urban environmental projects. She has recently completed a Conservation and Ecology Management course at the Gordon TAFE. Paula is a founding member of Wyndham Wildlife Gardens and now runs workshops inspiring locals to increase native habitat in their backyards using her own garden as a success story, a naturalist, and conservationist with an interest in the Volcanic Plains ecosystems.
Susie Inglis
Education Coordinator
Susie has worked in conservation for over 25 years. Initially studying at The Victorian School of Forestry in Creswick; working in the first Park Ranger role at Hobsons Bay City Council, supporting ‘Friends of’ groups; also establishing an education program for schools and the wider community.
After 12 years in these roles Susie broadened her experience by becoming Western Melbourne Catchments Network’s (now NatureWest) first Landcare facilitator, working on Melbourne’s urban fringe. Early childhood and primary education studies led to her current role, of Landcare Educator, and the development of a school-based program, introducing primary school students and their teachers to the value of urban biodiversity.
Susie has a lifelong connection to Nairm (Port Phillip Bay) and surrounding natural landscapes, shaped by childhood wanderings along the Altona shoreline, which has fuelled a keen interest in sharing her knowledge of the natural world with the next generation, particularly children growing up in multicultural communities, ensuring they feel a sense of belonging to Australia’s landscapes.
Susie also shares her knowledge of volunteering and community engagement, with NatureWest’s special interest groups (SIGS); Coastcare Point Cook, Marine Care Point Cooke and Wildlife Gardeners, to support capacity building and to strengthen their agency.
Susie Gerraty
Landcare Facilitator
Susie Gerraty is a Landcare Facilitator at NatureWest, specialising in native plants and grasslands. With a background in education and natural resource management, she supports community groups across Hobsons Bay and Brimbank to care for local land in realistic, achievable ways.
Susie previously worked in grasslands conservation in Whittlesea, with NatureLinks, and at Western Plains Flora, one of Victoria’s leading Indigenous nurseries. Susie is loved for her positive approach; focusing on steady effort, shared learning, and celebrating small wins.
She is passionate about the Victorian volcanic plains grasslands, one of Australia’s most endangered ecosystems, and believes education is key to helping people understand and care for them. As a facilitator, Susie is a great connector between groups, sharing knowledge and helping communities become self-sustaining.
Outside work, Susie is always gardening, building pond habitats, and encouraging neighbours to plant for Australian wildlife. Her vision is for Melbourne’s west to be a place where everyday nature strips, gardens, and creeks support life.
Charlotte Williamson
Landcare Facilitator
Charlotte is a Landcare Facilitator at NatureWest, working with community groups in Melton and Wyndham to protect and restore local land and waterways. She also delivers environmental education programs that support people to understand and care for their local environment.
Her background includes nearly two decades of work in wildlife conservation, land management, and conservation ecology. Volunteering has played a key role in shaping her career and deepening her connection to place.
Charlotte is especially passionate about waterways and coastal ecosystems, which are often unseen but vital to life. A defining moment in her journey was seeing her first wild platypus while camping in the Otways.
Outside of work, Charlotte enjoys snorkelling, surfing, gardening, and camping. She also volunteers with her local Landcare group and the CFA. Charlotte encourages anyone interested in conservation to get involved through volunteering as a way to learn, connect, and belong.
Board Positions
Join Us
The NatureWest board meets monthly to discuss current and new projects. We welcome new members to join our commitee meetings to add their perspective to our projects. Please email David at chair@naturewest.au for more information on our next meeting date.