b'4Chris Pratten (19342024)The Contents of HillcrestChris was the youngest of the three Pratten boys.in the 1960s to form his arboretum, beginning He grew up in the beautiful home Keynshaman extensive tree and shrub planting program. He at Neutral Bay, built by his grandfather, and wasbuilt dams for the ducks and other water birds and educated firstly at Neutral Bay Public School thenplanted hundreds of trees for native wildlife, all the at the Shore School at North Sydney. He loved hiswhile refining his knowledge of soil conservation. school holiday trips on the train to visit Amaroo,Spawned out of a concern and growing awareness the family property at Borenore, west of Orange.of the degradation and demise of the natural He graduated with a Bachelor of Science fromenvironment in the Central West, Chris, together NSW University in 1956, studying wool andwith a small group of like-minded friends, founded pastoral science. He began life as a grazier soonthe Orange Field Naturalist and Conservation after graduating.Society (OFNCS) in 1974. His vision and When the family property, Amaroo, was splitrepresentation also helped foster the formation with his brother Geoff, Chris named his preferredof the Dubbo Field Naturalist and Conservation eastern section Koolewong. He married inSociety which commenced in 1977. All the while 1958 and of the three children from the marriagehe lobbied and wrote many reports for various with Elaine (Stephen, Michael and Jenny),government agencies, made wide-ranging lists of his middle son Michael and family remain atbirds, and compiled extensive lists of native plants Koolewong today.from a range of available habitats. As a young boy, Chris was enthusiastic aboutThese activities built his confidence in identifying conservation, be it native plants, animals,the significant features of areas worthy of birds, soil or built heritage. In his writings aboutprotection. For example, Chris had a specific Amaroo we gain some insight to what madeinterest in the ecology of the Kangarooby and Chris his own man. About his selection of theNangar Ranges, large unconnected pieces of eastern part of the run, he wrote: I am sure thisremnant bushland west of Orange. Using his had nothing to do with the farming or livestockconnections, dogged advocacy and persistent potential of the land, but everything to do withlobbying eventually led to the creation of Conimbla my childhood interests. I always wondered aboutand Nangar National Parks. The gazettal of the copper mine: how deep it was, how muchGoobang National Park came as a later legacy to ore came out of it, and who mined it. I alwayshim and his contemporaries. enjoyed panning for colours of gold From myOver the years Chris realised his drive to student years I was interested in the brave nativeachieving outcomes needed a presence in plants struggling to survive in the inhospitablethe room. He became actively involved in the environment of an eroded Bluebell Paddock. INature Conservation Council (NSW). This led to always wanted to fence the area off and let thehis appointment as the first farmer/naturalist/vegetation recover. This hints at the infancycitizen scientist to the position of its Chair, of a fascination for nature and a curiosity forholding that position during 1978 and 1979. Upon history that evolved seamlessly into his life-longmoving to Sydney Chris took up an appointment conservation philosophy of protecting both theas the Director of the National Trusts Nature natural environment, history and heritage.Conservation initiatives (1984-1989). He was a Chris was one of the first farmers to set asidelongtime member of the National Trust and on the remnant bushland patches for nature conservation.board of Australian Conservation Foundation. He fenced off hundreds of acres of Koolewong'