Vale John Brame, a champion of ecological restoration on the Fleurieu Peninsula

The Fleurieu Peninsula (South of Adelaide, and home to critically endangered Fleurieu Swamps) has lost someone of central importance to the restoration of its rare and threatened ecosystems. John Brame died suddenly in December, at home with his partner Andrea Jenkins, aged just 65.

John’s business, Fleurieu Natives, has provided the plants for countless revegetation projects across the region, including Fleurieu Peninsula Swamp revegetation at Stipiturus CP, Hesperilla CP and, most recently, at Mt Compass Area School swamp. John pioneered propagation methods for a number of rare and threatened plant species in the region, critically important work to help conserve these species by boosting their numbers in the wild.

John (and Andrea) have been active members of the Friends of Stipiturus and Hesperilla Conservation Parks (and new members are most welcome) and the Fleurieu Swamp Restoration Network.

John’s deep, lifelong commitment to protecting and restoring nature will be sadly missed. His life was honoured with a ceremony on 30th December at the Nangkita property he shared with Andrea and from where he ran the Fleurieu Natives nursery. Around 200 people gathered in this beautiful setting on the Tookayerta Creek, surrounded by John’s work, and listened to many moving and often humorous stories of John’s life, the sights and sounds of nature providing a fitting backdrop to honour a life well lived.

Deepest condolences to Andrea and John’s family.