Andrea Mason

 Principal consultant, Andrea Mason, has over 25 years’ experience in the environmental and sustainability sector. 

Andrea's belief that we are all connected led her into the fields of environmental management, sustainable living and community education.

Sustainable Building

Long before it was fashionable to do so, Andrea was very hands-on in the design and building of her sustainable family home based on solar principles including north facing aspect for winter warmth and thermal mass, shading for summer sun, double glazed windows, insulation, good draught proofing, solar hot water and photovoltaic panels.

Since then she has turned her passion into a career - previously working at the Central Victoria Solar City project in community engagement and marketing for a range of sustainable packages for householders plus the Bendigo and Ballarat Solar Parks, training in home sustainability assessment and the home star rating system, First Rate.

Our Environment  

For over 11 years Andrea shared a position at the Leigh Catchment Group, which is a network of Landcare groups focussed on protecting and enhancing the local environment, and was responsible for all aspects of strategic planning, stakeholder relations, funding submissions, communications and project management necessary to deliver over $1.8 million of biodiversity projects. We developed and maintained relationships with Landcare groups, community and all partners (investors, landholders, policy makers) including all levels of government. We were also an important resource for the groups and volunteers that we supported. 

Key to our success was one:one landholder contact - helping them sucessfully achieve the treeplanting and onground outcomes on their property.

We delivered revegetation projects, community education and field days in rural, rural/urban and urban sector plus student education at primary, secondary and tertiary level.

Since then Andrea has continued on the Board of Leigh Catchment Group, supporting their many environmental and catchment initiatives.

Project Experience

During Andrea’s career in natural resource management and sustainability she has developed excellent communication and community engagement skills. These are enhanced by fluency in several ‘languages’ including sustainability, housing, renewable energy, natural resource management, science, strategic planning, marketing and partnerships with government, business and communities, both rural and urban. 

Andrea has well developed technical skills and experience in many computer programs including Word, Excel, Photoshop, database, GIS mapping and website management.

Formal Qualifications

Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Biology

Home Sustainability Assessor

First Rate 5 (Building Thermal Performance Assessor)

Cert IV TAE 40110 Training and Assessment

Board Experience

Current: 

• Director, Buninyong & District Financial Services Ltd, (Buninyong Community Bank)
• Board Member, former Establishment Committee Chair, Bunanyung Landscape Alliance
  
• Chair, Australian Landcare International
• Upper Williamson's Creek Landcare Group

Previous:

• Board Member, former Chair, Leigh Catchment Group, Landcare Network
• Buninyong Community Township Development Reference Group
• Friends of Royal Park, Buninyong Community Garden
• Regional Sustainability Alliance Ballarat
• Victorian Landcare Network (Chair)