Chris Norman has left the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority after 10 years to take up a position in Queensland, so colleagues and friends gathered to record their thanks at a dinner at The Woolshed.
Indigenous elder Neville Atkinson remarked on Mr Norman's support and initiatives during a time of great change when good relationships with the indigenous community were essential to make progress.
CMA chair Helen Reynolds said Mr Norman's ability to establish and develop relationships with stakeholders and colleagues in the catchment field resulted in better outcomes for the authority.
She said he established high standards and demonstrated strong leadership and a caring attitude to staff.
“He is leaving with the knowledge he has built a dynamic and capable organisation,” Ms Reynolds said.
Community leader David McKenzie remarked on Mr Norman's ability to bring people together and to travel with them.
He also remarked on Mr Norman's penchant for thoroughbreds and his knack of bringing together friends into ownership syndicates, which seemed to spend a fair amount of time on the slow ones.
He recalled his first experience with a horse that broke out with disorders so often it rarely got to race and it was replaced by one offered for free.
“That should have been a red flag for us,” Mr McKenzie said, tongue in cheek.
Mr Norman will become chief executive officer of Natural Resources Management Regions Queensland, based initially in Brisbane, and starting on February 17.
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