Key figure: Bill O’Kane died, surrounded by family on Monday, March 7.
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Former Goulburn Valley natural resources leader Bill O’Kane has died.
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Mr O’Kane died in Shepparton on Monday, March 7, in the company of his family.
Mr O’Kane is a former chief executive of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and played a pivotal role in its foundational years.
Rural born, he had understood the needs of the agricultural base for the region, while appreciating a growing awareness for the environment, and had a reputation for being able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds.
Former colleague Jeremy Gaylard, who worked with Mr O’Kane in the early days of the Salinity Program Advisory Council, said the Goulburn Valley had lost a powerful figure in natural resource management.
The region only recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Shepparton Irrigation Region Land and Water Management Plan, which Mr O’Kane oversaw amid rising community anxiety over rising water tables and salinity.
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