Our Board

Hunter Local Land Services is governed by a board of local people.

Board members work closely with landholders and local communities to identify and deliver services that are relevant to local needs.

Local boards are comprised of a mix of Ministerially-appointed and elected board members who bring a wealth of skills, experience and commitment to the organisation.

The Chair and three board members are appointed by the Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales while the remaining three board members are elected by Local Land Services ratepayers.

Together they focus on the strategic direction of the organisation, promoting the services offered, encouraging partnerships and building strong relationships with investors while also communicating the priorities and concerns of customers to local boards.

Section 29 of the Local Land Services Act 2013 sets out the functions of local boards. They are legally binding and should be interpreted as the definitive reference regarding the role of local boards.

Chair

Tony Hegarty, Cassilis

Tony has over 40 years’ experience in the agriculture and environmental industries. He is the president of the Cattle Council of Australia. Tony has extensive governance experience and runs a beef and sheep enterprise near Cassilis. This is Tony’s first term as chair after two terms as a member of the Hunter Local Land Services Board.

Appointed Board members

Elizabeth McEntyre, Tea Gardens

Elizabeth is a Worimi and Wonnarua First Nations woman who lives in Tea Gardens. She has a strong community presence as an Aboriginal Elder and Leader. Her background is in Commonwealth and NSW government agencies and Aboriginal community controlled health services. She serves on several boards and has a strong interest in protecting the culture and heritage of the land. This is Elizabeth’s first term on the Hunter Local Land Services Board.

Allison Mudford, Cassilis

Alli is passionate about agriculture, sustainability and rural communities. She brings a deep understanding of the agriculture sector and catchment health issues facing rural and remote communities having lived and worked in rural Victoria and NSW her whole life. She also has skills in state-wide policy making and program delivery. Alli, her husband and young family run a mixed farming enterprise at Cassilis. Alli was appointed to the Hunter Local Land Services Board in 2019.

Robyn Parker, Terrigal

Robyn has a deep understanding of the Hunter region and it’s diverse agricultural and environmental landscapes. Robyn brings a unique, strong and well-established network of contacts and relationships to Hunter Local Land Services. Robyn has over 30 years of public sector experience and served in the NSW Parliament for 12 years serving first as a Member of the Legislative Council followed by four years as the Member for Maitland. Robyn was appointed to the Hunter Local Land Services Board in 2019.

Elected Board members

Art Brown, Crawford River

Art has a stud and commercial beef cattle enterprise at Crawford River on the Mid North Coast. He has an interest in improved productivity and the control of invasive species and weeds. Art's professional background spanned 43 years including as an executive in the financial markets and services sector, focussing on risk, change management and process re-engineering with an MBA (Project Management). This is Art’s second term on the Hunter Local Land Services Board.

Deborah Willis, Lansdowne

Deborah has been farming her own property at Lansdowne near Taree for 35 years. Her business encompasses a dairy operation, timber harvesting and sawn products as well as a beef enterprise. She is passionate about the importance of agriculture and its role in long term sustainability for Australia. Deborah has 20 years of experience in rural industry representation, including state farming organisations and weeds advisory committees. This is Deborah’s second term on the Hunter Local Land Services Board.

Jamie Andrews, Gloucester

Jamie is the owner and manager of a self-replacing Angus-cross enterprise at Gloucester, run across several properties. Jamie is a founding member of the Gloucester Beef Network which promotes the beef industry in the Manning area. Jamie is passionate about sustainable farming practices and is very involved in his local community. He and his family have hosted a number of field days in conjunction with Local Land Services. This is his first term on the Hunter Local Land Services Board.