Our Committee
Our 2025- 2026 committee is
Mike Ewing, Robyn Benken, Valdene Diprose, Martin Gelgyn, Sue Freeth, Marion Ewing, Mike Gregson, Helen Kanakis, Rob Thomas and Chilla Bulbeck (Council Rep).
We don’t have a photo of the current committee yet (coming soon!). Most of the current committee is in the 2022-2023 photo on the left. Our new committee members Helen Kanakis and Rob Thomas are on the right with Robyn.
2022-2023 Committee
Back: Frauke Chambers, Valdene Diprose, Juliet Renwick, Julie Cox, Robyn Benken, Martin Gelgyn, Sue Freeth, Russell King.
Front: Chilla Bulbeck (Council Rep), Marion Ewing, Mike Ewing, Mike Gregson.
Cottesloe Coastcare’s management committee is made up of the following members along with a Councillor who represents the Town of Cottesloe. As at September 2025 our committee is:
- Chair: Mike Ewing
- Vice Chair: Robyn Benken
- Secretary: Vacant
- Treasurer: Marion Ewing
- Committee members: Valdene Diprose, Sue Freeth, Martin Gelgyn, Mike Gregson, Helen Kanakis, Rob Thomas.
- Council Representative: Councillor Chilla Bulbeck.
The Town’s Environmental Coordinator, Adeline Morrissey, works closely with the committee in implementing the Town’s Natural Areas Management Plan. Perth NRM also provides important support through the Natural Areas Alliance.
The Committee meets regularly and its main focus each year is to organise the group’s on-ground work each year. Our activities are guided by our Constitution and our Annual General Meeting is usually held in the middle of the year.
Meet some of our committee members
Professor Mike Ewing is our chair. Mike has been with Cottesloe Coastcare since the beginning and his extensive background in agricultural research has been an important resource in our work using native plants to restore our coastal environment.
“For me it has been very enjoyable to join a group of like-minded people in the task of transforming our coastal sand dunes. Gradually they are changing from an eroding and weedy condition to a stable state that functions ecologically quite like it did in the past. We have demonstrated that the heavy population pressures that we experience in Cottesloe from the diverse array of beach users is not incompatible with a stable and aesthetically pleasing natural coastal landscape, it just takes a lot of effort to get there!”
Robyn Benken has been involved since the early days. She combines a great interest in local plants and animals with a passionate commitment to restore our natural areas.
“George Seddon’s inspiring book Sense of Place (1972) had struck a chord with me. Looking at our degraded coast I decided to join Cottesloe Coastcare and do something about it. I’ve been on the committee for twenty years and I’m still keen, even when the joints ache a bit!”
Valdene Diprose is a long-term resident with a love of Cottesloe’s beaches and native plants.
“I have been a volunteer with Cottesloe Coastcare for quite few years. Our local, hands-on work is very satisfying. There is joy in being able to look closely and see our native plants and animals re-establish in the dunes along our amazing beaches.”