Judith Anne Crocker
18/10/1941 - 03/12/2024
JUDY grew up in Boort, daughter of Herbert and Merle Cable. Judy’s parents owned a farm west of Boort and Cables Garage at the intersection of Godfrey and Victoria Street.
Judy started her education at the Boort State School and completed her education at Swan Hill. 
She went to work in Melbourne where she met her husband Jim Crocker. They both decided to move back to Boort where Jim joined Cables Garage and ran a very successful business selling cars and motor bikes. 
Judy started a shop in Godfrey Street which was known as Judy’s Shop having a reputation as the best shop around selling toys, wool, hobby items and even fireworks.
Jim and Judy decided to retire in the 1990s and moved to Lockwood near Bendigo. Judy immersed herself into the environment after realising the good work that the previous owner had succeeded in by carrying out environmental protection on their new acquired property. 
Judy soon joined the Upper Spring Creek Landcare group becoming the secretary-treasurer for more than 25 years. 
Judy’s enthusiasm, knowledge and hard working abilities made her a trailblazer in the Landcare and the environmental worlds.
Judy was soon involved with the Ravenswood interchange project on the Calder Highway especially seeing the need and importance of protecting remnant vegetation with the old growth trees. 
She visited the VicRoads office and local politicians regularly. Due to Judy’s hard bargaining it is estimated that 250 old growth trees were saved, the trees that were cut down were sawn up and made into furniture for parks and gardens in Bendigo. 
Judy was also facilitator for a network of Landcare Groups including West Marong Landcare Group, Upper Spring Landcare Group, Ravenswood Valley Landcare Group, Nuggetty Landcare Protection Group, Eddington Landcare Group, Baringhup Landcare Group, Mid Loddon Conservation Management Network, Friends of Riley Street Natural Reserve and Marong Community Action Group. 
Judy oversaw the projects from the Central Victorian Box Ironbark Forest across the Mid-Loddon Sub Catchment to the Loddon River. The main aim was the protection of remnant vegetation, waterways and wetlands. 
She strongly supported sustainable farming projects concentrating on healthy soils above and below ground bio-diversity, which included threatened and endangered species habit, restoration programs supporting the bush stone-curlew, swift parrot and brush-tail phascogale. Judy remembered as a child the curlews singing out at night on the farm and around Boort realising that this enthralling song has now disappeared. 
Judy started a bush stone-curlew captive breading program known as ‘Save our Curlews Project’ and as a result many landholders now have curlews released onto their properties mainly in fenced off areas. 
Jim was asked what he thought of Judy working all day towards Landcare activities, Jim’s reply was simply ‘Judy worked both day and night’.
As a facilitator. Judy  was an outstanding contribution to the Mid Loddon Catchment area in many ways, people will remember her passion and drive which motivated all Landcare group members.