Les has tertiary qualifications related to natural resource management including Master of Science (Zoology UWA), BA (Anthropology UWA) and Dip Ed specialising in fish. Les has also been a teacher in the South West over 25 years including Bunbury, S.H.S as a Biology T.E.E Teacher for 15 years. This has enabled him to communicate understandings of cultural and natural history in the classroom. Les is a subscriber to journals such as “ECOS”, “New Scientist” and “Nature”, and has also conducted several environmental research projects with students and Capel LCDC members. He has a keen interest in natural history with a scientific/Christian approach to understanding the subject, as well as being a qualified Stonemason.

Les Mutton is one of the new GeoCatch members and is more than qualified for the role, with a great general knowledge of environmental issues built up over 30 years living in the south west. He currently resides on small farm boarding local tuart forest in Capel and owns a block of land in the Sterling Wetlands. I recently caught up with Les and found that his interest in the natural environment stretches right back to his roots and has only become stronger with age.

“I grew up in Bicton and at that stage it really wasn’t developed, so I spent lots of time on the river”, says Les. “We would go out gidgeeing (Noongar word for spear) the cobblers and paddling with canoes we had made of corrugated iron and wood, sealed with tar off the road!”

“I also love free diving, which I’ve been doing since I was about15 and I made my own spear gun out of wood and bicycle tyre rubber.”

“These days my depth limit is about 10 metres, but I still get great enjoyment out of diving to the bottom and watching the fish develop the curiosity to come in close”.

Apart from diving, Les enjoys hiking, kayaking and bushwalking and he recently joined his wife Bronwyn in a trip to Alaska, which he simply described as ‘brilliant’.

“At the moment I am also engrossed in preparing my horse for endurance riding”, says Les enthusiastically.

Quite a scholar, Les has tertiary qualifications related to natural resource management including Master of Science (Zoology UWA), BA (Anthropology UWA) and Dip Ed specialising in fish. Les has also been a teacher in the South West over 25 years including Bunbury, S.H.S as a Biology T.E.E Teacher for 15 years.

“When I quit teaching in WA, I went to China and taught for several years”, says Les. “That’s where I learnt about the amazing quality granite stonework being made there.”

“Since then I’ve been creating granite bench tops for a living, over about the last 6 years.”

Les is also passionate about the Stirling wetlands and has been experimenting with his own wetland block.

“I have been trialling letting the wetlands dry in the summer (as opposed to having water from the Capel River Weir feed into wetlands)”, says Les. “I’ve witnessed the effects of the land drying out; with most things now able grow without the water logging year round.”

“I’ve also been trialling about 12 species of reeds and rushes and been subscribed to ‘Wetlands for Wildlife’ program, a DEC initiative. The programs involve keeping native bird counts and also fox baiting.

As far as his role within GeoCatch, Les maintains that his focus is on the Capel River and Stirling wetlands.

“Good natural resource management (NRM) is absolutely crucial on the Sterling wetlands, because it is made up of scores of private landholdings”, he says. “My interest is in how to engage the private enterprises in NRM as part of there commercial ventures and also management of other associated issues within the system.”

Asked about what he enjoyed about being a GeoCatch member, les replies “I’m impressed with the proactive approach and good humour shown in our meetings and also the degree of efficiencies and expertise of the staff.”