Sue and Mark Berry assumed custodianship of 88 hectares of neglected bushland west of Broulee in the early 1990s, a site scarred by trail bike damage, illegal rubbish dumping, pig shooters, feral animals, and even a marijuana plantation. They donated and dedicated 8 hectares of prime riparian land along Candlagan Creek as a public reserve—now part of Batemans Marine Park—and focused the majority of the remaining land as a Wildlife Refuge on rehabilitation: revegetation, weed eradication (including bitou bush), habitat recovery for birds, marsupial gliders, wallabies, and sea eagles, while aiming to retain at least 75% practically undisturbed.
Partnering with NPWS on Illawong Nature Reserve management, they created shared trails and interpretive walks, post-2019 fires reviving operations with shire support on the Sydney-Melbourne coastal route. Mark was the inaugural chair of Friends of SouthCare, Eurobodalla Chapter (raising $100k+), helped grow local junior rugby union (3→350 registered players), as well as supporting publicity for local Dolphins Rugby clubs and Eurobodalla Dressage clubs.
Sue was also instrumental in organising fundraisers for Friends of SouthCare, Eurobodalla Chapter (7yrs), and was awarded the International Womens Day award in 2006 , served on Eurobodalla Dressage club committe from 2009 and the Eurobodalla Tourism board from .
Worked with a panel of wellness experts including Melanie Atteridge (physiotherapy), Balance Fitness (massage/exercise physiology/personal training) Elizabeth Fulop (massage/yoga), Catherine Potter (yoga retreats). Also, Gabi Harding (advice on bush regeneration), Marie Zuvich and Bill Nagle (bird-watching tours), Debbie Pakis, (emergency fauna feeding/watering) plus Broulee Wellness/RegionX. Award submissions highlighted regeneration, sustainability, marketing, South Coast tourism industry engagement roles.
This support has included land gifts, volunteering on advisory boards, and environmental education for guests, local bushwalking clubs and adjacent schools.
Attracting over 28,000 high net-worth visitors to the local area over past quarter century, The Bower has boosted jobs, conservation, with minimal footprint from over-tourism through its offering of high-value eco-tourism.
The Bower could potentially provide employment for over 70 FTE’s, when fully implemented, based on studies by Deloittes into the multiplier effect of Tourism
