Star Weekly is looking back at the best stories of last year and this is one of them.
November 21
Last week locals bid their farewells to the legend that was Judy Ingram, a loss to the community that has been described as leaving a ‘void’ in the blanket of the Brimbank community.
Tributes flowed from across Melbourne’s west, a fitting reflection of the lasting legacy Judy has left right throughout the community.
Speaking on the passing of their president, volunteers with the The Friends of Maribyrnong Valley expressed admiration for Judy’s fearlessness as she pushed through all levels of government bureaucracy to fiercely advocate for the environment.
The Victorian Environment Friends Network described Judy as a “true environmental champion”, an advocate for her community and far beyond.
Speaking with Sam Muscat on Wynfm, Brimbank councillor Virginia Tachos held back tears as she spoke of Judy describing her as “a selfless volunteer who basically dedicated her life in the west“.
There was very little Judy couldn’t do. Her volunteer work stretched across all corners of the community. Along with being a skilled grant writer, Judy was an active member of the Brimbank council disability network as well as the regular coordinator of tree planting and native vegetation programs through the Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley.
Cr Tachos said her friendship with Judy, spanning more than a decade, first began at a tree planting day at the Organ Pipes National Park.
“It wasn’t a case of what you can’t do, it’s what you can do. Even if you just managed to plant one seedling or had one conversation with someone … it was a place where she brought people together and formed a lot of really good friendships.”
Cr Tachos touched on the tradition of the morning tea ‘Boot Banquets’ that Judy ran across her many community planting days, a legacy that was first developed by Judy’s father. Cr Tachos said the ‘Boot Banquets’ were “treasured” by everyone who had the privilege of attending Judy’s planting events.
“Judy had a disability and wasn’t able to work on uneven ground, but she was able to provide people with these amazing assortment of baked biscuits and cakes,” she said. “The best part of it was sharing a cuppa after some hard yakka.”
