Sylvia Leighton

Appointed 2024.

Sylvia has a Bachelor of Science, a Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary), and a Master of Science (Natural Resource Management). She spent 17 years (1998-2015) as a Land for Wildlife Officer with the State Department of Parks and Wildlife, conducting flora surveys, face-to-face liaison with landholders, addressing land covenanting and much more.

For many years, Sylvia lectured part-time in conservation and land management at South Regional TAFE (2000-2014 and 2018-2023). She has extensive experience in applied conservation and land management activities through her community-based and other consulting work.

In 2013, Sylvia and partner Peter McKenzie purchased her parents’ farm. They adopted low-cost regenerative farming systems that converted much of the property back to sheep grazing, and along the way established biodiverse plantings to create a network of wildlife corridors across the property.

In 2021, Sylvia and Peter won the WA Landcare Farmers Award, and in 2022, they won the National Landcare Farmers Award.

Sylvia is a 2021 graduate of Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia.