Plumwood Mountain, where Val made her home, lies east of Braidwood, nestled amongst tall mountain forest and cool temperate rainforest on basalt at the edge of the escarpment. The waratahs are perfectly at home in Val's garden and her collection is the most extensive and diverse in Australia, containing specimens whose origins range from Tasmania to Queensland in an array of colours including yellow, white and pink. Val's life values, captured in many published works and academic articles, inspired her to share knowledge about protecting our natural heritage and promoting biodiversity. She was co-author of 'Fight for the Forests', frequently dubbed the 'Forest Activists Bible'. She was also a key player amongst the many active people who sought to protect Monga when it was threatened by logging. Monga was declared a National Park in the early years of this century and it heritage and environmental services are now preserved for everyone to enjoy and learn from. Some of the story of this 30 year campaign to recognise Monga's significance has been beautifully captured in Robyn Steller's book 'Monga intacta: a celebration of the Monga Forest and its protection'.

The Plumwood Mountain Waratah Festival was born out of this spirit of sharing a love and enthusiasm for protecting our natural environment and became an annual event in the local calendar. I like to think that the cherry tree and the Waratah, in Val's mountain garden, timed their flowering in honour of her life and love of this bio-region. It is her true friends' deepest hope to preserve Val's tradition by holding a festival each year in October. This year's 2008 Plumwood Mountain Waratah Festival offered many who knew Val an opportunity to honour her memory and celebrate her lifelong dreams. For many more who did not know her personally, it was an occasion to delight in the heritage that Val has left us all. About 60 environmentally aware activists and academics (interstate and local) strolled around her property while Sean Kenan played violin. The ecologically aware sat beside the uninitiated supping tea, chatting and eating under a light rain of cherry blossoms. Given the Waratah's glorious distinction through time, it is not surprising that guests were visually intoxicated by the display. Perhaps next year I could offer my guests some Waratah honey or, if it's to your taste, some real intoxication with Waratah mead! Purists might sip nectar straight from the bud with organic straws.