Macedon’s Stephen Ryan is passionate about all things horticultural. He’s lived in the Macedon Ranges for 57 years and has spread his roots across the community. He speaks with Serena Seyfort about his connections to the region.
What’s your connection to the Macedon Ranges?
My family moved up here just before I started primary school. I’ve lived here for, dare I say, about 57 years. I went to the local primary school, I went to Kyneton High School. My family started a nursery up the top of Mount Macedon about 1965. It closed in 1978 and I started my own nursery in 1980.
What hats do you wear in the community?
I joined the Mount Macedon Horticultural Society when I was 10 years old and I’ve been its president since I was 19. Anything horticultural around the area I’ve been involved in. I helped with street tree plantings up here after the Ash Wednesday bushfire. I got involved with the Gisborne Botanic Gardens and have been president of the Gisborne Botanic Gardens Friends group for donkey’s years. When we went through the big drought period, some of the local councillors decided it would be a good idea to let the struggling oak trees on Macedon’s Honour Avenue die – and then we could replace them with eucalypts. I led the campaign to save the trees. I helped with planting at Macedon railway station and around the community health centre in Gisborne.
Do you have a favourite place in the area?
Somewhere that has really always been a place that I’ve enjoyed is Sanitorium Lake. It’s such a lovely, calm, peaceful place.
If you could change anything about the area, what would it be?
I would try to stop the suburbanisation that’s been happening all around. I have no issue with progress, but I think sometimes progress is put in place for the sake of it and not because it creates a better environment. I remember some time ago I got a letter from council asking where I would like more street lights. I think I wrote back and said: “Are you mad? We don’t need any more.”
You’ve also shared your love of nature beyond the Macedon Ranges area. Tell us a bit about your role in the media?
I was host of ABC’s Gardening Australia for three years. In fact, most of the filming I did for the program was done in my own garden in Macedon. I’ve also been on community radio for 30 years, I recently took over a radio slot in Bendigo and I’m also doing a radio show in Melbourne again (fortnightly with Hillary Harper on 774 on Saturday mornings).
