The Board
YOUR LEADERS
Margaret Tadrosse
A local leader in Agritourism
Margaret Tadrosse, owner of the landmark Bilpin Fruit Bowl has one of the leading businesses in the development of agritourism in our fruit growing region. After seeing prices for stone fruit and apples plummet at market over the past few decades and experiencing the predatory pricing behavior of big supermarket contracts, Margaret turned to ‘pick your own’ over two decades ago. After losing thousands of fruit trees in the Black Summer bushfires Margaret recovered and diversified from stone fruit and apples to establish all year-round strawberries for the agritourism market.
Pick your own gives people an opportunity to visit a working farm, learn about agriculture and gather their own food. Its popularity and profitability grew so that now almost all farms in the district have ‘pick your own’ options making Bilpin District a prime tourist destination during the harvest season.
As well as being a successful business woman Margaret has contributed to many facets of community life from President her children’s school P&C to 30 years of service to the RFS as the Bilpin Brigade Call Out Officer for emergencies organizing crews to attend everything from motor vehicle accidents to the Black Summer Bushfires. Margaret currently is a committee member of Hawkesbury Harvest Farm Gate Trail.
Peter Sterelny
(Bachelor Engineering UTS) Extensive experience in corporate management & local wellness manufacturing industry.
Peter had a successful corporate career before retiring to help his late wife with her wellness business manufacturing home fragrances at South Windsor. With over 25 years expertise as Australia's largest manufacturer of Home Fragrance and Home Decor products, Pastel Pines has the knowledge and skills to offer the best in traditional and contemporary trends in products that will transform any home.
Located in the picturesque Hawkesbury, it is a source of great pride that the business has maintained local manufacturing capabilities in the Hawkesbury, and that we can offer our customers from around the world the flexibility in order-value and product-range that goes with being a local manufacturer.
Peter is now semi-retired and operates a BnB from his property in Bilpin. He contributes to community life through membership of industry and local service organizations and making generous donations to a range of charities.
Lionel Buckett
A local leader in ecotourism overnight accommodation
Lionel Buckett is a local leader in overnight stay ecotourism accommodation. He was awarded NSW Master Builder of the Year 1999 before turning his back on the industry to establish the first eco-tourism visitor accommodation in Hawkesbury. He went on to be awarded Air BnB 2016 Best design place to stay in the world, for his Tree House at Berambing in Bilpin District. His other cabin accommodation including an Enchanted Cave and Love Teepee had been featured in events from Sydney TedX conference to international travel magazines and used by the creative arts industry for fashion, music and television.
Lionel has contributed to community life through membership of industry and local organizations and is currently Chairman of the Kurrajong Heights Bowling and Recreation Club.
Fiona Germaine
Successful entrepreneur & businesswoman with experience in fashion, the arts and agriculture.
Fiona Germaine, a successful entrepreneur operating her own fashion label, spent her life exhibiting at Milan, Paris and New York fashion shows before retiring to Bilpin District to raise a family. In choosing her new home she was impressed with the Kurrajong Bilpin District and considers it the “New Hamptons” of Sydney. She has set about establishing a floristry business marketing the providence of locally grown plants for the cut flower market using her skills, knowledge, and experience to influence cultural development and marketing.
Fiona brings passion, enthusiasm, and a new generation’s perspective to business possibilities.
Fiona has contributed to community life establishing a charity that has provided tons of material goods to Hawkesbury residents impacted by the multiple flood events in the last few years and through active membership of a range of community organizations concerned to improve the health and wellbeing our community. Fiona was awarded Hawkesbury International Women’s Day 2023 Women of the Year for her work.
Mark McDonnell
Chairman, McDonnell Communications Research Pty Ltd
Mark McDonnell has an extensive background in the telecommunications, IT and media industries with a career encompassing government policy advice, business analysis, management consultancy, investment banking and stockbroking. Today, his business, which operates from Berambing, is mainly involved in business investment, including in particular in energy and electricity companies. He has separate Director and Chairman roles in private and public unlisted companies.
Mark and his family moved to Wilberforce in 1987 and have lived in the Hawkesbury ever since. Mark and his wife Anne have been living in Berambing since 2001 and both are active in the Mt Tomah and Berambing Community Association, where Mark is Secretary.
Mark has a Master’s degree in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also holds a double Honours degree from the University of Sydney in philosophy and in government.