Biography of Penelope (Penny) Ann Paton AM: an extraordinary South Australian conservationist and historian

When you visit Kangaroo Island and the Mount Lofty Ranges outside of Adelaide, South Australia (SA), some conservation projects that you encounter have been influenced by Penelope (Penny) Ann Paton. Penny is one of SA’s most effective conservationists. She combined her academic training in history and environmental interests in her Honours project on the history of conservation from 1880 to 1930, and was one of the first Australians to graduate in Environmental Science. After graduation, Penny conducted field work in SA, following her interests in threatened species recovery and native vegetation management and restoration on Kangaroo Island and the Mount Lofty Ranges. Initially, her efforts focused on restoration of remnant vegetation in parks and private properties and later, at the family property on Kangaroo Island. In the early 2000s, Penny’s husband David Paton and a few others formed BioR (www.bior.org.au; accessed 1 July 2025) to expand conservation efforts on cleared land in southern SA. After David’s retirement, David, Penny, and their daughter Fiona increased the capacity of BioR. Throughout her career, Penny’s focus was on restoring bird habitat that had been lost through land clearing. She shared her expertise by serving on numerous national, regional and local boards, and advisory and expert committees for 30+ years. In 2008, she became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to the environment. While her husband David was the primary ’breadwinner’, Penny parented their children at home and is now helping to raise her grandchildren. Penny’s life illustrates the diverse ways women contribute to conservation.