July 11, 2019

Louise Saunders has recently been awarded an OAM for her service to wildlife conservation and the visual arts.

Cleveland resident, Louise Saunders, who spent two decades rescuing and caring for flying foxes has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.

Ms Saunders was recognised for her service to both wildlife conservation and the visual arts.

She said the conservation work had been difficult but rewarding.

"You can't not be passionate about them because you get to know them so intimately when you're painting them," Ms Saunders said.

"An extreme heat event in 2014 wiped out a lot of flying foxes and that was really hard to deal with (but) I think to give is really important ... and my way has always been the environment."

Ms Saunders is vice-president of the Queensland Wildlife Artists Society among a number of other botanical and natural science illustration societies.

She founded the Friends of the Black Swamp Bushcare Group in 1995 and Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland.

For six years, she was artist-in-residence at South Stradbroke Island's Couran Cove Island Resort.

Since illustrating for scientific guides and publications on bats, Ms Saunders has taught art and natural history at institutions including for the Coochie Art Group.

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