When Tony Parks retired from investment banking at the age of 56, few would have predicted that his next chapter would revolve around plants, rainforest ecology and one of Australia’s most ambitious conservation efforts. On the far north coast of New South Wales, where the once vast scrub rainforest had been reduced to scattered fragments, Parkes received a mission that would shape the rest of his life. Over the next three decades, he helped bring together scientists, landowners, volunteers, and conservation groups in a campaign to restore an ecosystem that had lost more than 99% of its original range. Parks died on June 13, 2026, at the age of 96, leaving behind a rainforest recovery movement that has continued to grow long after its founder passed away.
retired banker Behind one of Australia’s largest restoration efforts
Tony Parks was not a conservationist by training. Born in Hobart, Tasmania, he had a successful career in science, business management and investment banking before retiring from corporate life.His path changed after he and his wife Rowena settled in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. There, Parkes learned about the Big Scrub, a subtropical rainforest that once covered some 75,000 hectares and was considered Australia’s largest lowland rainforest ecosystem.The scale of its destruction was staggering. Decades of agricultural clearing had reduced the forests to about 1% of their original size. The survivors were isolated and vulnerable, scattered in fields, roadsides and sanctuaries.What started as an interest in local history soon turned into a personal mission. Parks and his wife began restoring rainforests on their property, planting native species and learning how damaged ecosystems could recover.
the rainforest that almost disappeared
Before European settlement, the Big Scrub extended to rich volcanic soils in northern New South Wales. Tall fig trees, palm trees and dense vines supported an extraordinary diversity of birds, mammals, insects and plants.Its fertile soil also became its biggest weakness.As settlers expanded farming operations, vast tracts of rainforest were cleared for dairy production, grazing and agriculture. By the end of the twentieth century, the Big Scrub had become one of Australia’s most endangered ecosystems.The consequences extend far beyond the loss of trees. Habitat fragmentation disrupts wildlife populations, reduces biodiversity, and undermines natural ecological processes that have evolved over thousands of years.Conservationists feared that without intervention, many remaining fragments of the rainforest would continue to deteriorate.
Building a Restoration Movement
In 1993, Parks helped establish the Big Scrub Landcare Group, which later evolved into the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy.Rather than focus solely on tree planting programs, the organization developed a comprehensive strategy for restoration. Landholders were encouraged to protect remaining rainforests, reconnect fragmented habitats, and establish new areas of native vegetation.Parks proved particularly effective in bringing different groups together. Scientists, bush regenerators, volunteers, nursery operators, donors and government agencies all became part of a shared effort.His background in business and management helped transform a local concern into a structured, long-term program capable of attracting funding and maintaining momentum.He also played a role in establishing conservation organizations including Rainforest Rescue and NVTE, increasing the impact of restoration work across the wider region.Over the next decades, restoration efforts expanded dramatically.Millions of native trees were planted throughout the Northern River Region, helping to reconnect isolated patches of rainforest and creating new habitat corridors for wildlife.Parkes and Rowena turned their property into a living example of what restoration can achieve. Thousands of trees were planted, gradually transforming the cleared land into a thriving rainforest ecosystem.As the vegetation matured, wildlife began to return.Species that particularly attract the parks include the Wompu Fruit Dove, a colorful rainforest bird whose feeding habits help it disperse seeds over large distances. Its appearance indicated that important ecological processes were beginning to function once again.For many conservationists, the return of native species has become one of the clearest signs that restoration efforts are succeeding.
Looking beyond planting trees
Parks understood that rebuilding the rainforest involved much more than planting trees in the ground.As restoration science progressed, they encouraged researchers and conservation groups to examine questions about genetic diversity, climate resilience, and long-term ecosystem health.Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy became involved in projects exploring seed sourcing, rainforest genetics and the role of mycorrhizal fungi, microscopic organisms that help maintain healthy forests.The aim of these initiatives was to ensure that restored rainforests could withstand future pressures, including disease outbreaks and a changing climate.By combining practical restoration with scientific research, the project became a model for ecological recovery efforts elsewhere in Australia.
Recognition for Lifelong Conservation
Over the years, Parks’s contributions have been widely recognized.For services to conservation and environmental restoration he received the Landcare Honour, the Banksia Award and appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia.Yet colleagues often observed that he focused on results rather than praise.The greatest evidence of success can be seen in the landscape itself. Areas once dominated by cleared agricultural land were gradually reverting to forest. Landholders, who once saw the rainforest as a nuisance, increasingly came to see it as an asset worth protecting.What started as a local restoration project has evolved into one of Australia’s most significant community-led conservation success stories.
A legacy measured in forests
Following Parks’ death in June 2026, tributes poured in from scientists, environmental organizations and community leaders who credited him with helping to reshape the future of the Big Scrub.The forests they helped restore are much smaller than the original ecosystem that once covered northern New South Wales. Yet the trajectory has changed. The areas which were shrinking are now expanding. The habitat that was fragmented is being connected.Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Parks’ story is that his conservation career began after retirement.Many people spend their later years slowing down. Parkes began a 30-year effort that helped revive one of Australia’s most endangered ecosystems.Today, millions of growing trees stand as testament to that decision. Long after the meetings, fundraising campaigns and planting projects have faded from memory, the forests themselves continue the work they started.