Contribution from Geoff Chapman:
Dene Cordes Started work for the National Parks Commission on 18th March, 1968, as the Accounting Officer after two had started and left within a few months and retired on 18th March 2008 after a 40-year career After the move of new NPWS headquarters to the city, Dene became the Senior Administrative Officer, and in 1981 was promoted to the State’s first Community Liaison Officer. His role was to initially start up 20 Consultative Committees and help start the National Parks Foundation. In 1985, Dene also started up the “Friends of Parks”. Eventually the “Friends of Parks” reached 140 groups and included 6000 Volunteers. Under his stewardship, the “Campground Hosts ‘was started. Dene was awarded the Public Service Medal in 1990, and also a Churchill Fellowship in 1985. Dene was made a Fellow of the Nature Foundation in 2015.
Both he and his wife Diane are still actively involved in the community, Heritage Committee and he does some volunteer work in the park e.g. planting blue gums. Despite both having significant health issues, in recent years, they were able to do some travel overseas, organised and travel on several travel intestate bus tours plus they always attend the Crows games in Adelaide with all the family.