MEET Robert Meixner, this week’s Heart of the Haven.

Originally from Bavaria in Germany, Robert and his wife Sharon were ‘owner-builders’ while raising their three boys.

Having lived in Germany for over 30 years, the pair sold their home and moved back to Sharon’s home country, purchasing land in Lakewood in 2009.

It was in the Camden Haven that Robert rediscovered his passion for mountain biking, something he had loved back in Germany.

Carrying a topographic map, a GPS, a tool kit and two spare tubes, Robert has ridden more than 30,000 combined kilometres across the region, including the whole Broken Bago Range from Wauchope to Mount Comboyne.

As you can imagine, Robert has had plenty of experience with snakes and developed a good sense for where to find them.

“I was often taken by surprise,” Robert said of his early snake experiences.

“But you always need a bit of luck,” Robert said.

During all that time spent riding in the bush, Robert said he never passed another mountain biker.

At the age of 75, Robert swapped his bike for a safer option, volunteering with Landcare.

“It’s less dangerous,” said Robert.

This was not new work for Robert, who had undertaken environmental projects while living in Germany.

“I thought I could do more,” Robert told NOTA.

Starting out by attending working bees, Robert now manages the whole Kendall entrance area for Landcare, as well as Norrie Reserve and the public boat ramp on the Kew side.

If Robert had one wish for the Camden Haven community in the next twelve months?

“I hope that the Camden Haven community will thrive and prosper in the future,” he said.

We could not agree more!