And now she has turned that childhood interest into lifelong learning, graduating from CSU earlier this month with a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Ecological Conservation) and becoming one of just a handful of graduates to receive the prestigious University Medal.

Ms Moppett lives on a farming property south of Bathurst and told her her parents at a young age that she wanted to be a national park ranger.

"My love of plants, animals and the environment have persisted throughout my life as I grew up on a farm and spent much of my time in the bush," she said.

"After leaving school, I worked for a number of years in agriculture, science and horticulture, however, I always felt my real calling was in ecology and conservation so it was only natural for me to study for an environmental science degree.

"I enrolled in this course as a mature-age student, challenging myself to finally realise my dream, which had been bubbling away in the background for many years."

Ms Moppett said being awarded a University Medal was certainly a welcome surprise.

"I am honoured to receive this acknowledgement of my hard work and commitment to my studies," she said.

Like many students, a large portion of Ms Moppetts studies were undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a distance education student, this meant that a number of her residential schools were cancelled or postponed.

"The university did an excellent job of offering flexible options, including creating online residential school experiences," she said.

"However, the lack of face-to-face contact was challenging, and I struggled at times with anxiety about assessments, and motivation.

"In managing this, I drew on reserves of determination and grit that I previously didn't know I had, and it was also imperative for me to initiate regular contact with my lecturers, who were all very supportive and understanding.

"To increase my motivation, I tried to maintain a balanced lifestyle, walked in the bush every day to remind myself of why I was doing this, and also got involved in a number of citizen science projects such as Hoot Detective, iNaturalist, and FrogID."

After some well-earned time off over summer to catch up with friends and family, Ms Moppett intends to start a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in 2022. She would like to contribute to environmental research and help to improve our understanding and management of the unique and spectacular species and ecosystems of Australia.

During the final semester of her degree, Ms Moppett was offered a position as a technical officer with the Applied Ecology Unit at CSU in Orange, assisting with a research project investigating biodiversity in vineyards.

"This experience has confirmed my intention to pursue a career in research in my specialisation, ecological conservation," she said.

"My Honours project will be comparing different kinds of nest boxes, which are often used to supplement natural tree hollows for wildlife.

"I hope to determine which types are preferred by different kinds of animals, and which factors have the most influence on conditions inside.

"With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, working out what sort of structures and situations provide the best homes for native wildlife will become increasingly important, and I'm very excited to be involved in this research area."

And Ms Moppett's advice for prospective students considering tertiary study?

"It does require a lot of hard work, and some sacrifice, however, for me, the benefits gained far outweighed the challenges."

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