John Davis and Karl Hoch at the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, 2014, photo Beth Jackson
Documentry filmmaker John Davis and his wife Felicity got to know the Bimblebox Nature Refuge during the 2014 artist camp. John used a drone to capture images of Bimblebox from the air and during his stay imparted some of his vast store of knowledge and experience to young Karl Hoch. It was with great sadness that we learned of John’s passing in a tragic helicoptor crash. We send our sincere condolences to Felicity, their family and friends as we mourn the loss of this incredible man. John you are greatly missed.
Our sincere condolences also go to the family and friends of landscape photographer Richard Green and graphic artist Carolyn Green.
Karl and John, Bimblebox Nature Refuge, 2014, photo Beth Jackson
from Screen ArtsHub article by David Tilley:
…Davis was working on a documentation project which took him across NSW and up to Gladstone in Queensland. He was tracking environmental degradation, exposing the realities of open cut coal mines, and recording the threat to the Liverpool Plains. He pioneered the use of drones to track the impact of humans in even the most remote locations…
… ‘His priority ultimately wasn’t making films. It was conveying knowledge, conveying a very important message. The films are beautiful, and he enjoyed making them, and he enjoyed the achievement, but I don’t think it was his prime purpose.’
He had the science, and the communication skills and the personality to take on the politics of environmentalism…
to read more click here
visit this website created by John Davis: energy without carbon
ABC news report here
Bimblebox Art Project 
How very, very sad. What a great loss for all of us and for their families and our environment.
Judy
When John and Felicity came to the Camp, Karl was ecstatic to be allowed to watch and later to fly the drones. He was so lucky to receive a tiny fraction of John’s experience in filming with drones. But as a mother I hope Karl will take into his adult life another of John’s gifts, the generosity of time. John was never tired answering questions that only a 15 YO country boy with a passion for flying machines could ask.
It was such a treat to hang out with either John or Felicity during the time I spent at camp. John was always so full of life and ideas. He didn’t shirk at any speculative proposal, be it scientific, philosophical, artistic, environmental, technological – you name it – he would consider anything for the sake of the pleasure of thinking and talking – and of course, a good story or a joke. The big difference between John and many people who speculate is that he was doing big, creative things and acting upon his thoughts and intentions. I think of him and Felicity often – their warmth and respect for others has made me a better person, I am sure.