In 1991, a small group of passionate individuals in Tasmania decided more needed to be done to protect the Australian environment. They acted on their convictions and the Australian Bush Heritage Fund was born. This year, Bush Heritage are celebrating 30 years of returning the bush to good health.

Today, more than 37,000 people across the world have joined the cause, supporting the protection of over 11 million hectares (more than 27 million acres) of Australian bush – an area larger in size than the state of Virginia. This is a legacy that we can all be proud of. But the founders’ early conviction still holds true: more needs to be done.

Bush Heritage have big goals for 2030 and to reach them we will need to work together.

When the world shut down in 2020, Bush Heritage was confronted with the challenge of recovering from bushfires and continuing its daily conservation work, all within the constraints of COVID-19 restrictions. It was absolutely wonderful to see staff and partners embrace this challenge and achieve some outstanding results.

Across northern and central Australia, Bush Heritage’s Fire team supported their Aboriginal partners to continue with their planned burning programs, providing technical advice and assistance via online platforms to ensure that vulnerable remote communities were protected.

On Edgbaston Reserve in central Queensland, Bush Heritage staff released 27 captive-bred Red-finned Blue-eye fish into the reserve’s artesian springs after years of planning. This species was on the brink of extinction when they purchased Edgbaston in 2008, so to see the population now growing and breeding is immensely satisfying.

On Maiawali country in Queensland, Bush Heritage celebrated the designation of Pullen Pullen Reserve as the state’s first ‘Special Wildlife Reserve’. The title represents a new protected area category that provides privately protected land with the same level of legal protection as that afforded to national parks.

In the end, we learnt that when the going gets tough, the Bush Heritage community doesn’t turn away; rather, it leans in.

This financial year, Bush Heritage’s revenue was $29.1 million. These funds are being put to good use where they’re needed most: in the field. Notably, Bush Heritage received several significant donations for multi-year projects focussed mainly around bushfire recovery on their fire-affected New South Wales reserves. They have also increased capacity in their ecology and field-based teams to ensure that they are properly equipped to return the bush to good health. Now, 68 percent of Bush Heritage staff are field-based.

Individually, we all have a small part to play in the race to conserve and protect the bush. But collectively, we are a force to be reckoned with – a force for enormous good. Thank you for being a part of Bush Heritage’s story.

Please see below for a messages of thanks from Bush Heritage staff to all of their supporters.

In this most recent financial year, thanks to their supporters, Bush Heritage managed to achieve tremendous results for the environment.

Read the latest annual Impact Report from Bush Heritage > >