Australian Conservation Foundation

The contrast between summer expectations and reality is more stark than ever. Expectations: festive cheer, and celebrating with loved ones in idyllic balmy summer weather. Reality: Heatwaves, bushfire threats, and the harsh realities of the climate crisis. The holidays should bring joy, not anxiety, about our future. The extreme weather we’ve already faced is a wake-up call we can’t ignore. The window for climate action is closing fast. 2025 must be the year we act—no more delays—for our loved ones, our communities, and the beautiful places we call home.

From all of us at ACF, Happy New Year! May your 2025 be as cool as a shaded rainforest, as clean as a wind turbine blade, and as full of hope as a solar-powered battery on a sunny day! 🌈🌬️🌞

Cape York is one of the most unique and pristine places on Earth, brimming with natural and cultural wonders. From the ancient rock art of Quinkan Country to the stunning landscapes of Shelburne Bay, this region is home to over 300 threatened species and holds thousands of years of First Nations care and connection. ACF celebrated the June 2024 commitment by the federal and state governments to consult with traditional owners and communities on a potential UNESCO World Heritage listing for Cape York’s special places, which will protect them for generations to come. Now, the Crisafulli Government is threatening to walk back on Cape York's nomination, putting all of this at risk. We must work with traditional owners and protect this extraordinary region for generations to come.

Climate-fueled bushfires are devastating our wildlife and natural heritage. As ACF CEO Kelly O'Shanassy reminds us, there are two critical actions we must take to protect wildlife and people: Take real action on climate change – we must stop digging up and burning fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil.  Stop bulldozing the bush – our wildlife depends on these habitats for survival. Australia’s unique species are on the frontline of climate change. Together, we can stand up for our native wildlife and demand climate action before it’s too late. Listen to Kelly’s interview on ABC 774 earlier this week and read more in the Guardian article linked below: https://acf.to/4fEhKL7

New data from the Bureau of Meteorology reveals that Australia's national mean temperature in 2024 was 1.46°C above the 1961–1990 average. This marks only the second time in 115 years that the Australian annual temperature has exceeded this 30-year baseline by more than 1.4°C. The only warmer year was 2019. What sets 2024 apart is the significant rainfall, unlike 2019. Last year ranked as Australia’s wettest since 2011 and the 8th wettest in records dating back to 1900. One factor contributing to the excessive rainfall in 2024 was the unusually warm seas surrounding Australia, which increased evaporation and supplied additional fuel for precipitation. We need our leaders to commit to reducing dangerous climate pollution from dirty coal and gas as quickly as possible. 🔥Turn down the heat 🌱Protect the people and places we love ❌️Stop the summers of chaos Learn more: https://acf.to/4gx8Ccu

Barry Clugston’s lifelong love for nature began in Victoria’s Mallee region, where he spent childhood days exploring the bush. If you would like to leave a positive, lasting legacy for nature and future generations, learn more about leaving a gift in your will to ACF here: https://lnkd.in/g_W5vjgU Thank you, Barry.

Conservationist and CFA member Dr Tam Ramsay lives on a property in Gariwerd that is also home to the Wildwood Wildlife Shelter. Over the last week, almost 80,000 hectares—one-third of the Gariwerd mountains— has burned with a fire edge spanning 340 kilometres. ACF is gravely concerned for the wildlife calling Gariwerd home - including more than 50 threatened species. Dr Ramsay spent the week leading up to Boxing Day fighting fires and trying to protect native wildlife, successfully saving the eagle’s nest in these extraordinary images. “This is just one story from the massive fire at Mafeking in Gariwerd. I was on the Victoria Valley tanker with two locals, Bill and Chris, as part of a strike team from Mirranatwa. Bill, a fellow nature lover, was the first to spot it: an eagle’s nest—Bunjil—perched at the fire’s edge in the most magnificent tree in the area. “Her nest wasn’t just a structure; it was a home, a safe haven for her and her chicks. Now, it was under direct threat. Two tankers used almost half their water to protect that tree and the surrounding bushland. The nest stood as a powerful symbolic reminder that forests are homes to countless lives. It’s heartbreaking to think about how much we humans exploit and destroy, unravelling ecosystems we all depend on. Fires like these are not natural; they’re driven by global heating, fuelled by burning coal, gas, and clearing land for animal agriculture. “On another day, I watched two kangaroos trying to flee from our oncoming tanker, tragically locked out of their own Country by kangaroo fences.” Dr Ramsay said fellow nature advocate and Parks Victoria worker had documented that the last haven for potoroos in the national park had, devastatingly, burned in the fires. “Our great garden—once curated by First Nations—is now neglected and fire-prone. Fires like these are human-made catastrophes, threatening communities—human and wildlife alike—and devastating the places where we live, love, work, and play.” This double whammy of deadly fires and extreme heat is leaving native animals alarmingly vulnerable throughout the long summer months. The black summer fires of 2019-20 are believed to have killed or displaced 3 billion native animals on Australia’s east coast. More information on how to care for distressed or injured wildlife, read ACF’s Wildlife care guide: fire, heatwaves and drought To find out more about wildlife in the Western District of Victoria, visit Wildwood Wildlife Shelter, Gariwerd Animal Biodiversity Alliance (gaba.eco), Victorian Kangaroo Alliance, Hamilton Wildlife Shelter and Hamilton Field Naturalists.

While most people choose to camp on solid ground, we first met Dr. Ana Gracanin when she signed up to fundraise from her treetop hammock for ACF’s Night Out For Nature. “Camping high in the canopy was an incredible experience and something I’d always dreamed of doing. Maaike and I joked about how amazing it would be if a greater glider joined us in the tree, but we never thought it would actually happen. Then, at midnight, to our utter amazement, not one but two greater gliders moved into the tree to forage. They perched just above our hammocks. We brushed our teeth, put our harnesses on and climbed up to get into our hammock beds. The gliders at this point were just munching away on eucalyptus leaves as if we weren’t even there. It was so quiet we could hear the soft munching of leaves as the gliders foraged. The full moon illuminated the canopy, allowing us to see the gliders clearly without needing head torches. They stayed with us all night, utterly unbothered by our company. It was surreal and sublime—an experience I’ll never forget.” Fun Facts 🍃 ~Greater gliders are the largest gliding marsupial in Australia ~They can glide up to 100 meters in a single leap, using their long tails and outstretched limbs to soar down through the forest - kind of like a flying carpet!  ~They only eat eucalyptus leaves  ~Greater gliders are endangered due to habitat loss, logging, and climate change, and without intervention their populations will continue to decline 💚 Ana works as a Research Fellow at the Australian National University and involves studying various aspects of greater glider conservation. Follow Ana Gracanin adventures and see some incredibly cute photos and videos of greater gliders. #ProtectNature #GreaterGlider

Fires raging in Gariwerd/Grampians National Park and surrounds have now destroyed at least 74,000 hectares of beautiful bushland - the equivalent to the entire size of Singapore. Gariwerd is home to an abundance of native wildlife, including 50 threatened species. We are heartbroken to think of the animals and nature lost because of this unnatural disaster. 💔 These bushfires are a wake-up call. Burning coal and gas fuels climate destruction, making Australia's fire seasons start earlier and last longer, and threatening the people, places and nature we all love. We must take urgent action on climate now. https://lnkd.in/gSK_tnsn

For thousands of years, the Olkola people have cared for their lands on Cape York. After 30 years of tireless campaigning, they celebrated a historic victory 10 years ago when 33,630 hectares of their ancestral home were returned. Today, the Olkola Aboriginal Corporation manages 869,822 hectares, making them the largest non-government landholders in the region. Read the full story: https://acf.to/3DtOo4Q