Australian Wildlife Conservancy

The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is an Australian independent, non-profit organisation, working to conserve threatened wildlife and ecosystems in Australia, principally through the acquisition of extensive areas of land on which to establish conservation reserves (called 'sanctuaries'). These sanctuaries are managed for conservation and also support research programs. Funding comes from tax-deductible donations from the public as well as government grants for particular purposes, such as from the Australian Government’s National Reserve System Program.

In June 2007 AWC announced the establishment of a corporate partnership with Optus.^[1] As of 2013 the AWC owns and manages 23 sanctuaries covering over 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres), more land than any other non-government environment organisation in Australia.^[1][2]

History

The origin of the organisation lies in a 1991 land purchase (of what is now Karakamia Sanctuary) by AWC’s founder, Martin Copley. In 2001 the AWC became a public charitable organization.^[1]

In 2002 The AWC agreed to acquire four sanctuaries, Buckaringa, Dakalanta, Scotia and Yookamurra, for A$5.2m from Earth Sanctuaries Ltd (ESL), the company founded by Dr John Wamsley.^[3]

AWC Sanctuaries

Bowra, Queensland Brooklyn, Queensland Buckaringa, South Australia Curramore, Queensland Dakalanta, South Australia Faure Island, Western Australia [4] Kalamurina, South Australia

Karakamia, Western Australia Marion Downs, Western Australia Mornington, Western Australia Mount Gibson, Western Australia Mount Zero-Taravale, Queensland Newhaven, Northern Territory

Paruna, Western Australia Piccaninny Plains, Queensland Pungalina-Seven Emu, Northern Territory Scotia, New South Wales Wongalara, Northern Territory Yookamurra, South Australia

References

1. Australian Wildlife Conservancy: About AWC
2. Austin, Peter (2004).Benevolent land barons The Australian Wildlife Conservancy is fast becoming one of the nation's substantial private landholders] Outback (Sydney, NSW), no.33, Feb-Mar 2004, p.88-92 (ISSN 1441-1776)
3. AWC Media Release, 20 April 2002: A Win for Australian Conservation - Australian Wildlife Conservancy to acquire sanctuaries from Earth Sanctuaries Ltd. PDF downloaded 8 January 2008
4. A biological survey of Faure Island, Shark Bay World Heritage property, Western Australia / edited by Jacqueline D. Richards and Barry Wilson. Perth, W.A. : Western Australian Museum, 2008. Records of the Western Australian Museum. Supplement, 0313-122X ; no. 75 "Australian Wildlife Conservancy, in collaboration with the Western Australian Museum, South Australian Museum and Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation"--on title page

External links

• Australian Wildlife Conservancy