$120 million for nature: one of the biggest donations in Australia's history
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Bush Heritage get $25 million each. Part of the money will buy a 20,000-hectare cattle station near Cairns.
Perth billionaires Alexandra and Julian Burt have given A$120 million to 10 conservation groups across Australia. According to the public broadcaster ABC, which reported it on 10 November, it is one of the biggest contributions to nature in the country’s history.
Who gets the money
The ABC names only two of the ten recipients:
| Organisation | Amount | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) | $25 million | Going from managing 1.7% of Australia to 5%, an area the size of Germany |
| Bush Heritage Australia | $25 million | Among other things, about $6 million to buy Wooroora, a 20,000-hectare station near Cairns |
Bruce Webber, Bush Heritage’s science head, calls the money “completely transformative”. Wooroora will be the most ambitious single purchase in the group’s history.
Bats and cattle stations
AWC will put part of it into research on bats, which its specialists say are barely considered in conservation management. The Burts already work with AWC: they own Bullo River, a cattle station in the Northern Territory that they co-manage with the conservancy.
The donors gave no interviews. In a statement, Alexandra Burt said the donation “felt like the right thing to do”, because the environment needs rapid help.
Australia keeps moving on conservation: it recently approved the Great Koala National Park.
Sources and references
- ABC News (Australia) – Perth billionaires donate $120 million to 10 conservation groups (10/11/2026)
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