Support Save the Bilby through to the other side of the pandemic

Support the Save the Bilby Fund now so that we can get through to the other side of the pandemic and continue our critical work to save our bilbies? Click here !

Here at the Save the Bilby Fund we are used to really tough challenges. We have faced many over the last ten years – such as the horrendous drought conditions, scorching hot summers and dry, freezing winters – our release program was delayed by unprecedented heat waves.

Eight years ago we lost our partnership with Darrell Lea when they went into receivership – although they were bought out, the partnership and the income produced from the sales of chocolate bilbies was lost. This amounted to approximately $60,000 that we could rely on to cover our costs each year

Five years ago, when our much-loved Co-founder, Frank Manthey (OAM), retired from National Parks, we lost a paid position covered by Queensland Government and then another one when Co-founder Peter McRae retired in 2018. Sadly, both have now passed, may they rest in peace.

Cadbury used to make a one-off donation of around $10,000 each Easter for a number of years– but we lost that two years ago when they made the decision to discontinue making chocolate bilbies.

Now, as an immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic we have lost all income from the iconic Charleville Bilby Experience. Our bilby experiences are designed to be intimate and like so many other activities have had to be closed under the federal Government’s COVID-19 response.

This will mean the loss of approximately $115,000 or so that our bilby-lovers generate in admission, purchases and donations that will simply not eventuate in 2020. The bilby festival and our annual fundraiser, the Bilby Ball have both been cancelled for 2020

THE ONLY INCOME WE CAN COUNT ON RIGHT NOW IS FROM OUR BILBY-LOVING COMMUNITY