News
8 June, 2026
Sanctuary launches major crowdfunding campaign
A new wildlife sanctuary in the Southern Highlands has launched a major crowdfunding campaign to help protect endangered koalas in NSW while creating a first-of-its-kind conservation education hub for regional students.
A new wildlife sanctuary in the Southern Highlands has launched a major crowdfunding campaign to help protect endangered koalas in NSW while creating a first-of-its-kind conservation education hub for regional students. Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary (SHWS) has announced plans for a dedicated education and conservation centre in Bundanoon, where more than 1000 students a year could take part in hands-on wildlife science, habitat restoration and conservation programs.
The crowdfunding campaign follows SHWS’s inaugural Koala Gala last month, which raised more than $120,000 toward the Sanctuary’s broader fundraising goal to establish a wildlife rehabilitation, research and education precinct in the Southern Highlands.
However, much more is needed.
SHWS is hoping to raise $500,000 just to break ground on the education centre while a further $3.5 million is needed for the first stage of a SHWS a dedicated wildlife research and rehabilitation centre - also in Bundanoon - designed to support evidence-based rescue, recovery and translocation programs for threatened species including koalas.
The first stage of the project would provide infrastructure for wildlife assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and monitored release programs.
Koalas remain listed as endangered in NSW following major population declines caused by habitat destruction, bushfires, disease and climate pressures.
SHWS executive chair Peter Lewis said the aim of the project was to turn conservation into something students can experience first-hand.
“If we want to protect Australia’s wildlife, we must start with education," Mr Lewis said.
SHWS has already hosted international student groups, including students from Saint Mary’s College of California, who recently participated in bushfire recovery and wildlife conservation work in the region.
But SHWS says its facility could reach more than 1000 students each year, with approximately 375,000 young people living within reach of the broader Southern Highlands region.
“We have secured the site - now we need the education centre so we can turn community support into real conservation impact,” Mr Lewis said.
“If we want to protect Australia’s wildlife, we must start with education.
“The SHWS education centre will help create the next generation of environmental leaders.”
SHWS says the education pillar forms part of a broader long-term conservation strategy that combines scientific research, wildlife rescue and habitat protection into a single community-driven model.
“Research protects wildlife. Rescue saves wildlife. But education changes the future, and that is why the education pillar is central to everything we do,” Mr Lewis said.
“The education centre will connect classrooms to conservation, turning curiosity into action and students into long-term stewards of the land.
“For critically endangered species like koalas, survival depends on more than rescue,” Mr Lewis said.
“It requires research, health screening, disease management and carefully monitored preparation for release back into the wild.”
He said the centre would support long-term conservation outcomes by linking emergency wildlife care with broader population recovery strategies and habitat resilience efforts.
“Wildlife populations are under increasing pressure,” Mr Lewis said.
“Investing in rescue infrastructure and research capability is an investment in the long-term resilience of regional biodiversity.”
Supporters can learn more or contribute to the campaign at https://www.pozible.com/profile/southern-highlands-wildlife-sanctuary
“Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to protecting koalas and building the facilities we urgently need,” Mr Lewis said.
“When many people give what they can, together we create something powerful and lasting.”
Mr Lewis said the gala dinner was also designed as a rallying point for a broader national conversation about wildlife extinction, habitat loss and the need for immediate action.
“Australians are frequently hearing that extinction is coming someday in the future,” Mr Lewis said.
“The reality is, this is happening now. This is the moment that matters.
“Koalas cannot wait for better times.
“We need to act now to strengthen research, education and rescue capacity.
“Communities want practical ways to contribute to long-term conservation outcomes and that’s exactly what SHWS has built to deliver.
“Your support today helps us move from vision to action and from concern to real conservation outcomes.”
Associate Professor Derek Marks from Saint Mary’s College of California said the trip to Australia earlier this year had given students the opportunity to engage in meaningful service, environmental stewardship and global citizenship while applying their academic knowledge in a real-world context.
He said students had gained a meaningful, firsthand understanding of the dedication, expertise, and compassion required to protect and rehabilitate native wildlife.
He said students would hopefully carry that perspective home and apply it within their own communities, “becoming more informed advocates for local ecosystems and environmental stewardship".
“These personal interactions enrich the experience beyond conservation work, fostering global awareness, cultural understanding and a broader sense of shared responsibility," Associate Professor Marks said.
"The collaboration creates a mutually beneficial relationship among Saint Mary's College, our students, Australian wildlife and the SHWS.
“Students gain invaluable hands-on experience and cultural perspective, while SHWS benefits from their engagement, support, and shared expertise."
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