At the Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary, conservation has always been a community effort. Every rescue, every rehabilitation, every tree planted has been made possible by people who care.
Now, we’re taking two major steps toward a stronger future for wildlife across the region — and we’re asking our community to shape it with us.
Mission One: The SHWS Education Centre
Our first project is a $500,000 goal to complete the SHWS Education Centre in Bundanoon. This centre will be a place where schools, volunteers and community members can learn practical conservation, wildlife rescue, and ecological restoration.
Co-founders John Creighton and Chair Peter Lewis have long seen education as the key to long-term change.
“Education is what turns care into change,” Lewis says. “When people understand how ecosystems work, they start to see how much power they have to protect them.”
Thanks to generous partners, the foundations are already set. The Quest for Life Foundation, led by Petrea King, has donated the land for the centre. Studio Era has contributed architectural design and development expertise, and a local electrician has pledged to complete electrical work once construction begins.
With community support, we can finalise approvals and begin building the learning hub our region needs.
Mission Two: A Permanent Home for Science and Sanctuary
Our second goal is to secure $4 million to purchase Spring Hill Homestead; a property at the entrance to Bundanoon that connects directly to a natural corridor leading into Morton National Park.
This land will become the sanctuary’s permanent home and the base for our Research Centre of Excellence. The site will support wildlife rehabilitation, ecological studies, community-led monitoring and long-term programs for species such as wombats, koalas, gliders and echidnas.
To meet the early 2026 deadline, SHWS will combine donations, grants and philanthropic partnerships to raise the remaining funds.
A Community Call
SHWS was built by locals who saw what was needed and stepped forward. That same community support is essential now.
“Every person who contributes becomes part of the solution,” Lewis says. “These spaces will serve our wildlife long after we’re gone.”
All donations are tax-deductible and can be made through our website.
Larger philanthropic or corporate partnerships are welcomed — please contact Peter Lewis or the SHWS team directly to discuss how you can be involved.
p.lewis@shws.org.au or admin@southernhighlandswildlifesanctuary.org.au
Together, we can build the foundation for long-term wildlife recovery in the Southern Highlands.
