'The bulldozers keep coming': wildlife carer's race to save vanishing koalas
As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife.
I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts.
I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024.
Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense.
Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct".
And yet, the bulldozers keep coming.
Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone.
That's about the size of Switzerland.
Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go.
We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them.
Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes.
Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival.
The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals.
It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand.
We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support.
Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can.
Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind.
Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations.
READ THEIR STORIES
I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything.
That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW!
A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us.
So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued.
Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon.
As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife.
I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts.
I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024.
Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense.
Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct".
And yet, the bulldozers keep coming.
Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone.
That's about the size of Switzerland.
Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go.
We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them.
Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes.
Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival.
The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals.
It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand.
We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support.
Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can.
Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind.
Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations.
READ THEIR STORIES
I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything.
That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW!
A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us.
So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued.
Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon.
As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife.
I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts.
I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024.
Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense.
Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct".
And yet, the bulldozers keep coming.
Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone.
That's about the size of Switzerland.
Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go.
We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them.
Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes.
Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival.
The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals.
It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand.
We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support.
Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can.
Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind.
Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations.
READ THEIR STORIES
I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything.
That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW!
A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us.
So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued.
Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon.
As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife.
I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts.
I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024.
Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense.
Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct".
And yet, the bulldozers keep coming.
Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone.
That's about the size of Switzerland.
Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go.
We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them.
Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes.
Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival.
The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals.
It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand.
We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support.
Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can.
Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind.
Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations.
READ THEIR STORIES
I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything.
That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW!
A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us.
So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued.
Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
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Are you drowning in trend-driven kitchen gadgets you don't actually use?
If your kitchen cupboards are more scrambled than last night's eggs, turns out you're probably not alone. New research reveals that Australians have accumulated a truckload of expensive and useless kitchen gadgets, cluttering our drawers, gathering dust and turning dinner prep into a game of utensil hide and seek. Not only are we wasting money, but we're also adding stress and losing precious time. The culprit? An over-the-top foodie culture and trend-driven tools that promise time-saving magic, but often deliver clutter and regret. Commissioned by meal delivery service EveryPlate, nearly 75 per cent of people participating in the survey own between 10 and 20 gadgets. Almost a third said some of these have been left untouched for more than a year, and 90 per cent admitted to using the same three or four items over and over again - sound familiar? Coined the spice rack effect, 36 per cent of those surveyed buy a kitchen gadget, use it once, then never again, with 43 per cent admitting to wasting between $100 and $200 on cooking contraptions they don't use. Sixty per cent reported to having a kitchen junk drawer, where unused tools are mercilessly dumped. What are the top kitchen one-hit-wonders? An egg yolk separator came in at number one (51 per cent), followed closely by the avocado pitter (50 per cent), then the spiraliser (47 per cent, electric salt and pepper grinders (40 per cent), garlic crushers (23 per cent) and even the time-honoured food processor (22 per cent). To help Aussie households cut through the chaos and bring dinnertime back down to earth, home cook and clutter realist, Mel Buttle shares her top five tips for simplifying your kitchen. 1. Ditch one-hit wonders They overpromise, underdeliver, and take up way too much space for something that gets used once a year (if that). If it requires a tutorial and a deep clean after every use, it's not a time-saver - it's a shelf hog. Let it go. 2. Back to basics You don't need an army of appliances to make dinner. Just a solid knife, a chopping board, tongs, and a pot. Maybe a peeler if you're feeling fancy. These are the tools that pull their weight - no flashing lights, no USB charger, no risk of accidentally grating your knuckle. 3. Six-month rule If it hasn't been used in six months, it's not a gadget - it's a squatter. That pasta maker you bought during your 'Viva Italia' phase? It's not on a break, it's done. Gift it to a retiree with time for that stuff, give it to the op shop, or the local kindy, but it does need to rack off. 4. Viral? Think twice Wondering if your drawer is full of irrational viral flings? Try this: pick your top three go-to recipes and write down the tools you actually use. You'll likely find the same handful popping up every time, and that's your lineup. Did the electric egg cracker make the cut? No? Shocking. If you won it from a magazine, if you got it from a supermarket for collecting stamps, or got it from a $10 work secret Santa, it may not be worthy of the cupboard space, alongside legends like the chopping board, frypan and butcher's knife. 5. The re-buy rule Here's a task for you to help decide if it's earned its place on the used once and never again metaphoric spice rack; the 'Would I buy again?' test. Line up all those kitchen gadgets gathering dust and perform a merciless cull. Be honest with yourself, is that corn peeler really going to need replacing? If the answer is no, it's time to say, toodle-oo. If your kitchen cupboards are more scrambled than last night's eggs, turns out you're probably not alone. New research reveals that Australians have accumulated a truckload of expensive and useless kitchen gadgets, cluttering our drawers, gathering dust and turning dinner prep into a game of utensil hide and seek. Not only are we wasting money, but we're also adding stress and losing precious time. The culprit? An over-the-top foodie culture and trend-driven tools that promise time-saving magic, but often deliver clutter and regret. Commissioned by meal delivery service EveryPlate, nearly 75 per cent of people participating in the survey own between 10 and 20 gadgets. Almost a third said some of these have been left untouched for more than a year, and 90 per cent admitted to using the same three or four items over and over again - sound familiar? Coined the spice rack effect, 36 per cent of those surveyed buy a kitchen gadget, use it once, then never again, with 43 per cent admitting to wasting between $100 and $200 on cooking contraptions they don't use. Sixty per cent reported to having a kitchen junk drawer, where unused tools are mercilessly dumped. What are the top kitchen one-hit-wonders? An egg yolk separator came in at number one (51 per cent), followed closely by the avocado pitter (50 per cent), then the spiraliser (47 per cent, electric salt and pepper grinders (40 per cent), garlic crushers (23 per cent) and even the time-honoured food processor (22 per cent). To help Aussie households cut through the chaos and bring dinnertime back down to earth, home cook and clutter realist, Mel Buttle shares her top five tips for simplifying your kitchen. 1. Ditch one-hit wonders They overpromise, underdeliver, and take up way too much space for something that gets used once a year (if that). If it requires a tutorial and a deep clean after every use, it's not a time-saver - it's a shelf hog. Let it go. 2. Back to basics You don't need an army of appliances to make dinner. Just a solid knife, a chopping board, tongs, and a pot. Maybe a peeler if you're feeling fancy. These are the tools that pull their weight - no flashing lights, no USB charger, no risk of accidentally grating your knuckle. 3. Six-month rule If it hasn't been used in six months, it's not a gadget - it's a squatter. That pasta maker you bought during your 'Viva Italia' phase? It's not on a break, it's done. Gift it to a retiree with time for that stuff, give it to the op shop, or the local kindy, but it does need to rack off. 4. Viral? Think twice Wondering if your drawer is full of irrational viral flings? Try this: pick your top three go-to recipes and write down the tools you actually use. You'll likely find the same handful popping up every time, and that's your lineup. Did the electric egg cracker make the cut? No? Shocking. If you won it from a magazine, if you got it from a supermarket for collecting stamps, or got it from a $10 work secret Santa, it may not be worthy of the cupboard space, alongside legends like the chopping board, frypan and butcher's knife. 5. The re-buy rule Here's a task for you to help decide if it's earned its place on the used once and never again metaphoric spice rack; the 'Would I buy again?' test. Line up all those kitchen gadgets gathering dust and perform a merciless cull. Be honest with yourself, is that corn peeler really going to need replacing? If the answer is no, it's time to say, toodle-oo. If your kitchen cupboards are more scrambled than last night's eggs, turns out you're probably not alone. New research reveals that Australians have accumulated a truckload of expensive and useless kitchen gadgets, cluttering our drawers, gathering dust and turning dinner prep into a game of utensil hide and seek. Not only are we wasting money, but we're also adding stress and losing precious time. The culprit? An over-the-top foodie culture and trend-driven tools that promise time-saving magic, but often deliver clutter and regret. Commissioned by meal delivery service EveryPlate, nearly 75 per cent of people participating in the survey own between 10 and 20 gadgets. Almost a third said some of these have been left untouched for more than a year, and 90 per cent admitted to using the same three or four items over and over again - sound familiar? Coined the spice rack effect, 36 per cent of those surveyed buy a kitchen gadget, use it once, then never again, with 43 per cent admitting to wasting between $100 and $200 on cooking contraptions they don't use. Sixty per cent reported to having a kitchen junk drawer, where unused tools are mercilessly dumped. What are the top kitchen one-hit-wonders? An egg yolk separator came in at number one (51 per cent), followed closely by the avocado pitter (50 per cent), then the spiraliser (47 per cent, electric salt and pepper grinders (40 per cent), garlic crushers (23 per cent) and even the time-honoured food processor (22 per cent). To help Aussie households cut through the chaos and bring dinnertime back down to earth, home cook and clutter realist, Mel Buttle shares her top five tips for simplifying your kitchen. 1. Ditch one-hit wonders They overpromise, underdeliver, and take up way too much space for something that gets used once a year (if that). If it requires a tutorial and a deep clean after every use, it's not a time-saver - it's a shelf hog. Let it go. 2. Back to basics You don't need an army of appliances to make dinner. Just a solid knife, a chopping board, tongs, and a pot. Maybe a peeler if you're feeling fancy. These are the tools that pull their weight - no flashing lights, no USB charger, no risk of accidentally grating your knuckle. 3. Six-month rule If it hasn't been used in six months, it's not a gadget - it's a squatter. That pasta maker you bought during your 'Viva Italia' phase? It's not on a break, it's done. Gift it to a retiree with time for that stuff, give it to the op shop, or the local kindy, but it does need to rack off. 4. Viral? Think twice Wondering if your drawer is full of irrational viral flings? Try this: pick your top three go-to recipes and write down the tools you actually use. You'll likely find the same handful popping up every time, and that's your lineup. Did the electric egg cracker make the cut? No? Shocking. If you won it from a magazine, if you got it from a supermarket for collecting stamps, or got it from a $10 work secret Santa, it may not be worthy of the cupboard space, alongside legends like the chopping board, frypan and butcher's knife. 5. The re-buy rule Here's a task for you to help decide if it's earned its place on the used once and never again metaphoric spice rack; the 'Would I buy again?' test. Line up all those kitchen gadgets gathering dust and perform a merciless cull. Be honest with yourself, is that corn peeler really going to need replacing? If the answer is no, it's time to say, toodle-oo. If your kitchen cupboards are more scrambled than last night's eggs, turns out you're probably not alone. New research reveals that Australians have accumulated a truckload of expensive and useless kitchen gadgets, cluttering our drawers, gathering dust and turning dinner prep into a game of utensil hide and seek. Not only are we wasting money, but we're also adding stress and losing precious time. The culprit? An over-the-top foodie culture and trend-driven tools that promise time-saving magic, but often deliver clutter and regret. Commissioned by meal delivery service EveryPlate, nearly 75 per cent of people participating in the survey own between 10 and 20 gadgets. Almost a third said some of these have been left untouched for more than a year, and 90 per cent admitted to using the same three or four items over and over again - sound familiar? Coined the spice rack effect, 36 per cent of those surveyed buy a kitchen gadget, use it once, then never again, with 43 per cent admitting to wasting between $100 and $200 on cooking contraptions they don't use. Sixty per cent reported to having a kitchen junk drawer, where unused tools are mercilessly dumped. What are the top kitchen one-hit-wonders? An egg yolk separator came in at number one (51 per cent), followed closely by the avocado pitter (50 per cent), then the spiraliser (47 per cent, electric salt and pepper grinders (40 per cent), garlic crushers (23 per cent) and even the time-honoured food processor (22 per cent). To help Aussie households cut through the chaos and bring dinnertime back down to earth, home cook and clutter realist, Mel Buttle shares her top five tips for simplifying your kitchen. 1. Ditch one-hit wonders They overpromise, underdeliver, and take up way too much space for something that gets used once a year (if that). If it requires a tutorial and a deep clean after every use, it's not a time-saver - it's a shelf hog. Let it go. 2. Back to basics You don't need an army of appliances to make dinner. Just a solid knife, a chopping board, tongs, and a pot. Maybe a peeler if you're feeling fancy. These are the tools that pull their weight - no flashing lights, no USB charger, no risk of accidentally grating your knuckle. 3. Six-month rule If it hasn't been used in six months, it's not a gadget - it's a squatter. That pasta maker you bought during your 'Viva Italia' phase? It's not on a break, it's done. Gift it to a retiree with time for that stuff, give it to the op shop, or the local kindy, but it does need to rack off. 4. Viral? Think twice Wondering if your drawer is full of irrational viral flings? Try this: pick your top three go-to recipes and write down the tools you actually use. You'll likely find the same handful popping up every time, and that's your lineup. Did the electric egg cracker make the cut? No? Shocking. If you won it from a magazine, if you got it from a supermarket for collecting stamps, or got it from a $10 work secret Santa, it may not be worthy of the cupboard space, alongside legends like the chopping board, frypan and butcher's knife. 5. The re-buy rule Here's a task for you to help decide if it's earned its place on the used once and never again metaphoric spice rack; the 'Would I buy again?' test. Line up all those kitchen gadgets gathering dust and perform a merciless cull. Be honest with yourself, is that corn peeler really going to need replacing? If the answer is no, it's time to say, toodle-oo.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- 7NEWS
Australian father killed in BASE jumping accident in Italy
An Australian father has died in a BASE jumping accident in northern Italy. Perth man James Nowland, 42, died on Wednesday when he crashed onto a road during a jump from the summit of Sass Pordoi. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Aussie BASE jumper killed in accident in Italy. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Investigators suspect the experienced BASE jumper had a technical issue and was unable to open his parachute before crashing 400m away from his planned landing point about 1pm local time. Rescue teams arrived by land and helicopter but Nowland could not be revived. 'We tried to do our best to save (him),' rescuer Andrea Dorigatti said. Sadly, nothing could be done. His brother Adrian Nowland posted a tribute on social media, saying he wished the pair had been able to share more adventures together. 'Hope you're soaring through the clouds doing what you love forever,' he said. Nowland's social media accounts are bursting with images from his high-flying adventures from across the world, including Switzerland, China, Australia, and New Zealand. Just last year he mourned a friend also killed in a flying accident in Switzerland. BASE jumping is an extreme sport that involves jumping off high objects, with BASE an acronym that stands for buildings, antennas, spans (bridges) and Earth (cliffs). The Australian BASE Association previously said the dangers with the activity are 'obvious and very real'. 'Experienced BASE jumpers generally have no problem overcoming the risks by implementing adequate risk management techniques,' the association said. 'This starts with ensuring you have the sufficient knowledge and skill and are using the right equipment. 'To maintain a maximum level of safety, BASE jumps should always be done with a high level of caution and a BASE jumper also should not try to push beyond their skill level.'
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
'The bulldozers keep coming': wildlife carer's race to save vanishing koalas
Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
