ACT Threatened Species Awareness – Presentation Evening

Threatened Species Awareness Day is held in September every year. To mark the occasion the Conservation Council have arranged a free evening of speakers who are actively involved in conserving ACT threatened species for Tuesday 8 September, 6pm to 8:30pm.
Presenters will share their knowledge, experiences, and stories, introducing you to a different threatened species, explaining why it is under threat, and how they—and others—are helping to protect it.
These are stories of hope and action. You don’t need to be an expert to attend, or to make a difference—we can all play a part in helping these species and the many other threatened species that are our neighbours in the ACT.
Come and learn how people are helping to conserve and protect our precious wildlife, and how you can too.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/act-threatened-species-awareness-presentation-night

Gregory Andrews, Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner and founder of Lyrebird Dreaming, will be Master of Ceremonies for the night.

Species and speakers include:

Gang-gang Cockatoos — Michael Mulvaney, Gang-gang Gang
Learn about the threats facing the ACT’s faunal emblem and how Gang-gang Gang volunteers are helping protect these beautiful birds.

Gula (Koalas) — Keith Joillife, Conservation Council ACT
Discover how volunteers are mapping suitable koala habitat from Gungahlin to Namadgi, helping explore the possibility of bringing Gula back home to the ACT.

Grey-headed Flying Foxes — Clare Wynter & Stephen Bartos, ACT Wildlife
Hear how dedicated wildlife carers work to protect flying foxes, including helping colonies survive extreme heat.

Green and Golden Bell Frogs — Anke Maria Hoefer, FrogWatch ACT
Find out how these locally extinct frogs have recently been reintroduced to the ACT — complete with specially designed “saunas and spas” that help them survive.

Keys Matchstick Grasshopper — Hannah Zurker, Invertebrates Australia
Hear how Hannah discovered this elusive threatened Grasshopper, not through her work, but through her volunteer work with Scouts ACT.

Canberra Spider Orchid — Derek Corrigan – Orchid Society of Canberra
Learn about the Canberra Spider Orchid, Brindabella Midge Orchid and other threatened native orchids found in the ACT, and what has been done to conserve them and map them so they can be protected.

Tuggeranong Lignum – Isobel Walcot – University of Canberra
The only place in the world Tuggeranong Lignum grows is in the south of Canberra – how to protect and conserve a plant with such a small habitat? Maybe learning about its genetics can help! That’s what Isobel is doing and she’s going to tell us how it’s going.

Following the presentations, all speakers will come together for a panel discussion and audience Q&A.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/act-threatened-species-awareness-presentation-night

Evening Details

Date and Time
Tuesday 8 September 2026
6.00 pm – 8.30 pm

Location
Verity Lane – Juliet Room
50 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City

Cost
Free!

Food and Drink
Verity Lane has a range of eateries where you can buy food and drinks before the event or during the break. Feel free to bring them upstairs and enjoy them while you listen and learn, or grab something during the break and browse the displays, chat with the speakers and meet other attendees.

Additional Information

There will be information flyers available to review and take with you covering how you can help save our threatened species.

Conservation Council AC
https://conservationcouncil.org.au/

ACT Threatened Species list
https://www.act.gov.au/environment/animals-and-plants/act-threatened-species

Lyrebird Dreaming
https://www.lyrebirddreaming.com/

Bearlymade
Brooke, founder and artist of threatened species pins, will be selling her pins at the event so you can purchase some of her beautiful pins for yourself or as gifts: https://www.bearlymade.com.au/

Want to contribute?

If you’d like to have flyers for your work, or your group’s work, available at the event—or if you’d like to display or sell your ACT threatened species-related product at the event—please contact Kelly.allison@conservationcouncil.org.au for a chat.

Working to save an ACT threatened species and like to present too? Contact Kelly.allison@conservationcouncil.org.au for more information.

Thank you to Icon Water for making this event possible. https://www.iconwater.com.au/