Earthwatch Institute Australia

Earthwatch empowers people to save the natural world, through work, life and play. 

We engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education experiences to create new knowledge and inspire the action necessary for a sustainable environment.

At Earthwatch Australia, our ultimate goal is a sustainable planet: one where society lives in balance nature, where every part of the global ecosystem thrives without compromising any other part, and where the diversity of life and cultures flourish.

We engage people, from children to retirees – educators, students, office workers, community groups, Land and Sea Rangers, and corporate high flyers – directly in the issues facing our natural world. We do this through field based scientific research, environmental education and learning programs, volunteering expeditions, employee engagement programs, social and environmental responsibility action, conservation, and volunteer recruitment.

Opportunities to get involved include:

ClimateWatch – Earthwatch’s continental-scale phenology research, where Australians are observing nature and contributing to climate science to answer the question: how is climate change impacting the life-cycles of plants and animals across Australia? More than 15M+ observations have been downloaded by policy makers and climate scientists

Tiny Forests – Earthwatch’s international urban greening initiative, reintroducing biodiversity back into our cities and contributing to city liveability and resilience.

Wetlands conservation and blue carbon – as some of the post productive ecosystems on Earth, tidal wetlands, mangroves and saltmarsh sequester more than 1M kilograms of carbon per hectare, a nature-based solution to climate change for a carbon-neutral future. 

Our work empowers land managers and citizens to monitor the health, productivity and threats to these crucial ecosystems, while also measuring carbon stores (blue carbon) to Land and Sea Rangers, educators, students, office workers, and tourism operators.

Expeditions – local and global: everyday people can work in the field alongside renowned scientists to solve the environmental issues facing our natural world.  You can get hands on to help the Great Barrier Reef recovery, monitor the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and habitats around the world, and help conserve endangered wildlife. 

Sustainability Education: you can also help us to fundraise for our youth programs, Kids Teaching Kids and Student Challenge. Young people are our future, and by connecting youth to nature and by creating opportunities for young people to give voice and agency to take action, we nuture the next generation of advocates, decision-makers, and stewards for our natural world.

For more info: https://www.earthwatch.org.au Earthwatch Institute

ClimateWatch – Earthwatch’s continental-scale phenology research, where Australians are observing nature and contributing to climate science to answer the question: how is climate change impacting the life-cycles of plants and animals across Australia? More than 15M+ observations have been downloaded by policy makers and climate scientists

Tiny Forests – Earthwatch’s international urban greening initiative, reintroducing biodiversity back into our cities and contributing to city liveability and resilience.

Wetlands conservation and blue carbon – as some of the post productive ecosystems on Earth, tidal wetlands, mangroves and saltmarsh sequester more than 1M kilograms of carbon per hectare, a nature-based solution to climate change for a carbon-neutral future. 

Our work empowers land managers and citizens to monitor the health, productivity and threats to these crucial ecosystems, while also measuring carbon stores (blue carbon) to Land and Sea Rangers, educators, students, office workers, and tourism operators.

Expeditions – local and global: everyday people can work in the field alongside renowned scientists to solve the environmental issues facing our natural world.  You can get hands on to help the Great Barrier Reef recovery, monitor the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and habitats around the world, and help conserve endangered wildlife. 

Bush Blitz: Australia’s largest nature discovery program. With 3/4 of Australia’s biodiversity still to be discovered, we bring together experts, office workers and teachers on scientific expeditions to document the plants and animals of Australia. 

Kids Teaching Kids: our peer-to-peer teaching program, empowering young people to learn more about the environmental issues that impact them (agency) and provide the tools and platform for young people to teach others and take action on the crises facing our natural world (voice). 

More than 148,000+ young people have engaged in the Kids Teaching Kids programs since 1999. We are actively looking for more business partners to support Australia’s youth to take practical action in their local environment.  

Student Challenge: full scholarships are available for students aged 15-17 to go on a scientific expedition, becoming research assistants to ecologists and environmental scientists, and learn more about future careers for nature.

Please refer to our website: earthwatch.org.au for more details on all of our current projects. Alternatively, call us on +61 3 9016 7590

Stephen McDonald, Chief Development Officer

Scott Wilson, Chief Scientist 

Alison Rafferty, Head of Business Operations 

Michelle Tripp, Head of Education 

Elizabeth Irvine, Program Operations Manager 

Mathew Nelson

Prof. Ian Woodrow

Peter Cochrane

Aaron Organ 

Nuvan Aranwela

Shamal Dass

Emily Gerrard

Andrew Thomson

Belinda Kischkel 

In your will you have a rare opportunity to help Earthwatch, a not-for-profit organisation that is committed to conserving the diversity and integrity of life on Earth to meet the needs of current and future generations. By making a bequest to Earthwatch, you can play a vital part to support our long term goals in helping us address important environmental issues that affect people and the environment.  Like many other bequest supporters who have chosen to make this very special gift, you’ll be helping ensure that those who follow us will be left with a world that offers them the diversity, beauty and opportunity that we have all enjoyed.

For more info contact the CEO, Fiona Sutton Wilson on 

e: earth@earthwatch.org.au

t: 03 9016 7590

Become a member of Earthwatch’s generous giving community. You can make monthly and annual donations online, and by cheque, bank deposit or transfer, or credit card

Donate | Earthwatch Institute Australia

Payroll deductions can be made from your pre-tax salary each pay period. Contact your employer payroll department to arrange.

For more info https://www.earthwatch.org.au/donate

Fundraise for us

If you love to run, walk, bake, go on adventures, you can turn your passion into a way to support the environment you love, too.  By setting up a fundraiser with Earthwatch, you are directly supporting programs that change behaviours, contribute to critical science, and conserve our natural world, and you are raising awareness amongst your peers that this cause is worth their donation, too.

Create a Fundraiser at Earthwatch to support nature

If you have a passion for the environment, love working as part of a  collaborative team and want to be part of a small organisation making big changes, we’d love to hear from you!

We also offer internships.

All opportunities are advertised via our webpage: https://www.earthwatch.org.au/Listing/Category/work-with-us

Skilled volunteers are critical to the success of our organisation. If you have the skills and time to help our mission, we’d love to hear from you!  Please contact us on: earth@earthwatch.org.au