Humanitarian Aid
Other Aid Activities
While Australia Zoo is known worldwide for paving the way in conservation, Steve and Terri's efforts do not just stop there. Not only are they true wildlife warriors, they are constantly being recognised for the charitable work that they take part in daily. Australia Zoo actively supports many organisations, both large and small, from all over the world. Every week we receive hundreds of requests to support these organisations, and we are more than happy to lend a helping hand. In one year alone, Australia Zoo donated in total over $100,000 worth of merchandise and passes to about 2000 organisations to assist with their fundraising efforts. These range from small sporting and special interest clubs, kindergartens, schools and churches to national and global organisations such as the Leukemia Foundation, Queensland Cancer Fund, Starlight Children's Foundation and the Red Cross. While the majority of these clubs and organisations are based in the local area and Australia, we have helped groups as widely dispersed as the United States, Europe, New Zealand and even Fiji!
Regular Endeavours
John Wallace Swim School
Australia Zoo understands the importance of education of water safety and is proud to support the John Wallace Swim School by sponsoring their ‘Swimmer of the Month’ program. All Swimmers of the Month enjoy a day at Australia Zoo with their family and go into the draw to win a V.I.P tour of the Zoo.
You can see our happy winners here.
Kids Day (Began July 2001)
Every year in July and December Australia Zoo celebrates 'Kids Day' in conjunction with Bindi and Robert's birthdays! This is an extra special day at Australia Zoo for families who cannot normally afford to pay for their children to go on outings. On this day Australia Zoo admits ALL children up to the age of 14 in for FREE! These awesome events always feature heaps of free rides, competitions, giveaways and entertainment – in the past we have even had The Wiggles, the cast of Shrek 2, Strawberry Shortcake, Humphrey B. Bear and Bob the Builder centre stage in the Animal Planet Crocoseum! Our record-breaking day for crowds was over 8000 people – on Bindi’s Birthday 2005! What a ripper!
Educating the Public
Every year at Australia Zoo we receive hundreds of requests for lectures and workshops outside of the Zoo premises from school, university, social and community groups. Australia Zoo is proud to spread the conservation message and educate as many people as possible, and gladly donates the time to perform these lectures and workshops free of charge.
Community Watch
Our dedicated team at Australia Zoo is always willing to provide their community with support. Our staff peruse magazines, newspapers, television programs and radio announcements every day in search of ways that we can help individuals or groups in our community in need of assistance. One of our latest donations was to a local family in need after a tragic loss. The appeal for the family raised over $40,000 in goods and services from the local community! Wow, what an effort!
Over the 2005 Christmas period, the Sunshine Coast community was devastated when a fire consumed several large businesses on the Nicklin Way, Minyama. Hundreds of employees of Spotlight, Chandlers and Rosemores Furniture literally saw their jobs go up in flames – just days before Christmas.
Corporate groups and individuals around the Sunshine Coast rushed to the aid of these businesses and their staff, providing financial assistance and jobs in their time of need. Australia Zoo immediately offered jobs over the Christmas period and beyond to those who wanted them, and the response was immense.
East Timor
With the assistance of the Australian Defence Force, Australia Zoo has sent hundreds of school supplies to the children affected by the war in East Timor. Many of the children who suffered a parental loss or personal injury and as a result ended up in orphanages or in deep poverty were the recipients of Australia Zoo’s donations to help them get on track to a better life of learning. Most recently in 2004, we assisted with a program to send hats and pens to children still living in the war-torn Timor. These children had no play toys or momentous joy of simply being children. Australia Zoo's humanitarian efforts were really appreciated by the local children.
Balls to Timor
Life for the children in East Timor just became a whole lot more fun. Australia Zoo and Federal Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Mal Brough, collaborated to send a swag of Crocodile Hunter merchandise, one hundred soccer balls, thirty volleyballs, pens and writing pads to the kids of East Timor.
“After visiting East Timor in April this year, I was deeply impacted by the plight of the children in this area. After speaking to the Australian soldiers on the island, they said the kids had very little in their lives – no toys, no games, not even pencils and paper for school. I was compelled to see what our community back home could do to help. I asked the staff at Australia Zoo if there was anything they could do for the local children,” Mal Brough said.
“The staff at Australia Zoo took on the challenge, and the response was overwhelming.”
Nicole Byrne, Personal Assistant to Steve and Terri, was shocked when she heard about the plight of the kids.
“Nothing is more precious than our children,” Nicole said. Nicole rallied our friends at Fuji , Nike, Caloundra City Council, Novotel Twin Waters Resort and Rebel Sport to help put this project together for the kids
“The generosity shown by the Australia Zoo and the supporting businesses will help to build stronger relationships with the people of East Timor , and make life more enjoyable for the kids on the island,” Mal Brough said.
The sporting goods and merchandise were shipped off to East Timor and distributed by Australian soldiers.
This project is a great example of community spirit and is a story with plenty of heart.
Blue Care Monetary Sponsorship
Every year Australia Zoo has lent a helping hand to our local Blue Care organisation by donating money to help keep their fantastic service up and running. By participating in the car sponsorship program it assists Blue Nursing, allied health and other community care staff provide essential in-home care to people who may be too sick, too frail, or too young to care for themselves.
Give Me 5 for Kids
Local radio station Mix FM raises funds every year for sick children on the Sunshine Coast, and Australia Zoo is always keen get involved. These efforts have included Australia Zoo’s bidding for and winning an auction to have lunch with Caroline the morning presenter. Caroline's lunch date was our huge Burmese Python, Bazzle! We also helped out in the form of family passes for fundraising, and we provided the school that raised the most money with a special trip to the Zoo.
Dance for Daniel – Daniel Morcombe Charity Ball
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation was established after Daniel Morcombe, an 11-year old Sunshine Coast boy, was abducted while waiting for a bus on a busy highway in our local area. He is still missing. His parents, together with local community leaders, have collaborated to establish the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, through which funds raised will go:
- to educate children regarding their personal safety (including abduction)
- to assist victims of crime, particularly where crime involves children
- to provide a vehicle to attract funding from State and Federal bodies and to establish and maintain a public fund to attract public donations and bequests
- to continue the search for Daniel
- to raise funds from public and government entities to support the above objectives
Terri Irwin and Australia Zoo crew attended the first annual Dance for Daniel, held at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 4 March 2006. Australia Zoo kindly donated an autographed Steve Irwin khaki uniform that was framed with an original photo of Steve in the uniform. The item was placed in the auction for the night, and raised $3600 for the Daniel Morcombe charity. Australia Zoo also donated a prize pack including Australia Zoo merchandise and passes that was given away as a lucky door prize on the night.
Up the Tower
For four years Australia Zoo has participated in the Surf Lifesaving Rescue appeal, Up the Tower. The event is to raise funds and public awareness of the vital role of surf lifesavers in the community, which will provide safer Sunshine Coast beaches. Local representatives, including an Australia Zoo staff member, go up a three metre surf lifesaving tower with a mobile phone and ring as many contacts as possible seeking pledged donations. Over the past four years Australia Zoo representatives have raised over $3000 for this awesome cause! What a little ripper!
Recent Events
Australia Zoo staff love to be involved in community activities and can regularly be found at local events. These include anything from school fetes and community festivals to sporting events and fundraising functions. The following are some of our latest outings.
School Fetes
Not only does Australia Zoo donate prizes every day to schools for their fetes, we can even be found enjoying the actual event! Most weekends we set up a stall at a school fete and display lots of exciting pictures and give away heaps of goodies. We love talking to the kids and answering any questions they may have about animals. Our most recent outing was at Golden Beach State School’s fete, where heaps of fun was had by all!
Noosa Triathlon
Australia Zoo is a regular supporter of the annual Noosa Triathlon, which attracts competitors from all over the world. This year we sponsored the Noosa Superkidz event, and had stacks of fun on the day cheering on the kids. All the children were smiling from ear to ear after receiving their medals and passes to Australia Zoo!
Camp Quality Surf Classic
It was all about sun, surf and sand for the Australia Zoo staff members who had the hard job of spending a weekend at Alexandra Headlands beach for the Camp Quality Surf Classic! Australia Zoo was a sponsor of the event and spent the weekend handing out giveaways and supporting competitors who were helping to raise money for the great kids at Camp Quality.
NutFest
For the last few years Australia Zoo has been a regular financial sponsor of Nutfest, a macadamia-themed fair that aims to promote our local area of Glasshouse Mountains as a tourist destination. We also attend the event with heaps of giveaways for all.Jeans for Genes Day
Australia Zoo and Steve Irwin supported Jeans for Genes Day 2005 by donating an autographed pair of Steve Irwin's shorts. The shorts were also painted by artist Mitjili Napanangka, and were auctioned at an exclusive Art Auction dinner held in Sydney. The artists painting depicts an old story from Mitjili's father's country, called Wilkinkarra near Yuendumu. The story is about the transgression of this customary law where two "wrong skin" partners have intimate relations.
Queensland Ambulance Service
On 1 December 2005, Robert Irwin’s second birthday, Terri invited the Queensland Ambulance Service to Australia Zoo to help educate and raise awareness of the wonderful service they do in saving peoples’ lives, and also to promote the correct installation of children’s car seats.
C-FM’s ‘Visit the Zoo with the Crew’
In 2005 the crew at C-FM radio station in Toowoomba held a competition for primary school classes in their local area called ‘Visit the Zoo with the Crew’. The competition called for creative entries of the students’ choices that reflected their ideas about wildlife and conservation. Australia Zoo donated free entry and encounters with the animals for all three of the winning classes, and the kids had heaps of fun meeting all of the wildlife they had so enthusiastically written about, painted or represented in the creative pieces. The three winning entries included a massive, colourful picture book, a giant poster with loads of cool animal pictures, and a song written about animals and the Zoo! Steve and Terri were so impressed they just had to come and meet the pint-sized artists themselves. The kids just loved meeting their conservation idols, and had a fantastic day!
Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day is held annually on the last Friday of June, and is the major fundraiser for SIDS and Kids, a charity working to find a solution and support families affected by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Proceeds from Red Nose Day go towards providing vital service and programs such as outreach services for families and the community, and a health promotion campaign which offers parents practical advice on reducing the risk of SIDS.
Steve and Terri Irwin have been actively involved in Red Nose Day, appearing with red noses on in newspapers around Australia. They also allowed SIDS and Kids to sell merchandise and noses in their retail stores and around the Zoo, and encouraged guests to wear a red nose to raise the awareness of SIDS.
Primary After School Sports
Australia Zoo has been involved with the Primary After School Sports (PASS) program, developed by Mal Meninga and business partner Brenden Jones, which aims to help at-risk children stay motivated at school and learn more about making a contribution to the community. The children are invited to take part in after school activities including sport to ensure that they are not left to their own devices.
The children in this program were treated to a day at Australia Zoo in July 2005, giving them a chance to have fun, and further develop social skills while interacting with each other and the Australia Zoo wildlife team. Not only did they get to see wildlife up close, they also got a visit from Steve Irwin! The children had a chance to ask Steve questions about wildlife and his TV shows, which made their day!
Learn more about Other Aid Activities that Australia Zoo is Involved with:
Article: Crocodile Hunter wants to see red
Article: Steve's pass mark
