Together, we’ve done it! The 2023 Walker Swamp land purchase funding target has been met

Posted at 27 Jun 2023 at 20:18h in News, Walker Swamp 2023 Fundraiser, Walker Swamp Restoration Reserve by
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With settlement now just days away, scheduled for this Friday the 30th June, it is wonderful to be able to share the news that over the past few days we’ve met our fundraising target of $500,000. This means we will now be able to complete the land purchase to expand the Reserve without having to go into any debt, which is big weight lifted and provides a fantastic springboard for the ongoing restoration journey that continues at Walker Swamp!

Walker Swamp Land Addition: Funding Target Progress (as at 27th June 2023)0%
The area under contract that will now expand the Walker Swamp Restoration Reserve by 390 acres on June 30th 2023.

In case you are wondering, we met the target as a result of 195 donations received over the past two months, large and small, by people from all walks of life, from all around Australia and beyond.

A number of private philanthropic trusts and foundations also played a huge role in helping to push us towards the target, by giving our fundraiser a big nudge along at key moments. Two that I will reserve a very special mention for are:

  • the Purryburry Trust, who made a substantial commitment a few weeks ago, by offering to continue to match donations almost all the way to our target, when our initial pool of matching funding was running low; and
  • the Drakensberg Trust, whose significant contribution over the past few days has allowed us to complete the fundraiser and reach the target ahead of settlement.

We know from past experience that public fundraising for land purchase is not easy, having done this on three occasions before over the past 11 years (Mt Burr Swamp in 2016, Walker Swamp in 2018/2019 and Mt Vandyke in 2021), so to actually reach our goal successfully, in full, ahead of settlement is a massive achievement. We hope that everyone who contributed feels just as satisfied with this news as we are – because obviously we couldn’t have done it without you!

For those who have donated, once we get the colder winter months out of the way, we will share the details of an exclusive event for all supporters that we will host at Walker Swamp in the spring. This will be our chance to share the new part of the Walker Swamp Reserve with you, and of course celebrate what we have achieved for this special place together!

Manna Gum sand forest on the lunette adjacent to Walker Swamp. Photo: Greg Kerr

As we turn our attention to the future, our plans to manage the bushland area and restore the cleared areas will begin to unfold, to bring this area back to its former glory.

On behalf of everyone at NGT, if you have been involved in the Walker Swamp journey in any way over the years, thanks again for playing your part in the creation and expansion of the Reserve. By working together, we are now making major environmental restoration outcomes – in this really important and special landscape – a reality.

See you out there in the spring!

Mark Bachmann
Managing Director / Founder

PS. If you are interested in future volunteering opportunities at Walker Swamp, please contact our Southern Grampians Community Coordinator, Lisa McIntyre by email on or phone on 0428 749 235.

The view looking south-west over the proposed Walker Swamp land addition (foreground), with Walker Swamp and the Grampians National Park in the background.


Mark Bachmann