Australian Wildlife Society

The Australian Wildlife Society was founded in Sydney, Australia. in May 1909 as the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia (WPSA) to encourage the protection of, and to cultivate interest in, the Australian flora and fauna. The founding president of the society was The Hon. Frederick Earle Winchcombe MLC. David Stead was one of four vice presidents and a very active founder of the society.

Australian Wildlife Society
FormationMay 1909
Founded atSydney, Australia
TypeNGO
PurposeWildlife conservation
Location
President
Suzanne Medway
PublicationAustralian Wildlife
Websitewww.aws.org.au
Formerly called
Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia

The current president is Suzanne Medway,[1] and the organisation publishes a quarterly magazine Australian Wildlife. The AWS is an all-volunteer registered, non-for-profit conservation organisation holding tax exemption status with the Australian Tax Office and is listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations.

The society is totally committed to the preservation and protection of Australia's unique native fauna and flora in all its forms through national environmental education programs, community involvement, political lobbying and advocacy, as well as practical hands-on wildlife conservation projects.

The society’s members are dedicated to preserving Australia’s native wildlife for future generations of young Australians.

The society celebrated a centenary of wildlife conservation in 2009.

In 2013 the WPSA was rebranded as the Australian Wildlife Society (AWS).[2]

In 2019 AWS celebrated its 110th Birthday and released a birthday video in collaboration with Design Centre Enmore TAFE New South Wales.

Serventy Conservation Medal

The Serventy Conservation Medal was inaugurated in 1999 to commemorate conservation work by members of the Serventy family, the siblings Lucy, Dominic and Vincent Serventy. The award honours conservation work that has not been done as part of a professional career for which the person will have been paid and honoured, but for work done for a love of nature and a determination that it should be conserved. The first award of the Medal was made in 1998. People who have been awarded the Medal are:[3]

  • 1998 – Margaret Thorsborne - for work in the conservation of local fruit pigeons and cassowaries and environmental conservation at Mission Beach, Queensland
  • 1999 – Bernie Clarke - for lifetime devotion as a local environmentalist and long-time Towra/Botany Bay campaigner
  • 2000 – Judy Messer - for outstanding contribution to conservation and environmental protection work in New South Wales
  • 2001 – Ron and Valerie Taylor - for promoting a greater understanding of the Great Barrier Reef and the need to protect its wildlife
  • 2002 – John and Cecily Fenton - for wildlife habitat conservation on their property, Lanark, in south western Victoria
  • 2003 – Lance Ferris - of the Australian Seabird Rescue team
  • 2004 – Wayne Reynolds - for work with the Cape Solander Whale Migration Study on the coast of the Royal National Park, Sydney
  • 2005 – Lyall Kenneth Metcalfe - for lifetime contribution to the conservation movement in New South Wales and the Northern Territory
  • 2006 – Lindsay Smith - for wildlife conservation work involving seabirds
  • 2007 – Bev Smiles - for dedication to the conservation of native forests in New South Wales
  • 2008 – Barry Scott - of the Koala Foundation, for dedication to Koala conservation
  • 2009 – June Butcher - for dedication in promoting the welfare of native animals
  • 2010 – Helen George - for dedication to the welfare of native animals
  • 2011 – Jenny Maclean - for her contributions to saving the spectacled flying fox
  • 2012 – Bob Irwin - for services to conservation and education
  • 2013 – Not awarded
  • 2014 – Helen Bergen and Ray Mjadwesch - for saving the lives of many injured animals
  • 2015 – John Weigel - of the Australian Reptile Park, for educational programs and his efforts to provide a safe haven for the Tasmanian devil
  • 2016 – Awarded jointly to Graeme Sawyer - Lord Mayor of Darwin from 2008-2012, who served as vice-president of the Australian Association for Environmental Education, and as president of the Northern Territory branch, and also representative on the National Cane Toad Taskforce, and Rupert Russell - a campaigner for wildlife conservation in North Queensland for over 40 years, which led to the creation of Hasties Swamp National Park.
  • 2017 – Jennie Gilbert - co-founder of the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (CTRC), which has cared for hundreds of sick and injured reptiles over the past 20 years, before releasing them back into the wild.

References
  1. "About the Society". Australian Wildlife Society. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. "Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia rebranded Australian Wildlife Society". Australian Wildlife Society. 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  3. "Serventy Conservation Award". Australian Wildlife Society. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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