Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary, the vision of the late Gordon Clarke, preserves 535 hectares of forest and woodland, 147 hectares of which are managed by Trust for Nature. 

Today the reserve is a haven for woodland birds, threatened orchids, a natural wonderland located 25km west of Ballarat, just south of Linton on Wadawurrung Country. 

But an old pine plantation on the property has been harvested and needs active restoration to stop young pines re-infesting the area.

With your support we can restore this old plantation and bring it up to the high standard of the rest of the reserve.

Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary provides vital habitat for some of Victoria’s most threatened woodland birds, including:

* Swift Parrot, Critically endangered. Fewer than 500 individuals of this fast, green parrot remain in the wild. Clarkesdale provides essential habitat where these migratory birds can feed on gum tree blossoms.

*  Powerful Owl, Vulnerable. These nocturnal predators, Australia’s largest owl, need large areas of habitat and old, hollow-bearing trees to nest and roost, both provided by the sanctuary.

* Diamond Firetail, Vulnerable. Recently recognised as at risk of extinction, these glittering jewels are declining due to loss of their woodland habitat, but here at Clarkesdale they have a save haven.

* Brown Treecreeper, Vulnerable. These lively birds can be found clinging vertically to tree trunks in their pursuit of bark-dwelling insects. But with increasing loss of their habitat, they are declining.

Clarkesdale is also home to other threatened birds including: Australasian Shoveler, Baillon’s Crake, Grey Goshawk, Latham’s Snipe, Musk Duck, Painted Honeyeater and Spotted Quail-thrush.

But this sanctuary is more than for the birds. Threatened plants like the Yarra Gum, Emerald-lip Greenhood, Fringed Midge-orchid, Green-comb Spider-orchid and Rush-leaf Sun-orchid also find a haven at Clarkesdale.

With generous support from people like you, we can restore and manage habitat on the reserve to ensure it provides an even better habitat for these precious threatened species.

Make a donation, for the birds.

A rare and urgent opportunity.

We have a rare opportunity to triple the impact of your donation. If we can raise $110,000 the Victorian Government will contribute $217,000 through the BushBank program. That’s nearly $330,000 towards improving Clarkesdale.

But this opportunity won’t hang around, we need your support urgently by 16 September to secure funding for Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary.

Please donate today to triple your impact. Together we can ensure Clarkesdale is a thriving sanctuary for birds.

Any funds in excess of our $110,000 target will be placed in an Endowment Fund for our care and management of Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary.