You can’t work and live on Great Keppel Island and in Keppel Bay without falling in love with the area. Keppel Turtle Fund is made up of a team who live and work on the island including locals and a long term international.
In the early days of us working on the island we started putting $1 aside each time we sold an island map and used to say this money is for the turtles. This has finally grown to our Keppel Turtle Fund and we now sell all types of turtle gifts to raise money for the charity.
Today, 23rd May is World International Turtle Day and we have chosen this date to announce our new charity.
We would like to acknowledge firstly the Woppaburra people whose traditional/ancestral homelands are the Keppel Group of Islands. Also that there are a lot of individuals and organisations that are working hard to improve the quality of water in our bay along with protecting the reef and marine life. We noticed that as a Commercial Island, some of the other islands locally and in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, especially National Park islands, were ahead of us in terms of research, rehabilitation and organising volunteering groups to assist with projects.
Over the past 2 years the Keppel Turtle Fund has been shaped into what we now propose, which is to engage with our community to grow reef appreciation, education, and rehabilitation on Great Keppel Island and supporting the whole of Keppel Bay. Initially we are setting up a small reef centre on the Island and inviting all of the current marine advisory groups to work with us. We dream of growing the centre to a fully inclusive interpretive centre for our locals as well as visitors to enjoy. This will be followed up by other projects encompassing all aspects of the island, reef and surrounding areas. To be announced on our official launch day in July school holidays.
One of our main aims is the ongoing clean-up of our beaches and reduce plastic use and wastage on the island. We often walk on Long beach and Wreck beach and can fill up a crate of plastic rubbish in no time.
The sea, reef and the overall environment on the island all contribute to the wellbeing of our marine life.
We recognise that we have chosen sea turtles as our theme but our dolphins, dugongs, whales, tropical fish and all of our reef needs our care and protection.
Please like us on Facebook & Instagram for all things turtle & everything Keppel Bay to come your way!
Love our reef in Keppel Bay
Keppel Turtle Fund
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