What Aussie Ark does

Aussie Ark (legal name Australian Wildlife Ark Limited, ABN 51 417 871 203) is an Australian non-profit conservation charity founded in 2011 and headquartered at 1 Tomalla Road, Tomalla, NSW 2337, with a secondary Conservation Ark facility at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, NSW. The organization operates a captive breeding-to-rewilding pipeline for Australia's threatened wildlife, maintaining the largest disease-free insurance population of Tasmanian Devils on mainland Australia and the largest breeding and rewilding programs for Eastern Quolls and Rufous Bettongs on mainland Australia. Its core technology includes predator-proof sanctuary enclosures spanning 3,500 hectares (Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary, Eco Sanctuary, Curricabark, Yindi), proprietary genetic database management for optimal breeding pair selection, wildlife conditioning protocols for pre-release preparation, and VHF telemetry monitoring of released animals. Core offerings include conservation breeding programs, rewilding initiatives, Devils in the Wild Tours (2.5-hour immersive experiences running four times monthly), Open Days, Scientific Expeditions, and the production of measurable conservation outcomes (3,186 animals bred, 228 rewilded, 48,000 trees planted, 14 Tasmanian Devil joeys confirmed in 2026 first pouch checks).

The organization's revenue model is a diversified nonprofit mix: individual one-off and recurring donations (all donations over $2 are tax-deductible for Australian donors under its DGR status), symbolic animal adoptions priced at $25/month or $300/year across Tasmanian Devils, Koalas, Eastern Quolls, and Broad-Toothed Rats, ecotourism tours booked through FareHarbor, merchandise sales via shop.aussieark.org.au, and a bequest/legacy giving program operated in partnership with SafeWills. Customer segments span individual wildlife enthusiasts, gift givers, eco-tourists, corporate partners, and government/research institutions. Key strategic partners include NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (enabling access to 60,000+ hectares of feral predator-free public land for species releases), Western Sydney University, University of Newcastle, the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, the Australian Reptile Park, and the Tasmanian Quoll Conservation Program. The organization is led by Managing Director Tim Faulkner, Chief Conservation Officer Hayley Shute, and Operations Manager Dean Reid, with a lean team of 6 employees.

Name

Aussie Ark

Legal name

Australian Wildlife Ark Limited

Website

https://aussieark.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aussie Ark is an Australian non-profit wildlife conservation charity founded in 2011 that operates captive breeding and rewilding programs for threatened species including Tasmanian Devils, Eastern Quolls, Koalas, and Manning River Turtles across 3,500 hectares of predator-proof sanctuaries, funded by individual donations, symbolic adoptions, and ecotourism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH), Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Threatened species breeding
• Conservation charity
• Ecotourism experiences
• Wildlife rewilding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tomalla

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: One-off and recurring donations from individual supporters. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible for Australian donors. The organization also accepts direct bank transfers and phone donations.
2. Symbolic Animal Adoptions: Monthly ($25/month) or annual ($300/year) symbolic adoptions of endangered animals including Tasmanian Devils, Koalas, Eastern Quolls, and Broad-Toothed Rats. Adoption packages include certificates, photos, fact sheets, brooches, and stickers.
3. Ecotourism Experiences: Revenue from Devils in the Wild Tours (2.5-hour immersive experiences with Tasmanian Devils), Open Days, and Scientific Expeditions. Bookings handled through FareHarbor platform. Tours run four times monthly.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling environmental gifts, merchandise, and wildlife-related products. Shop available at shop.aussieark.org.au.
5. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Gift-in-will program allowing supporters to leave donations through their estate. Partnership with SafeWills for online Will creation. Legal details provided for solicitors to include Aussie Ark in client wills.
6. Gift Cards and Experience Vouchers: Digital and physical gift cards redeemable toward any Aussie Ark experience including Devils in the Wild Tours and Open Days. Sold through FareHarbor booking platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aussie Ark is a conservation action organisation that builds insurance populations of Australia's threatened wildlife through captive breeding in predator-proof sanctuaries, then reintroduces these animals to feral-free wild habitats via rewilding programs. The organisation's core operations span Tasmanian Devils, Eastern Quolls, Koalas, Rufous Bettongs, Manning River Turtles, and other threatened species, supported by a 3,500-hectare sanctuary network. Public-facing offerings include Devils in the Wild ecotourism tours, Open Days, symbolic animal adoptions, donations, bequests, and an online merchandise shop.

Product overview

Aussie Ark is a wildlife conservation charity operating as a single unified organization offering conservation programs and visitor experiences. The core offering consists of hands-on breeding and rewilding programs for Australia's threatened wildlife (Tasmanian Devils, Koalas, Eastern Quolls, and other species), supplemented by visitor-facing eco-tourism experiences (Devils in the Wild Tours, Open Days) and symbolic adoption programs. The organization also accepts donations, bequests, and operates an online merchandise store. All offerings directly fund the conservation mission of building insurance populations, protecting sanctuaries from feral predators, and restoring native habitats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Devils in the Wild Tours 2.5-hour immersive guided tours at Barrington Tops conservation facility providing close encounters with Tasmanian Devils, including communal feeding sessions and observation of free-range enclosures. Bookings via FareHarbor.
• Open Days Selected open access days at Barrington Tops featuring guided walks through wild enclosures and presentations about conservation programs, including Tasmanian Devils, Eastern Quolls, and Koalas.
• Animal Adoption Programs Symbolic animal adoption programs for Tasmanian Devils, Eastern Quolls, Koalas, and Broad-Toothed Rats, available as monthly ($25/month) or annual ($300/year) contributions with adoption packs including certificate, photo, fact sheet, brooch, and sticker.
• Donation Programs One-off and regular donations supporting wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, and breeding programs. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible for Australian donors. Available via website, phone, or direct bank transfer.
• Bequests/Legacy Giving Program allowing supporters to include Aussie Ark in their estate planning for long-term conservation support. Partnership with SafeWills for online Will creation.
• Gift Experiences Gift vouchers for Devils in the Wild Tours and Open Days, available as digital or physical gift cards for wildlife experiences.
• Online Merchandise Store Online merchandise shop selling wildlife-themed products including environmental gifts and branded items, with proceeds supporting conservation programs.
• Conservation Breeding Programs Insurance population breeding programs for threatened species including Tasmanian Devils, Eastern Quolls, Koalas, and various marsupials, amphibians, and reptiles, delivered via predator-proof sanctuaries and managed genetic databases.
• Rewilding Programs Reintroduction of captive-bred species into protected wild habitats and feral-proof sanctuaries for population restoration, conducted in partnership with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and research institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 228 animals successfully rewilded to date
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSW National Parks and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandmark partnership for wildlife releases into feral predator-free areas. Includes state-first releases of Rufous Bettongs (17 animals) into Ngambaa Nature Reserve near Coffs Harbour and Eastern Quolls (5 animals) into Booderee National Park. NPWS manages 10 feral predator-free area sites spanning 60,000+ hectares supporting 50+ threatened species including 30 species locally extinct in NSW.
• Western Sydney UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for Manning River Turtle conservation. Professor Ricky Spencer leads pioneering VHF telemetry research to study turtle movements, distribution, and survivability. First-ever use of this technology for the species, providing science applicable to freshwater turtle conservation globally.
• University of NewcastleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in state-first Rufous Bettong release project with NPWS. Contributed research expertise and support to planning and preparation for wildlife reintroduction to Ngambaa Nature Reserve.
• Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government department partner in Manning River Turtle wild release program. Department representative (Andrew Steed) attended release event and acknowledged Aussie Ark's role in endangered species conservation. Program supports government conservation mandates.
• Wreck Bay Aboriginal CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraditional Owners partnership for Eastern Quoll release at Booderee National Park on NSW south coast. Release conducted 'On Country' with community involvement, respecting indigenous connection to land and wildlife. Partnership under broader Tasmanian Quoll Conservation Program.
• Australian Reptile ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organisation housing Conservation Ark facility at Somersby on NSW Central Coast. Aussie Ark operates Conservation Ark within the Reptile Park grounds. Historical connection: former owner Eric Worrell rediscovered Parma Wallaby in 1960s, making species conservation meaningful to both organisations.
• SafeWillsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline Will provider partnership enabling supporters to create legally binding Wills online. Partnership includes referral tracking (UTM parameters), promotional mentions on Aussie Ark bequests page, and co-branded promotional content. SafeWills offers free year of Will updates with Australian lawyer review.
• Tasmanian Quoll Conservation ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration for Eastern Quoll breeding and rewilding. Partnership enabled Booderee National Park releases and contributed to establishing largest breeding program for Eastern Quolls on mainland Australia.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service): Largest Australian wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organisation, with national-scale volunteer rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs. Overlaps in wildlife rescue and rewilding outcomes, though focused on individual animal rehabilitation versus insurance population breeding.
• Australian Reptile Park: Sister organisation that hosts Aussie Ark's Conservation Ark facility at Somersby, NSW. Operates parallel wildlife conservation, education, and visitor-experience programs, with shared historical lineage via former owner Eric Worrell.
• Bush Heritage Australia: Australian conservation non-profit acquiring and managing large landscapes for biodiversity outcomes, including feral-predator-free reserves. Comparable in sanctuary acquisition, feral animal control, and species recovery focus.

Broad incumbents

• WWF-Australia: Large national wildlife conservation NGO with threatened-species recovery programs, habitat restoration, and corporate/individual donor fundraising at national scale. Comparable conservation mission with much broader geographic and operational footprint.
• Taronga Conservation Society: Major Australian zoo and conservation operator running breeding programs for threatened native species alongside public-facing wildlife experiences. Comparable in combining insurance population breeding, education, and visitor revenue, though at far greater scale.
• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Global leader in conservation breeding, rewilding, and wildlife science with insurance population programs for many species. Comparable in 'breeding to rewilding' methodology, genetic database management, and post-release monitoring, but at substantially greater scale and resources.
• Zoos Victoria: Operates three major zoos with extensive native species breeding and 'Fight Extinction' conservation programs including Tasmanian Devil insurance populations. Comparable in maintaining captive breeding, conservation science, and visitor engagement.

Emerging players

• Rewilding Europe: European rewilding initiative restoring wildlife to large-scale natural processes across the continent. Comparable philosophy and methodology in rewilding and species reintroduction, though operating in different geographies and ecosystems.
• The Orianne Society: US-based reptile and amphibian conservation organisation focused on habitat protection, species recovery, and telemetry-based monitoring. Comparable niche focus on reptile and amphibian conservation including the Manning River Turtle program.

Regional players

• Tasmanian Land Conservancy: Tasmania-focused land conservation charity managing permanent reserves for threatened species. Comparable in sanctuary-based conservation and habitat protection, particularly for Tasmanian Devil conservation work, though operating primarily in Tasmania.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aussie-ark1

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aussie Ark