What Rottnest Foundation does

The Rottnest Foundation is a not-for-profit conservation organization founded in 1985 in Perth, Western Australia, dedicated to preserving the environmental, cultural, and heritage assets of Rottnest Island (Wadjemup), with a particular focus on the vulnerable quokka species. It operates a portfolio of programs including woodland and coastal restoration (38,000+ seedlings planted since 2015), quokka monitoring via remote cameras, 45km of interconnected Wadjemup Bidi walk trails, sea spurge removal, and heritage building preservation across five formal Priority Projects (Wadjemup Conservation Centre, Boodja Kaartdijin, Bickley Military Heritage Precinct, Wadjemup Bidi Walk Trail, Woodlands Restoration). Core technology is operational rather than digital: an island-based plant nursery propagating endemic species for higher-survival restoration, supplemented by conventional camera-based wildlife monitoring.

The Foundation monetizes through a hybrid model: tax-deductible donations (ABN 92600431438), tiered memberships (Standard $70, Concession $25, Family $125), merchandise sales (physical and digital Adopt-a-Quokka kits at $105 and $65; branded apparel, calendars, books), corporate volunteering partnerships with ESG positioning, government and philanthropic grants (notably Lotterywest), and transaction-based programs such as Containers for Change (ID C10267961) and raffles. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the e-commerce website rottnestfoundation.org.au, augmented by a London Chapter for international fundraising. Customer segments span conservation-focused individuals, Western Australian corporates (HBF, Alinta Energy, Rio Tinto, Turner & Townsend), and government agencies, with revenue diversification across individual giving, corporate partnerships, and grant funding.

Name

Rottnest Foundation

Legal name

Rottnest Foundation

Website

https://rottnestfoundation.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rottnest Foundation is a Western Australian not-for-profit, founded 1985, that funds environmental, cultural, and heritage conservation on Rottnest Island — including quokka habitat protection, woodland restoration, and walking trail development — through donations, memberships, merchandise, corporate volunteering, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF)

Keywords

• Conservation nonprofit
• Wildlife conservation
• Habitat restoration
• Quokka protection
• Environmental preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Churchlands

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The foundation accepts tax-deductible donations (ABN: 92600431438) supporting woodland and coastal restoration projects, quokka conservation, and priority projects on Rottnest Island. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of adoption kits, memberships, calendars, books, greeting cards, clothing items (jackets, vests, polos), and merchandise through the online shop.
3. Membership Fees: Annual membership program offering Standard ($70), Concession ($25), and Family ($125) tiers with benefits including volunteering access, event invitations, and project updates.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations providing funding, volunteering support, and in-kind contributions including HBF, Alinta Energy, Lotterywest, and others.
5. Container Deposit Scheme: Containers for Change program (ID C10267961) where donated containers generate funds for conservation activities.
6. Raffles and Fundraising Events: Annual raffles and special events including London Chapter fundraising auctions and wine nights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Rottnest Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organization that raises funds to support conservation, cultural, and heritage projects on Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) in Western Australia. It generates revenue through tax-deductible donations, annual memberships (Standard, Concession, Family tiers), corporate partnerships and grants, and merchandise sales including Adopt-a-Quokka kits, calendars, books, greeting cards, and branded apparel. Funds are deployed across priority projects covering quokka habitat protection, woodland and coastal restoration, walk trail development, heritage building preservation, and accessibility improvements.

Product overview

The Rottnest Foundation operates as a conservation nonprofit offering a portfolio of merchandise products, memberships, and donation programs supporting Rottnest Island conservation. Core offerings include Adopt-A-Quokka physical and digital kits ($105 and $65 respectively) that fund habitat protection, membership tiers (Standard $70, Concession $25, Family $125), and branded merchandise including calendars, greeting cards, children's books, and outdoor apparel. Conservation programs include Containers for Change recycling initiatives and structured volunteering activities for members and corporate partners, all directed toward woodland restoration, quokka monitoring, and heritage preservation on Wadjemup.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adopt-A-Quokka (Physical Kit) Physical adoption kit priced at $105 that includes a cuddly soft quokka toy, tote bag, quokka fact sheet, conservation hero stickers, and a personalised official adoption certificate. Proceeds support ongoing conservation projects protecting quokka habitat on Rottnest Island. Targeted at individuals and gift buyers.
• Digital Adopt-a-Quokka Digital adoption kit priced at $65 that includes an official personalised adoption certificate, quokka fact sheet, and a year's subscription to the Quokka Quarterly newsletter. Designed as an alternate gift option supporting quokka conservation.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership tiers: Standard ($70), Concession ($25), and Family ($125). Members receive project updates, invitations to volunteering activities (tree planting, sea spurge removal), and access to foundation events. Targeted at conservation-focused individuals and families.
• Rottnest Foundation Calendar

Quantifiable outcome

• 38,000+ seedlings planted since 2015
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• HBF HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate partner providing significant funding for nursery upgrades including reticulation systems and volunteer planting activities. Partnership includes employee volunteering days and funding for woodland restoration projects.
• Alinta EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership since 2019 providing grants for dune stabilization at Longreach Bay ($17,940) and volunteer support for tree guard removal and seedling planting. Partnership expanded over 3 consecutive years.
• Rottnest Island Authority (RIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner managing Rottnest Island. Collaborative relationship for priority projects, providing office space, environmental team support, and joint conservation initiatives.
• Margaret River Chocolate CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partner donating portion of Chokka quokka product sales. Donated over $45,000 over 5+ years to support quokka conservation and monitoring programs.
• South32 Rottnest Channel SwimmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity partner for annual swimming event allowing participants to nominate foundation as recipient. Raised over $10,000 for conservation projects.
• Containers for ChangecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContainer deposit scheme partner (ID C10267961) diverting containers from Rottnest Island and mainland locations. Saved 135,000+ cans from landfill.
• The Hike CollectivemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Wadjemup Bidi Trail Discovery Program delivering guided hiking experiences with Indigenous cultural interpretation. Supported by $25,000 hiking participation grant.
• Samphire RottnestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIsland business partner donating funds linked to their products as part of renewed 2026 partnership.
• Universal MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher of Happy Little Quokka calendar donating $1 per calendar sold. Raised over $1,300 in previous year through this partnership.
• K&L GatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPerth law firm providing pro-bono legal support to the foundation for various matters.
• Princess HighwayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelbourne clothing brand donating 10% of 'Bushland Quokka' smock dress proceeds ($14,668) to support quokka habitat conservation.
• Turner & TownsendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteering partner with 20 staff planting 500 seedlings in July 2025. Supports woodland restoration and team building.
• SavillsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteers undertaking sea spurge removal activities at Little Salmon Bay, clearing entire beach of invasive plant.
• Horizon PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing volunteers for tree guard removal activities supporting woodland restoration project.
• Rio TintominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteers completing beach clean and sea spurge removal at Salmon Bay with 30 volunteers participating.
• Australian GeographicmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner featuring quokka on magazine cover with fundraising campaign for remote cameras supporting quokka monitoring and conservation.
• Grill'd HillarysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal franchise partner donating funds based on customer bottle top votes as part of community giving program.
• Rottnest ExpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFerry service partner transporting volunteers to island and participating in Containers for Change program.
• SeaLink RottnestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFerry service partner participating in Containers for Change program and supporting volunteer transport.
• The Project (Channel 10)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision program selecting quokka as Marsupial of the Year charity partner, enabling fundraising campaign and national exposure.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bush Heritage Australia: National conservation NGO that acquires and manages ecologically significant land for conservation. Direct peer in terms of conservation model, donor base, reliance on philanthropy, and focus on biodiversity and ecosystem restoration.
• Australian Wildlife Conservancy: Australia's largest private conservation NGO operating sanctuaries and science-based land management. Highly comparable as a non-profit conservation organization raising philanthropic and corporate capital to manage protected landscapes and wildlife habitat across Australia.
• Conservation Volunteers Australia: National volunteer-driven conservation NGO running hands-on programs (tree planting, habitat restoration, species monitoring). Highly comparable given the Rottnest Foundation's heavy reliance on member and corporate volunteer days as a fundraising and engagement channel.
• Landcare Australia: National NGO supporting community-led environmental restoration and corporate partnerships for on-ground conservation projects. Comparable model combining corporate partnerships, volunteer programs, and grants for habitat restoration.

Others

• Folio Institute: WA-based conservation and Indigenous heritage foundation. Comparable as a small WA non-profit focused on environmental and cultural preservation, though with a different thematic focus.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (Australia): Global science-led conservation NGO with Australian operations focused on land and water conservation. Comparable donor-supported, project-based conservation model with corporate partnership and grant revenue.
• WWF-Australia: Established large-scale Australian arm of a global conservation NGO. Comparable as a fundraising and conservation delivery organization, though operates at much greater scale and across multiple species/ecosystems rather than one island.

Regional players

• Trust for Nature (Victoria): Victorian conservation NGO focused on covenanting and managing private land for biodiversity. Comparable as a state-level conservation non-profit using donations, grants, and partnerships to deliver on-ground conservation outcomes, but operates in a different geography.
• Fremantle Foundation: WA-based community foundation distributing philanthropic capital to local causes. Comparable as a WA philanthropic institution with overlapping board talent (Sue Stepatschuk worked at both) and similar funding mechanisms.
• Perth Zoo (Zoological Parks Authority): WA-based zoological institution focused on wildlife conservation, education, and species recovery programs including quokka research. Comparable mission and geography, though structured as a statutory authority rather than a philanthropic non-profit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Rottnest.Foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rottnest-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/rottnest_foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Rottnest Foundation