National Bilby Day 2009 Celebrations at Dreamworld:
Dawn of a New Day for Bilbies

Double Trouble as Aussie Battlers come face to face: Dawn Fraser meets Dawn the Bilby!

She may have been named after the legendary Aussie, Dawn Fraser, but Dawn the Bilby is the face of a two pronged battle that's bigger than the Olympics. The first step is survival and the second is getting a committee on board, comprising conservation groups and the government. to support a second bilby release site.

"Currawinya National Park may save this unique Australian creature from extinction, but the battle is still going", Frank Manthey said. "The next step is to get some help to secure a second release site in a non-predator proof area, get rid of the feral cats and foxes and relase some more bilbies into the wild to see if they can survive without the fence."

Frank discussed his aims on National Bilby Day at Dreamworld alongside Dreamworld General Manager of Life Sciences, Al Mucci, who discussed his plans to breed additional bilbies for release.

Bilbies Bring New Life
to Desert Dunes

Bilby tracks with seedling at Arid Recovery
Credit: Alex James

Soil-foraging bilbies create nutrient-rich "hotspots" that are helping degraded ecosystems - according to Alex James, an early-career scientist presenting her research to the public for the first time thanks to Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the Federal Government. Read more...

Warnbro Wagtail Guides WA

Hello Lovely Bilby Lovers,

I am so excited to see the crossword competition and all that you have
coming up for National Bilby Day.

I am a Guide Leader who had just come back to your site for a little
more information. Our girls are undertaking a display to support and
raise funds for some of our endangered species at Girl Guides WA's upcoming Advocacy Day on the 5th September 2009. Each unit is asked to speak out on an issue that they feel strongly about and endangered species are what our girls have decided they wanted to speak out about.

Having three groups of girls within our unit they have decided to speak
out about our bilbies, numbats and koalas.

So I now intend to share with them on monday your crossword challenge
and include your fundraising items into our plans to support your quest
to save our cute little bilbies.
As part of our display could I please ask about the possibility of
obtaining a poster and some flyers?
Thank you and looking forward to helping you support our Bilbies,

Rikki Bradley
Guide Leader
of Warnbro Wagtail Guides

Cedar Creek State School

Hi Frank,
We have been eagerly awaiting this year's competition. Hooray! It is here. We researched the bilbies at Easter and watched the DVD, listened to the music and created some wonderful stories. We would like you to send us some posters and flyers please so that we can share our enthusiasm with the rest of the school.
We wait in anticipation. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Karen Farraher (teacher, science coordinator) and the girls of Snr D.

2009 Environmental
School's Wall Planner

Thanks to Toowoomba Regional Council, Save The Bilby Fund was able to provide Queensland schools with an environmental wall planner filled with important dates aimed to educate students about conservation. It is hoped that in 2010 we can expand this project and reach more Australian schools. Read more...

Grange Scout Hut

Hi Frank,
I listened to you speak last Thursday at the Grange Scout Hut with the Learning For Life group.

My children and I really enjoyed listening to you speak and meeting a real live bilby - he is gorgeous. I thought your talk was inspiring and motivating - it was a great sight to see so many young children listening intently and paying close attention. My eldest son, Liam, is turning 6 in August. On our way home that afternoon, a few hours after you spoke, he was still thinking about what you said and was asking lots of questions. He wanted to know why rabbits were a threat to bilbies and why it was important to buy chocolate bilbies at Easter. We talked about raising peoples awareness of bilbies through the chocolates and also about the money that Darrell Lea contributes to the Fund.

Liam's train of thought then went to what we can do to get rid of rabbits. And his brilliant solution..... "We should write to the leader of the Government and tell him that when the soldiers come home, they should be sent out to shoot all the rabbits. Do you think there would be enough soldiers, mum?" I loved it - great job for the armed forces if you ask me! 

He then started asking if one person can make this happen. So we talked about one person starting it and getting the idea out there but that the Government would listen if he had the support of lots of people because they represent our whole country. I explained that a government has to do what the majority of it's people want.

Liam is still thinking about his idea and I am going to help him to write to Kevin Rudd. I doubt it is something that will happen but even if it just lets them know that we think it's important, we have done something right. And I want my kids to know how essential it is to speak up and let the government know what they want.

Anyway, I thought that you would be pleased that what you are doing is having an impact and getting people thinking - young and old alike! It is very inspiring to hear of the success of The Save the Bilby Fund and we will definately be letting everyone know about it and the great work you do. 

Thank you,
Mary, Ben, Liam, and Ewan Daniel

Email Your Crazy Hair Styles!!
We'll show them here in the News.
savethebilby@enviro-print.com.au

John Paul College

Dear Frank,
I would like to take a moment to let you know what a profound effect you have had on my daughter. My daughter is in 2C at John Paul College and I believe you visited her class on Tuesday last week. Well as soon as Jessica came home she was telling me all about the Bilbies and drew me a map to show how few bilbies are left in Australia.

On that night she couldn't get to sleep for worrying about them and by Wednesday she was crying because she wanted to help them. After I explained that between us we could not round up every rabbit and red fox in Australia (as this was her first plan), we decided to visit your website at easterbilby.com.au. After a look around Jessica decided she wanted to use her pocket money to sponsor part of the bilby fence.
For show and tell that Friday at school she had her Dad help her make a flyer and she told her class about how she had sponsored the fence and gave a flyer to each of them telling them how they could help too.
Thank you so much not only for helping the Bilbies but also for helping children see that there is more to life than cartoons and barbie dolls. I have been extremely proud of my daughter this week, I have always tried to teach her that everybody can make a difference and this week she knows that she has.

Thank you so very much,
Sara May

Redland Bay State School

My name is Adrian Izzard; I am a year 5 teacher at Redland Bay State School. I have this week travelled to Charleville and visited the Bilby Experience. My wife and I have been totally consumed by the work you are doing and the bilby is now our favourite animal.

I intend to embrace the bilby cause and I would like to take advantage of your offer to receive some FREE full colour printed flyers or posters to assist in promoting this competition, ("Face The Challenge").

Merbein Secondary College

Hi Frank,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to compete in the 2007 crossword competition. It was a great way to teach the kids about Australia's endangered wildlife, and to teach them how to use the internet. One of my students Kate Robertson won $100. I would like to present it to her at a school assembly.
Yours faithfully,
Kyra Fetherston

Canungra State School

Hi Frank,
Well we had a very successful day at Canungra State school. We had a Bilby Day in 2007 where the school brought in a coin that outlined a giant bilby on the ground. I have attatched a photo of the large bilby for you to see. The year 1 students have really enjoyed themselves and feel like they are making a difference. We made save the bilby posters, badges and masks. Year 1 have been learning all about animals and how we can protect them and the bilby was perfect for this.
Miss Amanda Saunders

(Click on Picture to view larger)

The Bilbies have Arrived at Ipswich Nature Centre!

A brand new Bilby Habitat was opened on Friday 10 July at Ipswich Nature Centre.

The opening was a fabulous day filled with bilby presentations by Frank Manthey, free face painting, sausage sizzle and more! Over 500 people joined in the celebrations and visited this wonderful exhibit, with most children wearing bilby ears!

Save The Bilby Fund would like to acknowledge the support and wonderful assistance of the people of the Great City of Ipswich, Mayor Paul Pisasale, Councillor Cheryl Brommage and Al Mucci (Dreamworld) who wore the Bilby suit on the day.

The Ipswich Nature Centre is in Goldby Avenue, Queens Park, Ipswich Central if you would like to visit the fabulous new nocturnal bilby exhibit..

Dreamworld Launches Bilby Education Program for Schools

Dreamworld teams up with the Bilby Brothers and the Minister of Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation to launch a new education program designed to save an Aussie animal in trouble. Read more...

Save The Bilby Fund
"Face The Challenge" Crossword Competition Winners 2008

“Face The Challenge” Crossword Competition was hugely successful in 2008, with involvement from schools all around Australia from Cairns to the Cocos Islands. Three schools were the lucky winners of a visit from a live bilby as part of last year’s competition.

The winners were:
Kirsty Agott
Mingoola Public School NSW
Brian Hutchinson
Preston North East Primary School VIC
Kayla Siebert
Calista Primary School WA

Calista in the Newspaper!

Kayla Siebert winner of the major prize at Calista WA

Kayla gets a bilby pat and photo shoot with the local newspaper

Calista Primary students hear from Frank about how they can help

Groote Eylandt NT

Thank you very much to all of the wonderful children I met when visiting Groote Eylandt, in the Northern Territory recently. You are all very lucky to live in such a beautiful place - especially as there are almost no feral animals.

Thank you for the photographs that were sent to me of when I visited Angurugu Community School and Alyangula School on your beautiful island.
Cheers,
Frank Manthey
Co-Founder of Save The Bilby Fund

Angurugu Community School

Alyangula School

Alyangula School

Sydney Visits

Every year, Frank and Natalie from Save The Bilby Fund travel to Sydney for the Royal Easter Show where they team up with Featherdale Wildlife Park and treat the visitors with some interactive native animal displays. Erica-Danae was fortunate to have her photo taken with a live bilby!

Brisbane Ekka

Dear Frank,
I saw you at the Brisbane Ekka last year giving an educational talk about bilbies. It inspired me to create a painting from one of the photos I took on the day of your hands holding the bilby. It is called 'In Our Hands'.

The painting has recently won an award in a Wildlife Art Exhibition at the Discovery Centre in Canberra and because of this, I was asked to submit a small article for the Australian Artist Magazine with a photo of the painting included. It may possibly be in the November issue.

I just thought it may interest you to know that one of your talks inspired a painting and that the bilby will be shown in a magazine with a large national readership.

Thank you for your ongoing work,
Kind regards,
Michelle Caitens

"In Our Hands" - by Michelle Caitens

Great Crossword

Dear Frank,
I have been meaning to send this email for some time now. I wanted to say thanks for the time you spent with our kids at the Easter Show and for being so personable. I am sure this is the reason the Save the Bilby Fund has been so successful. It encourages the kids to continue to be involved.

I think it is a great crossword and should help to inform kids, AND their parents about many more of our endangered animals.
Kind Regards
Karen Britton-Regan

National Threatened Species Day 2009 - Community Event

Sadly, six of the 21 species displayed at Queen Street Mall, Brisbane on Monday will likely be extinct by the time these children are adults!

On Monday September 7, 2009 Queen Street Mall was transformed into a micro-zoo for endangered species. Representatives from many of Queensland's finest zoos and conservation organisations joined forces to showcase the plight of many endangered species.

Also in attendance were Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Hon. Kate Jones along with Australian legend and Bilby Patron Dawn Fraser. Special thanks to Ranger Stacey from TV's Totally Wild, who compered the day fabulously and kept the ever changing crowds involved and entertained!

A cheque was also presented by Darrell Lea to Save The Bilby Fund collected from proceeds of the sale of chocolate bilbies.

Thank you to everyone in the community who has shown their support!

Calista Primary School

Hi Frank. I hope you are well. We are looking forward to this year's challenge and I've just downloaded the crosswords ready to give interested students (all I hope). If you visit the west this year and you need a place to stay please contact me as I'm sure I can help out. The money you save can go to the animals. I tried hard at Easter to encourage the kids and parents to purchase the chocolate bilbies but we found it hard to get many so next year the P&C intends to purchase them direct (10% discount) from the distributor and sell them at the school.

I'm including a pic of Tammy Tammar from Garden Island in W.A. When Lyn Hancock from Om Shanti Marsupial Hospital picked her up from the island she had a broken leg which we think came from her removal from her dead mum's pouch. Luckily she was very small and at that stage wasn't hopping. The vet and I were a bit worried but after 5 weekly visits to the vet all was well and now she's hopping around my back yard waiting for a friend. The kids at the school were thrilled to see her and even more thrilled at her recovery.

Please keep in touch. All the best to the animals and I hope to catch up with you.
Regards, Charlie.

PS One of our younger students just received her certificate from you for the $15 pocket money she donated and I'm about to laminate the letter that came with it. She is thrilled to bits!

Bilby Toys make Great Gifts and Help Save The Bilby Fund

Aussie kids love bilbies! Cliff Marsh was lucky enough to have his photo taken with a live bilby at the Sydney Easter Show in 2009. He and his little sister Maeve helped Save The Bilby Fund by purchasing toy bilbies. Your purchase of our merchandise can also help us in our important work to help save Australia's bilbies and other endangered species.

Ipswich Grammar

IPSWICH has rallied to the defence of one of Australia’s most threatened species ahead of National Bilby Day.

The event, organised by the school’s Eco Warriors group, also gave students the opportunity to have their photo taken with Matthew the bilby for a small donation. Read more...

Hi Bilby Brothers!

My name is Danielle Hannigan and I live in Coffs Harbour. Me and my brother Matthew got really inspired when I watched your video in school and I told my brother all about it and then we both watched a different one on the computer and we got inspired all over again. I am going to be ten very soon and my brother has just turned 8. We are just kids so we were wondering what we could do to help save the bilbies. We know all about sending money and coming to visit and all that stuff but we want to do more. We don't know what we could do we are just kids. We really want to know because we both feel very strongly about this. Please, please please reply. What can we do?

Love from Danielle and Matthew
xxx

SAVE THE BILBIES!!!

Walloon State School

Hi Mr Manthey, 
My name is Bailey Sheather and I am 8 years old. I was at the field day at Walloon State School and saw the bilby.  I completely love bilbies! Here is a photo of what I have done for you. You can do what you want with it. I hope you like it. I did it all by myself. It was part of an assignment. I thought a stamp of National Bilby Day might be a good way to raise money for bilbies.
Bailey Sheather

Allenstown Primary School

Dear Save the Bilby Fund,
My name is Rani Banks and I am in Year 6 at Allenstown Primary School in Rockhampton. For a school project I had to write an Aboriginal story. I wrote a story about how the bilby got its tail. I also did the drawings for the story. I have sent you the story because I thought you might like to read it. My dad works out west sometimes so hopefully in the future he will take me to Charleville to see them.

I hope you enjoy my story [PDF].
Yours faithfully,
Rani Banks

PLC and Merri Creek Primary

Hi Frank,
Thank you so much for coming to PLC and Merri Creek Primary last Monday. In both schools the buzz about your visit is still in the air and many students and staff have told me what a great presentation it was.
Misja Carbo (2007)

Year 7 members of PLC Environment Group (VIC)

Frank introduces PLC to his bilby in the Doris Daniel Theatre

Max Gust, winner of Zoos Victoria Passes 2007

Members of the Merri Creek "Green Team"

(Click on Pictures to view larger)