World Turtle Day 2012

Poster of sand turtles created on World Turtle Day 2011 from across Australia (and Germany)

World Turtle Day is a great chance to get active and support the Wilderness Society's marine conservation work.

Creative conservation

It's easy and fun to help protect the important feeding and breeding sites of sea turtles.

Simply build a sand turtle on your local beach (or in a sand pit) before Wednesday 23 May 2012 and send us a photo of your finished creation. The more turtles, the louder our voices will be in support of their protection!

An international movement

World Turtle Day was launched 12 years ago by American NGO, American Tortoise Rescue. The aim of the day is to promote respect for turtles (and tortoises) globally, and to encourage humans to behave in a way that helps these special creatures survive and thrive.

The Wilderness Society believes in being part of an international conservation movement. That's why we're involved in World Turtle Day and affiliated with other conservation groups like the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (California, USA) who are currently campaigning to help protect Australian species like the Flatback Turtle.

Get involved

Join in the fun at one of our official activity sites:

Perth
Saturday 19 May 2012, 10.00am
Cottlesloe main beach
For more information contact Melissa Coiln

Melbourne
Sunday 20 May 2012, 1.00pm
St. Kilda beach
For more information contact Jaxon Barnes

Darwin
Sunday 20 May 2012, 3.00pm
Mindil beach (near the casino see map)
For more information contact Jess Abrahams

Newcastle
Sunday 20 May 2012, 11.00am
Nobby's beach
For more information contact Nicola Bowskill

Central NSW Coast
Sunday 20 May 2012, 2.00pm
Bateau Bay beach
For more information contact Roberta Dixon

Gold Coast
Saturday 19 May 2012, 1.00pm
Labrador beach (371 Marine Parade)
For more information contact Phil StClair
See: http://www.meetup.com/bucketlistbrisbane/events/64211762/

Cairns
Saturday 19th May 2012, 10:30am
Holloways Beach - near the stinger net
For more information contact Di Horsburgh

Or, just build your own sand turtle wherever you are and send us a photo:

Post your sand turtle shapshot to the Support Marine Sanctuaries Facebook page or take a picture with your phone and tweet it using the '#worldturtleday' hash tag or email it to us before World Turtle Day on Wednesday 23 May 2012. The best photo will receive an amazing James Price Point photographic book as a prize!