This National Volunteer Week, FBA is celebrating the dedicated Team Turtle Central Queensland (Team Turtle CQ) volunteers helping protect marine turtles across the Capricorn and Curtis Coasts, including some of the program’s youngest champions.
Team Hatchlings volunteer Lily Davies.
From October to March, Team Turtle CQ volunteers Lily Davies, her mum Dallas Seery and dad Chris are up at sunrise walking Zilzie Beach, searching for turtle tracks and nests.
At 16, Lily is already making her mark as part of Team Hatchlings, a passionate group of young conservationists from the Capricorn Coast dedicated to protecting marine turtles.
“When I first heard about Team Turtle CQ and Team Hatchlings, I knew it was something I wanted to be part of,” Lily said.
“It’s nice to know what I’m doing is helping protect turtles. It’s my way of doing my bit for the environment.”
Team Turtle CQ volunteer Dallas Seery and Team Hatchlings volunteer Lily Davies.
Lily’s parents joined Team Turtle CQ a year after she became a member of Team Hatchlings.
“It is nice to volunteer as a family. We love our morning beach walks and knowing that, as a family we are helping make a difference,” Dallas said.
Team Hatchlings volunteer Reef Hinchliffe.
For 14-year-old Reef Hinchliffe, turtles have always held a special place in his heart. Inspired to help protect his favourite animal, Reef joined Team Hatchlings.
“Volunteering makes me happy to know I’m making a positive difference in our community, on our beaches and for future generations of marine turtles,” Reef said.
Central Queensland is home to six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, with the Capricorn Coast recognised as a known nesting and hatching territory. Lily and Reef have both played a role in Team Hatchlings’ “Turtles about so Lights Out” campaign, helping lead community efforts to protect marine turtles in CQ.
FBA Project Officer and Team Turtle CQ volunteer Tonya Wilson and Team Hatchlings volunteer Reef Hinchliffe.
Reef also walks Lammermoor and Farnborough beaches with his mum, Tonya Wilson, monitoring turtle activity along the coastline.
Since 2015, FBA’s leading citizen science program has helped protect marine turtles, with passionate volunteers patrolling beaches during nesting season and recording vital data that supports long-term conservation outcomes.
FBA Project Officer and Team Turtle CQ volunteer Tonya Wilson.
Tonya thanked volunteers for another incredible turtle season.
“From carefully scanning the beach from the water’s edge to the top of the dunes and recording marine turtle nesting and hatching activity, our volunteers are the heart of Team Turtle CQ,” Tonya said.
“Without our volunteers, there would be no daily data collected during turtle season. The data volunteers provide gives us a true account of what happens on our beaches and provides invaluable insight into turtle nesting numbers.”
Learn more about FBA's community-inspired initiatives here.
