about yarnbala foundation

A Vision for Conservation 

YARBALA FOUNDATION EXISTS TO PROTECT…

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    HABITATS & ECOSYSTEMS

    Protecting and restoring critical ecosystems like the Grassy She-oak Woodland to ensure long-term biodiversity.

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    OCEANS & WATERWAYS

    Conserving our connected marine and freshwater systems to protect aquatic life and ecosystem health.

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    Climate Action

    Restoring landscapes and managing ecosystems to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

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    ENDANGERED MARSUPIALS

    Reintroducing and supporting native marsupials through secure habitats and science-led recovery programs.

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    ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES

    Safeguarding rare and threatened flora through restoration, protection, and seed propagation projects.

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    ENDANGERED BIRDS

    Creating safe, thriving habitats for vulnerable bird species impacted by fragmentation and loss.

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Why the Yarnbala Foundation Exists

The ‘Yarnbala Foundation’ has been formed to safeguard the unique and delicate biodiversity of the Lower Eyre Peninsula while empowering people to protect the places they cherish. With a focus on pragmatic science to drive conservation efforts, we are expanding our mission beyond identifying, protecting, and managing natural areas. We strive to create dignified communities by balancing growth with the preservation of clean air, oceans, waterways, and water supply—essentials for human well-being and nature’s survival.

Our goal is to leave behind fully functioning and connected ecosystems, where we identify what species are missing or who’s numbers are low or fragile as each play out their essential role in the theatre we call ‘Life’. 

The Uniqueness of Eyre Peninsula

The Eyre Peninsula region boasts some of the most diverse habitats found nowhere else in Australia. From its mountains and waterways to its sheltered bays and inlet systems, everything is interconnected and dependant on its maintained health as everything is connected, to everything else.

The Eyre Peninsula is increasing in popularity, brimming with optimism and opportunity and unfortunately, these fragile ecosystems are becoming less connected due to the immense pressure from human intervention. As our human footprint expands our connection to nature is diminishing, the demand for food, water, and energy is straining our natural world like never before. For many, nature remains just a backdrop to our busy lives and the need for development and growth, exacerbating the strain on these delicate environments.

A National Crisis of Biodiversity

Australia leads the world in mammal extinctions and ranks second in biodiversity loss. Despite being an extremely diverse country with unique species found nowhere else, threatened species decline by 2% annually. For every $100 the federal government spends, less than 10 cents are allocated to environmental protection and safeguarding threatened species. 40,000 sq kilometres of forests are cut down in the world every year for farming or development. 

A Collective Effort Is Essential

Recognising that creating meaningful change requires significant resources—every day, new ideas fail due to a lack of capital, and visions remain unrealised without the necessary funding—our initiatives aim to educate, inspire, and raise awareness among the community and local government agencies about achieving sustainable economic growth while preserving and prioritising our natural heritage. As we face unique challenges in balancing growth and preservation, collaboration and shared commitment are essential. We believe it is a moral imperative for every single one of us to step up, as we are far past the point when individual action is merely elective.

At the Yarnbala Foundation, our mission also goes beyond conservation; we aim to transform lives and create new opportunities for dignified communities. The world we depend on; depends on us, and it is our responsibility to protect it. This approach ensures the sustainability of environmental stewardship on the Eyre Peninsula and beyond.

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ABOUT YARNBALA (the people, the place)

Yarnbala is a family-led venture rooted in conservation, connection to Country, and a deep respect for the natural systems that sustain Coffin Bay. The Slater family are custodians of a rare and ecologically significant parcel of bushland — one of South Australia’s last remaining examples of Grassy Low She-oak Woodland. This critically endangered vegetation community supports a dense and diverse understory of endemic species and plays a vital role in the health of the surrounding landscape.

Coffin Bay is geographically unique — bordered by National and Conservation Parks and encircled by inland bay systems. With land and water so closely interconnected, the health of native vegetation directly influences the wellbeing of surrounding marine environments. Protecting intact bushland like Yarnbala helps stabilise soils, filter water, support wildlife corridors and strengthen the resilience of the broader bay systems that define this place.

Within this living landscape, the Slater family found a naturally sheltered clearing — a place to gather around a fire, share stories and meals, and experience the quiet rhythms of nature. What began as a family sanctuary evolved into a vision to protect, restore and share this land with care and intention.

Yarnbala was created to invite others into this relationship with place — to experience the power of healthy ecosystems, understand their interconnectedness, and celebrate life in a way that actively contributes to the protection of Coffin Bay’s land and waters, now and into the future.

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