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Aligning your Will with your values

A Will gives you the power to choose how your life’s work and your assets will benefit your loved ones and the causes you care about most.

You have the power to help shape the future of Australia’s natural places – a future where our extraordinary landscapes and the plants and animals that they support remain safe.

Staff at our Friendly Beaches Reserve, Tasmania. Photo Annette Ruzicka.

Up to 25% of our income comes from bequests.

The difference your gift could make

Gifts in Wills account for about 25% of our annual income.

When you remember Bush Heritage in your Will and let us know about your decision, you’ll be giving us the financial security to commit to the kind of long-term, landscape-scale projects across Australia that will result in real, lasting change for the environment.

Gifts in Wills have played an important role in the history of Bush Heritage and are recognised on our gifts in Wills supporter honour board.

How to leave a gift in your Will to Bush Heritage

There are many ways to leave a gift to Bush Heritage in your Will, and it’s important to find the one that’s right for you.

Once you've considered which people and charities you'd like to remember, and who your executor will be, we recommend speaking with your solicitor to have your Will written.

If engaging a solicitor is not possible, or you would simply like to learn a little bit more about the types of things to consider, you may find Gathered Here’s free online Will tool helpful.

Ecologists Michelle Hall and Angela Sanders share a laugh. Photo Nic Duncan.

Note Bush Heritage does not provide legal advice. Any referral to an Online Will provider does not constitute legal advice, or an endorsement that an Online Will is suitable for your needs. Individuals using Online Wills should seek legal advice before making any changes or updates to their Wills.


Types of gifts

You can leave your entire estate or any part of your estate to Bush Heritage.

A residual gift means once all specific gifts are distributed and your debts are paid, the remainder (or a proportion of the remainder) of your estate will be paid to Bush Heritage. This is a simple way to leave a gift that needn't interfere with any specific bequests to loved ones. It will also retain its value over time (unlike a specific cash gift that can reduce in value with inflation).

It can be difficult to choose a specific cash amount to leave when you don't know how much will be in your estate when the time comes. Making your gift a percentage of your estate, or of the residual of your estate, means no matter the value of your final estate, the proportion you intended for Bush Heritage stays the same.

You can leave any identifiable property as a bequest to Bush Heritage. A specific gift may include any sum of money, cash balances in a bank account, a residential house, commercial real estate or company shares.

If you're considering leaving real estate or shares to Bush Heritage, you may wish to consider leaving the gift in specie. This means it may be transferred directly to Bush Heritage and may save your estate paying capital gains tax on the sale of the asset. Seek appropriate legal advice to ensure this is suitable to your circumstance.

Frequently asked questions

We highly recommend seeking independent, professional legal and tax advice when making or changing your Will to ensure your intentions are realised and the distributions to beneficiaries are maximised.

Having your Will professionally written shouldn't be expensive and provides peace of mind knowing your wishes are more likely to be upheld.

If you need a solicitor, the law society of your state or territory can refer you to one.

If engaging a solicitor is not possible, or you'd simply like to learn a little bit more about the types of things to consider, you may find Gathered Here's free online Will tool helpful.


Note Bush Heritage does not provide legal advice. Any referral to an Online Will provider does not constitute legal advice, or an endorsement that an Online Will is suitable for your needs. Individuals using Online Wills should seek legal advice before making any changes or updates to their Wills.


We're a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission. The Australian Taxation Office has endorsed us for charity tax concessions, including exemption from income tax, and has also endorsed our public fund, Bush Heritage Australia Fund, as a deductible gift recipient (which is listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations).

  • BUSH HERITAGE AUSTRALIA
  • ABN 78 053 639 115
  • Level 10, 637 Flinders St Docklands, VIC 3008

Once you've chosen the right type of bequest for you, speak with your solicitor to have your Will written. Please note the following wording is a guide only and subject to your solicitor’s advice.

“I give (insert one of the following)

  • Specific Amount: the sum of $X (insert financial amount)
  • Whole of Estate: my entire Estate
  • % of Estate: (insert percentage or proportion) of my Estate
  • % of Residue: (insert percentage or proportion) of the residue of my Estate
  • Real Estate: all of my interest in my real property described as (insert legal property tenure description / title details)
  • Shares: my shares in (insert description of publicly listed company)

to Bush Heritage Australia (ABN 78 053 639 115) to be applied towards conservation purposes in accordance with the Constitutional objectives of Bush Heritage Australia in its absolute discretion and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorised officer of Bush Heritage Australia shall be a sufficient discharge for my Trustees.”

You can, but superannuation and life insurance don't automatically form part of your Estate. We recommend speaking to a legal professional make appropriate arrangements.

This depends on a range of factors, so it's important to discuss your wishes with a member of our team if you're considering leaving a bequest of land to Bush Heritage.

It's up to you. We understand that making a Will can be a personal and private matter. Knowing we have such generous support allows us to personally thank our supporters and plan for the future. If you'd like to let us know about your bequest, reach out to our team via email, phone or via the confidential web form below.

Bush Heritage is unable to act as an executor. The costs of this would outweigh any potential benefits, as our staff are not experienced or trained in estate administration. There's also a risk of perceived undue influence if your Will is contested for any reason.

Join a like-minded community

When you include a gift in your Will to Bush Heritage and tell us about it, you'll be invited to join the Bush Legacy Circle – a growing community of like-minded people connected by their commitment to the future of the Australian bush.

You and your loved ones will receive invitations to events featuring talks by our reserve managers and ecologists, guided trips to Bush Heritage reserves, and regular updates on our work. Fill out the form below to begin your journey, or to request more information.  

Bequest supporters Mark Darby and Cate Caddy. Photo Tony Harrington.

Let us know

If you’ve included Bush Heritage in your Will or are considering leaving us a gift, please fill in this form to let us know so we can welcome you to the Bush Legacy Circle – our growing group of gifts in Wills supporters. Knowing more about your support also gives us greater confidence to plan our long-term conservation projects across Australia’s magnificent landscapes.

Bush Legacy Circle at Dome Rock, Boolcoomatta.

Please note your information will be held securely in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Australian Privacy Law.

Meet our wonderful supporters

Albany’s coastline, Minang Country, WA. Photo Michael Bird.

BUSHTRACKS 21/06/2024

Michael Bird's happy place

Where's your happy place in nature? For lifelong supporter Michael Bird it's among Albany’s coastal scrub.

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BUSHTRACKS 27/10/2023

Davydd Shaw's happy place

"In the bush, magic comes to you when you slow down and be very quiet, listening to the breeze’s gentle whoosh through the casuarina, observing a curious fairy-wren, or the cheeky laughter that stirs when catching an unperturbed wombat waddle."

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BUSHTRACKS 13/06/2023

Angela McLean's happy place

A restored patch of remnant native scrub on Ngarrindjeri Country, South Australia.

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Fitzgerald River National Park. Supplied by Tourism Western Australia.

BUSHTRACKS 27/03/2023

Phil Doring's happy place

Phil reconnects with nature in a plant-diverse corner of the continent.

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BUSHTRACKS 13/01/2023

Annie Mayo's happy place

When we heard Bob Brown had established Bush Heritage, we thought it was a brilliant idea, a conservation no-brainer, so we began supporting the organisation.

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BUSHTRACKS 17/10/2022

My happy place (Judy Henderson)

My happy place is nestled between the dunes and ocean at Tuckers Rock, north of the Bellinger River’s entrance. Freshwater flows east from the mountains, it thunders down waterfalls into calm, clear pools, navigates green paddocks and rainforests, before emerging through Melaleuca-stained estuaries and spilling into the Pacific Ocean.

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21/06/2022

A gift to the future

Mike and Eva Palmer see the loss of wild habitat as one of the single biggest threats to wildlife on Earth. So they decided to do something about it. Their legacy – a bequest to Bush Heritage – will help safeguard native species for many generations to come.

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The architect-designed Round House building.

BUSHTRACKS 15/04/2021

A gift like no other

Long-time Bush Heritage supporter and volunteer Annelie Holden once used her bush property as an escape from the city. Now she has donated it to Bush Heritage so it can start a new life as a conservation reserve and our first ever education centre.

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Photo by Amelia Caddy

BUSHTRACKS 15/04/2021

Defined by the bush

Susan and Peter feel an intimate connection to the Australian bush, which is why they’ve left a gift in their Wills that will help ensure its protection into the future.

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BLOG 19/02/2021

Annelie and George’s legacy

Introducing The Round House, Bush Heritage's newest reserve! This beautiful 87-hectare bush block has been generously gifted to us by long-term supporter and volunteer, Annelie Holden.

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BLOG 29/08/2019

In Memory of Margaret Anne Wilson

Bob and Margie Wilson spent a brief period in the early days of their life together enjoying the stunning landscapes of the Stirling Ranges in the Fitz-Stirling region of Western Australia. Recently, I spoke with Bob who reached out to Bush Heritage in a really profound way - to give a gift to honour Margie, who sadly passed away last September. Enclosed with his donation was a beautiful letter which he's kindly allowed us to share.

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BLOG 13/06/2019

From city to the country

Maureen and Richard Oborn had donated to us for many years, connected financially and via stories in our newsletters. But their engagement went to another level after visiting our Boolcoomatta Reserve in South Australia, and seeing how donor funds are put to use.

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BUSHTRACKS 23/03/2017

How inspiration became a legacy

A childhood spent in the bush and an admiration for Bob Brown combined to inspire Bush Heritage donor and bequest supporter Davydd Shaw.

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BUSHTRACKS 06/12/2016

Penelope Hacker: Wildlife defender

A childhood spent in Africa gave Bush Heritage supporter Penelope Hacker a deep love of wildlife that she brought home to Australia.

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BUSHTRACKS 13/06/2016

Thank you

Thanks, as always, to the many generous donors who have supported our work. This page acknowledges some of those donors who have supported us in the lead up to Summer 2016.

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BUSHTRACKS 21/09/2015

John’s lasting legacy at Boolcoomatta

It was an emotional moment for Meredith Geyer and her family as they arrived at South Australia's Boolcoomatta Reserve and entered the renovated shearers' quarters. Fixed to the wall beside the fireplace is a stained timber board acknowledging the generous donors and benefactors who have helped to fund Bush Heritage's work at Boolcoomatta. Meredith's father, John Weightman, who passed away two years ago, is the latest name to be included on the plaque.

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BLOG 22/07/2015

Where there's a Will there's a way

On a recent bequest supporter trip to Boolcoomatta, Reserve Manager and tour guide extraordinaire, Glen Norris was leading a convoy of four cars when he stopped and radioed this eerie observation back to those following: "We are being watched".

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BUSHTRACKS 21/06/2015

BMW Boxers and the Kerr’s bush legacy

An appetite for adventure, a love of the open road and a BMW Boxer motorbike have taken Bush Heritage Australia supporters Geoff and Elizabeth Kerr the length and breadth of Australia. Find out from Geoff and Elizabeth why they decided to leave a legacy.

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BUSHTRACKS 20/03/2015

Living lightly

Simone Bowskill and her husband David are nature lovers living on a one acre bush block in Wentworth Falls, among the beautiful Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Having supported Bush Heritage for several years, they are now confirmed bequest supporters, planning to leave a gift in their wills.

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BUSHTRACKS 21/09/2014

Remembered in nature

Supporters Alan and Saxon Condon had very special connections with the land, and since their passing – both at age 93 – their eldest daughter, Honour, has remembered them through nature and the places they loved.

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Get in touch

Our experienced Gifts in Wills team is here to support you in making the right decision for you and your loved ones. We understand that writing your Will is a very personal matter – any information you share with us will be kept in absolute confidence, in accordance with our privacy policy and Australian Privacy Law.

To get in touch with us, email [email protected], call 1300 628 873 or use the form above.

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