Our foundations

The earliest conversations about BioDiversity Legacy began in the Central Gippsland home of the Phillipson family who spent decades restoring a 92-acre former farm on the banks of the Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River).

Seeing an opportunity to create a wildlife corridor extending from the Gippsland Plains to the Avon Wilderness, the family purchased additional properties totalling 1,000 acres.

The local community and Traditional Owners supported the EcoGipps venture and restoration activities began. But the family had one question they couldn’t answer – what would happen to the land when they could no longer look after it?

After talking to other landholders, community groups, environmental organisations and supporters it was clear a new type of ownership structure was needed; one that would enable individuals, families and others to donate land via a type of ownership structure. With support from the Rendere Environmental Trust, Biodiversity Legacy was formed to develop the model and bring landholders and communities together to secure their legacy for future generations.