About Endeavour Conservation | Protecting Australia's Nature

Our
Story

Simon and his family visited far north Queensland and the Daintree in 2006. Amazed by the beauty of the world’s oldest continuous rainforest, he expressed to his wife the need to protect such areas of natural significance.

That moment sparked Endeavour Conservation — a long-term commitment to protecting Australia’s most important natural places. Today, that vision continues across a growing network of reserves in Queensland and New South Wales.

How we began

From Vision to First Reserve

In 2007, Simon founded Endeavour Conservation as an independent, charitable trust focused on nature conservation. With support from a Swiss foundation, we bought our first reserve — South Endeavour Station near Cooktown — protecting the headwaters of the South Branch of the Endeavour River. Our name derives from that first property.

Early Growth

Planting a Legacy

In 2009, Simon invited Tim Hughes — then Chair of the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW — to join the Board. Tim’s conservation background helped guide Endeavour through a key phase of growth.

Between 2009 and 2013, we expanded into northeastern NSW and the Atherton Tablelands, securing properties that helped reconnect fragmented rainforest.

Simon passed away in early 2015, leaving a legacy that continues to guide our work.

Expanding Our Impact

Protecting The Irreplaceable

Since 2015, we’ve continued to grow — guided by partnerships and a focus on corridor protection.

With the Rainforest Trust, we secured properties like Caloola, Misty Mountain, and Maalan Cloud Forest.

We also added Crooks Racecourse, bordering Kosciuszko National Park.

In 2021, with support from the Wyss Foundation, we completed the Wet Tropics–Cape York corridor with the purchase of Mt Gibson, now a declared Nature Refuge.

More recently, Oakey Scrub Nature Refuge was added in partnership with Rainforest 4, protecting habitat for species like the Northern Quoll and Bennett’s Tree-Kangaroo.

Our Reserves