Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre reveals plans for turtle education centre on Green Island

Plans to develop a fourth turtle rehabilitation centre in Cairns are underway following a massive donation from a Swedish charity.

A green sea turtle fitted with a tracker. Photo: Supplied

The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre hopes to build a fourth centre where students can learn to care for endangered sea turtles and marine life.

Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert said plans to develop the education centre

on Green Island were underway following a donation from a Swedish charity.

“The Perfect World Foundation partnered with sustainable beauty product

manufacturer Maria Nila to raise $100,000 (US) through The Friendly Year, a year of

campaigns to raise money for a wildlife cause,” she said.

Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert releasing a green sea turtle on the Great Barrier Reef.Photo: Kristie Sky

“It is a huge honour for the foundation to select the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.”

Maria Nila said it was the largest fundraiser they’ve had.

“The donation will assist the volunteer organisation to not only rehabilitate turtles, but

to educate the next generation about what they can do to mitigate the threats

surrounding the decline of sea turtles,” Ms Gilbert said.

“By having students working on Green Island with turtles we will be working towards

taking ownership of issues such as ocean pollution, discarded fishing apparatuses, and

poaching.”

Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre co-founder Jennie Gilbert releasing a green sea turtle on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Supplied

Ms Gilbert said a fourth centre on Green Island would expand their capabilities to rehabilitate turtles but they need more funding to make it a reality.

“Since opening in 2000 we have saved more than 500 marine turtles and now have more

than 100 volunteers giving up their time at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre,” Ms Gilbert said.

“I am very proud that in the past 24 years we increased the success rate of rehabilitation

and release of turtles from 35 per cent to 95 per cent.”

The Quicksilver Group is sponsoring the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre by providing

the site on the Green Island Resort’s land, access to infrastructure including the

desalinator and power, and transfers for volunteers with Great Adventures.

Originally published as Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre reveals plans for turtle education centre on Green Island