Scam alert: increased reports of phone porting. We are receiving increased reports of phone porting scams targeting Bank Australia customers. Read more on how you can best protect yourself.
We're the first Australian bank to have a conservation reserve – it’s one way we’re using the business of banking to create a healthier planet. Our reserve is home to 251 native plant and 283 native animal species.
The reserve is a group of four properties in Western Victoria, outside Horsham. They’re under a conservation covenant with Trust for Nature, which means they’re protected from development forever.
The impact of colonisation and agriculture in Victoria’s western Wimmera region means the native ecology is particularly vulnerable to emerging threats, like climate change.
We’re working with our partners Greening Australia and Trust for Nature, plus Traditional Owners from the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk peoples, represented by Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC), our reserve neighbours and local CFAs to ensure the reserve is a thriving and collaborative example of science-based conservation in action.
We purchased the first Conservation Reserve property at Minimay at 201 hectares.
We purchased the Ozenkadnook property, bringing us to 437 hectares.
We purchased the Minimay North property, making the reserve 657 hectares.
The Minimay West property joined the conservation reserve family, bringing the total to 760 hectares.
We added the Booroopki property, bringing us to our current total of 927 hectares.
We had protected 590 hectares of remnant native vegetation, which has the highest conservation value.
We grew our focus from carbon sequestration towards restoring biodiversity. This changes the way we do conservation and how we measure success.
We had revegetated 350 hectares of native food sources and habitat for engendered species, including the South Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.
We counted! And recorded a total of 226 native plant species.
We partnered with Greening Australia to manage the reserve.
We released our 10-year strategy, Reimagining the Future.
We won the Banksia (Large Business) Award, in partnership with Greening Australia and Trust for Nature, for the reserve’s 10-year strategy.
We commissioned the Barenji Gadjin Land Council to conduct a cultural heritage survey, to identify culturally significant sites across the reserve.
We commissioned the University of Melbourne to conduct a fire risk assessment for protecting the reserve and our neighbours.
Bank Australia fund a First Nations trainee program in partnership with Barengi Gadjin Land Council and Greening Australia
The process commenced for the reintroduction of cultural fire into the landscape Partners present included Traditional Owners from Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Bank Australia, Greening Australia, Trust for Nature, Country Fire Authority, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Parks Victoria
We received results from the eDNA testing of the reserve wetlands and dams to help us restore these to their natural, healthy state.
We had our first bushfire from a lightning strike. With the support of our local neighbours, the CFA responded to the fire before it caused significant damage.
A milestone event: Wotjobaluk Traditional Owners from the Barengi Gadjin Land Council undertook a Cultural Burn at Minimay, supported by the Country Fire Authority and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Bank Australia purchase Salvana, a new conservation reserve site. This purchase doubled the size of land under conservation.
Greening Australia completed a monitoring survey to evaluate the impact of 5 years of protection and regeneration work on the conservation reserve, which are published in the Big Spring Monitoring Report.
Another Cultural Burn was undertaken at Minimay by Barengi Gadjin Land Council, in partnership with Bank Australia, the Country Fire Authority, Greening Australia and Trust for Nature; protecting culturally significant sites, healing, and caring for Country
In 2023 we started work on our nature and biodiversity strategy to inform our objectives and actions for this impact area. We plan to release this strategy in early 2024. The strategy provides us with a focus on awareness and engagement, leadership and nature positive products and services.
We launched our Nature and bio-diversity strategy