Five Artists | Seven Days: AWC exhibition 2021

The AWC Mount Zero Exhibition marks the fourth collaboration between Defiance Gallery and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

This unique program introduces artists to remote and pristine environments across Australia while raising funds and awareness for the important work of the AWC protecting an exceptional diversity of species and habitats. 

For this exhibition, 5 artists - Tim Allen, Peter Stevens, Mary Tonkin, Alison Coates and David Collins, along with a filmmaker, Ben Ferris and art critic, Jon McDonald were flown to Mount Zero-Taravale. T

his sanctuary is 80km north-west of Townsville. Due to the area's location, topography and rainfall, a rich array of habitats and diversity of wildlife is supported.

Importantly for the artists, the variation in landforms and changes in geology also makes for spectacular scenery. The exhibition in 2021 will celebrate the AWC Mount Zero -Taravale sanctuary in the north-eastern Queensland, adjacent to the Wet tropics Wold Heritage Area. This important sanctuary covers over 59, 000 hectares and protects 85 mammal species, over 240 bird species and over 120 reptile and amphibian species. 

AWC is the largest private owner of land for conservation in Australia, protecting endangered wildlife across more than 6.5 million hectares in iconic regions such as the Kimberley, Cape York, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and the Top End. AWC is implementing a new model for conservation to help turn back the tide of extinctions. 80% of AWC's staff are based in the field, delivering science-informed, conservation land management such as feral animal control, fire management and weed eradication.