Redline bus to help drive Tasmanian devils fundraising campaign
The Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal will promote the plight of an iconic Australian marsupial and mark National Threatened Species Day on Saturday (September 7) by launching a Tasmania’s Own Redline bus emblazoned with a call to action.
Featuring the giant face of a Tasmanian devil the mobile Appeal promotion is part of a three-year campaign supported by Tasmania’s Own Redline. The company has provided in-kind support valued at $60,000.
The Appeal is the fundraising arm of the Save the Tasmanian Devil program and the money it raises annually is used to support a wide range of projects, from research to infrastructure - all aimed at saving the threatened devil.
“This generous sponsorship by Tasmania’s Own Redline will help spread the message among the community, and it’s extremely heartening that local businesses in Tasmania are getting behind the campaign to save the devil,” the Environment, Parks and Heritage Minister, Brian Wightman, said.
National Threatened Species Day is held each year to commemorate the loss of the last known Tasmanian tiger in captivity, which occurred in Hobart in 1936.
Appeal manager Rebecca Cuthill said that it was a tragic loss and that we must ensure that the Tasmanian devil does not follow in the tiger's footsteps.
“It is prescient on Threatened Species Day to highlight the devil and the support being provided by our fantastic Tasmanian businesses, which are helping to take the message to the wider community that the time to save the Tasmanian Devil is now,’’ she said.
Tasmanians will have plenty of opportunities to view the coach as it will be operating the ‘Uni Run’ on the Launceston to Hobart to Launceston morning services, on Fridays Hobart to Burnie, Saturday Burnie to Hobart, plus Sunday day tours in and around Hobart.
On university weeks when not required it will run extended Tours of Tasmania and general charters, including Redline’s contract work with the AFL and the Hawthorn Football Club.
“Tasmania’s Own Redline is delighted to be a corporate supporter of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal”, said Tasmania’s Own Redline managing director Michael Larissey.
“The cause is one embraced by all Tasmanians; we can use our visibility to engage tourists and locals in a positive way.”
The UTAS Foundation administers the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal and money raised supports research and management projects aimed to keep the devil alive in the wild.
Just under half a million dollars was distributed last year and the Appeal is on target to surpass this effort in 2013.
Image: (Left to right) Minister Brian Wightman, Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal manager Rebecca Cuthill and Tasmania’s Own Redline representative, Rowan Larissey.
http://www.tassiedevil.com.au/tasdevil.nsf