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Chairman’s report .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

CEO Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Year in Review ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7

The Trust News ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

Open House ................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Heritage Festival ......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Heritage Awards ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Great Houses of Ipswich ............................................................................................................................................. 9

Marketing & Sales ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Brand Development .................................................................................................................................................. 10

Market Research ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Membership Development ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Sales Impact .............................................................................................................................................................. 10

Marketing Strategic Implementation ........................................................................................................................ 10

Life Long Learning ............................................................................................................................................................. 11

Marketing Collateral ................................................................................................................................................. 11

Teacher Open Day ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Teacher VIP Card ....................................................................................................................................................... 11

Discovery Den Openning ........................................................................................................................................... 11

Ngulli Nyeumba Ampitheatre ................................................................................................................................... 11

The Pines Elanora Shopping Centre .......................................................................................................................... 12

National Trust Partnership Program (NTPP) ............................................................................................................. 13

Trusted Custodian ............................................................................................................................................................. 14

Significant Trees Register .......................................................................................................................................... 14

Cooktown’s War Exhibition – James Cook Museum ................................................................................................. 14

A Voice for Queensland’s Heritage ................................................................................................................................... 15

NTAQ Heritage Register ............................................................................................................................................ 15

Queensland Heritage Register .................................................................................................................................. 15

Queensland Heritage Council ................................................................................................................................... 15

Proposed Amendments to the Planning Act ............................................................................................................. 15

Property Review ................................................................................................................................................................ 16

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary ..................................................................................................................................... 16

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital ........................................................................................................................................ 18

Wildlife Hospital Admissions..................................................................................................................................... 18

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Veterinary Treatments ............................................................................................. 18

Collection Health ....................................................................................................................................................... 19

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Research.................................................................................................................................................................... 19

External Veterinary Work ......................................................................................................................................... 19

Teaching .................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation .................................................................................................................. 19

James Cook Museum ................................................................................................................................................... 20

Royal Bull’s Head Inn ................................................................................................................................................... 20

Hou Wang Temple, Atherton ...................................................................................................................................... 21

The Heritage Centre, Townsville ................................................................................................................................. 21

Zara Clark Museum; The Stock Exchange Arcade ....................................................................................................... 21

Brennan & Geraghty’s Store Museum, Maryborough ................................................................................................ 22

Wolston House, Wacol ................................................................................................................................................ 22

Grandchester Railway Station ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Our People ........................................................................................................................................................................ 23

Growing our teams ...................................................................................................................................................... 23

Expansion of the Volunteer Programs ........................................................................................................................ 23

Third-party labour group relationships ....................................................................................................................... 24

Creating one culture .................................................................................................................................................... 24

Financial Reports............................................................................................................................................................... 25

Financial Sustainability ................................................................................................................................................ 26

Financial Position ........................................................................................................................................................ 27

Grants .......................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Bequests ...................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Donations .................................................................................................................................................................... 28

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Welcome to the 2015/2016 Annual Report of the National Trust of Australia (Queensland). It gives me

great pleasure to report to members on the progress achieved during this period. It has been a year of

consolidation for the Trust with good gains being made in addressing our strategic goals and priorities.

The Trust heritage properties continue to be a source of great pride and challenge. To better inform

our decision making the Trust has commissioned independent market research and the development

of master plans for a number of our properties. These studies have provided an essential input into the

development of business plans that will guide future investment. It is pleasing to see that capital works

planned for Wolston Farmhouse have significantly progressed and should be completed by early 2017.

Our strong commitment to natural heritage has been maintained with the development of new

education and wildlife conservation programs at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) and on-going

support for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital which again treated over 8,000 injured native animals this

year.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary had another very successful year with record attendances and an

excellent financial result. This has enabled the continued implementation of an ambitious capital

works program bringing new and improved wildlife experiences to our visitors. Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary operates in a very competitive business environment and it is essential that we continue to

invest into Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to ensure that it continues to flourish.

The Trust has remained committed to the development of mutually beneficial partnerships to realise

our mission and vision. To this end we have worked productively with all levels of government and

gratefully acknowledge this support. In 2015/16 partnerships with a range of organisations resulted in

some notable successes - the holding of the 2016 Heritage Festival and the 2015 Heritage Awards, the

2015 Brisbane Open House, Great Houses of Ipswich events in 2015 and 2016. Our enduring

partnership with RACQ resulted in the very generous donation of a wildlife ambulance. The Trust also

joined with QUT in preparation to deliver our first commercial exhibition - Miss Fisher’s Murder

Mysteries Costume exhibition which will open in Old Government House from July-September 2016.

The achievements of 2015/16 would not have been possible without the commitment and passion of

our dedicated volunteers, staff, Board and Committee members and I pass on my sincere thanks for

great work achieved. The continued support of our loyal members is especially acknowledged.

Ian Galloway B.Sc(Hons), PhD, M.Ag.Std.

President,

National Trust of Australia (Queensland)

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This Annual Report will outline the exceptional dedication

and results of the National Trust of Australia

(Queensland) team. To see overall operating results

(before non operating and non cash items) grow from

$1.5M in 2013-14 to $1.87M at the end of 2015-16 is a

credit to each and every member of our team. To the

Board and the Committee of Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary, thank you for your direction. To our staff and

our volunteers, you have all contributed to this strong

financial result.

While Currumbin is a successful and profitable business,

our management are aware of the impact economic

change can bring swiftly. A principle of the Trust is that

profits from each property are reinvested into the

property. This remains the case at Currumbin where we

see successive years of tangible re-investment. However

it is pleasing to see additional investment supporting

Wolston Farmhouse, in efforts to create a profitable and

self-sustaining property. We aim in the years ahead to

build our membership base revenue to invest across the

state. While many properties are currently not self-

sufficient, it is the extraordinary efforts of our staff and

volunteers that will keep them protected for generations

to come.

I pay tribute to the work of the Currumbin Wildlife

Hospital Foundation Trustees. The foundation has the

sole purpose to raise funds for one of Australia’s largest

wildlife care facilities, Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. The

National Trust of Australia (Queensland) underwrites and

funds the operational expenses not covered by

foundation fundraising. One of the highlights of 2015/16

was the announcement by the Gold Coast 2018

Commonwealth Games Corporation that the Foundation

was to become the charity of choice to receive a portion

of proceeds from the sales of the Commonwealth Games

koala mascot, Borobi. We are working closely with the

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation to

feature Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary during the 2018

event.

Our heritage properties and the work of our heritage

advocacy team are detailed in this report. We look

towards overcoming geographical challenges to

strengthen our presence in remote regions. We were

pleased to announce the newly appointed position of

General Manager Marketing and Sales this year, heading

a team including the Brand and Loyalty Manager. In

return we have seen membership numbers stabilise and

growth has been forecast for the following year

attributed to the push for membership benefits and

additional marketing materials. Working within the

context of our fellow state and territories, Queensland is

part of a federated Trusts structure and plays an integral

role.

New relationships have been forged with local

government organisations and their officers in Cook

Shire, Tablelands, Townsville, Charters Towers,

Maryborough and Toowoomba. The development of

brand equity will be vital in brokering partnerships and

membership benefits with the groups.

The state government of Queensland, has committed to

the redevelopment of the Queens Wharf Precinct as an

integrated resort development funded and developed by

the Destination Brisbane Consortium. The twelve heritage

properties within the district are to be conserved,

repaired and repurposed with a focus on public access.

The exhibition Queen’s Wharf, Footsteps on a riverbank,

was proudly created, produced and installed by the

National Trust of Australia (Queensland) team, and

launched in May 2016 to promote the history of the

precinct.

We look forward to the year ahead and building upon the

pillars of community engagement, life-long learning, and

being a trusted custodian to Queensland’s built,

Indigenous and cultural heritage.

Jonathan Fisher MA Bsc MRICS, Chief Executive Officer, National Trust of Australia (Queensland)

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Queen’s Wharf Exhibition 2015.

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The Trust News

Communication and contact with our valued members

and heritage audiences is vital when generating

community involvement. Queensland produced four

newsletters in the financial year and contributed over

ten stories featured in the quarterly national magazine

The Trust News.

The diverse range of contributions included:

A rare and colourful character A baby Golden

brush-tailed possum

As fast as a greyhound! The Cooktown James

Cook Festival

Experiencing heritage through music

Creating the gallery for “Cooktown’s War”

James Cook Museum

Resonance and the Great Houses of Ipswich

Contributions to the Heritage Festival Event

Queensland Highlights

Footsteps on a Riverbank Stories from

Meeanjin and Queen’s Wharf Exhibition

A greater bilby bonus Success in breeding

Best classroom in Australia Education

highlights

Great Houses of Ipswich Contribution to the

Heritage Festival Event Queensland Highlights

Queensland looks forward to supporting the new

national magazine, contributing to great news worthy

and interesting content. 2016/17 looks to incorporate

digital direct communications and implementation of

a communication strategy to compliment print

delivered mail.

Grandchester Railway.

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Open House

The sixth annual Brisbane Open

House (BOH) was held on the

weekend of 10-11 October 2015. As

one of three founding partners of

BOH, 2015 saw 90 buildings and

places open to the public free of

charge attracting over 65,000 visits

across the range of properties.

Apart from increasing the number

of places open each year, BOH

continues to expand through its

lead-up events program which

includes talks, tours, a children’s

program, a photography

competition and other special

events.

National Trust of Australia

(Queensland) is also a founding

partner of Open House events in

Maryborough, Toowoomba and the

Gold Coast. Our appreciation goes

to Ken Brooks in Maryborough and

Stephanie Keays and the volunteers

in Toowoomba, for their valuable

contributions. Maryborough Open

House, established in 2012, opens

30 places to the public each year.

Toowoomba Open House, held on

17-18 October, included 28 places

open to the public plus a number of

lead-up events, and the inaugural

Gold Coast Open House event saw

24 places open on 17 October.

Her itage Fest ival

The National Trust Queensland

Heritage Festival is an annual

celebration and promotion of

Queensland’s unique natural and

cultural heritage and is part of a

joint nationwide project that

promotes heritage events for free

across the states and territories. In

Queensland the National Trust

Heritage Festival commenced in

1983 to nurture and promote

heritage related events. The Festival

incorporates important dates and

events commencing with the

International Day for Monuments &

Sites (18 April) and International

Museums Day (18 May).

Complementing the National Trust

Heritage Festival was Australian

Heritage Week (16-24 April 2016),

an annual national celebration

providing an opportunity for all

Australians to celebrate their

shared heritage. The Australian

Government supported the

National Trust Heritage Festival

through funding and the promotion

of events on the Australian Heritage

Week website.

The National Trust Heritage Festival

2016 theme was Discovery &

Rediscoveries - discovering

something for the first time or

rediscovering something that has

been lost, forgotten or concealed.

In Queensland in 2016, over 122

groups/individuals registered 166

events. The Festival provided the

opportunity for communities to

work together to host events to

promote their organisations, and

the theme providing the idea of

focusing on something in their

region that they may wish to

highlight. Heritage Festival events

included workshops, displays, art

exhibitions, re-enactments, open

days, guided tours and ghost tours.

About two-thirds of the events

were registered by historical

organisations, museums and

businesses, with the remaining

third registered by local and state

government agencies. About one-

third of the events were held across

regional Queensland.

The Heritage Festival Queensland

launch was attended by over 200

guests in Toowoomba. The launch

was held in partnership with the

Strand Theatre, which was

celebrating its 100th birthday.

Ten thousand copies of the 48-page

Heritage Festival guidebook were

distributed to all event

coordinators, including community

groups, museums and local

governments, as well as National

Trust properties in Queensland. A

digital version was also available on

NationalTrust.org.au and the

National Trust Festival website.

All ten NTAQ properties, including

staff and volunteers, participated by

holding an exhibition or highlighting

collection items or conducting tours

to highlight the festival theme.

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Volunteers enjoying Great Houses of Ipswich 2015.

Her itage Awards

The National Trust Queensland Heritage Awards are

presented to recognise the outstanding activities

undertaken by the community to conserve and promote

our historic and Indigenous cultural heritage. The

National Trust has been presenting heritage awards in

Queensland since 1975. The National Trust Queensland

Heritage Awards in 2015 were supported by QUT,

Queensland Heritage Council and Treasury Casino and

Hotel.

The Heritage Awards were presented at Old

Government House on Thursday, 27 August 2015. Over

200 guests representing each of the award winning

nominations attended the event, as well as other special

guests including the NTAQ Patron, His Excellency the

Governor of Queensland, Paul De Jersey AC and the

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, The

Honourable Steven Miles MP. Thirty-nine awards were

presented across the different categories, Conservation

Planning, Conservation Works, Interpretation and

Promotion, Agency Conservation Programs and

Achievement Awards.

The 2015 John Herbert Memorial Award for the most

outstanding nomination was presented to the

Queensland Department of Education and Training for

the Queensland Schools Heritage Strategy. This project

demonstrated a proactive and systematic approach to

the identification and recognition of significant school

buildings in Queensland.

Great Houses of Ipswich

The NTAQ Ipswich branch in partnership with Ipswich

City Council held Great Houses of Ipswich open days on

12 September 2015 and 7 May 2016. The Great Houses

of Ipswich project, which began in 2013, sees three

different privately-owned heritage homes open to the

public for a small entrance fee. The event aims to raise

awareness of the many great examples of heritage

homes in Ipswich, from elegant mansions to humble

workers’ cottages, and show examples of good quality

conservation work.

In September 2015, the homes open for the Great

Houses were Rhossilli, Ballachulish and Claremont, and

in May 2016 they were Gooloowan, Notnel and

Bellevue. A total of 4,166 visits were recorded across the

two open days. NTAQ and Ipswich City Council sincerely

thank the owners of these great houses for their

generosity in letting the community in to visit.

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Brand Development

2015/16 saw the first full year with focus on brand,

positioning and market research. National Trust of

Australia (Queensland) saw the implementation of

consistent brochure collateral coupled with the

development of materials from flags to pull-up banners.

This was also developed by utilising the newly created

National Trust website, Queensland supported a

National direction, adopting the new brand identity.

Market Research

To better position our properties, we developed

strategic market research with a focus on key

properties including Gold Coast, Brisbane and Far North

Queensland regions. This included retaining third-party

reports as well as internal customer satisfaction

sampling. Amalgamating the results, a fresh brand

guide was created for the National Trust, as well as a

specific guide for the Sanctuary, focused on its iconic

status, and wildlife appeal. The brand style guides were

created by our in-house marketing team.

Membership Development

With the introduction of the Brand & Membership

Development Manager position in first quarter 2015,

the declining membership revenue stabilized.

Operationally, the department saw significant

improvements, including a new database system, and

the membership processing move from the Brisbane

office to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Work began on

the acquisition of membership benefits, which is set to

remain focus in 2016/17. Membership support came

from the Currumbin Visitor Services team for

processing and enquiries.

Sales Impact

In the year 2015/16, the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

based sales and marketing team underwent some

significant change, providing the opportunity to revise

the structure to include a dedicated General Manager

Sales, and a General Manager Marketing and Sales who

was appointed in May 2016. The focus for this role is

membership sales and brand awareness and

consistency. This role will combine business

development with strategic marketing deliverables to

drive revenue through memberships and admissions,

growth in market shares, and increase the brand equity.

Market ing Str ategic Im plem entation

The additional role of Digital and Campaign Sales

Manager starting March 2016 brought Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary into the forefront of integrated

marketing communications. Harnessing the reach of

online channels, the Sanctuary saw the distribution of

their newly created brand message be delivered

consistently. This role is supported by a part-time

Social Media Coordinator.

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Market ing Co l latera l

In 2016 new Nature Ed collateral

was created, consolidating all

material into one compendium. The

document was sent to 1000 school

contacts across south-east

Queensland and northern New

South Wales. A new tag line was

adopted, “Discover and explore

your world and more!” This

collateral features Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary and Wolston

Farmhouse.

Teacher Open Day

The first two Teachers’ Open Days

were held in March and April 2016,

and saw more than 100 teachers

and their families visit the

Sanctuary over two days. Teachers

attended a session in the Discovery

Den that promoted the new Nature

Ed programs, and included the

delivery of a segment from the

Wildlife Discovery Experience.

Teachers were surveyed internally

by the Education department to

provide a small sample for analysis.

A further four open day events will

be held in the 2016/17 financial

year.

Teacher VIP Card

A Thank You VIP Teacher Card was

created as part of an improved

process to increase database, give

acknowledgement, and incentivise

bookings and return visitation to

the Sanctuary. Teachers who book

an excursion to Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary and sign up to the email

list are provided a free National

Trust annual membership.

Discovery Den Openning

The Pines Elanora Discovery Den at

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary was

officially opened on 19 February

2016 by Mayor Tom Tate. Media

attended together with local school

children. The Pines Elanora

Discovery Den is the heartbeat of

the new Nature Ed program and is

the main location for Nature Ed

experiences. Naming rights to The

Pines Elanora Discovery Den

provided a $10,000 sponsorship to

the Education Department.

Ngul l i Nyeumba

Ampitheatre

The Ngulli Nyeumba amphitheatre

was created as the new home of

the Nature Ed Indigenous

Experience. Adjacent to the The

Pines Elanora Discovery Den, it also

provides an outdoor teaching space

for 60 people. “Ngulli Nyeumba”

means “we teach” in the local

Yugambeh language and the

artwork for the signage was

designed by Luther Cora, a local

Yugambeh member and lead

Aboriginal performer in the daily

onsite show presented by Jellurgal.

A grant from the Cancer Council of

Queensland provided additional

funds to erect a shade sail over the

amphitheatre.

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The P ines Elanor a Shopping Centre

In addition to the $10,000 sponsorship for naming rights of the The Pines Elanora Discovery Den, the partnership

included a range of onsite activities and programs at the centre such as:

Santa’s arrival parade

Breakfast with Santa

Photos with Santa and his wildlife friends

Six weeks of school holiday activities, with wildlife and craft components

o Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Re-think week (creating recycled art Christmas decorations)

o Conservation starts in your own backyard (conservation puzzle)

o Dreamtime week (Dreamtime legends and decorate a boomerang to take home)

o Animals that lay eggs week

o Frogs and phasmids week – origami frogs

o Feathered friends week

o Green Thumb for wildlife week

The Pines Elanora Discovery Den at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary was officially opened on 19 February 2016 by Mayor Tom Tate.

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Nat ional Trust Partnership Program

(NTPP)

The National Trust Partnership Program (NTPP)

provided funding for:

1. A teachers and educators portal, that is linked

to a National Trust place and to the Australian

Curriculum, with the ability to be adapted for future

online use.

This tool allows teachers to confidently deliver

creative content that supports their Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary visit. The teachers’ portal has

three elements: pre-visit activities, post-visit

activities, and suggestions for additional

opportunities during their visit. There are specific

activities for each primary year level linked to the

Australian Curriculum. The teachers’ portal will be

available on the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

website in the future.

2. Students, with an interactive online school

program for students, that is linked to a National

Trust place and to the Australian Curriculum:

Wildlife Webquest

Students can delve in to the wonderful world of

wildlife to find the answers to the Wildlife Webquest

all related to native species found at Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary. As they explore the interactive

map, students answer questions tailored to the year

4, 5 or 6 Australian curriculum. Wildlife Webquest

will be available on the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

website in the future.

3. The community, in way of a public education

program linked to a National Trust place and/or

Australian heritage place/event of significance.

Funds were secured to hold a Green Patch Day which

will be a collaborative community event that invites

National Trust members and the local community to

create their own green patch at home.

4. Attending the National Trust of Australia’s

education conference in Canberra.

NTAQ presented “Valuing Natural Heritage through

Engaging Education.” The presentation covered the

experiences over the last few years at Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary, the learnings and what the future

holds.

Many valuable connections were made and

important information was gained on the education

programs running at other National Trust properties

through-out Australia.

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Sign i f icant Tr ees Regis ter

Work continued on uploading trees newly entered in the National Trust’s heritage register to the national Significant

Tree Register website. Volunteer Margaret Munro is to be thanked for her enthusiasm and ongoing efforts in this

regard.

Cooktown’s Wa r Exhib it ion – James Cook Museum

Funding by the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program, in collaboration with the Cooktown and District Historical

Society, the development of the exhibition Cooktown’s War was made possible. This exhibition focuses on the impact

of the First World War on the community of Cooktown, which at the time had only been established for 40 years. The

roles of Rifle Clubs as training providers, community fundraising and patriotic efforts are seen through letters,

photographs and objects. The impacts of race, from Chinese business owners purchasing war loans, to the experience

of Indigenous soldiers, are explored. Items from contemporary commemorations of the centenary are also on display.

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NTAQ Heritage Register

As part of the redevelopment of the National Trusts’

national website, a searchable version of NTAQ’s

heritage register is now available online, with links to

the Queensland Heritage Register.

Queensland Her itage Register

Responding to concerns raised by the NTAQ

Toowoomba Branch, the residence Burnage was

nominated to the Queensland Heritage Register. It

was not entered.

Queensland Her itage Counci l

In accordance with the provisions of the Queensland

Heritage Act 1992, the Queensland Heritage Council

(QHC) includes a representative of NTAQ. After three

years of dedicated service, Glenda Sheaffe completed

her contract as the National Trust representative on

the QHC in December 2015. NTAQ greatly appreciates

the commitment and passion she brought to the role.

Dr Valerie Dennis has undertaken this role since

January 2016.

Proposed Amendments to the P lanning Act

In February 2016, the General Manager Heritage and

Advocacy addressed the Infrastructure, Planning and

Natural Resources Committee in public hearings

related to an examination of the Planning Bills 2015.

He presented the Trust’s concerns that the proposed

bills did not mention or address approvals for

demolition of heritage places and new buildings

adjoining heritage places. The Planning Act 2016,

which commences in mid-2017, does address heritage

within its processes.

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2015/2016 has been a successful year for the

Sanctuary with record performance across all of the

key operating areas. On the back of two previous

years of growth, the current financial year 2015/16

attendances have again grown significantly year on

year at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. There has

been modest growth in overall domestic markets

with numbers up on last year by 10,000. This

increase is due to the activation of third party

partners and Ticketmates (the ticketing system

through all hotel desks and the booking system for

RACQ) in Q3 2015. International market segments

performed well this year, up significantly year on year

mainly due to increased visitor numbers from China.

Overall there was record attendances to the

Sanctuary over this period, combined with an

additional 120,000 people attending Friday night food

markets, along with 80,000 people visiting the world

famous Lorikeet Arena for free.

In July 2015 a new operator for the high ropes

course, TreeTops Challenge was introduced. The

new operator sought to improve the course

significantly with improvements to safety and

course management, along with increased

marketing and customer service. All of these new

factors have been positive for both the operator

and the Sanctuary with significant growth shown in

this area.

A number of new animal attractions at the

Sanctuary were opened in 2015/16:

A visitor walk through Red Kangaroo

enclosure themed to outback Australia

The Nocturnal Corridor, which had been

closed to the public for four years due to

building concerns.

Land of the Parrots which is a large walk

through aviary filled with up to 80 parrots.

The Wombat Den; an all-weather

experience to see deep inside a wombat’s

burrow.

A koala nursery with the display of all our

koala joey’s and their mums.

A new entrance feature of an eastern grey

kangaroo enclosure.

A new bilby enclosure was very well

received.

A new wildlife show ‘The Big Fang Theory –

Reptile Show’ featuring venomous and

non-venomous snakes and all sorts of

reptiles complimented the improvements

made to the signature ‘Free Flight Bird

Show’.

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Land of Parrots aviary.

Off-site gum plantations continue to have an increased demand placed on their supply of eucalyptus gum to growing

populations of koalas and animals throughout the Sanctuary and hospital. Construction works were completed for the

Koala Gum Shed which explains how important eucalyptus is for animals.

Commercial departments achieved outstanding results for the year with significant growth across all categories being

demonstrated. The Food and Beverage team continues to grow revenue year on year and implemented significant

change in processes. There was also the completion of the Sanctuary Café deck and entry ramps projects which have

certainly improved the visual appearance and safety of these areas. The photography team continues to see record

numbers coming through Koala Photos, along with static growth in the in-park candid photos. Retail also had a good

year and saw the opening of a new outlet at Kangaroo Outpost and the re-positioning of the Wild Things outlet to a

novelty and candy store.

Over the year a number of larger corporate agreements changed and the Sanctuary introduced a new photography

partner – Kodak Allaris and a new ice cream partner – Peter’s Ice Cream. The beverage agreement with Schweppes

who have been long supporters of the Sanctuary was renewed. All have proved to be successful and have helped in the

contribution of the commercial departments.

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The Veterinary department experienced its busiest year on record across both wild animal admission and treatment of

captive animals. The position as a leading Wildlife Hospital has been reinforced and enhanced by problems

experienced at other wildlife hospitals across south east Queensland.

Wildl i fe Hosp ita l Adm issions

The wildlife hospital admitted a record 8781 wild patients including 342 koalas. Koala admissions increased 35% from

2014/15 due to the ever increasing level of disease amongst the wild population. Once stabilised, many of these

koalas are transferred to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

2015/16 2014/15 % change

Total Admissions 8781 8459 + 4% Koalas 342 254 + 35%

Currumbin Wild l i fe Sanctuar y Veter inary Treatments

The measure of veterinary treatment of the captive Sanctuary animals increased by 20%, mostly as a result of the large

number of quarantine checks for new birds arriving for the Land of Parrots enclosure.

2015/16 2014/15 % change

Sanctuary Treatment 383,481 317,908 + 20%

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Col lect ion Health

The acquisition of birds from a range of new suppliers

reinforced the importance of strict quarantine policies

as a number of these new birds had to be returned

due to a variety of chronic diseases that would have

caused ongoing problems and deaths in our

collection.

Research

The principle research project was the ongoing

commitment to echidna research in collaboration

with the University of Queensland. Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary can proudly claim to be the world

leader in echidna research, breeding and disease

understanding.

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital data is regularly

submitted to researchers for epidemiological papers

where acknowledgment is received.

Published papers 2015/16:

Advances in the captive breeding and

reproductive biology of short beaked echidnas

(Tachyglossus aculeatus), Australian Journal of

Zoology.

Squamous cell carcinoma with hepatic

metastasis in a saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus

porosus) Australian veterinary journal 94.3

(2016): 83-86.

External Veter inar y Work

The veterinary department provided a contracted vet

service to Paradise Country returning a net profit of

$70,664 for the year.

A pay per service arrangement was also provided to

Fleay’s Wildlife Park and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.

Full veterinary specialist fees were charged for these

services provided.

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital continues to enter data

into the federally funded Australian Wildlife Health

network database on wildlife disease outbreaks. The

veterinary department is funded for this work ($5000

annually).

Teaching

The Veterinary Department continues to provide a

commitment to teaching, providing a paid service for:

Cert IV (NSW) – Veterinary Nursing

Cert III (NSW) – Animal Studies (prereq for Cert

IV Vet nursing)

Cert II (Qld Tafe) – Animal Studies

Cert III (Qld Tafe) – Animal Studies

Currumbin Wild l i fe Hospital Foundat ion

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation distributed

$317,000 to the hospital for veterinary treatment of

wildlife.

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National Trust of Australia (Queensland) took on a

service role for a cost recovery fee to host the

Cooktown Visitor Information Centre on a trial basis

from October 2015. The manager and small staff had

been used to acting as informal visitor information

officers because of the many visitors to the museum

over the years but the adoption of formal role has

undoubtedly been a steep learning curve and added

many layers of responsibility and a need for extensive

community engagement or representation. The

service was a catalyst to trial a new entrance to the

Museum using the Endeavour Gallery with good equal

access, more public space and opportunity to add

much needed air conditioning in this modern

extension without materially threatening the core of

the Convent and its sensitive collections. This is a trial

and we will review in the year ahead.

With one of the most active of volunteer teams, the

Inn has been opened regularly and featured on

national television thanks to an innovative story on

the ghost tours. Strategically, a report by independent

planning consultants as to the response the Trust may

take to the growing development pressure around the

site was completed and work on a Conservation Plan

substantially completed, to guide a future master-

planning process. The property has the potential to

create its own endowment fund to improve the

financial sustainability of the site, improve its visitor

facilities and thus enable more promotion of the

same.

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In partnership with Tablelands

Council, the Trust supported the

Atherton Chinatown

MasterPlan, presented toward

the end of the financial year and

now a platform to engage

community and other

stakeholders in a more

sustainable future for the

property.

Plans have progressed to

refurbish the farmhouse

adjacent to Currajong House as

staff accommodation, a

resource centre and visitor

facilities to support the growth

in the use of the Heritage

Centre. The plans will be costed

and a scheme presented for

Board approval at or soon after

a scheduled visit in the year

ahead. The property is a

valuable community resource

for general visitation and

education use but offers a

setting for weddings and

function in the beautiful

grounds of Currajong House.

The Trust acknowledges the

partnership with council which

enables this.

Funds have been raised though

admissions and matched with grant

monies to see the public faces of

the building repaired and repainted.

The Zara Clark Museum hosts an

extensive collection of military

memorabilia which reflects the

significant contribution the local

area made to World War I. Hence,

during the period of the

Commemoration of the Centenary

of WWI, we have conducted special

exhibitions around Anzac Day the

feature events specific to that year.

This year’s display centred on the

Battle of the Somme (1916) where

some 60 young men from the

Charters Towers region lost their

lives. The display was deliberately

kept simple – a “soldier”, a list of

the fallen, a map of the Somme

area and lots of poppies – stark but

moving, we were told over and

over.

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This most precious property is

managed at arms-length from the

Trust by tenant and curator Ken

Brookes and loyal volunteers. Also

housing the Interior Resources

Centre.

Plans have progressed to repurpose

the care-takers cottage to a visitor

welcome experience, resource

centre, small retail area, with

wheel chair accessible toilets and

support offices. New paths are to

be installed and the commercial

servery finished on the modern

deck attached to the farmhouse.

After market research in 2015/16

supporting investment, the Board

approved the funding late in

2015/16, of these capital works in

the 2016/17 year and this will be

marketed as a flagship heritage

property experience in the greater

Brisbane and Ipswich and Gold

Coast areas.

A property of Queensland Rail,

Grandchester Railway Station is

managed by the Trust and a limited

team of volunteers without whom

this important property could not

be opened once a month. The

highlight of the year was the

celebration at Grandchester on 26th

July 2015 of the 150th

year of

Queensland Rail.

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This has been a year of moderate expansion of paid staff team and strong expansion of volunteer teams. This growth

is consistent with previous years, and reflects the increased volume of business, new products and experiences

offered, primarily at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary property.

The below table shows growth in paid staff over the past three years.

2014/15/16 July 14 July 15 July 16

Total Headcount 177 220 244

Full Time 64 67 72

Part Time 32 48 62

Casual 81 105 110

FTE = Full Time Equivalent 121* 141 150

* CWS staff only.

In line with organisational pillars of community engagement and financial sustainability, there has been a very strong

focus on expanding and tailoring volunteer programs across the business. NTAQ volunteers now total over 540

people engaged in regular weekly volunteering duties.

This number does not include the very many passionate NTAQ event volunteers who have assisted at events during

the year such as the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation Gala Dinner, NTAQ Heritage Awards, Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary Dream-Night, Brisbane Open House, and other exhibitions and activities.

All NTAQ volunteers have been provided with a complimentary National Trust membership as a gesture of

appreciation for their services. This is in line with National Trust branding objectives, to create pride and awareness

within the business. This volunteer membership package includes the distribution of the newly designed NTAQ

volunteer shirt, prominently featuring on the front the collage of the state of Queensland featuring all NTAQ

properties and our focus points. Now, the uniforms of all NTAQ volunteers in every program feature the back

graphic of VOLUNTEER – NATIONAL TRUST – Conservation Champions.

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A third tier of labour groups exist within NTAQ,

alongside the paid staff and the volunteer cohorts.

This is the area of Unpaid Labour Groups. These

groups consist of:

School-based trainees – 30 trainees from local

high schools attending various departments

within Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to gain

work experience and certificate 3 qualifications

in business, hospitality or tourism.

TAFE students – 40 students completing

qualifications in certificate 3 captive animal,

animal management or certificate 4 in vet

nursing, working to assist Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary keepers and vet hospital staff.

Work for the dole teams – Up to 20

participants who assist the maintenance and

horticulture teams with Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary site works such as planting,

maintenance and building project assistance.

Training organisation partnerships – Up to 20

participants per year who are participating in

tourism and hospitality training within various

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary departments,

with the intention of obtaining future

employment within these industries.

These community partnerships provide an

invaluable source of inspiration, job satisfaction and

upskilling for the participants as well as the staff and

managers engaged in providing the host employer

role. This is an area of continued future growth and

opportunity, in terms of expanding the above

programs to relevant other NTAQ sites, expanding

the scope of current offerings and investigating new

avenues of engagement such at internships with

both educational and community institutions.

2015/16, many practices have been introduced to

substantially strengthen the state-wide reach of the

National Trust of Australia (Queensland), to

continue to build a consistent and respected brand,

invoking loyalty and passion for the cause of

championing conservation and heritage. For NTAQ

people, the most visible evidence takes the form of

branding all uniforms. Alongside the introduction of

new volunteer uniforms, all staff uniforms across

the Currumbin site feature the National Trust logo.

Substantial time and effort has been dedicated to

engage in multiple visits travelling to the NTAQ

properties state wide. The NTAQ CEO and managers

from the departments of heritage and advocacy,

finance, human resources, workplace health and

safety, education and community engagement and

marketing have all created meaningful relationships

with NTAQ property and volunteer management

teams, greatly increasing communication, support

and productivity across the business.

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Year Ended 30 June ($'000) 2016 2015 2014

Income

Admissions 8,969 8,258 7,616

Merchandise & Photography sales 4,955 4,434 4,140

Food & Beverage Sales 3,442 3,082 2,638

Memberships 347 347 449

Sponsorships 158 78 76

Grants 169 119 87

Donations/bequests 149 447 110

Distributions from CWHF 317 396 413

Rent income 444 383 378

Car parking receipts 354 272 191

Other operating income 857 674 820

Total Income 20,161 18,490 16,916

Expenditure

Cost of Sales 2,718 2,461 2,250

Employee expenses 10,130 9,014 8,525

Advertising & marketing expenses 800 821 811

Repairs & Maintenance 1,147 1,165 976

Council rates and water charges 365 380 301

Insurance premiums 297 349 319

Directors remuneration 94 93 -

Other expenses 2,745 2,472 2,227

Total Expenditure 18,295 16,756 15,409

Net Operating Result before non operating items 1,865 1,734 1,507

Non Operating/Non Cash Items

Less Depreciation 916 807 784

Less Loss on sale of non-current assets - - 436

Add Gain on revaluation of investment properties 586 398 -

Total Non Operating/Non Cash Items (330) (409) (1,220)

Overall net result for the year (per audited accounts) 1,535 1,325 287

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As at 30 June ($'000) 2016 2015 2014

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents 3,292 2,607 2,551

Trade and other receivables 708 825 569

Other assets 270 408 368

Inventories 618 553 505

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 4,887 4,393 3,992

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Property, plant and equipment 45,503 43,200 41,825

Investment property 6,871 6,284 5,886

TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 52,373 49,484 47,712

TOTAL ASSETS 57,261 53,878 51,704

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables 1,607 1,646 1,573

Interest bearing liabilities 109 12 4

Employee Provisions 808 707 653

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 2,524 2,364 2,230

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Interest bearing liabilities 221 29 53

Employee Provisions 291 279 293

TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 512 308 347

TOTAL LIABILITIES 3,035 2,672 2,577

NET ASSETS 54,225 51,205 49,127

EQUITY

Asset revaluation surplus 36,455 34,970 34,217

Accumulated surplus 17,771 16,235 14,910

TOTAL EQUITY 54,225 51,205 49,127

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During the 2015/16 year NTAQ received a total of $58,903 (exclusive of GST) in grants as follows:

$2,500 from Toowoomba Regional Council for purchase of 5 IPads for Royal Bulls Head Inn property to provide

information on key aspects of the Inn for the visiting public.

$5,000 from Townsville City Council Community Heritage Grants program for Townsville Heritage Centre

Currajong. Grants program aimed to assist Townsville-based organisations that play an active role in preserving

Townsville’s history and heritage.

$14,585 from Qld Government Gambling Benefit Fund for purchase of an oxygen generator at the Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary hospital.

$5,000 from Federal Government Dept of Social Services Volunteer Grants program for purchase of furniture,

kitchen appliances and storage items at Zara Clark Museum.

$31,818 from Qld Government Gambling Benefit Fund for painting of 2 exterior walls at Zara Clark Museum.

During the 2015/16 year NTAQ was fortunate to receive a total of $72,676 in bequests received from the following:

Estate of Late Joyce Violet Ainsworth (for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary)

Estate of Late Kay Elizabeth Mathiesen a direct descendant of Catherin & Martin Geraghty (Brennan and

Geraghty’s store in Maryborough)

During the year a large donation of $7,500 was received from Professor Wayne Cook for Currumbin Wildlife

Sanctuary, plus some $50,511 from the Lorikeet Arena out of a total of $76,716.

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