Two juvenile Bell's turtles at Aussie Ark's Conservation Ark facility in Somersby NSW.

Give Back to Endangered Freshwater Turtles

Spring Appeal 2026 | Help Aussie Ark Release Endangered Turtles

Help Our Turtles Reach The Wild

Our Hunter River, Bell's and Manning River turtles are getting ready for their future release, but they need your help to get there.

Every Manning River turtle, Hunter River turtle and Bell's turtle born and raised at our Conservation Ark facility has been bred with one purpose; to one day begin life in the wild.

For months, our dedicated Conservation Ark team have watched them hatch, grow and flourish. Now, after months of care, watching them emerge from their eggs, take their first swim and grow into healthy young turtles, they’re getting closer to leading a life in the wild.

Your donation will fund the final care, health checks and monitoring they need for a strong start in the wild. They were born for the wild. Now help us get them there.

Give today and help send a turtle home.

Give Them a Strong Start In The Wild

Your support can help provide the care and right preparation they need to make their release possible.

Every donation goes back into our turtle breeding and rewilding program, helping move a turtle closer to the wild.
Before they can be released, every hatchling and adult turtle needs to grow strong enough for release, adapt to natural conditions and pass every health check.

These final stages are critical for the next step in their journey and ensuring they thrive in the wild.

They were born for the wild.
Now, let's help get them there and make more wild releases possible.

Meet the Turtles We're Protecting

At Conservation Ark, we're rebuilding populations of the endangered Manning River, Hunter River and Bell's turtles through our vital breeding and rewilding program. Preparing our turtles for their future release is more than just releasing them back into our river systems. We’re making sure that Australia’s endangered freshwater turtles are still paddling through our rivers for generations to come.

Bell's Turtles

The Bell’s Turtle (Myuchelys bellii) is one of Australia’s rarest and most elusive freshwater turtles. Endemic to the upper reaches of the Namoi, Gwydir, and Border River systems, as well as the northwest slopes escarpment of New South Wales, the species was recently discovered in parts of Queensland—hinting at a slightly wider distribution than previously thought. Slow-moving and reclusive, Bell’s Turtles favour calm, turbid waters with deep pools, undercut banks, and abundant aquatic vegetation. They spend much of their time submerged, emerging only to bask or move between pools. Highly selective in habitat choice, Bell’s Turtles depend on stable, undisturbed waterways for nesting, feeding, and shelter. They are opportunistic feeders, consuming aquatic plants, insects, crustaceans, and small fish.

Hunter River Turtles

The Hunter River Turtle (Emydura macquarii gunabarra) is a rare and little-known freshwater turtle found only in the Hunter River system of New South Wales. Restricted to small, fragmented populations in the upper and middle reaches of the river and its tributaries, it is one of Australia’s most range-limited turtles. The Hunter River Turtle is a subspecies of the Macquarie Turtle but is found nowhere else in the world. It can stay underwater for extended periods, absorbing oxygen through specialised areas of skin in its throat. Some individuals are also known to live for several decades in the wild.

Manning River Turtles

The Manning River Turtle (Myuchelys purvisi), also known as the Manning River Helmeted Turtle, is a rare and little-known freshwater species found only in the Manning River catchment of New South Wales. Shy and elusive, the Manning River Turtle spends most of its life submerged in calm, slow-flowing waters fringed with dense aquatic vegetation. It surfaces only occasionally to bask in the sun, making sightings in the wild a special and rare experience. Its secretive nature, coupled with its extremely limited range, makes it one of Australia’s most vulnerable turtles. The Manning River Turtle exists nowhere else in the world, it is a true local treasure. Adults can also live for decades, meaning protecting them has long-term benefits for the population.

A juvenile Bell's turtle hatchling at Aussie Ark's Conservation Ark facility in Somersby NSW.

Give Them a Future

Give your support today and help us give our endangered turtles a chance to take their first paddle in the wild. From raising healthy turtles and preparing them for release, to monitoring them in the wild, your support is giving all three species a stronger future.

Other ways to Support Endangered Turtles

There are plenty of other ways to get involved and support our breeding and rewilding programs for the Bell's turtle, Hunter River turtle and Manning River turtle.

Choose to symbolically adopt a turtleor shop our range of turtley-awesome products from Aussie Ark Shop or visit Conservation Ark at the Australian Reptile Park.

Adopt a Turtle

Symbolically adopt a turtle today & power our work year-round!

Shop at Aussie Ark

If you're a turtle lover, shop our range of turtle-themed items to give your support to our turtle program.

Visit Our Turtles

Visit Conservation Ark to see and learn more about our turtles

Get involved and support our mission

Shop, adopt, or experience Aussie Ark for yourself through one of our tour experiences. Get involved today, and help us work towards a better tomorrow.

Get involved

A Hunter River turtle hatchling at Aussie Ark's Conservation Ark facility in Somersby NSW.