Since September 2019, fires have ravaged over 25 million acres of bush and national park, killed at least 25 people and millions of animals and birds.  One third of the population of koalas in the state of New South Wales are thought to have been lost, along with huge tracts of their habitat.  Whether they can recover their numbers is unknown.

One third of Kangaroo Island, a popular holiday and tourism destination off the coast of South Australia, has burned vineyards, homes and national parks just gone.

One third of the Adelaide Hills region wineries have been destroyed.  It’s estimated that 19,000 farms have been destroyed, along with thousands of commercial bee hives.

A school auditorium has converted to a hospital for injured koalas, and the Irwin family’s Australia Zoo has rescued or treated over 90,000 animals since the fires broke out.

Around the world, people are digging deep and supporting fundraisers for animal rescue programs, to help families rebuild after losing everything they owned, and supporting the largely volunteer-based Rural Fire Brigade organizations around the country, which have been affected be government-funding cuts.

As If you’d like to donate, reputable official fundraisers are listed below.  These organizations are helping the volunteer fire fighters, the families who have lost everything, the wildlife rescue groups and so much more.

But what’s becoming clear now is that tourism and small business has taken a massive hit, as tourists cancel their vacations or delay until March or April.  Tourism operators in locations outside of the bushfire areas are also suffering from cancellations, and everything from boutique hotels to small tour companies and restaurants are under threat of closure because the visitor numbers just aren’t there.

If you’re rethinking a vacation to Australia in 2020, maybe think again.  You can help out by visiting this year.  There are still incredible destinations downunder that will give you the experience of a lifetime and you’ll be supporting an industry facing a crisis.

Travelers are more than tourists – they’re actually the lifeblood for thousands of small businesses and tourism operators. Australia is a big country and there are plenty of places unaffected by the bushfires that will welcome you with a smile and an Aussie welcome.   Check out the Tourism Australia website for up to date information.

There are fundraisers being held across the globe, and the following are a handful of reputable and official groups that are currently providing help in the affected regions.

Australian Red Cross
NSW Rural Fire Service
St Vincent de Paul Society
WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc)
Port MacQuarie Koala Hospital