Protecting Wildlife, Country & Tomorrow 

CARETTA CUTS THE GLOW! 

Our scarecrow is Caretta, the endangered loggerhead turtle (scientific name Caretta Caretta). We chose a turtle scarecrow to remind humans to turn their lights off especially in turtle nesting season because nesting turtles and hatchlings become disorientated by artificial light and go the wrong way and can dehydrate and die, get eaten by foxes or be run over by cars trying to find their ocean home. Only one in one thousand hatchlings make it to adulthood so we need to Cut the Glow of the city to help them have a chance. Other native wildlife also don’t like bright lights at night time when they are trying to sleep or nocturnal animals trying to find food. Loggerhead turtles are endangered and nest on our beaches here at Mon Reposso our scarecrow  reminds everyone to Cut the Glow to let the Turtles Go! 

Kalkie State School students repurposed a leaking fishpond 'for its carapace' (shell), crafted flippers from old chicken wire we found in the groundsman’s shed, papier-mâchéd the wire with paper from the recycle bin and created signs to communicate turning off unneeded lights. 

Kalkie’s Groundsman helped us to attach the flippers and head to the fishpond, and we decorated Caretta so she looked great! Her eyes are Flindersia australis seedpods