The appeal was formally launched on Sunday, 5 November 2006 at Leconfield Winery in McLaren Vale by local MP, Leon Bignell, who represented the Minister for the Environment and Conservation, Hon Gail Gago MLC. The launch coincided with the opening of an environment-themed art exhibition as part of the 2006 Fleurieu Peninsula Biennale Arts Festival.

The aim of the appeal is to increase awareness, particularly amongst the local Fleurieu community, about the plight of the emu-wren and swamps, as well as to raise funds for related advocacy efforts.

Businesses throughout the Fleurieu region are signing on as supporters and have agreed to host a donation box and information flyers on their sales counters.

Schools are also participating and will be running fundraising and education projects at the beginning of the 2007 school year.

The Mount Lofty Ranges Southern Emu-wren (MLRSEW) and Fleurieu Peninsula Swamps (FPS) are listed as critically endangered under the Australian Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and CCSA manages the Recovery Program that seeks to preserve and regenerate this important habitat.

The Recovery Program staff are working hard to protect this endangered species and ecological community by educating the community, working with landholders to develop local management plans, protecting swamps from grazing and development, revegetating and removing invasive species, and enhancing water quality and quantity.

Both CCSA and FAME are keen to increase the recognition of these efforts and provide additional coordination and campaigning support, but to do this more funds are required.

For more information or to make a contribution, please contact CCSA's Chief Executive Oficer, Julie Pettett, on (08) 8223 5155 or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it