Fighting back:
the Australian Climate Movement
OPC is a driving force for climate action borne of the vibrant and passionate community of Australian outdoors people.
But we don't work in isolation; the Australian climate movement is a complex ecosystem of groups and individuals. We stand together.
Here at OPC, we seek to align our actions with the wider climate movement and work in harmony and support of the multitude of other groups and organisations in Australia and around the world, who are taking vital action to address the climate and ecological crisis.
It's a great idea to also connect with other groups. Consider groups that are active in your local area, or who are working on an issue that you're passionate about.
On this page, you'll find many of the key groups and organisations in the climate and environmental movement here in Australia. Many of the groups below provide valuable information and helpful resources, as well as online, remote, and in-person opportunities to take action, attend events, volunteer, fundraise, or donate to support their work.
The information below is just a taste of what's out there; once you start looking, you never know what you'll find! From bush regeneration to community gardens and composting and Knitting Nanna's, there are hundreds of ways to connect with the climate and environment movement in your local area.
To learn more about each group, please visit their website.
Broad climate groups
The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation. The Climate Council website is a fantastic hub to join actions, find climate action resources, sign petitions, send emails, fundraise, donate and more.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) Australia is part of a global grassroots movement using non-violent civil disobedience and disruption to compel government and corporate action to address the climate and ecological crisis. To get active, visit their website, link up with a local group in your area, attend an induction, talk, discussion group, training, or action, plus volunteer with a working group and more.
Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) Australia is a grassroots organisation that empowers citizens to lobby their politicians for positive climate action. To get active, visit their website, link up with a local group, attend an in-person or online talk, receive training, volunteer, lobby your MP, and more.
350 Australia is an international grassroots organisation that is working to rapidly end fossil fuels. To get active visit their website, join their Fossil Free and other campaigns, join a local group, volunteer, attend actions, trainings and events, sign petitions and send emails, and more.
Fridays for Future is a movement that stemmed from Greta Thunberg's strike for climate and involves weekly and larger climate strikes. To get active, visit their website and find Australian strikes and local groups.
These are some of the larger climate action groups in Australia, but there are hundreds of local groups, too! Look online for groups in your local area, electorate, suburb, or town.
Groups for outdoors
people
Surfer, trail runner, diver, skier, gardener?
You're in luck!
Surfers for Climate is a global sea-roots group of surfers who are dedicated to positive climate action. To get active, visit their website.
For Wild Places is an Australian organisation that leads the running community into immediate action to protect places of environmental and cultural significance. To get active, visit their website.
Divers for Climate is a community-led initiative that aims to motivate the global dive community to take action against climate change. To get active, visit their website or Facebook page.
Protect Out Winters Australia is a part of the leading global advocacy group for the winter sports and outdoor community. To get active, visit their website.
Sustainable Gardening Australia provides a range of advice for sustainable gardening in the face of climate change.
Climate groups for all
School Strike 4 Climate is an Australian school-student led grassroots group that demands for politicians to address the climate crisis. To get active, visit their website. School students can get involved and organise actions and strikes. Adults can attend strikes and provide support.
The Australian Youth Climate Coalition is an Australian youth-run organisation for under 30-year olds building a movement of young people leading solutions to the climate crisis. Get active by visiting their website, joining a local group, attending a training, volunteering, signing petitions and taking action online, and more.
Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network is building a movement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people for climate justice. Visit their website to learn more and get active. If you're not an Indigenous youth, you can show support by joining the email list, donating, signing petitions, and taking action online, and more.
1 Million Women is a global movement of women and girls living climate action. To get active visit their website, access their climate action resources, download the app, join the marketplace, and more.
Australian Parents for Climate Change is an organisation that aims to empower parents, carers, families, and all other Australians to advocate for a safe climate for our children’s future. There are currently over 14,000 supporters and 30 local groups across the country.
There are also climate groups for various professions and industries, faiths, hobbies, and institutions, including Doctors for the Environment, the Jewish Climate Network, the Knitting Nanna's, and Musicians for Climate to name just a few.
Groups for
every issue
Got a climate or environmental issue of particular concern?
There's a group for that!
Market Forces is an organisation that exposes the institutions that are financing environmentally destructive projects and helps Australians hold these institutions accountable. To get active, visit their website, access their resources to use your money (including the money in your bank account, super, and in insurance) for good. Take action as a shareholder, take action online, and more.
Stop Adani is an Australian grassroots group that is working to stop the Adani coal mine. To get active, visit their website, join a local group, attend actions and events, take action online, and more.
Lock the Gate Alliance is an Australia-wide grassroots organisation who are taking action to stop risky coal mining, coal seam gas and fracking. To get active, visit their website and join a local group.
Galilee Blockade aims to protect the Galilee basin from coal and gas extraction and stop the Adani mine. To get active, visit their website.
Frontline Action on Coal is an Australia group that uses community led, non-violent direct action to end the unnecessary extraction of fossil fuels. To get active, visit their website.
Mad F*cking Witches (MFW) is a group of Australian women fighting back against media organisations which promote hate, dangerous ideas, and the denial of science. In their own words, MFW was "inspired by Peter Dutton calling a woman journalist a "Mad F*cking Witch". Big mistake - we're the grand-daughters of the witches you couldn't burn."
Solar Citizens is an Australian grassroots group of solar owners and supporters working to keep growing renewables in Australia. To get active, visit their website.
Environmental Organisations
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is a campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions. To get active, visit their website, ask Australian companies to go 100% renewable as a part of their REenergize campaign, take action online, donate and more.
Wilderness Society is an organisation taking on transnational corporations, rogue operators, and the armies of lobbyists and politicians who defend them to protect the living world. To get active, visit their website, volunteer locally by joining movement for life, sign petitions and send emails, donate, fundraise, attend an in-person or online event, and more.
Australian Conservation Foundation is Australia's national environment organisation. To get active, visit their website, join a local group, take action online, donate, fundraise, attend an in-person or online event, and more.
The Bob Brown Foundation, active in Tasmania and the mainland, is an organisation that helps campaigns and activists protect ecosystems, species and wild and scenic heritage. To get active, visit their website.
GetUp! is an Australian grassroots group that works on a range of issues, including environmental justice. To get active visit their website.
Environmental Defenders Office is the largest environmental legal centre in the Australia-Pacific. To get active, visit their website, and definitely use their resources to have your say for a hearing or inquiry.
Friends of the Earth Australia is a part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network. To get active visit their website, take action online, donate, and more.
World Wildlife Fund Australia is a part of the global organisation with a leading voice for nature. To get active visit their website.
Sea Shepherd Australia protect our marine wildlife with campaigns against illegal fishing, poaching. Visit the website to learn about the current campaigns and you can support them with a donation.
Birdlife Australia is a group dedicated to researching and protecting Australian birds since 1901. Their website is a wealth of information and offers volunteer opportunities and other ways to support
Bush Heritage Australia is an organisation that buys and manages land, and partners with Indigenous people to conserve species and landscapes. To get active, visit their website.
State-based groups
Driving action at the state and territory level is an essential part of the climate movement in Australia.
Australian Capital Territory | A list of environment groups in the ACT can be found here.
New South Wales | Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales
Northern Territory | Environment Centre NT, Arid Lands Environment Centre
Queensland | Queensland Conservation Council
South Australia | Conservation Council SA, Nature Conservation Society of South Australia
Tasmania | Environment Tasmania, Blue Derby Wild
Victoria | Environment Victoria, Yes2Renewables.org
Western Australia | Clean State, Conservation Council of Western Australia, WA Forest Alliance, Environs Kimberley
Conservation Groups
Keen to get your hands dirty? These might be the groups for you!
Conservation Volunteers Australia is an organisation that provides opportunities for people to help rebalance nature through hands on volunteering. To get active visit their website, and check out their Project Search to find opportunities near you.
Landcare Australia is an organisation that support the land-care community for on-ground projects. More than 6,000 local land-care, coast-care and bush-care groups are located all around Australia. Use this search function to find a group near you, or otherwise look for a land-care group in your state, town or local area.
Greening Australia is an organisation that conserves and restores Australia’s landscapes because, "when nature thrives, people thrive". To get active, visit their website.
Parks Australia look after our natural treasures from the land to the sea. Check out their website to learn more!
Parks and wildlife services often have hands-on volunteer opportunities. Contact your state of territory National Parks service to learn more.
There are also hundreds of community groups dedicated to local bush regeneration, composting, and community gardening. You'll never know what's out there until you start looking!
We want to make climate action easy and create a strong connection between the outdoor community and the climate movement. We hope you found this page useful.
Still looking for more? Visit Climate for Change's group directory here (especially for Victoria) and Ecoshout's here.
Let us know if you've got feedback or if there's a relevant group we've missed on the page. Also, feel free to get in touch if you need support finding a local group, and we'll see if we can help.
We are so grateful to all the people and groups working to make a positive difference for our climate, including you!
