The TLC's first crowd funding campaign - The Loo With View - has been a big success. Here's the story.

Crowdfunding is where a person or organisation taps into the online community to raise funds for projects that might otherwise not ever get off the ground. Crowdfunding showcases the most positive elements of the internet where total strangers pledge to support an idea, simply because it they like the meaning and value being offered by the campaign. One environmental cause that has benefited is the powerful campaign to fund the construction of nesting boxes for swift parrots on Bruny Island, and the recent amazing support for the important orange-bellied parrot conservation program.

The TLC’s appeals to protect land are always met with huge support by our donors who are unfailingly generous when it comes to raising money to protect the environment. This time, as we were looking to raise money for infrastructure facilitating visitors to access the glorious Skullbone Plains without impacting negatively on the fragile environment, we decided to give crowdfunding a try. With the support of the talented Tasmanian artist Josh Pringle, who provided quirky illustrations inspired by the Skullbone Plains flora and fauna, we embarked on the ‘Loo with a View’ campaign through the Pozible crowdfunding site. We met our target to raise funds for the loo, and in doing so have met a whole new community of supporters.

If you missed the campaign, read on to get a glimpse of how the Pozible crowdfunding page looked, with a gallery full of Josh’s artwork. A huge thanks to everyone who helped by donating or sharing the page with friends. Stay tuned and we will keep you posted on the progress of the Loo with a View.

By Tasmanian Land Conservancy

GOAL: AU$22000 TOTAL REACHED: AU$24412 FROM: 119 Supporters

Our story

When people step out into nature sometimes they need to…well… heed the call of nature, and we don’t mean listen to bird songs!

Humans love nature; nature restores us, clears the clutter in our heads, nurtures our soul and blows out the cobwebs with sights and sounds that normally get drowned out by work and life commitments. Sunsets without street lights and beautiful views uninterrupted by mobile phone towers – a dose of nature is the best form of digital detox.

Yet, even when we try to travel lightly, we usually need to leave a little something behind. And every dump taken in the bush risks turning the bush into a dump!

At the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC), we raise money to protect nature – looking after Tasmania’s unique natural places, rare ecosystems, and habitat for threatened plants and animals - on our own reserves and with private landholders. We have protected over 60,000 hectares of land since 2001, from the rugged mountain tops to our beautiful beaches.

One of the jewels in the TLC crown, and part of the Wilderness World Heritage Area, Skullbone Plains Reserve is nestled amongst mountains and lakes in the remote Tasmanian highlands. In 2010, the TLC protected this special place forever to safeguard Skullbone Plains’ unique and delicate landscape - home to endangered species like Tasmanian devils, Clarence galaxias fish and magnificent wedge-tailed eagles – so it stays wild and unspoiled.

To put it bluntly, people just need to poo, and while that’s all very natural, in a sensitive environment it’s not good form to dig holes and leave your business throughout a protected area. As for the bog roll, it just doesn’t belong in our endangered sphagnum bogs!

We want more people to experience Skullbone Plains, without leaving a smelly legacy.

The Goal

Imagine sitting on the Skullbone throne looking out over the sprawling plains, with majestic cider gums guarding the intricate marshes and wetlands, delicate cushion plants and moss beds. Wildflowers of all colours are in full bloom and the resident eagles are patrolling overhead. What an incredible moment to enjoy a Loo With a View, knowing that you helped keep this special place wild for many more to experience.

How The Funds Will Be Used

We have the solution. With your help, we will use the funds to build a loo with a breathtaking view. We will install a waterless pod design based toilet, which is good for the environment, uses no water, has minimal odour and is low maintenance.

Your support of this project will allow us to buy, design, build and install the Loo With a View, so we can provide a solution to our stinky dilemma.

Design $1,000 Pod units $11,000 Construction $6,000 Transport and Installation $4,000 Total $22,000

We are pitching in to, the funds will leverage significant in-kind contributions from dedicated TLC staff and our highly skilled and committed volunteers throughout the process.

The Challenges

The money the TLC raises goes into conserving more land, so we don’t have the necessary funds to build the infrastructure required for visitors. The TLC’s reserves are amazing places and we would love our friends and supporters to experience them. But we also need to safeguard the nature that makes it so special.

To help tell the story of the Loo With a View, Tasmanian artist and nature lover Josh Pringle has created some unique Skullbone Plains inspired artworks. As Josh puts it, “I draw pictures, make things and go on adventures. I’m from Tasmania.” Josh’s charismatic Tasmaniana inspired sketches depict the simplicity and complexity of the Tasmanian bush simultaneously. They evoke memories of times spent in the wilds and cultivate day dreams of future adventures. Josh has generously donated his talents to make the Loo With a View a reality. Whatever you choose to cough up, big or small, we have a unique Josh Pringle piece of art for you to remember that amazing Loo With a View.

So go on… leave a deposit, drop a load of cash, log on and make a contribution to the Loo With a View.

Comments

Dympna: great idea, walked in England this year, good tracks but no loo. Tassie can teach them a lot !

Denna: Awesome project, peeps!

Clare: Can’t wait to use it! Clare

Gina: Loo with a View ✌?️

Alison: I would like to visit the area somtime.

Annette: We all need a comfy spot to sit and muse a while.

Mark: Important to keep minimal impact access to wilderness areas.

Arwen: good luck!! it’s really close now :)) sorry I couldn’t give more!

Helen: I (s)wipe right for TLC

Wilkins: May my fiscal deposit help your fecal vision.

Andrew: We have been to Skullbone a few times. Love the nearby lakes and tarns. Look forward to visiting again. All the best Andrew and Jane Tasmanian Land Conservancy

Lena: look forward to taking a dump…all the best with the target

Chris: LOVE a poo with a view! Great stuff. Good luck and keep up the good work TLC!

Min: Awesome initiative! Let’s hope you get there!

Chris: I don’t know where this is, but look forward to shitting there.

Marty: Great campaign! good luck in meeting the target.

Cathie and David: All the best with reaching the goal.

Jace: i like the social and environmental value created by your loo idea! Do you have plan to expand this idea to other part of Australia in long term? it can be our next national treasure :p good luck!

Samantha: Better an empty unit than a bad tenant