There are evenings that stay with you.
For me, last Tuesday at the Hayden Orpheum was one of them. We gathered to screen Takayna - The Heart of Lutruwita, a film about one of Australia’s last truly wild places. Nearly half a million hectares of rainforest, coastline and cultural heritage in Tasmania’s north west. A landscape with ecological significance and a deep Aboriginal connection.
“Wild places remain wild because people decide they matter.”
It was our first time hosting a screening like this.
And we weren’t sure what to expect.
Would people come?
Would we reach our fundraising target?
Would the message land?
Of course, we arrived a few hours before the screening to what felt like a cavernously empty cinema! With press pots filled with brewed filter coffee plus some of our Iced Long Black and Iced Flat Whites, all ready to be enjoyed.
Then slowly, the foyer filled. Conversations started. Friends greeted each other. New introductions were made. By the time the lights dimmed, the theatre was packed, and a handful of people were standing.
A community effort
I’m one of the P&R Team members who gave up their evening to help bring the event together. From the frantic setup to welcoming guests and running the raffle.
I was also fortunate to bring my 12-year-old son along; he’s a passionate runner and loves stretching his legs on a bush trail. His dream is to one day run through the Takayna. We were also supported by volunteers from the Bob Brown Foundation and Zali Steggall’s team. It felt shared. People showed up because they cared.
For Richard, our MC and fellow P&R team member, the night was a little more personal. As someone who’s spent time running in the Takayna, he was visibly moved as he spoke about why protecting the Takayna matters.
His response was straight from the heart.
That honesty carried through the evening.
From caring to doing
The film outlines the pressures Takayna faces, including logging and mining exploration. It also centres something more enduring. Responsibility.
Dr. Sally Bryant says: “Caring is one thing, but doing is another. And people who act for nature… they’re making a real difference.”
Personally, for me that line lingered.
Acting for nature does not look the same for everyone. For some, it means standing on the front line. For others, it is writing to local members. It is supporting organisations that fund citizen science. It is showing up to events like this. It is choosing where we spend our money and what kind of businesses we back.
Protection is shaped by everyday decisions. After the screening, we were joined by Zali Steggall OAM MP, Kate Turner and Will Rayward-Smith, hosted by Jenny Weber from the Bob Brown Foundation. The discussion moved through policy, investment, decarbonisation and cultural leadership with clarity and honesty.
One idea kept resurfacing. Awareness is important. Action is what shifts things. Bob Brown reinforces this in the film:
“Once you take action to try and turn that around and heal what’s happening… you start feeling good.”
You could sense that in the foyer afterwards. People stayed back. Conversations deepened. The room felt energised with hope.
For us it’s not about politics.
It’s simply about protecting wild places and natural habitat. And finding smarter ways to do that that work for people, the planet as well as the economy.
The take what you need table
One of the highlights of the evening for me was our Take What You Need table.
Instead of handing every guest a bag of products folks may not use, we invited people to take only what they genuinely needed. Our partners donated generously. By the end of the night, the table was cleared.
A simple concept, but it mattered. No excess. No waste. Just a thoughtful exchange.
Alongside this, the Bob Brown Foundation had merch on offer, with all proceeds going directly toward protecting Takayna. It was encouraging to see people supporting the cause in practical ways.
A massive thank you to Zea, Love Tea, Nancybird and Koala Eco for standing alongside us and so generously offering their products as samples and for our raffle prizes.
The impact
Through ticket and raffle sales alone, we raised over $8,000 for the Bob Brown Foundation.
That is $8,000 directed toward protecting Takayna.
From 15 to 24 February, P&R customers also received 10 percent off all online coffee purchases, and we donated 10 percent of all online coffee sales, totaling to $10,000+, to the Bob Brown Foundation. That's almost $19,000 of funds raised for the protection of Takayna.
As a certified B Corp and a member of 1% For The Planet, we believe business carries responsibility. Supporting Takayna is part of a longer commitment to restoring and protecting our habitat and our planet. That includes our involvement in the Takayna Ultra and partnerships that protect wild places.
We know our efforts have an impact. As I write this piece, I've just received a notification that MMG has just applied for an alternative site for their toxic dam that's outside of the Takayna! This is a big win and will in part ensure the protection of this special place.
Hope grounded in action
Hope was present throughout the evening. You could see it in the volunteers giving their time. In speakers staying back to talk with guests. In people choosing to contribute. In conversations that carried on well after the formal program ended.
Thank you to everyone who came. To those who volunteered. To those who donated. To those who continue the work long after the lights come up.
Wild places remain wild because people decide they matter.
