A commitment to conservation

In 1984, Jim and Heather purchased a 92-acre property on the banks of Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River) north of Heyfield, in the heart of Victoria’s timber country. Having grown up on farms in Gippsland, they wanted to return to the land – not to farm it, but to restore it.

With their children, David and Kate, they began replanting trees, restoring native grasslands and repairing riparian woodlands along the river. Their vision was to create a wildlife corridor, reconnecting habitat between their property and the Avon Wilderness.

A few years into the Ecogipps restoration, an additional 320-acre property became available, presenting a rare opportunity to expand and strengthen the conservation corridor, creating a thriving, reconnected landscape where biodiversity could flourish.

What started as a family-led effort to restore one piece of land grew into a lifelong commitment to conservation – one that would lead to the creation of Rendere Environmental Trust.

Establishing Rendere: Investing in the future

In 2018, Jim, Heather, David and Kate founded Rendere, expanding their conservation legacy to support pioneering environmental organisations and leaders. Their approach reflects a deep belief that conservation is not just about land – it’s about people, leadership and long-term impact.

Rendere’s Investing Forward strategy [link once page is created (stage 2)] is their bold response to the critical environmental and social challenges of our time. By deploying all resources by 2030, Rendere ensures funds are directed where they can create meaningful, transformational outcomes today.

To the Phillipsons, Rendere itself is not the legacy – it is a catalyst. The true legacy is resilient communities, thriving ecosystems and a future where people and nature support each other.