Call of the Wild
At 15 years old, this conservationist has more awards to his name than most will accumulate over an entire lifetime. Charlie Shelley explores what motivates his work and why he’s not giving up hope for the future…
I meet Spencer Hitchen at the end of a quiet street on a Friday afternoon. On any other day, I’d have passed this area by without a second thought, but I’ve been assured that something special awaits us just beyond the fence.
As we begin to wander through the bushland, I realise that the soil is starting to give way to sand. Soon, the trees are gone, and we’re standing in a magnificent open plain populated by low-lying shrubbery – this, Spencer says, is what we’re here to see: the Wallum. Named after the Kabi Kabi word for Banksia aemula, the Wallum is an ecosystem unique to south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales. Despite its acidic, sandy and nutrient deficient soil, it is home to a vast array of plants and animals, including a number of threatened species like the tiny Wallum Sedgefrog and the beautiful Glossy Black-Cockatoo. The ‘Glossies’ are one of Spencer’s favourite species due to their high level of intelligence.
“The more you observe them, the more you see how similar they are to us as humans,” he says. “They’re so clever and curious.”
The 15-year-old conservationist, environmental educator and photographer is uniquely attuned to the Wallum. He knows its rhythms and can identify each and every one of its inhabitants. As we walk, he eagerly points out a couple of bird species: the Tawny Grassbird and the White-Cheeked Honeyeater. His eyes light up as he talks about them, his passion shining through in every word.
But his knowledge of this ecosystem doesn’t end there – it extends to the plant life, too.
“Right there in that little patch, you’ve got baeckea, banksia and native parsnip,” he says, pointing to a small spot on the ground. “That’s one of the things that’s so special about the Wallum – it’s actually more biodiverse than a rainforest.”
All of this knowledge is the result of a decade-long obsession with nature which began when Spencer was barely more than a toddler. At age 6, he joined the Noosa Parks Association, a not-for-profit, volunteer-run community conservation group dedicated to preserving the region’s unique local environment.
The group encouraged him to start documenting the animal species he encountered on his nature walks, so he began snapping photos on his parents’ phones. Spencer’s camera equipment has grown as he has, these days he uses a Sony with a mammoth 300-millimetre lens. He has also won multiple photography awards – most recently the People’s Choice Award in the 2026 Crikey! Magazine Photography Competition. Spencer views his photography not as an end in-and-of-itself but as a tool to raise awareness about the need to protect the environment and all the incredible creatures that call it home.
“Photography competitions, for me, are just a platform and a way to help more people see these amazing species so that they’ll fall in love with them and want to protect them,” he says.
His annual wildlife calendar, for which Spencer uses all his own photos, is an extension of these awareness-raising efforts. The project started in 2022 with the help of a mini grant from Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots program and, last year, saw calendars distributed to over 1,000 children. Spencer hopes he can be a role model to other young people and show them that they, too, can make a positive impact on the natural world. His advice to budding conservationists is to remember that small changes can make
a big difference.
“Just doing small things in your backyard like putting out a bird bath helps,” he says. “There’s amazing species that come into my garden for the bird bath because there might not be any natural water around.
“It’s just these small impacts that we have in our everyday life, that’s the most important thing.”
Hope is a core part of Spencer’s life and work. Despite the seemingly innumerable threats currently facing our environment – from climate change to deforestation, ocean acidification and more – Spencer refuses to dwell in despair.
“I’ve never lost hope, and I’ve always kept going,” he says. “I think part of that is always being out in nature. I always encourage others to do what I do: observe, learn, protect your local environment, no matter your age.
“When we all come together, we can make a massive difference.”
Wise words from one of our most INspiring members of the community.
SUPPORT SPENCER!
Support Spencer’s Conservation work by purchasing his 2026 Calendar for $20. Featuring Spencer’s best nature, wildlife and bird photography of the Wallum, Heathlands and Woodlands in Australia.
Follow Spencer on Instagram @savesunriseglossies or visit www.savesunriseglossies.com.au to learn more about his journey and support his work.
