Image credit: Caterina Sullivan
A couple of weeks ago, I was hiking through Tidbinbilla.
For those not local to Canberra, Tidbinbilla is the most incredible nature reserve located to the south of Canberra.
I love getting away to Tidbinbilla every one in a while. I take a two-hour track. I am lucky to see one or two others people heading in the opposite direction during the whole hike. It is peaceful, serene. All I hear are the birds chirping and, once I get close enough, the bubbling of the creek.
Greenery extends as far as the eye can see in every direction.
Image credit: Caterina Sullivan
So why am I talking about Tidbinbilla?
Well, it was here that I was writing my speech for the Social Good Summit last month. It was here that I had this bolt of electricity run through my body, reminding me why I do what I do with the Global Goals.
As I reached the peak of the mountain, I looked over the valleys and to the mountains beyond.
I thought, "What if my children never experience this? What if my grandchildren never experience this?"
Image credit: Caterina Sullivan
I don't cope well being cooped up in a city. I need my space. Every now and then, I need to be able to escape somewhere where the cars don't drive, the sirens don't wail and the city doesn't chatter. And I want to eventually be able to share these experiences with my children, the days where I unexpectedly take off to an isolated part of the bush.
Protecting places like Tidbinbilla is important, not only for the environment, but for our enjoyment. You could argue that places like this aren't just working to Goal 15: Life On Land; they're also working towards the achievement of Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being. I include Goal 3, referencing the ability to get outdoors and to engage in physical activity but also to promote mental health and well-being for people like me, who can't stand the city for long periods at a time.
On Goal 15, Tidbinbilla runs some excellent breeding programs for endangered species, including the eastern bettong, the northern corroboree frog and the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby. They also having a fantastic research centre, which leads in research on the reproductive biology of the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby.
As part of the Global Goals Australia Campaign, I encourage all our readers and supporters to take time to appreciate these wonderful places and to treat them with respect. They will be the places your children and your grandchildren visit and appreciate in years to come. Let's ensure they are blessed to see the beautiful gifts Mother Earth gives us.
What are your favourite places to escape? We want to know! Send us your pictures and stories about your favourite places in Australia where you have the opportunity to appreciate Goal 15: Life On Land.
This article was originally published on the Global Goals Australia Campaign website.