At just fifteen years old, Spencer Hitchen has become one of Australia’s most recognisable young conservation voices — not through political slogans or social media trends, but through patient observation, powerful photography, and an unwavering commitment to protecting nature.
From the Wallum woodlands of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Spencer has transformed a childhood fascination with glossy black cockatoos into a global conservation movement. Along the way, he has launched World Stand Up For Nature Day, contributed to campaigns influencing environmental protections, produced award-winning wildlife photography, and inspired thousands of young people to reconnect with the natural world.
But for Spencer, the journey began with a single bird.
Falling in Love with the Glossies
Spencer was only six years old when he first joined a local environment group and met a conservationist known as “Glossy Bob”, who had spent more than two decades observing glossy black cockatoos in the Noosa region.
Together, they would visit a local waterhole where the cockatoos gathered each evening.
Spencer quickly became captivated by the birds — their calls, their behaviours, and the fragile ecosystem that sustained them.
“I just fell in love with them,” Spencer said.
More Information
https://www.instagram.com/savesunriseglossies/
https://www.savesunriseglossies.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/savesunriseglossies
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