By: Steff Willis

Not every love story is about a person. Some of our deepest and most enduring relationships are with places.

To mark its 60th anniversary, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is inviting Australians to celebrate those relationships by writing love letters to nature — messages dedicated to the natural places that have shaped, supported, or healed them over the years. 

These letters are being pinned on an interactive national map, creating a growing tapestry of affection, memory and environmental connection.

Jane Gardner, ACF’s Engagement Director, said the project is a joyful antidote to the negativity that often fills our digital feeds.

“We’re collecting love letters to the places that have always been there for you: the beach, the creek, the tree, the ambling echidna and bounding kangaroo, the sunset that stopped you in your tracks” Jane Gardner said.

“This project is designed as an antidote to the ugliness in our social media feeds. Go and take a look at the map, read what your fellow nature lovers have written, add your own – I guarantee you’ll feel better.”

“Since we launched this project on Valentine’s Day, 215 people have already written love letters to special natural places.”

Love letters from across the country

The letters pinned to the map are intimate, poetic and deeply personal. They reveal the emotional power of Country, coastlines, wildlife, forests and rivers — and how these places hold our stories:

• “I was at my worst… Nothing could have brought me back to life the way you did.” — T. Harris, Airlie Beach, Qld
• “You are a tapestry woven from the extremes of my life… You meet me wherever I am now.” — Declan, Fishermans Beach, Torquay, Vic
• “You are my sanctuary. My safe place… Peace, hope and love reside here.” — Jane, Stirling Range National Park, WA
• “I love her for her quiet dignity, her generosity… and her spiritual connections to the forest that was once here.” — Iain, Broulee, NSW

These letters sit alongside hundreds of others on ACF’s interactive “Love Letters to Nature” map — where users can browse tributes, vote for their favourites, or discover places ACF has helped protect over its six decades of environmental advocacy. 

The map also highlights featured stories such as the Kimberley’s King Leopold Ranges, described by one writer as “heaven here on earth” and a place that “washes away the chaos and noise of the city.”

Part of a broader 60‑year celebration

ACF’s 60th anniversary has been marked by nationwide events, creative installations, and invitations for people to reflect on their personal connection to the natural world. From interactive activities at Fed Square — where people could draw, write or compose music with plants — to the ever‑expanding map of love letters, the message is clear: Australia’s living places matter deeply to its people.

After 60 years of conservation wins and community action, ACF is using this milestone to spotlight the emotional and cultural value of nature — not just its ecological importance.

A growing chorus of gratitude

With every new letter, the map becomes a richer archive of Australians’ relationships with the landscapes that sustain them. From rugged ranges to quiet bays, ancient trees to bustling wetlands, people are sharing what these places mean — and why they deserve protection now more than ever.

You can explore the map, read the stories, or add your own love letter at loveletters.acf.org.au/map.