Presenting the Aussie Open Fundraisers

Disc Golf World Tour and Aussie Open are proud to team up with Discmania Golf Discs in fundraising for the 2017 DGWT opening event! The Aussie Open 2017 fundraiser series consist of three Discmania’s top models with each one featuring an indigenous Australian animal.

The first release is the PDx in C-Line plastic with Koala artwork as the stamp. This is a rare chance to get your hands on the PDx, as Discmania has reserved the PDx exclusively for fundraising. This one is actually coming out already next week!

Become a partner of the DGWT!

Your $50 annual membership fee will directly help DGWT and international events like the Aussie Open, European Open and USDGC. It also helps them push the envelope to become the best events in our beautiful sport.

Once you sign up for this exclusive group you will have many opportunities, including:

• Early notice for all DGWT disc releases.
• Collector only access to highly collectable discs.
• Exclusive opportunity to get your hands on DGWT Apparel and Merchandise.
• On top of that we have a lot of exciting things in store for the most dedicated DGWT supporters!

2017 DGWT memberships are available now at the Discmania Store. By purchasing the 2017 membership now you’ll get a complimentary membership for the rest of the 2016 – Including early notice on the upcoming Aussie Open releases!

The Story Behind the Aussie Open Fundraiser Disc Series

By Andrew Ferguson

The unique creatures of Australia have sparked the interest and imagination of people from all over the world since the arrival Europeans over 200 years ago. More so, before European settlement, Australia’s native animals formed the basis of some of the most important dreamtime stories of the Aboriginal people – stories which have been re-told over generations going back more than 60,000 years.

Many strange and wonderful animals with their distinctive pouches and unique markings can be found hopping, scurrying and flying throughout the country. Due to the introduction of feral pests, the clearing of bush land and unwarranted hunting, the wild population of many Australia’s native animals have been decimated and are now found on endangered species list. It is through the 3 disc fundraiser series for the Aussie Open that we pay homage to the native animals of the land down under and raise awareness of the need to ensure their survival.

Koala

The first disc of the fundraiser series features an Australian classic, the Koala. One of the most recognised animals on the planet, the Koala gets its name from the ancient Aboriginal word meaning “no drink” as it receives most of it’s hydration for the gum leaves it eats. With it’s two thumbs, big black nose and love of sleeping snuggled up on a branch, the Koala is a one of a kind! The C-line PDx beautifully illustrates how at home the koala is living in the tops of Australia’s unique gum trees. Listed as a vulnerable species, the Koala population as declined by over 50% since European settlement thanks to habitat destruction and displacement. Breeding and relocation programs throughout Australia are having a positive impact on Koala populations, but there is a long way to go until this iconic Australian is safe.

Mahogany Glider

Just like the swirly S-line DDx, which features the hot stamp of the second disc in the Aussie Open fundraiser series, this little creature is a true glider! However, instead of having a glide rating of 6, the Mahogany Glider is equipped with a unique membrane that stretches from the front foot, to the ankle of the hind leg and is used to glide over great distances between trees. The Mahogany Glider was actually mistaken for a the more common Sugar Glider for over 100 hundred years and was only officially “discovered” and elevated to species level in 1993. Listed as endangered, much of its habitat on the Queensland coast has been cleared for farming and plantations. It lives only on a small area today and remains vulnerable to wildfires and further clearing.

Spotted Quoll

When you think of Australian marsupials, the cute and fluffy variety usually comes to mind. However, Australia is also home to native creatures with big teeth and an appetite for flesh! With its strong body and teeth designed to slice meat off the bone, the Spotted Quoll is one of the most ferocious animals in the Australia bush. Captured beautifully on the third disc in the fundraiser series, a swirly S-Line PD, the quoll stands defiantly on a tree branch snarling. Despite its savage appearance, the spotted quoll is one of the most strikingly, with it’s reddish brown fur covered in white dots on its body and tail. Several quoll species exist in Australia, with varying levels of conservation status. The Western Quoll is one such species, which has suffered since European settlement, with its habitat severely reduced by land clearing and predation by feral cats. However, successful breeding and release programs have improved the chances of survival of this vulnerable species, with numbers increasing in some areas.

Thylacine

No other animal in Australia holds more mystique than the Thylacine (thy-la-seen). With a tail like a kangaroo, stripes like a tiger and a backwards-facing pouch like a wombat, this amazing feat of nature roamed Australia for over 40,000 years. Also known as the Tasmania Tiger, unfortunately this majestic beast no longer walks the earth, with the death of the last known captive thylacine in Hobart, Tasmania in 1936. Early settlers who killed the animal onsite to avoid their chickens and sheep being attacked hunted the thylacine to extinction. A bounty was even put on the head of the thylacine, with the government paying money for each scalp. Habitat destruction and disease further decreased the wild population. Despite it’s listing as extinct, thousands of recorded sightings have been made over the past 80 years. Not only sightings in Tasmania, where the last populations survived, but also in several states on mainland Australia. Photographs and footage taken of alleged thylacine sightings have been professionally analysed. But scientists are reluctant to confirm these without hard evidence.

This fourth disc in the Aussie Open series is only available in the Aussie Open player’s pack. Just like the Thylacine itself, sightings of this swirly S-Line DDx will be rare. Andrew Ferguson (#8549) of the Aussie Open organising team worked with graphic designer Suzanne Rope to create the series. Drawing inspiration from real photographs to capture a sense of realism, the marsupials are depicted in a lifelike, hand-drawn style.

Andrew said, “We wanted to create a series of fundraiser discs which not only looked great, but would also tell a story. The series celebrates the richness and diversity of Australia’s animals, but also highlights the importance of their conservation. This is not only a chance for people to own a little piece of history, it is also a reminder that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve all creatures on our planet. We do not want to make the same mistakes we have in the past and forever lose another majestic creature such as the Thylacine.”

If you are interested to learn more about Australia’s endangered and threatened species, visit: Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species

For people attending the Aussie Open in January 2017, the host city of Perth is home to some of the countries best wildlife sanctuaries. Caversham Wildlife Park and the Peel Zoo offer an amazing experience, providing visitors with the opportunity to see the koalas, quolls and gliders featured on the fundraiser discs.

Links:
http://www.aussieopen.info/
http://www.cavershamwildlife.com.au/
http://www.peelzoo.com.au/
http://fame.org.au/news_resources/endangered_species

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