Who Is The Last Stand?

The Last Stand is an action focused environmental organisation.  We use creative direct action and online campaigning to encourage retailers to stop profiting from selling native forest products. 

"Becoming involved gave me the opportunity to take a real "stand" against this profiteering and participate in educating the broader community about this issue."

We got started in June 2011 and had a big first six months. We decided to focus initially on the furniture sector, and on one of the biggest players in the Australian retail sector – Harvey Norman.

We launched with an action out the front of prime Harvey Norman real estate in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.

Next step was our ‘Breaking the Chain’ action – a huge multi site event that took place at four points in the chain of destruction that leads to Harvey Norman selling furniture made from wood sourced from Australia’s native forests … from a devastating clearfell in East Gippsland, to processors in Bairnsdale, Victoria, to distributors in the outer suburbs of Sydney and finally to a Harvey Norman showroom in the heart of Sydney.

Our huge global day of action in October 2011 saw 41 actions in 17 countries take place – including every state and territory in Australia, with a huge centrepiece action scaling the sales of Australia’s most famous icon – the Sydney Opera House.

We have had fun with some online campaigning and making videos – check our flics page, and have a look at our cheeky ninja.

This year we are keeping up the pressure on Harvey Norman, taking it to Ta Ann in the global marketplace and supporting other ongoing environmental campaigns.

We need creative folks to join our direct action teams across Australia and also help with online campaigning. Contact us if you want to join in the fun!

A bit more about us

We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land; and give respect to their long and continuing connection to country, and the environmental lessons we could learn from them.

We are absolutely committed to nonviolence. And we are absolutely committed to taking whatever peaceful means necessary to take a stand for our forests.

We are not committed to negotiation, playing politics, lobbying or being reasonable. There are plenty of other good folks out there who do that.

We like direct action. We like social media. We like fun, creative campaigning.

And we really like forests. Game on!