17 Apr 2025

'Pebbles for penguins': You can now buy from tariffed-hit Heard Island

9:22 pm on 17 April 2025
Owners of creative studio Kindred Milla Novak and Janelle Mais have launched a new penguin-backed export business selling pebbles - symbolic of the fact they live on a rocky outcrop, with all proceedings going to the colonies of Heard Island.

Photo: Supplied

Well stone the crows, a waddle of penguins are resorting to rockonomics in the face of Trump's tariffs.

The remote sub-Antarctic Heard Island is Australian territory and as a result has been slapped with a 10 percent US trade tax.

That is despite not exporting a single thing and being home to a raft of penguins and not much else.

According to World Wildlife Fund Australia, the islands are home to "some of the most iconic and ecologically significant penguin species on the planet."

Now hold onto your tuxedos, a huddle of creatives have seized on the marketing gold.

Owners of creative studio Kindred Milla Novak and Janelle Mais have launched a new penguin-backed export business selling pebbles - symbolic of the fact they live on a rocky outcrop, with all proceedings going to the colonies of Heard Island.

Owners of creative studio Kindred Milla Novak and Janelle Mais have launched a new penguin-backed export business selling pebbles - symbolic of the fact they live on a rocky outcrop, with all proceedings going to the colonies of Heard Island.

Owners of creative studio Kindred Janelle Mais and Milla Novak. Photo: Supplied

"Why not start a business selling pebbles for penguins to raise money to protect their home," Milla Novak told Checkpoint.

The two founders chose pebbles to sell due to their significance to penguins. Pebbles are used for their nest building, flirting or keeping chicks entertained.

Now people can purchase a real or digital pebble for $10 Australian dollars, and all the money goes towards protecting the penguin's habitat. US customers pay an extra 10 percent.

But rest assured the pebbles do not come from the island itself to protect the vulnerable species habitat, Milla Novak said.

"Collecting pebbles would obviously disturb the very habitat we're trying to protect.

"So, we've sourced some sustainably from Australia and of course to stay competitive the penguins won't let us say exactly where they've sourced them from, but they are very much sustainably sourced."

Owners of creative studio Kindred Milla Novak and Janelle Mais have launched a new penguin-backed export business selling pebbles - symbolic of the fact they live on a rocky outcrop, with all proceedings going to the colonies of Heard Island.

Photo: Supplied

The penguins that live on the island are the macaroni, eastern rockhopper, gentoo and king penguin.

Novak said the idea has been well received.

"I think there's been such a lot of negativity in the news and we really wanted to make something feel good, something that gives people hope, and a sense they can make a difference."

100 percent of proceeds will be donated to World Wildlife Fund Australia, to protect the species with conservation efforts.

They have raised over $4500 so far.

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