Origin

Bilbies

Bilby

Bilbies are desert-dwelling marsupial omnivores; they are members of the order Peramelemorphia. Before European colonisation of Australia, there were two species. One became extinct in the 1950s; the other survives but remains endangered....

 are native Australian marsupials that are endangered. To raise money and increase popular awareness of conservation efforts, bilby-shaped chocolates and related merchandise are sold within many stores throughout Australia as an alternative to Easter bunnies.

The first documented use of the Easter Bilby concept was in March 1968 in Rose-Marie Dusting's story called Billy The Aussie Easter Bilby. Rose-Marie Dusting,was a 9 year old child when she first wrote "Billy The Aussie Easter Bilby"' in a small Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 town called Richmond. Her maiden name was Ecenarro. Rose-Marie Dusting does have proof of this, as the nun

Nun

A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...

 who taught her has sent it to her. Rose-Marie Dusting did recall writing the story as a child but did not know that the teacher had kept it.

The Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia began to use the Easter Bilby concept in 1991 to show the damage that feral

Feral

A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...

 rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s do to the Australian environment and the concept has been popularised by the confectioner Darrell Lea

Darrell Lea

Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops is an Australian company that makes and sells chocolate.It is privately owned by the Lea family, and is the largest privately owned confectionery manufacturer in Australia. It was established as a company in 1927....

, which gives a portion of its profits to the foundation.

Australian children's book author and illustrator Irena Sibley

Irena Sibley

Irena Sibley , born Irena Justina Pauliukonis, was an Australian artist, writer, illustrator of children's books, and art teacher.-Personal life:...

produced three Easter Bilby books between 1994 and 2000 including the best selling The Bilbies' First Easter, Silver Gum Press 1994.

In 1993, Australian children's author Jeni Bright wrote the story of Burra Nimu, the Easter Bilby. It tells how Burra, a shy but brave little bilby, decides to save the land from the rabbits and foxes who are ruining it. Burra and his family and friends gather together for a wonderful time painting Easter eggs to give to the children and ask for their help. But before they can set off on their journey to the children, they must outwit the rabbit army. This beautifully written story can be found at http://www.easterbilby.info. The author is happy for it to be used for any non-profit purpose. Readers are invited to feel to tell the story in their own words, especially to younger children. The story also leaves open the opportunity for readers to make up their own stories about other adventures that Burra and his fellow travellers have on the way to delivering the eggs to the children. As well as the story of the Easter Bilby, the website contains factual information about bilbies and other endangered Australian species.

The following extract from Burra Nimu, the Easter Bilby, describes how Burra's little son, Binni, and his young niece, Bindee, help with painting the eggs for the children:

"Binni knew that eggs meant the start of new life and new hope, so he made his especially beautiful. He painted rich red eggs, the colour of the hot desert earth, and splashed them with bright sparkles, because the desert is full of life.

Next, he painted soft green eggs and sprinkled them with the colours of the wild flowers he had once seen, soon after the water fell from the sky.

Then Binni painted warm yellow eggs, the colour of the early morning sun before it fades in the heat of the day. These he gave to Bindee, who decorated them with animals and birds.

Finally, Binni painted deep blue eggs, the colour of the early evening sky when he and his family came out of their burrow to feed and play. Bindee decorated these with twinkling stars. Then she carefully painted each with the big, round moon that hangs on the horizon when the night is clear.

When all the eggs were finished the burrow was ablaze with the colours of the land."