Our story
Hi, I’m Courtney Zara — a zoologist, artist, traveller, and lifelong collector of natural curios. For more than 10 years, I’ve worked in conservation and ecology across Australia, Canada, Madagascar, and the United States, spending my career surrounded by some of the world’s most remarkable species and ecosystems.
Throughout those years, I became fascinated by the extraordinary detail found in nature — the iridescence of butterfly wings, the textures of leaves and shells, the quiet beauty of things often overlooked.
Courtney Zara Natural Designs was born from my passions. It draws on science, conservation, art, and storytelling to create something tangible. Every piece is handcrafted by me in Far North Queensland and designed to celebrate the beauty, fragility, and wonder of the natural world through wearable art.
Sourced with care
Sustainability and conservation sit at the heart of this business. Butterfly specimens are sourced only from reputable ethical suppliers who operate sustainably and responsibly, reducing impacts on wild populations.
Many natural materials used throughout the collections — including moss, leaves, seed pods, shells, stones, and sand — are personally and legally collected from nature during my travels and fieldwork, always with care and respect for the environment they come from.
Every piece is designed to honour the natural forms that inspired it, while encouraging a deeper appreciation for the species, landscapes, and ecosystems that make our world extraordinary.
