20 December 2024, 9:00 PM
The Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital (NRWH) had hoped to open its new facility in Wollongbar before Christmas. However, it has suffered delays with its build, so January is now the expected date.General Manager Bronte Potts and her team have learnt to be patient. The journey to build a top-class facility to treat wildlife and rehabilitate them started in 2019."That was by a really enthusiastic and passionate group of conservationists, vets, vet nurses, just people in the region who are passionate about wildlife. Since then, it's been quite a journey to find the perfect site to open a wildlife hospital on, and they've managed to, obviously, get this beautiful site on Crown land in Wollongbar," Bronte explained."We decided we wanted a site for the hospital that was to be centrally located in the region. So, being in Wollongbar, we've achieved that, and we'll be servicing seven local government areas, from Casino to Kyogle, Tweed Valley, along the coast and right down to Clarence Valley.(Jasmine Phillips - media and marketing for NRWH and General Manager Bronte Potts)"We're on five acres, and we've built this facility that's completely focused on the care and rehabilitation of wildlife specifically. So, a lot of thought has gone into the design and ensuring that it's going to be the perfect place for us to treat wildlife and rehabilitate it until we can get it out to the carer groups or released into the wild again."We're really close to being at that goal of opening. We're basically in the final stages of building; the floors are going down, the cabinetry is done, all the little bits and pieces and equipment are being sorted. So, we're, we're super close.While the construction of the NRWH building is phase one, the five acres of land it sits on means the facility will grow into one of the preeminent wildlife hospitals in NSW."We're definitely future-proofed in terms of having enough space to build rehabilitation enclosures as the region needs them, and there's already some facilities in the pipeline. Additionally, we're wanting to be able to plant out native species that we can feed to the more common species that we'll see here, so that we can keep their diets as natural as possible while they're in hospital.(Part of NRWH's 5 acres above the building will be used for wildlife rehabilitation in future years.)"There's room for emergency preparedness. Basically, a slab where we can have a field hospital should something like avian influenza hit Australia or hit this region. So, we'll be able to utilise that for any emergencies that arise or in the event of bushfires or floods, we could essentially set up a field hospital on our site."Bronte explained that the new building will have a triage space, a carer consultation room, a treatment room, an x-ray room, a surgical theatre and a wildlife food preparation room."We have a couple of staff rooms, one for sort of board meetings, and one just for breaks, tea breaks and lunches. And we also have a couple of different wildlife wards. We have a reptile Ward specifically, and we have two wards that we haven't decided exactly how those will be run, that will be for the staff to decide. And then we have an intensive care unit with some really impressive intensive care cages for those really sick animals when they initially come in."On top of that, NRWH has a wildlife hospital transport van to pick up wildlife taken to general practice to save time and expense for their carers."We'll also use it to get those patients backed into the care of the care organisations. As you can imagine, driving all over the region costs those carers a lot of money, and we're hoping to really help them out with that because local vets are under a lot of pressure as well. They often provide their services for free to treat wildlife, but the hospital will help alleviate at least a little bit of that pressure."Bronte gave advice to anyone who comes across an injured animal or bird over the festive and school holidays following a record number of callouts in recent months.“Increased traffic, warmer weather, summer storms, and the movement of many species during and post-peak breeding season make this a particularly dangerous time for our native animals,” Bronte told the Lismore App. “We’re seeing an unprecedented need for support, and everyone can play a role in making a difference.”The NRWH is encouraging the public to take some simple steps to help protect wildlife during the holidays. “Quick action and community awareness can mean the difference between life and death for these animals,” Bronte explained.Easy Ways to Help This Summer:Slow Down: With more cars on the road, animals are at greater risk of collisions, especially at dawn and dusk.Provide Water: Place shallow bowls of fresh water in shaded areas to help wildlife cope with heat stress.Look Out After Storms: Severe weather can displace wildlife, including baby birds knocked from nests or injured animals seeking shelter. Check your garden or property for any displaced or distressed wildlife, and contact a wildlife rescue service if you find an animal in need of assistance.Be Prepared: Keep a DR WILD card handy (available for free on the NRWH.com.au website) and download the IFAW Emergency Wildlife App to know what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal.(The DR WILD card can be downloaded by clicking https://nrwh.com.au/resources/.)The NRWH is calling on community members to volunteer in 2025 to help meet the growing demand for wildlife care. Volunteers are needed for a variety of roles, including fundraising, and supporting hospital operations. “As a community-owned, not-for-profit organisation volunteers are the backbone of everything we do,” said Potts. “With the hospital nearing completion, we need hands on deck to ensure we can support the region’s wildlife effectively.”In addition to NRWH, local partner organisations like WIRES and other wildlife rescue groups are also seeking volunteers for critical roles such as wildlife care, transport, and phone support. For some roles, no experience isnecessary and even small amounts of volunteered time are much appreciated.With the NRWH hospital in Wollongbar set to open its doors in the new year, the not-for-profit organisation is currently running a Christmas Appeal to help get the doors open sooner, and the hospital fitted out with life-saving equipment.A generous Foundation Sponsor is matching every dollar donated by the public (up to $50,000), so a gift to wildlife this holiday season will go twice as far. You can donate to the NRWH’s campaign at https://www.givenow.com.au/end-of-year-christmas-appeal-2024.“We’re on the brink of something incredible for our wildlife,” said Potts. “2025 is going to be a game-changer, and we’re inviting everyone to join us in creating this wildlife legacy.”For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, visit www.nrwh.com.au.