There are just 600 wildlife carers in Victoria, the majority of whom are based in urban or suburban situations, and lack the facilities to care for larger animals. Their work centres upon the intensive treatment of furless and very young orphans or severely injured adults with impaired mobility. However, once these animals have reached an age - or stage - where they are ready to (re-)learn the ways of the wild, they must be transferred to a special place offering the room, time and education they need.

This is our job.

With extensive facilities to accommodate a diverse range of patients, 300 acres of prime habitat linked directly to State Forest reserves ... and a sound knowledge of the latest rehabilitation techniques

supported by professional experience in wildlife biology and ecology ... we specialise in the latter stages of rehabilitation: believing it to be the most crucial part of the rehabilitation process. No matter how well an animal is cared for initially, if the final stage fails, all is lost.

We concentrate our efforts on partially-rehabilitated adults and so-called "teenage" joeys approaching the age where they're ready to leave the pouch for good.

These animals need to learn how to forage for the right foods; communicate with their own kind; avoid predators; find or build nests/dens/burrows and generally keep out of trouble!

The Padded Cell

This delightfully sunny enclosure is completely injury- and escape-proof. Covered in green grass and dotted with towering Blue Gums, it is surrounded by 2m high fences made of chain-mesh and lined with soft shadecloth. Around the base of the fence, further mesh is buried on either side ensuring nothing can get in or out.

Even the most over-excited Macropod will find it difficult to give itself so much as a bruise in here, making it the perfect place for bouncy youngsters or recuperating adults.

A three-sided shelter stands in one corner housing artificial pouches, whilst a dual lucerne/pellets feeder and a wallaby paddling pool (it was meant to be a drinking trough, but that's life) ensure everyone is kept entertained.

This enclosure even sports a 6-bottle automatic Macropod Bottle Feeder! One of mankind's greatest ever inventions!

Fort Wom

Boasting the persistence of a mother-in-law coupled with a problem solving capacity to rival Einstein, Wombats are the world's most intelligent and formidable Marsupial. When faced with a dilemma, they will literally sit down and ponder the problem.

They are also one of the most difficult critters to contain. They dig, they climb (oh how they climb), they chew, headbutt, pull, push, tear, scratch and pulverise anything which attempts to obstruct them.

They are compulsively contrary creatures: the best way to make a Wombat go forwards is to attempt to push it backwards, and vice versa.

Thus, the construction of a successful Wombat pen is not a challenge, but an art. Presenting: Fort Wom. This nail-, back-, pliers- and patience-breaking creation sports heavy-duty weldmesh on all four sides AND the floor PLUS a 30cm internal weldmesh overhang. If any Wombat, young or old, should ever manage to escape ... it is entirely possible I shall cry!

The Wardrobe

This 1m x 1m x 2m construction is one of my proudest achievements: it was made entirely from recycled, scavenged materials; it can contain the smallest possum and it doubles as an attractive piece of bedroom furniture (a long story).

The Wardrobe is the first taste of freedom for juvenile Ringtail Possums and tiny Feathertail Gliders, giving them just enough room to practice their climbing whilst keeping them sufficiently confined not to get lost!

It sports a heated pouch, a small artificial drey and an easy, multi-
stemmed mini-forest to scurry around. Capped polypipes screwed to the large branches hold fresh native leaves, delivered daily.

The Possumary

Here, Possums and Gliders learn what life outdoors and above ground is really all about. Tucked under the trees in a quiet, shady corner of the centre, this spacious enclosure contains a veritable aerial maze of artificial pathways and pipes filled with fresh native leaves.

Discreet nestboxes and ready-made woven dreys complete the picture.

For these arboreal animals, the Possumary is their last step on the road to "wildness".

The Igloo

This multi-purpose enclosure has to be a favourite - primarily because it was acquired through some shrewd feminine wheeler-deeling, took a mere day to dismantle and transport to Kingbilli ... and over a year to re-build! Anything which could obstruct any construction surely took place with this one ... but here it stands, unique and ever so useful.

Built as a test-flight aviary for rehabilitated birds and flying-foxes, it also doubles as a nifty quarantine pen for new Kangaroos and Wallabies coming into the centre.

Koala Quarters

The shiniest shoes in the shop, these brand spanking new twin Koala enclosures were hastily erected in February 2009 to cope with the influx of Koalas from the Black Saturday bush-fires.

Fully roofed and built of sturdy mesh and colourbond on a smooth concrete base for ease of cleaning and to prevent dampness or dirt from contaminating carefully bandaged burnt paws.