Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

Many people find the experience of rehabilitating native wildlife rewarding; however, it is time-consuming and can be very expensive.  Caring for native wildlife takes time, effort, and expertise.  Native animals have special dietary requirements, need routine veterinary care, and have a solid commitment to rehabilitation by the wildlife rehabilitator.  Some native animals need highly specialised care; koalas, echidna, platypus, raptors, and reptiles are examples of some wildlife species requiring high expertise and a degree of specialisation.  Many of these species are also threatened, and their survival is vital.

Wildlife rehabilitators play a vital role in the conservation of Australian wildlife.  The Australian Wildlife Society would like to recognise and reward these special wildlife rehabilitators.

The aims of the Australian Wildlife Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Award are:

  1. To benefit the preservation of Australian wildlife by supporting volunteer wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators.
  2. To further the Society’s commitment to preserving native wildlife by supporting volunteers who rescue and rehabilitate injured native wildlife.
  3. To increase awareness of wildlife rehabilitation and attract new members to the Australian Wildlife Society.
  4. To reward smaller organisations or individuals who do not meet the Community or Serventy Conservation Awards criteria.

The President will judge the applications based on the following criteria:

  1. The benefit to wildlife conservation, and
  2. The applicant holds a current rehabilitation permit.

Australian Wildlife Society will provide an annual award of $5,000 to an individual or small organisation contributing to Australian wildlife conservation through rescue and rehabilitation.  A trophy and certificate will accompany the award.

The application process will be promoted via the website, social media platforms, monthly newsletters, and the Australian Wildlife magazine.  Applications will be received annually by 31 December. 

Winners will be notified by email, and full results will be published in the Society’s magazine.  Announcement and presentation to the winner will be made at the AGM/Luncheon alongside the Serventy Conservation Award, the Community Conservation Award, and the Youth Conservation Award.

To nominate a person or an organisation for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award, please fill in the online form or download the PDF nomination form here»

» REQUIRES ADOBE ACROBAT READER TO VIEW.  YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FREE VERSION HERE.

    Wildlife Rehabilitation Award - Nomination Form

    2023 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2023 is Warrumbungle Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Inc.  Founded by Tanya O’Donoghue in December 2022, Warrumbungle Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Inc. is a small group of passionate and dedicated volunteer wildlife carers specialising in rescuing and rehabilitating Australian native animals in the beautiful Warrumbungles area of New South Wales MORE>>

    2022 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2022 is Quoin Island Turtle Rehabilitation Centre which is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of critically endangered and endangered sea turtles.  The centre has a steady success rate of 72 percent, meaning most of the patients are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.  Since its establishment, the centre had rehabilitated and released 236 sea turtles into the wild MORE>>

    2021 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2021 is Wildlife Rescue Australia of Woolgoolga, New South Wales.  Wildlife Rescue Australia is an Australiawide, specialist volunteer organisation dedicated to rescuing native animals – Australia’s first truly national twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week wildlife rescue phone service. Wildlife Rescue Australia operates an emergency twenty-four-hour call centre staffed by home-based phone coordinators trained to assist in all aspects of animal rescues MORE>>

    2020 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2020 is Meg Churches of Camperdown, New South Wales.  Meg has been engaged with the rescue and rehabilitation of Australia’s bats for many years, especially the grey-headed flying-fox.  Volunteering her own time, she rescues orphaned bats from a variety of hazards such as powerlines and animal attacks.  Meg is also the Bat Coordinator for the Wires Inner West branch MORE>>

    2019 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2019 is Mr John Creighton from Bundanoon, New South Wales. John, the founder of Wombat Care Bundanoon, cares for orphaned, injured and manged wombats. John engages with and encourages the wider community to take action on all aspects of wombat conservation in hopes to preserve the Australian icon for future generations MORE>>

    2018 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2018 is Tehree Gordon OAM of Barwon Heads, Victoria. Tehree has been involved in Animal rescue since the age of 15, however she has been registered in Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for over 40 years. Tehree and Hamish? opened “Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary” over 40 years ago to rescue and rehabilitate injured, distressed and orphaned wildlife whilst at the same time providing a haven for disadvantaged people of all ages. Tehree also established a special animal welfare program for the elderly, special needs and school children. MORE » 

    2017 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2017 is Robin Crisman.  Robin is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with additional degrees in Veterinary and Biomedical Science.  Robin has practised for over 25 years, and in that time her work has included veterinary care of wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve and Australian Walkabout WildlifePark.  Robin’s devotion to animal care and her passion for veterinary excellence makes her a worthy recipient of the 2017 Community Rehabilitation Award.   MORE »

    2016 Wildlife Rehabilitation Award

    The winner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award for 2016 is Roz Holme of Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue and Wildlife Refuge. Roz, who was born and bred into wildlife and is also a trained vet nurse, takes on animals withillness or injuries that may have otherwise been euthanised. MORE »