Central Goldfields Wildlife Rescue

19/08/2025

✖️ ILLEGAL CARE OF WILDLIFE ✖️

What to do if someone you know is illegally keeping or "caring" for wildlife?

Call DEECA on 13 61 86 and you can make the report anonymously and please urge them to surrender the animal to local wildlife shelter or veterinary clinic.

Often surrendered wildlife come to us sickly with a poor prognosis - because of stress, inadequate care, poor husbandry and diet. Many also have underlying health problems & injuries that have not been treated in a timely manner. These animals were not saved or rescued, more often then not they have been subjected to stress and cruelty - though the people often have kind intentions, the kindest thing to do is what's right by the animal and that is to be handed to a registered wildlife carer immediately.

We will always take wildlife from these situations, and we have no authority to charge.

Wildlife are not like domestic pets, they have complex care, husbandry, social and medical needs and need to be reared often with buddies and prepared for release.
They may be cute and cuddly when small, but if you hold onto them you are reducing their chances at survival and a chance of a wild and free life.
This generally means if the animal doesn't die during care, you are risking an adult animal that cannot be successfully rehabilitated, to be euthanised due to the laws around rehab for release.

So what may be fun now, is just guaranteeing the animal to die.

Always consider the animal and do what's in their best interest.

11/08/2025

Hendrix & Fergie - practising their wrestling skills 😆

10/08/2025

Abel - this handsome fella is a lover annnnd a fighter 🥰

Never know if he's coming in for a cuddle or a kick 😂 sometimes its both, just to keep us on our toes!

He loves his human mumma, though we wean these guys off human interaction, teach them independence and allow them to become wild, some will forever be sooky mummy boys.

Kangaroos truly are an incredible species.

10/08/2025

✖️ WARNING - GRAPHIC ✖️

Photos will be in comments.

I debated sharing this one as I've been lost for words and quite honestly feeling very defeated. But I would like to thank the kind person for calling this poor wallaby in after noticing him just standing roadside and not eager to move, then noticing the trauma to his jaw.

This poor wallaby has suffering immensely because of humans.

I dont know who thought it was necessary to shoot him in the face. Then fail to humanely euthanise.

I dont know why this wallaby was shot in the first place, he had no other injuries to his body and I can only assume this individual did it for nothing other then fun.

This beautiful swamp wallaby would of been struggling for weeks, unable to eat or drink properly.
He had both a entry and exit wound in his lower jaw, completely necrotic and infected.
He already smelt dead.

Now wallabies aren't my favourite to rescue, as they are determined, strong and fast.
But not him, he had no fight left. He didnt flinch when I placed the blanket over him, he didnt move one bit. He just sat, as wallabies do, while I ended his suffering.

He suffered, because of humans.
Because some absolute w@%ker decided to shoot him in the face.

Im so glad he was spotted and the kind humans called for help.

When will we learn to co-exist with wildlife?

Please, if you ever see or are aware of someone illegally shooting, trapping, harming or hurting wildlife - please report to DEECA on 136186.

Even if you aren't sure if what they are doing is wrong, report it anyway as the wildlife officers will determine whether a crime has been committed or not.

Wildlife rescuers and carers are sick of cleaning up the mess and carnage left behind by selfish humans.

24/07/2025

Our beautiful bats have moved on, with still a couple remaining the majority have continued on their journey heading for more food and warmer climate 🌞

Hopefully these wonderful pollinators come back to visit soon 🙏

20/07/2025

Get some friends together and join Adelaide Lead Hall/School for a fun Trivia night, live entertainment and some drinks - part of funds raised will be going towards Central Goldfields Wildlife Rescue 🥰

20/07/2025

🦘 Phalaris toxicity in kangaroos 🦘

What is phalaris toxicity?
phalaris grass during new growth during certain times of the year can contain toxic alkaloids, which if grazed, can lead to animals developing phalaris staggers and lead to sudden death.

What are the signs of phalaris toxicity in kangaroos?
Staggers, erratic movements, muscle tremors, shaking, uncoordinated movements, or in severe cases slow body movements, hunched over and unable to move.

The cure?
There is no known cure.
What we know is some develop symptoms very quickly and are followed by a quick deterioration. Others show moderate symptoms but still have good quality of life and movement - not causing severe impairment and do not require human interference.
Others improve on their own.
It is said, that if the animal is removed from the pasture - they may improve or symptoms may not progress.

This year has been particularly hard for our wildlife (and us) with the drought causing a lack of feed and grass for our mobs, that for the first time the shelter has had phalaris effected kangaroos on our property.
The ones currently in care are safe, as their large pens do not have access to this horrible grass.
It previously hadn't been an issue in the area, because there has been plenty of feed around.
Even with us supplementing our local roos with beautiful hay and "roo food" it wasnt enough.
We unfortunately have had to euthanaise some of "our own". This has been absolutely devastating.

Rose, Waru and Clara had mild to moderate symptoms and due to previously being in care, we decided to get them off the pasture and bring them back into care. These 3 were between 2.5-5years old and were living a wild life.
Clara declined and did not make it, with symptoms still progressing and a rapid deterioration even after being brought in to the enclosure with no access to phalaris.
Rose and Waru, originally showed signs of erratic, uncoordinated movements, muscle tremors, hypersensitivity and on constant high alert.
4+ weeks on, and coming to the end of phalaris toxicity season - they are preparing for release again.

With symptoms decreasing significantly over the first week in care. Erratic movements decreased, muscle tremors and hypersensitivity to touch and sound still present, but a slight improvement.

We have watched them as their symptoms slowly got better and can comfortably say neither of these two show any signs of impairment of phalaris toxicity.
Whereas others on the property showed mild signs and within 24 hours had deteriorated so quickly they required euthanasia.

Phalaris and kangaroos still have so much unknown, especially for outcomes for these animals that are impacted.

But we are very happy to share our positive outcome. We know once released, we can only hope the phalaris in the region is past the early stage of growth that poses a risk.
We aren't sure if this will make them more susceptible to further phalaris toxicity, but we do know these guys now have another chance after presenting with mild to moderate toxicity.

📸 Waru - he originally was in care due to significant burns and though prognosis was average, he beat the odds and went on to being released.

18/07/2025

Always appreciative of our boys & girls in blue 💙 always showing such care and kindness. Over the years, we have developed a great working relationship with local police who are always more then happy to assist our native friends 🙏

COUNTRY CARE 🏘️🛣️

Kangaroos are frequently involved in road accidents in Australia, particularly on country roads. Data from RACV in Victoria indicates that kangaroos account for a significant portion of wildlife-vehicle collisions, with 8,756 recorded incidents in the 2023-24 financial year. These collisions are more common at dawn and dusk when kangaroos are most active and often graze near roads or cross them to find food. Acting Sgt ROONEY from the Maryborough Police Station was taking good care of our little friend Skippy who's mother unfortunately passed away due to being hit by a vehicle. Please be careful on our roads and keep a look out for all road users including our wildlife friends. 🦘 🦔🦜🦉

09/07/2025

Upcoming Basic Wildlife Rescue and Transport Workshops, Saturday the 19th of July and Saturday the 9th of August.

Learn how to safely rescue injured and orphaned wildlife, check pouches and become a volunteer Rescue & Transporter for W4W. Help our native wildlife by clicking on the link below to secure your spot.

19th JULY RESCUE WORKSHOP
12-5PM - Carrum Downs
https://shop.warriors4wildlife.org/wildlife-rescue-transport-workshop-july

9TH AUGUST RESCUE WORKSHOP
12-5pm - Mount Waverley
https://shop.warriors4wildlife.org/Wildlife-rescue-and-transport-workshop

09/07/2025

Little LaRoux has discovered pouches aren't the only option 💕
This bold girl had only been with us a week and quite often joeys take their time to find their confidence to explore, but not this one!

09/07/2025

Rescues dont always go to plan.

I got a call about this kangaroo with a broken leg, as I approached he got up and started to hop, though falling over and getting back up again.

I thought I better move quickly and as he fell again, so did I! Straight into a rabbit hole. Im sure he was confused as to why that silly woman is also on the ground!

Unfortunately his leg was completely snapped, bone exposed and it wasnt a fresh injury 😪

04/07/2025