Last chance to save Mudgeroo Emu Farm and Wildlife Sanctuary. Video by Abi Kirkland
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00:00What do a water buffalo, 21 wombats, and a mob of emus have in common?
00:05Well, they've all found a second, and by the looks of it, very happy lease of life at Mudgeroo Emu Farm and Animal Refuge.
00:12All thanks to the big heart of former vet nurse and zookeeper, Belinda Donovan.
00:17I mean, listen to these two.
00:22But this crucial haven is on the brink of collapse and could face a May closure unless a financial donor steps forward.
00:28We need a big financial donor to help us get through the next 10 years.
00:33Essentially, we need to make sure this is viable for us to be able to continue.
00:38For the past decade, Belinda and Phil Donovan have dedicated all their money, time and effort
00:43into transforming the 70-acre property in Jervis Bay into the Shorthaven's largest wildlife rehabilitation facility.
00:50But despite Belinda's full-time dedication to caring for the animals,
00:54there is limited to zero income, with Mudgeroo relying on donations to survive.
00:58The mounting weight of insurance, utilities and animal costs is sending Mudgeroo under,
01:03but the demand for their care never ends.
01:05The wildlife corridors are diminishing and the bush gets a little bit more fragmented,
01:13so they're running into housing and backyards and it's pretty scary.
01:19The community has shown support for Mudgeroo and has some very well-trained volunteers who help out on a regular basis.
01:25They all want our facilities to continue and our work to continue,
01:29but we haven't met the organisation or the company that can pay the amount that's owing
01:36and keep us financially viable for the future.
01:39Despite all the pressures, Belinda sees Mudgeroo's potential.
01:43Well, I've always had a dream of using some of the land to develop a wildlife veterinary hospital on the south coast.
01:50We know it's lacking. We also have the need for a veterinary teaching hospital for wildlife.
01:56So vets could come from all different universities to actually work with wildlife on the south coast.
02:02There's a huge demand for wildlife vets, so whilst they're training they could go to a veterinary facility
02:09like this refuge where there are a lot of wildlife.
02:12And we have always had a dream also of becoming a marine reptile facility.
02:18We've got none on the south coast and we've known they've needed care for over a decade or more.
02:23They've been coming into the south coast.
02:25We have the technology, but we just don't have the facility.
02:28So that was always one of my dreams.
02:31If we could get the funding, then I'm sure there would be grants and community support for us to go further.
02:37To show your support, follow Madgeroo, Wombat and Wildlife Refuge on Facebook and donate to the GoFundMe linked on their page.