Green light for new wildlife hospital

Moreton Bay’s first dedicated wildlife hospital has reached a significant milestone, with plans approved for the much-needed facility.

It sets-up a construction framework for Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation (MBWHF), beginning with a hospital to treat up to 7000 injured, sick, and orphaned native animals each year.

The Dakabin site is scalable, with the potential for the facility to accommodate up to 10,000 admissions per year to meet long-term population growth and emergency demand.

MBWHF anticipates construction on the project will begin early next year after the Development Application (Material Change of Use) was approved by City of Moreton Bay.

“Securing development approval is a major milestone we’ve been working toward," said Christine West, Director of the Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation.

"It moves us from the planning table into detailed design, procurement and pre-construction, bringing us one step closer to treating local wildlife right here in Moreton Bay."

Once built, the hospital will feature triage spaces, surgical suites, digital radiography, an intensive care nursery, and dedicated avian, mammalian, and reptilian wards.

It will also incorporate stringent biosecurity and infection-control standards with quarantine enclosures ready to respond to emerging wildlife disease threats, including High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (bird flu).

The project is backed by $15 million from the Queensland Government, while Council has allocated a $3 million parcel of Council land under a community lease arrangement.

Mayor Peter Flannery said the dedicated wildlife hospital was a critical project which would give world-class care for such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas and sugar gliders.

“This purpose-built facility will enhance the care of the wildlife in our City, which is home to an incredibly diverse range of native species,” he said.

“This is such an important project as it will mean injured wildlife can be treated locally instead of travelling up to two hours for emergency care, ultimately increasing survival rates and easing the workload of our local volunteer wildlife rescuers.

“Council is looking forward to seeing the City’s first dedicated wildlife hospital coming to fruition.”

MBWHF is now turning its attention to corporate and community partnerships to fund specialised medical equipment and clinical fit-out requirements.

For detailed project timelines, milestone updates, and equipment donation options ahead of the planned 2028 opening, visit the official Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Project Overview.

The Foundation acknowledges Andrew Webb, Director of WD Architects, and his team for their architectural design work on the project.