Site for region's first wildlife hospital

A $3 million parcel of land in Dakabin has been allocated by Moreton Bay Regional Council for a wildlife hospital.

Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation already has $1.5 million private funding and submitted a business case to the State Government.

Additional funding would enable the hospital to become reality at 420 Old Gympie Rd, the former North Pine playing fields, close to the Bruce Highway. 

There's no dedicated wildlife hospital between the RSPCA facility at Wacol and Australia Zoo, Beerwah. Wildlife can travel up to two hours for emergency care.

What makes it worse, says Mayor Peter Flannery, is that Moreton Bay is the top source of admissions of injured koalas to RSPCA Wacol and Australia Zoo.

“Council is as serious about housing and infrastructure to accommodate a booming human population, as the need to support wildlife and wildlife carers,” he said.

“We all have an obligation to protect native animals and this shows we’re serious about our role as caretakers for this beautiful part of the world.

“I think the state’s koala habitat mapping is a good start, but what’s the point of protecting eucalyptus trees if the state government isn’t also providing ongoing funding to support wildlife rescuers and carers?

“This is one of those times politicians need to ditch the rhetoric and take some action.”

The Mayor said Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation is “showing the leadership that the State and Federal Governments lack when it comes to funding”.

“As a first step we need the State Government to include this facility in SEQ’s Wildlife Hospital Network,” he said, “and provide at least $1 million a year in operational funding.”

Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital board member Christine West said the wildlife hospital is an important step to providing essential care and rehabilitation for injured wildlife.

“Last year our group of dedicated volunteers established the ‘Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation’ as a community-driven initiative, to raise the required funds,” she said.

"Council providing the land for a wildlife hospital gives us the certainty we need to make this dream a reality, as we continue fundraising to build this critical facility in Moreton Bay.

“There are over 60 rare or threatened species living in this area, including endangered koalas, and these funds will ensure that Moreton Bay’s fauna get the care they deserve.”

Council operates a Land Buyback for Environmental Purposes Program, which has secured more than 103 hectares of ecologically important land since 2020.