A recent grant is helping one south-east NSW organisation make good on its shake-up of how we care for injured wildlife.

Professor Steve Garlick and Dr Rosemary Austen started their wildlife caring careers more than 20 years ago, taking animals into their home.

But the devastating Black Summer bushfires laid the seeds for what would become Possumwood Wildlife’s hospital and recovery centre near Wamboin, west of Bungendore.

“In the fires, we provided a bit of space and everything else was very rudimentary in terms of the treatment and the rehabilitation that happened after it,” Prof Garlick told Region.

The pair worked with local vets and wildlife carers, driven to ensure the animals were receiving the specialised treatment needed.

“Animals were being rescued and receiving very good veterinary attention, but they would normally be treating dogs, cats and farm animals [rather than] wild animals, which are different entirely.”

Their next step? Building an accessible purpose-built learning centre.

Prof Garlick said a simple desire guided them: that of being prepared.

“There’s the microside and the macroside …. the microside of things needs to generate or have an income stream,” he said.

“We’re hoping the learning centre will provide part of that and enhance our collective knowledge of our wildlife.”

He said a recent grant of nearly $89,000 meant work on the learning centre could continue and ease the financial burden on Possumwood.

“The shell of the building has been pretty well completed and now we’re focusing on the inside fitout.”

Professor Steve Garlick, together with co-founder Dr Rosemary Austen, wants to transform how Australia understands and cares for native animals. Photo: Hayley Nicholls.

Local supporter Community Bank Bungendore and Braidwood recently awarded Possumwood the grant.

“All of us who live in the country are familiar with the sight of dead wildlife on the side of the road,” chair Garry Cook said.

“This project isn’t about stopping that – it’s about helping the injured.”

Mr Cook described a site visit to see Possumwood’s professional care and rehabilitation as “just amazing”.

He said awarding the grant was an easy decision, pointing to its legacy in ongoing wildlife care.

“We thought that was worthwhile because there was a component of the application that looked after the environment through the care and rehabilitation of injured wildlife.

“Secondly, it was a project that was going to give benefits for the community by training more people to do that work.”

Prof Garlick hoped current and future volunteers at Possumwood, as well as wildlife carers, would study best-practice wildlife trauma and treatment programs at the learning centre.

“We were having conversations with other NGOs [non-government organisations] about how they could get better outcomes in the next catastrophe, and what we can do,” he said.

“All of this is, in some respects, a preparatory approach to the next climate catastrophe and the impact on wildlife. It takes us beyond the individual animal.”

For more information, donations or volunteering opportunities, visit Possumwood or follow the team on Instagram or Facebook.