11 July 2025
A generous donation from the Ironbark Nature Fund will go some way to helping native wildlife and wildlife carers in NSW.
The NSW peak body for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, the NSW Wildlife Council (NWC), this week recognized the generosity of the Ironbark Fund, a private fund set up to help environmental projects.
Set up by John Edwards, the Fund has donated $20,000 to the NWC to fund grants that help small wildlife and rehabilitation groups fund projects they would otherwise be unable to do.
NWC member groups can apply for funding between $500 and $5000 to purchase materials to build animal enclosures or equipment needed to rehabilitate native Australian wildlife within the state of NSW.
In opening the 2025-2026 NSW Wildlife Council Grants program, Acting Chair, Sonja Elwood, encouraged member groups to apply for funding for projects that might be difficult to afford. Ms Elwood said, “Our volunteers’ workloads seem to be increasing exponentially, and fundraising for important equipment is harder and harder in the current cost of living crisis”.
Ms. Elwood added, “The government is not contributing to the costs groups face in their everyday expenses caring for wildlife in rehabilitation, so we are doubly pleased to be able to support our members through the Grants Program. We are hopeful this situation will change when Environment Minister the Hon. Penny Sharpe announces actions from the Government’s wildlife rehabilitation strategy review later this year”.
Details about the Grants Program can be found on the NWC website https://www.nwc.org.au/
and completed applications must be submitted to the NWC by 31 July 2025.
For more information contact:
Sue Ashton – Media, NSW Wildlife Council
M | 0451 460 598
Sonja Elwood – Interim Chair, NSW Wildlife Council
M | 0424 979 907
About the NSW Wildlife Council
The NSW Wildlife Council, (NWC) is the peak body for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation groups in NSW. NWC represents 30 groups, comprising statewide city and regional wildlife rehabilitators supporting over 5,500 members. The NWC adopts collaborative approaches to achieve positive outcomes in wildlife care. This collaboration is shown through its strong relationship with other wildlife rescue groups, the veterinary community, the Veterinary Practitioners Board and government departments.
NWC’s 29 member groups rescue and rehabilitation wildlife, they conduct administration, licensing and compliance, training, fund-raising, in-situ treatments, 24/7 phonelines, and in 2022-23 attended 29,007 rescues for > 450 land and marine species.
NSW Wildlife Council representatives are the voice for more than 5,500 rescue volunteers and contribute to:
Advocacy for legislative and policy changes, and financial support
Compliance with insurance, emergency preparedness and standards of care
Provide a central training ‘hub’ for members
Initiate and manage state-wide wildlife campaigns such as drive awareness to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
1,820 animals rescued were threatened species from 61 different species
7,987 animals were rehabilitated and released in 2022-23.