One of Australia’s best-known bands will play their first show in 10 years as part of a fundraiser for the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, after the hospital lost a $6 million NSW funding grant.
The Cruel Sea, led by wildlife ambassador Tex Perkins, will headline the fundraiser, Wild Aid 2023 on Saturday 21 October at the Green Room at Byron Events Farm, with the event aiming to raise awareness and funds for the hospital, which was opened in 2020 after the Black Summer bushfires and has treated over 4,000 animals since it was launched.
The hospital’s services, which are under threat since the loss of the funding grant, are provided by licensed wildlife carers, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and members of the community, seven days a week, free of charge.
Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital CEO Stephen Van Mil said his entire team were deeply grateful for the support of such a brilliant group of musicians.
“We were left reeling after the NSW government told us they wouldn’t approve the funding they announced in February. Having The Cruel Sea play their first show in ten years to help raise money for us is mind-blowing.”
Licenced by the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW, the hospital is the only all species wildlife hospital in NSW outside of Taronga Wildlife Hospitals in Sydney and Dubbo. Developed to mee the need for a large-scale mobile clinic to respond to natural disasters, the hospital was custom built inside a semi-trailer and is capable of being deployed anywhere in NSW or interstate to provide emergency triage, treatment and care for native animals.
Perkins said he was shocked when he heard the hospital had lost the funding and contacted the hospital’s management team offering his support.
“I’ve seen what these incredibly caring humans do to help wildlife,” Perkins said. “Losing that vital funding was a brutal shock, and I really wanted to help,” he said. “The Cruel Sea had started to jam again, it feels and sounds really good, the guys were keen, so playing a benefit gig made sense to kick start getting back on the road to play a bunch of shows.”
Bluesfest Executive Chairman Peter Noble said he was delighted to provide the venue for the fundraiser for an important cause.
“Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is unique in Australia, and we’re lucky to have it in the richly biodiverse Northern Rivers. We simply cannot let more wildlife suffer and die needlessly in our backyards,” Noble said.
JULIA GARDINER