Australia’s only all-species wildlife veterinary hospital between Sydney and the Gold Coast will begin operating from a permanent location from August 11, following the acquisition of a general veterinary practice in Lennox Head.
After nearly five years of operating out of a mobile facility, Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital (BBWH) will transition to a purpose-equipped, bricks-and-mortar clinic – expanding its capacity to care for a growing number of native wildlife cases.
“With increasing wildlife admissions, we are now operating at full capacity,” said Dr Bree Talbot, General Manager of Veterinary Services at BBWH. “The new fixed-location hospital provides the space and infrastructure needed to manage our caseload more efficiently and deliver the level of care our patients deserve.”
Founded in 2020, BBWH recently admitted its 10,000th patient – a short-beaked echidna suffering from tick infestation, broken quills, hair loss and conjunctivitis. The team’s knowledge in the unique physiology and treatment of Australia’s diverse wildlife has been critical in delivering positive outcomes for native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
The move to Lennox Head was made possible by private donors. “We are deeply grateful to the benefactors who made this possible,” Stephen Van Mil, Founder and CEO of BBWH said. “Their faith in our mission has sustained us through some challenging periods.”
The new hospital will operate under Wildlife Recovery Australia, BBWH’s parent organisation, alongside two other dedicated sites in the region:
- Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital (HQ), Lennox Head
- Byron Bay Raptor Recovery Centre, Ewingsdale
- Wildlife Recovery Australia Hospital ‘Matilda’, Knockrow
The Lennox Head facility will provide free veterinary care seven days a week for sick, injured, and orphaned native animals presented by members of the public and wildlife rescue groups.
Importantly, the move allows BBWH’s custom-built mobile facility, Matilda, to return to field deployment – delivering rapid response support during bushfires, floods and other natural disasters, as well as assisting with research and education outreach.
Photo: James D Morgan
