Broody birds, sweltering heat and the flood and cyclone risks inherent to North Queensland over summer have once again delivered an exhausting season for Townsville's volunteer native wildlife carers.
NQ Wildlife Care (NQWC), a 360-member-strong wildlife rescue organisation run out of a centre on a parcel of Townsville City Council-owned land in Aitkenvale, receives more than 10,000 calls for help each year – an average of 25 calls a day.
This demand is ongoing but it's the extended summer season – from September through to March – when orphaned baby birds and bats come into care and flood and cyclones threaten displacement, that really stretches the charity thin.
In January alone, the group took carriage of more than 168 native animals across a variety of species, including birds, bats, macropods, possums, bandicoots, reptiles and frogs, and February is shaping up to be a similarly busy month.
NQ Wildlife Care secretary Nettie McCarthy said demand was constant and often outstripped volunteer capacity, but the charity remained committed to its cause.
She said the group was always looking for more members, and that volunteering could take many forms.
"We understand that not everyone is willing or able to respond to call-outs or provide care for animals, however there are plenty of other ways people can get involved ranging from gardening, collection of native brush for feed, fundraising and transporting – whatever you can do, we appreciate," Ms McCarthy said.
"We have experienced a very busy period over the last few months as it is the breeding season for birds, flying foxes and microbats, as well as the usual summer and storm season.
"We have a couple more months of this busy period to go yet, but so far we are very proud of the work we have been able to do and the little lives we have been able to save."
Divisional councillor Andrew Robinson, who recently met with NQ Wildlife Care to hear firsthand about their plans for growth as well as ongoing challenges, said they provided an important community service that Townsville could not do without.
Cr Robinson commended the charity, and the other volunteer organisations run across the region that are dedicated to assisting wildlife, for their hard work and compassion.
"Council recently voted unanimously to extend the peppercorn lease provided to NQ Wildlife Care for another ten years, at a notional cost of $1 per year," he said.
"That is because we recognise the value of their work as a community service to the people of Townsville who turn to them when they need assistance with injured, unwell or stranded native animals, and to the animals themselves.
"They do important work, and as a Council we want to do what we can to help them continue to operate and grow for the betterment of the entire community."
NQWC President Dominique Thiriet expressed her great appreciation for Council's support and the 10-year lease approval.
Council's Community Lease Program supports more than 200 local community groups, sporting clubs, and non-profits by providing access to Council-owned land and facilities, often through subsidised rent or peppercorn ($1) arrangements.
The program supports community groups, sporting clubs, theatre groups and scout groups to benefit from $4.91 million in subsidised rent in the 2025/26 FY, in addition to subsidised rates and utilities.
