How can we forget Project RECAP? In 2023, thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we began the expansion of our wildlife hospital through Project RECAP, giving us the space and tools to treat more animals than ever before. This campaign was a huge success and saw $420,000 raised.  And even better, that was matched - every single dollar - by the Elsie Cameron Foundation, doubling every donor's support.  

We launch the Double It For Wildlife Week fundraising campaign today, the 5th of November 2025, on the day we officially open the biggest project in our history.  The new and vastly improved Bonorong Wildlife Hospital. 7.5 times the size of our prior building, which we quickly outgrew. This world-class facility is a phenomenal step forward for wildlife in Tasmania, and now we need more people power to utilise the opportunity and turn our fundraising efforts to funding the experts needed within the new space.   So why do we launch the fundraiser today? Two reasons.

Firstly.  We now have this amazing facility.  Just see the map below to see how spectacular this is, and we now need the most important part of the build.  The people.  The expert wildlife vets and nurses that can use all of the machinery and their years of expertise and passion, putting them both to work for our precious wildlife.

Secondly.  The Elsie Cameron Foundation is at it again. They want to see the assistance for wildlife continue to soar to new heights and have again offered to match donations for this 1-week power campaign, up to $400,000.  So we know this is ambitious, but why wouldn't we set $400,000 as our target? With donors knowing that every dollar they donate is worth two.  We want to extend a huge thanks to the Elsie Cameron Foundation and everyone involved for their support, passion and generosity working alongside us.

In the last year alone, nearly 20,000 animals needed our assistance, and sadly, that number grows each year. It is alarming to all of us fighting so hard in this sector how quickly the case load grows every year. So, quite simply, that means we have to keep growing as well. Our main focus for Double It For Wildlife Week is to raise as many dollars as we can to fund wildlife vets and nurses.  The most vital part of the whole operation, the people, who use the machines, facilities and many combined years of training and passion to pull it all together and make a difference.  All donations over 2 dollars are tax-deductible, but most importantly, doubled, thanks to the Elsie Cameron Foundation.

The approximate costs for a wildlife veterinarian and nurse for 1 hour is $93. So for one team, an eight-hour shift is $744.  And 7 days equate to $5208. And that does not allow for any penalty rates or overtime.  It is the minimum cost. But of course, that only covers 8 hours.  During our busy season, which seems to be most of the year these days, we will need to run a day team and a night team, doubling those costs. To fund just two vet teams a day, for seven days, therefore, equates to $10,416.

Obviously, there are many other costs involved in the treatments, and machinery, as well as management and coordination overheads, but our focus for this fundraiser is these teams, as without them, we cannot save anything and truly utilise the new facility.  $400,000 would essentially fund two teams for 38 weeks. Thanks to the generosity of the Elsie Cameron Foundation matching dollar for dollar up to $400,000 our aim is to raise enough to run two teams for 76 weeks - more than a year of funding these experts, critical to the survival of so many that come through our door.