An interview with our East Branch volunteer Julie, who along with her husband Robert recently celebrated 35 years as WIRES volunteers.

Thank you for joining us Julie – how did you and Robert become WIRES volunteers all those years ago?

It began in 1989, when we found a young Brushtail Possum that appeared to be injured. We didn’t know how to help, so we contacted Taronga Zoo for advice. They asked if we’d heard of WIRES, and I remember feeling an immediate sense of relief knowing such an organisation existed. We joined the next intake in early 1990 and both became volunteers.

Has wildlife rescue changed much in Sydney over the past 35 years?

There are far fewer varieties of birds now, which is sad. It seems to be the smaller birds that have disappeared, the Silvereyes and New Holland honeyeaters. Ongoing development and tree loss, increased predation, the rise of more dominant urban birds, and the quiet disappearance of ‘understory’ vegetation may have reduced places to feed, shelter, and nest. As green spaces become more fragmented, recovery seems harder, and the landscape favours larger, more adaptable species.

We still get large numbers of wildlife coming into care, such as possums, plovers, rainbow lorikeets, flying foxes, and other larger birds, but I’ve noticed that many arrive due to struggling in the wild. Often, they’re malnourished and weak from hunger. To me, it feels like a quiet reflection of the broader changes happening around us, where food and suitable habitat are harder to find, even for species that are still considered ‘common’.

Is there anything our community can do?

Yes, plant native species wherever you can. There are a lot of non-native plants being planted nowadays, and that doesn’t usually provide food for wildlife. It depends on where you live of course, but planting flowering natives makes such a difference to our wildlife – you are literally planting a source of healthy food and nutrition for them!

Your daughter Claire is also now a WIRES volunteer – I guess she grew up loving Aussie wildlife?

Yes, she studied a Bachelor of Science (Evolution and Ecology) and went on to do a Masters in Behavioural Ecology. She’s been a WIRES volunteer since she was 18 (over 13 years now!) and currently works at Taronga Zoo. She’s basically living her passion - working hands-on with wildlife.

We hear your husband Robert helped build the first WIRES Randwick recovery centre?

Yes, that’s right, in 1993. He’s built several beautiful flight aviaries and enclosures over the years, and now we have the new WIRES Native Animal Recovery Centre in Randwick which is making a big difference to rescued native animals. Both myself, Robert and Claire help at the centre for several hours each week.

Very young, orphaned or injured wildlife need round the clock care, but when they’re older or recovered, they need a place to prepare them for release, it’s great having a facility that has the space to provide flight or foraging practice – it makes the world of difference to them.

That's the positive difference we now have. We have more of the facilities, the equipment and the knowledge to really support native animals in care. The other thing we now have is recognition. When we first started, no one knew about WIRES – now it feels like everyone in our community does – that’s got to be a good thing for our native animals.

Thank you to the Nelson family, for their incredible service to Australian wildlife!