EWS 2024–2025 OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

In the 2024-25 period, EWS pursued the following primary objectives, with activities organised into three core areas:

1. Objective: Establishing a Critical Regional Wildlife Care Hub

The main objective for the year was to establish a dedicated, non-metropolitan facility to act as a safety net for injured and orphaned wildlife across the vast Goldfields-Esperance region.

Activity/Key Highlight	Details & Outcome
Launch of the Esperance Wildlife Hospital	The facility was officially established and commenced operation in May 2025, fulfilling a critical regional need for 24-hour emergency triage and stabilisation services.
Securing Key Funding & Donations	The project was made possible by generous support from DPIRD, alongside critical infrastructure donations from Southern Ports, the Shire of Esperance, and the Rotary Club of Esperance Bay.
Expanding Rehabilitation Capacity	100 square meters of specialised penning and a small flight aviary were constructed in late 2024 to support the long-term conditioning and pre-release of larger birds.

 

2. Objective: Enhancing Regional Preparedness and Expertise

A secondary objective was to build community knowledge and capacity to effectively respond to environmental and wildlife emergencies.

Activity/Key Highlight	Details & Outcome
Specialist Training Courses	EWS successfully ran two specialist training courses—Basic Handling and Rescue Techniques for Seabirds and Oiled Wildlife Response—training over 40 community volunteers to boost regional preparedness.
Expert Triage Support	Volunteers provided expert triage and transfer support across the Goldfields-Esperance region, often in collaboration with Swans Veterinary Services.

 

3. Objective: Restoring and Protecting Native Habitats

The long-standing environmental objective was to continue restoring the land as an essential ecological corridor and habitat for native species.

Activity/Key Highlight	Details & Outcome
Intensive Revegetation Program	The three-year total of native plants added exceeded 3,000 endemic seedlings, specifically focusing on providing food sources for the endangered Carnaby's Black Cockatoo.
Invasive Species Removal	Rigorous programs were maintained to remove invasive species like Freesias and bridal creeper, supporting the survival of the native understorey, which includes over eight flourishing orchid species.
Future Planning	Planning commenced for a Miyawaki-style revegetation project to promote rapid, dense forest growth and further enhance the wildlife habitat.
Water Security	Installation of 5 additional 14,000 litre rainwater storage tanks