The Northern Rivers Times
November 2, 2023
10 NEWS
HUGE SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR BYRON BAY WILDLIFE HOSPITAL AT WILD AID 2023
Headline act: The Cruel Sea put on a stella performance at Wild Aid, lead singer Tex Perkins is a passionate wildlife supporter and ambassador of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. Image: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
By Sarah Waters The previous state government may have pulled its funding from Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, but its supporters won’t let its doors shut. More than 1000 people helped to raise close to $100,000 for the wildlife hospital at the inaugural Wild Aid 2023 concert held at The Green Room, at Byron Events Farm, in Tyagarah on October 21. The concert was headlined by wildlife ambassador Tex Perkins and his band, The Cruel Sea, who recently reunited to play the exclusive benefit gig as a warmup to their recently announced national tour. The Cruel Sea’s stella performance was followed by Byron Bay band Loose Content, singer-songwriter Jez Mead and solo artist Adalita Srsen, who all took to the stage and performed for free to support Australian wildlife. The Godfather of punk Iggy Pop also made an appearance via video link with his rescue Moluccan
cockatoo Biggy Pop - the founding patron of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital since 2020. Iggy said to concert goers ‘if you’re here at Wild Aid it’s because you like good music and wildlife - those are a couple of things I might know something about, and Biggie too.’ “Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is Australia’s largest mobile hospital, built to save native wildlife during a bushfire or flood,” Iggy said. “We need public support to keep saving wildlife while we work to persuade the government to restore the $6 million four-year funding plan they announced and then revoked,” he said. Founder and CEO of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Dr Stephen Van Mil said the event was fantastic and people really dug deep during the live auction to raise much-needed funds for the hospital - which couldn’t have come at a better time. The day of the concert, the team at Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital searched for injured
Digging deep: Founder of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Dr Stephen Van Mil holds up a print for auction at the Wild Aid benefit concert. Image: Lisa G Photography.
wildlife at Tyagarah Nature Reserve, where a bushfire had been burning for more than a week. Ironically, the concert
mark over whether we could go ahead with the event because of the fire,” Dr Van Mil said. “But it was all cleared
Huge effort: The team at Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital work tirelessly to save Australia’s native animals despite the previous state government revoking a $6 million funding grant. Image: Lisa G Photography.
venue was right next to the fire zone. “There was a question
by National Parks and Wildlife Service and local authorities, so on
the day of the concert we had a team going around looking for wildlife and that evening we hosted a great concert. “People were in a really good frame of mind and were really generous, it was a beautiful event, everyone really enjoyed themselves. “It’s incredibly heartening to know how much the public supports us, and it’s a real shot in the arm for our veterinary team’s morale,” he said. Bluesfest Director Peter Noble OAM provided the venue for the fundraiser. Prior to the concert he said it was the saddest irony that a benefit show to raise money for Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, which provides treatment for wildlife injured by bush fires and floods, was itself in the vicinity of a bushfire. “At times like these, the importance of this wonderful community asset is demonstrated,” Mr Noble said. “According to reports, the death toll, and injuries to wildlife from the fire at the Tyagarah Nature Reserve near Byron Bay are considerable.
“The Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is treating the wildlife right now.” Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital receives no funding, and it costs $550 on average to treat every animal that comes into its care. The funds raised from Wild Aid will pay for the expert treatment needed to save more than 170 wildlife patients. Last month the hospital treated more animals than ever before with wildlife breeding earlier than normal due to the unseasonably warm weather. Dr Van Mil recently met with the NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and presented her with a petition that had 21,000 signatures supporting the wildlife hospital. He has requested emergency funding from the government and is awaiting to hear if it has been approved or not. In the meantime, the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital team continue to treat hundreds of native animals each week.
SPORTS GRANTS Get $2000 to $20,000 for your Club!
I have helped secure a total of $50,000 exclusively for clubs in the Richmond and Clarence Valleys. The money is for upgrades, equipment and programs to increase access to sport. Please apply at sports.nsw.gov.au by the 27 November deadline. Let me know how you go, and see you at your ground!
Richie Williamson briefs NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib on bushfire preparedness in the Northern Rivers.
clarence@parliament.nsw.gov.au Tel: 6643 1244
Richie Williamson MP
Authorised by Richie Williamson. Funded using parliamentary entitlements.
