Karla McDiarmid: 2024 ABIA Humanitarian of the Year & The Wombats She’s Helping

By Louise May

At the 2024 ABIA Awards, Karla McDiarmid, owner of Macquarie MediSpa, was honoured as Humanitarian of the Year—a recognition of her unwavering commitment to helping others.

From supporting local and national charities to organising fundraisers, sponsoring schools, and volunteering her time, Karla’s generosity knows no bounds.

One of the most heartwarming moments of the evening came when Circadia CEO Michael Pugliese, moved by Karla’s story and selfless dedication, pledged a $10,000 donation to support a cause close to her heart—Kanimbla Wombats. This generous act has already made a significant impact, providing much-needed support to help care for orphaned and injured wombats.

Kanimbla Wombats: A Cause Close to Karla’s Heart

Beyond her extensive humanitarian work, Karla has also dedicated herself to wildlife conservation, working closely with Kanimbla Wombats. This grassroots organisation, run by Anna and Melinda, focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured wombats, relying entirely on donations to continue their work.

Wombats are an iconic part of Australia’s wildlife, but they face numerous threats, including habitat destruction, road accidents, and mange—a parasitic disease that causes extreme suffering and, if untreated causes a very slow and painful death. The work that Kanimbla Wombats does is vital in ensuring the survival of these animals, but with limited resources, they often struggle to provide the necessary care.

This generous donation has helped in multiple ways:

• Care for orphaned wombats: With eight orphaned wombats currently in care, the funds help cover the $600 per month needed for milk and supplements.

• Mange treatment: Each three-month treatment costs $200 per wombat, ensuring that more wombats receive the care they need.

• Sustenance for recovering wombats: Food expenses for juvenile and transitioning wombats add up to $100 per month.

• Medical advancements: A microscope has been purchased, allowing for research and routine health checks.

• The Circadia Shelter: Plans are underway to build a new protective shelter, aptly named The Circadia Shelter, providing a safer environment for wombats and their carers.

Anna and Melinda from Kanimbla Wombats, expressed their heartfelt gratitude:

“Your donation has made such a difference to us. It allows us to keep doing what we do best—rescuing, rehabilitating, and helping these animals return to the wild. We are beyond grateful and excited about this ongoing relationship.”

This partnership between Circadia Australia and Kanimbla Wombats highlights the power of corporate philanthropy in wildlife conservation, showing that businesses can be catalysts for meaningful change.

Catching Up with Karla:

Following her well-deserved recognition and the incredible donation from Circadia, we had the chance to catch up with Karla McDiarmid to reflect on the award, her passion for philanthropy, and what this means for Kanimbla Wombats.

How did it feel to be named the 2024 ABIA Humanitarian of the Year, and what does this recognition mean to you personally?

I am still in shock 6 months on! That evening in Sydney at The Star - was surreal! When I saw my photos up on the screen – I remember looking at Faye Murray and saying, ‘you knew!!” I had no idea... it was an incredible surprise and shock all in one!

Being recognised for what I do is a hard pill to swallow because you don’t volunteer to be thanked, you fundraise to help others by choice, you give a hand up every day to others, so to me it just comes naturally, and I like to treat others how I would like to be treated. The recognition is lovely, but it does take me a little while to process and accept it as there are so many other wonderful volunteers out there doing wonderful things to help others.

Giving back has always been a core value of yours—can you share a bit about your journey and what drives your passion for philanthropy?

I grew up in a family that always gives back! My grandad Rex McDiarmid was a publican for over 49 years and was on Bathurst council 15 years and he only had 1 leg, so he was an inspirational businessman & donated many hours to supporting community and also the Royal Far Wes charity for kids. My dad is a returned serviceman and has volunteered with many charities and just completed 25 years in Legacy for war widows. My mum dedicated her whole career to education and was awarded a Public Service Medal with Stewart House very close to her heart as the charity she supported annually to help country kids have a holiday each year.

My sister has been a part of Girl Guides for over 40 years and volunteers weekly with Guides as well so volunteering and helping others is definitely in my blood. Living in regional communities I believe is also a big part of it. I am a proud Bathurstian, and you will find many incredible and generous people donating their times in country towns – it’s just a way of life in the country. I hope to inspire younger generations coming through and my team to help give back and volunteer every day more. If you are ever bored or lonely in life, I guarantee becoming a volunteer will change your life!

I remember when I joined Lions – they are the most wonderful kind and caring humans where you will make beautiful supportive friends.

Why did you choose Kanimbla Wombats as the recipient of Circadia’s $10,000 donation?

During 2019/2020 we had to call WIRES because a really sick wombat had walked onto my parents property. Anna who is ‘Kanimbla Wombats’ and also was a WIRES volunteer drove to us, one way 1.5 hours – volunteering her time – so I would walk with her, and I love animals, so it interested me to learn about mange, and to save her driving the 3 hr return trip, I completed my WIRES training, and she taught me how I could be treating the sick wombat too.

Whilst the business was closed in lockdown, it gave me a purpose and exercise all at the same time, as trying to find and help this terribly sick animal. Anna taught me a lot and so I then would take on other wombats that got called in with early morning walks or after work walks to try and treat the wombats which need a weekly dose of medication for 3+ months to try and help kill the mites that are burrowing in under their skin causing them to basically scratch themselves to death! It’s the most horrendous thing to see and as I always say, we wouldn’t let a human skin look like that, so why are we letting it affect our native animals.

What impact has this donation already made for Kanimbla Wombats, and what are some of the most urgent needs it has helped address?

The donation by Circadia was just INCREDIBLE! Kanimbla wombats is a very small quiet achieving duo with Anna and Mel going out on the road to help many species of native animals and wombats in particular, but Anna will have sometimes up to 15+ wombats she is travelling to across regional NSW to treat mange on farms & 4 or 5 wombats on her own property being nursed back to health, which when it’s a baby wombat is a full time job!. Often the mums have been hit by cars so it can be a year + until the baby is big enough to go out into the real world on its own.

Anna doesn’t get to have holidays because these big babies can’t be left alone and she also has a ‘hospital pen’ for the sick wombats which can be mange, dog attacks or even attacks by other wombats, that need to be nursed back to care before releasing. This donation is already going towards food for wombats, petrol to help rescue other injured animals, it will go towards wombat enclosures and will help Kanimbla Wombats with creating more educational books and calendars, which will help them to continue to raise more awareness about our native animals and mange.

The Circadia Shelter is an exciting initiative—can you share more about what this will mean for the wombats in care and the rescue efforts?

Anna is already planning the upgrade of the enclosures and something as simple as a little roof in an area so she can sit under cover whilst bottle feeding baby wombats& provide the sick wombats a safer area to come outside.

Upgrading the fences that they try to dig under, but also helping to build safer ‘nests’ for the wombats when they are sick, so they are insulated, with a roof and comfortable in their home whilst they are getting better.

What advice would you give to others who want to make a difference but don’t know where to start?

Find causes that are close to your heart. Research how you can help and find mentors.

I recommend every business owner and therapist to join a local community club such as Lions or Rotary, complete you Lifeline Crisis Supporter Training ( it is so valuable as an employer but also for our clients) and if you love animals – reach out to your states animal wildlife rescue agencies – volunteers are DESPERATELY needed in every sector. If you live in a capital city you can volunteer 1 day a month even at your Ronald McDonald House – that is very special too – I honestly cannot wait to retire one day because then I will get to do so much volunteering to help others – it truly fills your cup and makes you feel amazing being able to help others less fortunate & then it just becomes part of your world and will come natural every day to help others in need because it’s a part of your DNA

@karla_mcdiarmid @circadia_aus @kanimblawombats