Proposed Stirling Rehabilitation Facility a Game-Changer for South Australia
SOWFI is excited to propose the establishment of a Wildlife Finishing School in Stirling, South Australia. This innovative project will significantly enhance SOWFI’s capacity to rehabilitate an additional 130 possums annually while providing valuable volunteering opportunities for the Hills community.
SOWFI is pleased that the Adelaide Hills Council is engaging in community consultation on this proposal.
A Game-Changing Project The Wildlife Finishing School will function as a ‘boarding school’ for possums, housing them in five large, custom-built aviaries during their critical pre-release phase. This setup will allow them to develop essential strength and agility, enabling a successful transition back into their natural habitat.
Importantly, no wildlife will be released at the rehabilitation site itself; all will be returned to their original rescue locations as per Department of Environment and Water permit requirements.
The project will cost $50,000 to build, with funding already generously provided by Terra Artemis, a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting conservation initiatives.
Addressing a Growing Need As South Australia's largest volunteer wildlife rescue and rehabilitation group, SOWFI responds to nearly 5,000 wildlife rescue calls each year via our 24/7 hotline.
10% of SOWFI’s rescue calls originate in the Adelaide Hills Council region—45% of which involve possums
The Wildlife Finishing School directly addresses this need by providing a dedicated pre-release rehabilitation space for possums before they are returned to the wild.
Community and Environmental Benefits Beyond possum rehabilitation, the School will offer additional benefits to both the local community and wildlife conservation efforts:
Increased aviary capacity to support SOWFI's overburdened carers
Offer new and varied volunteering opportunities, especially for those interested in wildlife care who do not have the capacity to do so in their own homes
Potential use of aviaries for temporary housing of koalas during bushfire events.
The proposal aligns closely with the Adelaide Hills Council 2024 Strategic Plan and the intent of the Evelyn Halliday Reserve bequest, which stipulates that the land be used for the benefit of the community. The house block at 22 Wright Rd has remained vacant for several years, making it an ideal location for this much-needed initiative.
Community Consultation SOWFI supports the community consultation currently underway through the Adelaide Hills Council. We encourage you to have your say on the proposal on the Adelaide Hills Council website
”So many residents in the Hills live here for the wildlife and natural landscapes, but living in close contact with humans can often place additional pressures and risks on our wildlife. The Wildlife Finishing School will provide an ideally placed facility for helping animals recover from injury or illness before the return to the bush where they belong. This facility will be a significant asset to allow volunteers and community members to learn how we can better care for the wildlife around us." - Danielle Clode, award-winning author of Australian non-fiction books and Adelaide Hills local
