Thursday, January 30, 2025

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Alison's Fight To Give Koalas A Future

By Amanda Wright

Alison Pighills’ rural property near Mount Jukes hums with the sounds of life—wallabies bounding through enclosures, possums scurrying into their pens, and the occasional chirp of birds in recovery. For almost a decade, Alison has dedicated her time to rehabilitating native wildlife, giving hundreds of animals a second chance at life in the wild.

“When I release a wallaby and see it hopping off into the bush, there’s this incredible moment of pride and relief,” Alison said.

“I’ve released over 100 wallabies back into the wild, and what’s amazing is that many of them come back to visit. They’re still wild, but they sometimes hang around near the property for a while.”

Alison’s work as the treasurer and koala coordinator for Fauna Rescue Whitsundays (FRW) started with a love for possums. In 2016, she began caring for the marsupials, and her passion soon grew to include wallabies and, eventually, koalas.

“It’s a huge team effort to raise a wallaby,” she explained.

“Stage one carers take in the tiny pinkies that have just come out of the pouch.

“Then Stage two carers look after them indoors until they’re about three kilograms. That’s when they come to me as a Stage three carer. I have a custom-built outdoor enclosure where they can frolic, grow, and gain strength before they’re released.”

The wallaby enclosure is just one of the structures Alison’s husband has built on the property. It started with a possum pen, then expanded to include the wallaby enclosure.

Now, they’ve taken on their most ambitious project yet—a koala rehabilitation centre. Funded primarily by a gambling community benefit grant, the sanctuary features a medical treatment room, an isolation area for sick or infectious koalas, and an outdoor space where the animals can practice foraging on native trees.

However, the centre is only part of the vision. Alison is working to enclose a 40-metre by 40-metre area of native bushland with a specialised koala perimeter fence, allowing injured and orphaned koalas to fully rehabilitate before being released. The area will contain ironbark and Queensland blue gum trees, which koalas love to graze on.

“It’s a critical step in their recovery,” she said.

“Koalas need to relearn how to climb and graze before they can survive in the wild. Right now, we’ve raised $14,500 toward the $26,000 needed for the fence, but we still have a long way to go.”

Alison’s property is not just a sanctuary; it’s a lifeline for countless animals. Alongside wallabies and possums, she has expanded her efforts to care for koalas and even bats. Each species has unique needs, and Alison is prepared for every stage of their recovery.

“I keep milk supplies for all ages of wallabies, possums, and koalas,” she explained.

Her work with koalas has become particularly urgent, with more injured animals coming from areas like the Peak Downs Highway. Alison said the rise in drive-in, drive-out mining traffic has significantly impacted the local koala population.

“A lot of koalas come in with injuries from vehicle strikes,” she said.

“Right now, mums are carrying their joeys on their backs, so if you see a dead female koala, it’s crucial to check her pouch. The joey might still be alive, or it could be nearby.”

Alison’s dedication to animal rehabilitation is paralleled by her deep commitment to improving human health. As a Principal Research Fellow with the Mackay Hospital and Health Service, as well as an Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University, Alison has spent years researching ways to improve the quality of life for others.

Her daughter, Chelsea Presley, also works at the Mackay Base Hospital as a nurse.

The mother-daughter team have shared more than a common workplace and love of animals. Sadly, both women know what it’s like to face a harrowing battle with breast cancer.

Alison herself was diagnosed with breast cancer around five years ago, a time when her family’s world was turned upside down.

"It was a difficult time, but it showed me how resilient we can be when we have the people we love around us."

What Alison couldn’t have known at the time was that Chelsea would face her own breast cancer battle just a few years later. In 2022, Chelsea was diagnosed with an invasive form of breast cancer.

“It was devastating to hear, especially after all we had already been through,” Alison shared.

“But Chelsea’s strength and determination throughout her own battle was nothing short of inspiring. She took on the fight with a resolve I could only admire.”

Chelsea’s journey was long and incredibly challenging, but she emerged with a renewed sense of purpose. After undergoing treatment and surgery, Chelsea returned to work at the hospital, where she led a new initiative, creating the Mackay Hospital and Health Service’s Post Operative Discharge Support Service.

"She wanted to ensure that patients going through the same journey she did had the support they needed.”

Not only have they given one another the strength to survive, but during their treatments, they still gave some of their fighting spirit to the rescue animals that would join them at their rural home.

But the costs of running such a sanctuary are immense.

“My household food bill is higher for animals than it is for humans,” Alison laughed.

The koala fence is the next crucial step in improving the sanctuary’s capabilities.

“We’ve come so far with the enclosures, but this fence will make a huge difference. It’ll give the koalas a safe, natural environment to fully recover.”

Fauna Rescue Whitsundays plays a vital role in the region.

Since its establishment in 2001, it has provided care for sick, injured, and orphaned native animals across a massive catchment area, from St Lawrence to Clermont and north to Bowen. The organisation operates a 24-hour wildlife hotline, providing immediate assistance to animals in distress.

“Our volunteers are the backbone of what we do,” Alison said.

“But we’re always short on people in the Mackay area. We need more members who are willing to collect animals, take them to the vet, or even help rear orphaned wildlife like wallabies and birds. There’s such a need for support, especially with birds, which require specialised care.”

As Alison continues her work, she’s urging the community to get involved—whether by volunteering their time, donating funds, or simply being vigilant when encountering wildlife.

“If you see a dead kangaroo, wallaby, or koala, check the pouch,” she said.

“You might just save a joey’s life. And if you can, move the animal off the road to a safe place for carers to collect.”

For those who want to help Alison complete her koala perimeter fence or support Fauna Rescue Whitsundays, donations and memberships can make a real difference.

“It’s not just about the animals we’re caring for right now,” Alison said.

“It’s about creating a future where our wildlife has a fighting chance.”

To report injured or orphaned wildlife or to learn how you can help, call Fauna Rescue Whitsundays’ 24-hour hotline at 4947 3389 or visit the website at www.frw.org.au.

Alison Pighills with one of her rehabilitated wallabies, ready to return to the wild. Photo credit: Amanda Wright

A rescue koala grazing on fodder at Alison’s rescue facility

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