Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Families are being invited to get up close with the region’s native wildlife while supporting the volunteers who work to protect it at the Fauna Rescue Whitsundays Family Fun Day.
The free community event will be held at Coral Sea Marina on Shingley Beach Road, Airlie Beach, from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday 3rd October.
The afternoon will feature something for all ages, with market stalls, street food, live entertainment and kids’ activities planned throughout the day. Young visitors can get involved with kids’ craft stations, face painting, competitionsand a scavenger hunt, offering plenty to keep little wildlife lovers entertained while families explore the event.
The event is being hosted by Fauna Rescue Whitsundays, a local volunteer organisation dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife. Founded in 2001, the organisation works alongside vets, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Council and other wildlife and environmental groups, while also providing education to local schools and community organisations. Behind the scenes, much of that work relies on volunteers.
Fauna Rescue operates a 24-hour wildlife emergency hotline, connecting members of the public with trained volunteers who can provide advice, coordinate rescues and arrange transport for animals requiring care.
The organisation's most recent annual reporting highlights just how busy that service can be, with the hotline receiving between 80 and 150 calls each month, or up to around 1,500 calls a year. In the 2023–24 reporting period, the organisation recorded 1,172 hotline calls, with 621 from the Whitsundays, 403 from Mackay, 25 from Isaac and two from outside its service area. Birds accounted for 827 of those calls.
That community reliance on the rescue network is one reason events such as the Family Fun Day are important, providing an opportunity for locals to learn more about native wildlife while supporting the volunteers behind the rescues. Fauna Rescue also encourages community members to become involved, with opportunities ranging from rescue and animal care to hotline operation and other volunteer roles. Training and support are provided for volunteers.
For families heading along on 3rd October, however, the focus will be on enjoying an afternoon together, with plenty of entertainment, food and activities celebrating the wildlife that makes the Whitsundays home.
If you spot an animal who needs help, contact the Fauna Rescue hotline via 4947 3389.
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