Rae Harvey: Former music manager rebuilding Wild2Free animal sanctuary

No running water, electricity and other essential services won’t stop Rae Harvey from looking after kangaroos after her sanctuary was destroyed by bushfires.

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Despite not having electricity, running water or other essential services, Rae Harvey refuses to leave her Runnyford property — because of the few surviving kangaroos and joeys in her care.

The former music manager has dedicated her life to the native animals, however her Wild2Free sanctuary about 20 minutes out of Batemans Bay was destroyed in the devastating New Year’s Eve bushfires.

“I won’t leave the property because I have injured wildlife,” Harvey, who managed some of Australia’s biggest bands before moving to the south coast of NSW, told The Daily Telegraph. “It is tough but I am not doing it.”

Rae Harvey at Wild2Free sanctuary outside Bateman’s Bay, which was destroyed in the bushfires.

Just 24 kangaroos survived from the 70 Harvey looked after before the bushfires.

She’s also looking after one wallaby, three possums and several native birds including cockatoos and magpies.

“For those that have survived, it is my responsibility to keep them alive,” she said.

“One of my sick kangaroos aborted her joey because she couldn’t feed it because she was so sick and the joey died and I had to feed it to a Lace Monitor.

“It sucked but I had to do it, they all need to eat.”

Wild2Free kangaroo sanctuary on Runnyford Road outside Batemans Bay was destroyed in the New Year's Eve 2019 bushfires.

Harvey has received some government assistance but is most thankful to a group of six volunteers from Reach Out World Wide, an emergency response organisation set up by the late Hollywood actor Paul Walker before his untimely death.

Josh Stout, from Oregon in the US, and his team flew to Australia at their own expense and spent a week helping out around the Bateman’s Bay area.

Perth aviation firefighter Craig de Meillon was part of the group.

Together, they built several shelters and feeding stations for the kangaroos.

They were put in touch with Harvey by an anonymous Sydney businessman, who has been helping with the relief efforts.

“The fires took away so many of the natural resources,” Stout said. “It is devastating.”

A kangaroo is treated for burns after the bushfires that destroyed the Wild2Free Kangaroo sanctuary.

A kangaroo takes shelter on what used to be one of the structures at Wild2Free kangaroo sanctuary.

For Harvey, the fight continues.

She has been told her insurance will not cover the full cost of rebuilding so is likely to receive a cash payout and is still negotiating how she can get the house demolished and ready for a new home to be built.

“What we need more than cash is services,” she said.

“We need power. We need water. We need basic living conditions. I would take that over $1 million right now.”

A kangaroo rests with fresh food and water after the bushfires that destroyed the Wild2Free kangaroo sanctuary near Bateman’s Bay.

Craig de Meillon helps rebuild Wild2Free kangaroo sanctuary after it was destroyed by bushfires.

Rae Harvey thanks American Josh Stout from Reach Out World Wide who, along with five others, gave his time to build shelters from kangaroos at the Wild2Free sanctuary that was destroyed by bushfires.

Originally published as Rae Harvey: Former music manager rebuilding Wild2Free animal sanctuary