Ruth Lewis: Ipswich wildlife rescue icon retires after 30 years

A wildlife rescue icon has hung up her boots after three decades of saving injured animals in the Ipswich region and surrounds. Read about her journey to becoming queen of conservation:

Ruth Lewis with a young koala. Picture: Claudia Baxter / The Queensland Times

Ipswich’s own wildlife hero Ruth Lewis has stepped down as president of the Ipswich Koala Protection Society after nearly three decades of service.

She first joined the non-profit, volunteer organisation as a member in 1995, a year after it commenced, quickly becoming a driving force in educating people and protecting wildlife.

The group now comprises about 100 staff who work together to save more than 180 koalas, and countless other native wildlife, every year.

Ms Lewis said it was time to pass the conservation baton to the society’s younger members, but reassured the Ipswich community she would never truly stop protecting animals and their habitats.

“I’m a life member,” she said.

“I’m still giving advice and helping where I can. It was just time that someone else take the reins and run with it, and I can help them if they need me.”

Ipswich Koala Protection Society carers Ruth Lewis (left) and Marilyn Spletter bid a fond farewell to Forman before his release at Purga. Picture: David Nielsen / Queensland Times

Few are as committed to environmental and animal protection projects as Ms Lewis, who has been an animal lover for as long as she can remember, a member of the Ipswich Koala Protection Society for 26 years, and president of the organisation for more than two decades.

“From when I was a child I’d take home stray kittens and birds, much to my mother’s horror,” she said.

“I was always attracted to animals.”

Her journey with the society began “accidentally”, when she found a koala that needed rescuing and made contact with the society.

Somehow, she said, that interaction turned into a lifetime of saving animals.

She even picked up her things and relocated to Mount Forbes with her husband some 15 years ago so that she could nurture and release wildlife from home.

Ms Lewis now finds herself surrounded by hundreds of rescued animals every day.

“I’ve got cats, a dog – most of them were strays – and all the wildlife out here. The kangaroos I’ve released. Lots of hand-raised, orphan kangaroos,” she said.

“Animals just melt your heart. Flying foxes are one of my favourites. They’re just so innocent and they can’t speak for themselves.

“We need to protect them and look after them.”

Ipswich Koala Protection Society president Ruth Lewis and Frank Manthey. Picture: Rob Williams / The Queensland Times

Ms Lewis said the society’s team of wildlife carers were making a difference not just by treating injured animals, and raising and releasing them to the wild, but by educating the public.

“And we’ve worked with so many different people, the council, developers, (Willowbank Area Group), Transport and Main Roads,” she said.

“We don’t chain ourselves naked to bulldozers. If you can work with those people in a professional manner, that’s going to provide the best outcome for everyone.”

She said the great feats the society had accomplished during her time as president came down to the efforts of the entire team, and it was in fact the society’s legacy of conservation, not hers, that would live on.

“Over 30 years, the people who started out the same as me, as wildlife carers, became extended family,” she said.

“We all lean on each other when things don’t go quite so well, when you have babies that don’t make it. I think that’s what I will take away from (the society) – the friends I’ve made.

“It’s been an awesome journey.”

The Ipswich Koala Protection Society will hold an AGM in the coming weeks to decide who will fill Ms Lewis’ very big shoes as president.