Wiggles the wombat and wallabies get help from CQ artists

Award-winning artists donate works to raise funds for wildlife rescue, research and release programs

Carole Elliott, Tricia Greinke, Kim Warcon, Gail Meyer, Erin Dunne, Sandra Harald, Tina Jansen (with Wiggles the wombat), Emma Ward, Jack Davis (with a blue tongue) and Susie Allcock (with a shingleback) are raising funds for wildlife rescue and research. Picture: Jann Houley

Wiggles the wombat has been a popular guest at Rockhampton State High School for more than ten years.

Art teacher Monica Vernon has arranged for generations of students to meet with animals from Safe Haven, a not-for-profit breeding program near Mt Larcom.

Monica Vernon with new baby Brin. Picture: contributed

But it was the safe delivery of her own wiggly bundle six weeks ago, a son named Brin, which made Monica more passionate about the plight of Australia's endangered animals.

"The thought of these creatures not being around for my son's generation is really upsetting,” she said this morning, as a number of local artists posed for photos with Wiggles and her reptilian friends.

Proceeds from the Into the Wilds exhibition, which begins Friday 26 July, will go to Safe Haven and Wildlife Rehabilitation CQ.

A silent auction of artworks donated by more than a dozen local artists will raise money for the rescue and care of endangered native animals.

The Into the Wild exhibition raises money for the Safe Haven shelter which protects animals such as Wiggles the wombat from extinction. Picture: Jann Houley

Up for grabs are works by acclaimed locals including Bayton Award entrants Nora Hanasy, Peta Lloyd, Yvonne Maloney, Emma Ward and this year's winner Erin Dunne.

Melbourne artist, Nathan Ferlazzo, whose portfolio includes an Australian National Geographic cover, has donated a 'floral wombat' print.

Safe Haven is the base for Australian Animals Care and Education whose members operate from Mackay to Monto and out to Moranbah.

Their charges include orphaned koalas, gliders, echidnas, wombats, wallabies, kangaroos and possums as well a variety of birds.

Safe Haven is already releasing into the wild the endangered bridled nail tail wallabies their breeding program has clawed back from the brink of extinction.

Brisbane artist Nathan Ferlazzo donated WOMBAT for the Into the Wild fundraiser. Picture: contributed

Their Mt Larcom home was hit hard by last year's bushfires.

Yeppoon's Cooberrie Park also takes care of more than 150 sick, injured and orphaned animals per year through its rehabilitation program, which receives no government support.

Carers say their greatest expenses are for enclosures and heat equipment, veterinary treatment, specialist food and marsupial milk.

It costs an estimated $1,200 per joey and $250 per bird to help wild animals, and that does not include volunteers' time.

Inflight by Peta Lloyd donated for Into the Wild fundraiser. Picture: contributed

Into the Wild will begin on Friday 26 July at 5pm and run until August 4 between 9am - 2pm each work day and 9:00am - 1:00pm on weekends at the Kern Arcade For Lease Space, East Street, Rockhampton (with thanks to the Coopers Family and the RRC).

On opening night and at various times throughout the exhibition, the two not-for-profits will run educational wildlife shows in the space.

In addition to raising much needed funds, the event aims to promote artists and the visual arts generally, and to develop public understanding of the role of visual artists, and the sheer volume of talent, within our region (and more widely, Qld).

A voluntary gold coin donation will be encouraged. There will also be a donation bin for rolled oats at the venue (as this is a much needed food supply item for wildlife in care).　

Originally published as Wiggles the wombat and wallabies get help from CQ artists