Australian Wildlife Sanctuary rebuilds after Black Summer bushfires

Brad Wilson is still haunted by the Black Summer bushfires tearing through his beloved Australian Wildlife Sanctuary. But hope is rising from the ashes.

As Brad Wilson watched his beloved Australian Wildlife Sanctuary — and many native animals — dying in the Black Summer fires, he found himself wishing he was still in there.

“Being an animal lover, one of my regrets is that I should have stayed … the captain going down with the ship thing is silly but it’s just a feeling that comes across me now and again,” he said. “You just think of what they were going through, all the wild animals killed from the bushfires.”

Brad Wilson with wife Cindy Jenart and kids (l to r) William, Willow and Benjamin. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Wilson, the managing director of the Bargo sanctuary, thought they would be spared from the terrible Green Wattle Creek blaze after a community meeting where he was told the fire was burning in the opposite direction.

Then a cruel change in the wind brought the fire speeding towards the sanctuary, giving them just enough time to evacuate the last animals.

“The fire brigade commander came in and told us we had to go but, being animal lovers, of course that doesn’t really happen,” Mr Wilson said.

Volunteer Mary-Ann Waterlander. Pictures: Sam Ruttyn

Willow Wilson, 3, with a central bearded dragon.

Brad Wilson says hello to a friendly sugar glider. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“But he was quite forceful with it and said we had 30 minutes before the fire was going to come through — within 15 minutes we were driving and the place was already in flames.

“When you think about it later on you realise it was really quite a close situation, not only the fire but the smoke, the heat. As I was driving out of the sanctuary I could see the cabins all on fire and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Meanwhile, his family was terrified because his phone had run out of charge and they had no way of knowing if he was safe.

The sanctuary in 2020, after the devastating fires tore through …

… and as it looks today, regenerating nicely. Pictures: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Wilson and his team not only saved their animals, they also managed to help the neighbouring Dingo Sanctuary save all its animals.

But, being an animal lover and lifelong conservationist, seeing the many wild animals who also called the sanctuary home lose their lives in the flames was heartbreaking.

Of the sanctuary’s 220ha of land, about 210ha was destroyed by the fires.

Full enclosures, new education buildings and offices, and ancient native trees and vegetation were all destroyed.

After a tough 2020 of rebuilding, the sanctuary is finally opening its doors to the public again.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the National Trust of Australia, the sanctuary will be holding two visitor days in March for the local community to see the rebuild.

That event has sold out, but the sanctuary it will soon reopen to the general public.