Central Coast Carers Retreat extends its care to wombats.
Coordinated by Central Coast Local Health District’s Carer Support Unit (CSU), the retreat recently housed Southern Tablelands couple, Beth and George Morton, along with Birdie the Bare Nosed wombat joey.
Together the Morton’s run a wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary and have dedicated much of the past three months of their lives to caring for orphaned Birdie who was rescued from her deceased mother’s pouch.
With Birdie weighing in at just 120grams, the couple have spent the past five months guaranteeing Birdie’s health and safety by ensuring that she receives four to five hourly bottle feeds and that she has access to a temperature controlled pouch-like environment at all times.
However, this made it difficult for Beth to visit her mum, who has been receiving palliative care on the Coast.
But thanks to the team at the CSU, the wildlife warriors were able to make the journey to visit Beth’s mum, with the team going above and beyond to ensure the retreat had the necessary facilities the couple needed to be able to prepare Birdie’s specialised formula and to bottle feed her.
“We would like to give thanks to the amazing ladies at the Carer Support Unit.
“Without this help we would not have been able to travel to see my 99-year-old mother who is very sick in hospital.
“Having a place to safely leave Birdie and to feed her made it possible.
Dilon Luke