Why a Joey Nursery Matters

I'm a wildlife rescuer. My job is to rescue and rehabilitate native Australian animals. I especially have a soft spot for kangaroos. And I will never forget my very first rescue directly from a deceased kangaroos pouch.

The dead kangaroo was obvious on the road. She had been killed by a car at high speed. What wasn't so obvious was the tiny movements inside her pouch.

Fortunately my daughter noticed as we drove past slowly to check her out.

"Mum, there is something moving inside her."

I caught my breath as I went around the side of the roo to inspect her pouch. A tiny little face was staring out at me. Bright eyes. Soft short velvety fur. And she was terrified.

She had no idea why the pouch that normally kept her so warm was getting cold. She couldn't understand why the teat that supplied her milk was now dry. And she was curious as to why her mother wasn't getting up.

My husband and I carefully lifted her out of the pouch and wrapped her in warm blankets. Now she had a long road of growth ahead of her. She could be in care for up to a year, growing, developing and learning the skills that she would need to be released back in nature.

Now our job is raising these little orphans. And its a time consuming job. Yet oh, so rewarding. Every feed, bath, and hop brings these tiny joeys closer to their release into the wild and we get to enjoy every milestone as we nurture them in our care.

Every rescue has a story—and here at Sunset Creek our goal is to provide a place where more of these little orphans can come and be raised in a safe and caring environment. We've always had a deep love for Australia's native wildlife, but over time, one thing became very clear—these little ones need more dedicated care and space than ever before.

That’s why we’re building our very own joey nursery and rehabilitation centre right here at the sanctuary.

Our goal is to open in July but the need for carers is needed now and we already have 4 beautiful Eastern Grey's in our care.

Wildlife carers do extraordinary work, but many are overloaded and under-resourced. There simply aren’t enough facilities available for the volume of orphaned and injured macropods needing help. We knew we had to do more.

So we started dreaming. What would a joey nursery look like for us here at Sunset Creek?

I pictured a small building with three rooms.

One will have lots of storage to keep all the fresh pouches, bottles, teats and formula for the joeys. It will have an area to one side with a large sink to bath the little joeys when they get messy. A long bench will give space to wrap them in soft towels when they are clean and transfer them into clean pouches. A window would look into the room so that we could have guests come and see what we are doing with these native animals. The window will allow them to watch a bath or a bottle feed and see just how we care for these joeys.

A second room with be larger. It will have a space with chairs for guests to come and learn about our sanctuary and the animals that live here. The room will have hooks on the walls to hang the joey pouches so they can pop out and see the other joeys. The floor underfoot will be soft and spongy - perfect for those first little hops (and stumbles). This room will look into the room where the bathing and feeding will happen.

A third room will allow us to sell some products - like eco-friendly drink bottles, cosy blankets and kangaroo keychains - so that we can bring some money in to support the care of these babies.

This isn’t just a building. It’s a stepping stone for survival—and eventually, a soft release back into protected bushland. This is not yet a reality but hopefully soon it will be - and a place where people can learn about the beauty of the Australian bushland and the creatures that inhabit it.

We also see the nursery as a unique opportunity to educate our community, especially children and visitors. Through guided educational sessions and animal encounters, guests will learn how joeys come into care, what it takes to raise and rehabilitate them, and how every person can play a part in wildlife conservation.

It’s not just about seeing cute animals—it’s about fostering empathy and awareness, and planting the seeds of future caretakers and advocates.

How You Can Help

We’re currently raising funds to support the building and equipping of the nursery—from bottle warmers and heat pads to building materials and medical supplies.

Whether you:

• Adopt one of our joeys

• Donate to our GoFundMe campaign

• Book an educational session

• Or simply spread the word—

You’re helping to give orphaned joeys a second chance at life.

At Sunset Creek, we believe that small acts of kindness can lead to big changes in the world. This nursery is just the beginning, and we’re so grateful to have you on this journey with us.

Stay tuned—we’re only just getting started, and there’s plenty more behind-the-scenes magic to come.