Jacqui Webb
Mackay/Whitsunday
District 4

I rescued my first bird, a baby magpie, when I was in grade 5 (many moons ago now!) and with the help and support of my parents, successfully raised him. There was then a succession of rescued birds. Both my parents and Grandfather bred native parrots, so of course people would always bring injured critters to us.
The passion grew from there. Mum and Dad were always very supportive of my love for animals, putting up (and financing!) all the waifs that I managed to bring home. They recognised this passion and encouraged me to seek a future in this area.
I left school to work as a Veterinary Nurse and studied at TAFE to become a qualified Vet Nurse. I worked in several practices in Adelaide over the years including the After Hours Emergency Centre and lastly for 7 years at the Mile End Veterinary Clinic for Dr Robyn Stokes. Robyn still remembers having her toes lovingly chewed by baby wombats while she was doing surgery!! Robyn is a member of Fauna Rescue Whitsundays and I thank her for her continuing support of my wildlife care (including the toe chewing) and FR.
I joined Bird Care and Conservation Society, SA, in 1986, continuing as a carer and also as a committee member. Over this time I reared and cared for many different species of birds as well as creching magpies and crows. I guess the real novelty then was penguins in the bathtub!!
In this time I ended up rearing brushtail and ringtail possums, totally adorable creatures! This encouraged me to join Fauna Rescue of SA, who dealt with all species of wildlife, which led me on to caring for Red and Western Grey Roos and southern Hairy-nosed wombats as well as assisting with koala rescues.
My home was one of the main ‘rescue centres’ in the southern Adelaide area. My house and garden became a menagerie of rescued wildlife, never a dull moment as my girls and friends will tell you!!  In between all this I did manage to raise two beautiful daughters and now have a gorgeous granddaughter.
Anyway, in 1997 my partner, Tony, decided to pursue his sailing career as a skipper and we moved to the Whitsundays. As there were no Vet Nursing jobs available here I started to volunteer at the local wildlife park, which led to employed work for several years. During this time I realised there really wasn’t a structured wildlife rescue organisation here. Linden (who also worked at the Park) and myself were getting inundated with injured and orphaned wildlife. We needed help!! After much deliberation with fellow wildlife friendly people we managed to co-erce a few of these people to form a committee and Fauna Rescue of Qld was formed in April 2001. The name has recently changed to Fauna Rescue Whitsundays. It was a bit of a long haul, with lots of hard work involved, liaising with government departments etc., raising funds etc. Thanks to a few good people, including our local friendly wildlife rangers, firstly Michael Overland, then Jo Wyeth and now Peter Sykes, we managed to get the organisation incorporated, up and running.
When the wildlife park closed (after being there for 7 years) I started working in the local tourism industry, doing accounts and tour bookings for 2 years. I left this job to work in a local pet supply store but am currently working for YHA QLD, back in the tourism industry.

My current positions in FRQ are Vice-President, Bird/Raptor/Echidna/Koala Co-ordinator. I am also a representative for FR on the stakeholder reference group for the Whitsunday Shire Council’s Biodiversity Levy Committee.

I have a keen interest in wildlife and their environment. I would like to quote a good friend of mine, David, a veterinary surgeon, who has helped me immensely when I lived in Adelaide, caring for injured wildlife…..  Many moons ago now he said “Jac, you need to also concentrate on preserving the environment too, why waste all your hard work and money on rehabilitating these creatures if there is no suitable habitat for them to return to”. These words have echoed in my mind over the last few years and that is why FRQLD is not only caring for the wildlife, but also trying to educate the community and our members about caring for the environment as well.

I have joined QWRC as I strongly believe they are trying to improve wildlife rehabilitation in Qld through guidance and support to all carers, as well as liaising with governmental departments on wildlife rehabilitation issues. I believe I can help them with this as well as support the carers in the Mackay/Whitsunday District.