Who We Are
The Wombat Awareness Organisation (WAO) is a non-profit charity specialising in the rescue, rehabilitation and advocacy of the unique, amazing and gorgeous Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat. We focus on conserving and protecting wild wombats whilst supporting a 24-hour rescue and rehabilitation centre within the largest and only free-range, cage-free wombat sanctuary.
Based in the Adelaide Hills, WAO was founded and has been proactive in the wombat community since 2006. As an independently funded organisation, WAO relies solely on the kindness of others who wish to join our mission to save the Southern Hair-Nosed Wombat.
Saved 10,000+
Wombats
We have saved over 10,000 wombats since our commitment to rescuing and rehabilitating these wonderful creatures.
Supporting 1800+
Wombats Per Year
Each year through donations and volunteers, we are able to support over 1800 Southern Hairy-Nose Wombats.
We Care For Up To 90 Wombats At Any One Time
We have the resources and ability to care for up to 90 wombats at one time, providing a safe environment for them.
Revegetation Programs
For Their Survival
Revegetation programs are put in place to ensure the survival and conservation of our wombats and habitat.
Meet Our Wombats
Learn how you can help
Register Your Interest for Our Next Induction Day!
How You Can Help
Find out more about our sanctuary and how we care for these amazing animals!
Our Projects
How We Can All Coexist
Although wombats are native to Australia, the are often referred to as pests by landholders and the farming community due to their burrows. To help ease the conflict between man and wombat, WAO began assisting landholders to establish viable, non lethal management methods. The least invasive the better!Wombats are easy to live with when they […]
Sarcoptic Mange
Sarcoptic mange is a mite that burrows under the skin causing immense irritation. Every single wombat that has mange, will die unless treated. The mite is believed to be introduced to Australia via the European Red Fox however there is no doubt in our minds that wombats succumb to mange only when stressed. We see […]
Drought Relief
The Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat inhabits semi-arid to arid environments almost exclusively in South Australia. They live in some of the driest areas, in the driest state in the driest country in the world. Subsequently, they are sensitive to climate change and any extreme weather patterns. Drought has a catastrophic effect on wombat populations. Overgrazing from […]
We are slowly warming up this beautiful girl who was rescued this morning.
A lovely couple found her huddled in a ball on one of their walking tracks on their property. She is frozen cold and so thin.
They were able to walk straight up to her, pick her up and carry her all the way home. She may be skeletal but she is a large girl, it was no easy feat to carry her so far. But they did amazingly to save a precious life.
She was barely conscious from hypothermia when we collected her but, as we slowly warm her bones, she is far more responsive. We always hold them in hope.
Caring for these emaciated sweethearts is an emotional roller-coaster, especially the next ten days of refeeding. But, the reward at the end greatly outweighs my anxiety.
Welcome to a whole new world Muffin. We love you so much ❤️ ... See MoreSee Less
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*Update* We are still warming Muffin up. She's only just feeling 'not frozen' now after 4 hours. We can give her nothing until her body warms up. Hoping she will feel much better by tonight 🤞 Intravenous fluids can't be used on such a cold body. Come on sweetheart 🙏
Look at that sweet face, Muffin you were so fortunate to be found by such a kind couple and even more fortunate to be with your rescuers who will do everything possible to get you well again and take care of you with so much love ❣️ 🤗🥰🐶🐾
I'm always amazed that these 'wild' animals can be so passive when taken into human care. I acknowledge that they are desperately ill, but do they get fiesty as they get well? Seems to me that they make beautiful companions. Wished I lived closer to wombat territory.
Can you explain why this keeps happening. Is their habitat being compromised?
Prayers and love for Muffin sweet girl. ❤️❤️
I hope all goes well & Muffin fully recovers! She is in the best place for that to happen.❤️
Poor baby…. Thank goodness those people saved her…
Aww beautiful muffin I’m praying for you x
Wishing Miss Muffin a full recovery and blessings to her rescuers. Do you know why she is so thin?
How blessed to be found and at the Rescue, Muffin. Good luck sweets. Sending you all huggs.
Please please pull through muffin… Thank you to all involved im saving her.. I hope she makes a full recovery and lives a long happy healthy life
Why do they get skinny ? We have a lot of healthy wombats on our place but now and then there will be a skinny one, is it mange or old age ? There is plenty of feed so it’s not that . Wombats are my ❤️ animals.
What a wonderful couple 🙌🏻 please let Muffin be okay 🤞🏻 her face is adorable ❤️
Come on Muffin , you can do it, you're in such good hands now, loving and nurturing you, God bless you and your wonderful carers and rescuers ❤️
Welcome Muffin to safety, Blessings to the couple who rescued her sending her love and hugs xxx 💖🤗
Bless you for all your love and devotion to these amazing creatures I will continue to watch the progress of all you care for thank you 💕
A big muffin! I'm glad that couple had the courage to bring her home. You reintroduce them to food slowly just like my human patients? My preemies had to be fed every 3 hours. Hard work especially if you had 3-4 to feed.
Good luck muffin sweetheart, you are in the best place and safest hands, I hope you make a full recovery 💖💖💖
What a lot of amazing work you do. I hope you get a break for some R and R for yourselves. ❤️
Beautiful little Muffin ❤️ What amazing caring people to help this little girl in her absolute time of need. Praying she makes a full and strong recovery 🙏
Thank heaven she was found and now in caring hands but why are so many of them starving?
Bless this couple that four & carried her home. Best wishes & hoping Muffin feels better very soon. 💖💝💖
What a cutie. And what a wonderful couple to care enough to carry her to safely. I'm sure under your usual great care she'll soon be flourishing. Welcome to wombat heaven Muffin! 💖
Thanks for the couple that thought enough to pick her up and carry her to their home for you to take over, and to start her journey into recovery 🥰😇
Thank you to all who do their part in rescuing and restoring these beautiful creatures to health. And for the ones that sadly cannot be restored - my thanks to all for trying
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Since I noticed signs of Connie having cognitive problems, I've been encouraging her to spend more time outside.
We have transformed the lives of so many wombats with head trauma just by providing support in a natural environment.
Physically, she has done incredibly well. This video is the difference from day 2 to day 19 and her first visit to a burrow.
In the wild, she was living in bales of hay, her nails were really long and I think she had been there a while.
I have a half acre area off my room which has two sheltered burrows, loads of trees and grass and direct access to come home for her bottles of soup. She thinks she's in heaven and I'm certain she is going to make a full recovery 🙏❤️ ... See MoreSee Less
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WOW What a difference a few weeks have made to Connie .You lady's really are incredible. I hold my breath sometimes & wonder if this wombat's will make it thru the night then look at them week's later & they are transformed.
What a FANTASTIC update!! Thank you for this latest and precious save!! Well done!!!!!
This is the most wonderful result of your determination to get Connie better. Couldn’t be more grateful to you for your compassion to her. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I look forward to seeing updates of her progress🙏💙
The transformation in her in such a short time is incredible all due to your love and dedication to these beautiful babies. 🩷
What you have been able to do ...is Amazing...and absolutely due to your love and dedication...you never cease to amaze me ❤...Much love to this dear girl and her will to survive ❤
My God she literally has transformed with your love and help. Good is prevailing. Thank you so much for sharing and caring and loving these animals.
Wonderful transformation 😍 Fingers crossed for her full recovery. Thx for your unbelievable efforts.
It's great to see how much weight she's gained since she was rescued! I'm so glad that she is now leading a happier life in your care with access to a burrow and safe outdoor space. 🩷
Bless her! So pleased she’s doing so well. His exciting for her to venture outside and start being a real wombat again. You have the healing touch. So very grateful as I’m sure Connie is too! 🥰
Wow the change in weight is phenomenal. Thank you for taking such great care of her.
Such a huge difference! Even though she still looks a little thin, her first videos/photos were painful to look at. You have done such an amazing job with her. Bless you for your love and dedication 💖🥰.
Such wonderful work you do. Thank you for your dedication to these beatiful animals.
Wow! She is looking so good! I hope she continues enjoying her best life in your very capable hands. Thank you for the work you do. I know it is a labor of love and comes with a lot of heartbreak. The World is watching, and I hope these sweet babies can one day have more laws of protection from the government.
Connie’s looking good 😊 Thank you Wombat Awareness for the loving care you give to all our precious wombats .You guys are amazing ,bless all of you 🙏❤️💚💜💙
She’s very fortunate to have you! Love these updates
You are a wombat angel taking care of all these beautiful babies. Are connie's babies doing as well as she is doing. Im glad she loves her soup because she looks amazing and has come a long way with all your love and dedication. I cant thank you enough for what you do for the love and care you put into all these precious babies
Oh sweet little Connie you have come along way, keep accepting all the love and healing that you deserve. ❤️
She’s looking brilliant ! You’re both superstars, and all those involved behind the scenes!!
She looks so much better! Especially around her hip bones. Well done.🧡
She looks amazing!! Another little miracle. ❤🥰
She’s looking wonderful….well done for giving her such amazing care and commitment 🥰👍🏻
She is such a little sweetheart. Glad she is doing better.
She is filling out nicely. She looks healthier. I love her brindle colored coat. She's a beautiful lady💖
Thank you from me & thank you from precious Connie (I’m sure she would say THANKS if she could). ❤️❤️
I know I've mentioned it before but I'm blown away every single time. How you keep track of every individual and their issues is a testament to your dedication and observational skills. You guys truly are the wombat whisperers.
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Last night, little Oliver let me see him outside for the very first time!
Oliver is one of the orphans rescued late last year. You can see that he is still tiny even though he eats a mountain of food!
Oliver spends lots of time with me inside, often asking to be tucked into bed. But, outside, his wild instincts are still so strong and I never see him!
I was thrilled to bits, even if it was just a fleeting minute!
I often think what a different life he leads here at the sanctuary. There's nothing to eat out in the wild. Oliver came starving and frail and even in the driest Feb-April period in 110 years, and, more wombats in care than ever, we still have an abundance of grass.
I wish every wombat in need got to live here! ... See MoreSee Less
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I don't remember how I ended up here, but I've been watching your page for a few years or so. I've never met a wombat. Didn't know one thing about them. Now I do, and my life will not be complete until I somehow get to meet and snuggle a wombat.
I wish I could win the lottery & I’d buy you more land for our beautiful wildlife to safely live on 🙏
Living the life of Riley! He has the best of both worlds at his command doesn't he. It never fails to amaze me how easily you tell them all apart! 💙🥰
Love your videos. Little Oliver - Clever baby - so sweet
He’s so cute, so happy he can be outside and in a safe place❣️🥰🐶
Sweet little man! How adorable is he. Love the name Oliver, fits him well.
Such a sweet boy. Thank you for all you do, so selfless ❤️
Bless this little guy! You know, I was raised in Victoria for some of my childhood, in the 1970s, then returned to England. But I never experienced drought there, and in UK we have more than enough water and the water companies waste it! We have no idea what starvation and thirst really are. Humans have completely disturbed the weather on the planet, and drought and flood affects so many creatures so badly. It is heartbreaking even thinking about it, yet you live with it and do all you can to feed the poor wildies. Bless you Earth Angels. We must All visualise a better world and send out these thoughts as energy..
How wonderful! Such a great thing you do for these amazing little animals.
Wee Oliver wanted to show off his wombie ways. What a sweetie!
Oliver looks so healthy.💙 He is so lucky to be in the sanctuary along with other rescued wombats. If only there were more safe places for wombats in Australia. I can't imagine there being no grass for wild wombats to eat as here in the UK grass is plentiful. Sadly climate change is making things worse and humans keep encroaching on animals territories.😢 It makes me sad that so much suffering is going on but it's lovely to see the ones that you care for leading a happy life. Thank you for your hard work.❤️
He looks wonderful!! Oliver has come a long way in a year 💕🩷
So do I you do such a good job not just feeding them but showing them love 🥰
They are so adorable and always bring a smile to my face ❤️
Indeed...the JOY of seeing an incare wombie thrives in its natural habitat must be worth all the hard work n lack of sleep!!! SO HAPPY to see lush green grass despite the current drought in SA!!
What a gem, these moments must bring so much joy & pride?
Yes I do too soo beautiful little Oliver did u have any luck with your overnight vigil
He is so beautiful. Thank you for loving him.
So very lucky to have the sanctuary and such caring people
Can I ask how you know who is who as to me they all look alike. Love the work you do with these gorgeous animals.
Oliver looks great, he's fit as are all your wards. I remember you stated you average 4-5 hours sleep, hope you can get more, you're a workhorse and these lads are lucky to be in your care!
The best part is listening to you sweet talk the little darlings.
So heartwarming! Thank you for all you do to help these sweet animals!❤️❤️❤️
Just beautiful wish they could all make their lives there ❤️🙏
One lucky little wombat. Will he eventually go back to the wild?
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Connie continues to do incredibly well!
I'm trying to get her to eat solid food that I have on offer 24/7 but she absolutely refuses. Instead, she devours 1.5 litres of sweet potato soup every day.
Connie is still in survival mode despite looking like a different wombat now.
She is so focused on eating that she forgets to breath and sometimes swallow. Feeding her can be stressful!
As Connie's body heals, it's become more obvious that she has had some head trauma. It may be secondary to the condition she was rescued in, or, she may have been injured.
We have had to wait until she is strong enough for an anaesthetic to have x-rays and I'm hoping next week will be ok.
Until then, she keeps on being a soup vacuum! ... See MoreSee Less
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Look let's face it, sometimes we've been so into our food we've forgotten to breathe too.
Why bother making the effort to eat solid food when you have wonderful carers willing to feed you delicious soup with cuddles on the side! I love the slurping. 😋
What ever it takes. If she's had a brain injury, it may have affected her sense of smell. Under anaesthetic she can also have a thorough dental check. Strength to you in buckets, you do wonderful work 🤗
You go Connie!!!! Enjoy your soup an vitamins. You will soon be so fat an doing zoomies. You are an awesome caregiver.Your patience an caring determination is overwhelming. Thank you for all you do for these sweet wombats.
So satisfying to watch her improve! What’s in the sweet potato soup apart from sweet potato?
The flash of her teeth is adorable. She must be thinking she’s landed in heaven.
The noises 🥰😆the slurps. Tuck in little girl.
Look at that little mouth go. So lovely to hear she is perking up and lives her soup. Maybe eating the other food is too much of an effort and she’s enjoying the attention and closeness of her bottle feeds. You must have a vast pot of soup there! Hoping she continues to do well. Thank you for the update xx
I keep re watching, Connie you are so gorgeous & courageous. ❤️❤️Thank you carers, you are heroes 💐
It has vitamin c and all sort of good nutrients and you are doing a great job! You are a wonderful foster mom
Sweet Connie hope she can naturally shift to solids soon she has come such a long way on soup bless her hope can get those tests done soon
The cutest darn soup vacuum I’ve ever seen ❤️
I’m so glad she is doing better and loving her Sweet Potato Soup (really, how can you not love Sweet Potato Soup!). ThNk you for all you do for Connie and all the other beautiful Wombats in your care!❤️🥰❤️
I hate to think what our wombat population would be if we didn't have people like yourself and the many others caring for the sick and injured. Hugs and kisses to Connie and all the others in care and especially those carers for doing such an amazing job❤❤❤❤❤
Iam glad Connie is enjoying her sweet potato soup ,I mean who wouldn't,.but hopefully the next visit to the vet will give you some much needed answers
The sweet potato soup is really comfort food and maybe she still needs comforting as much as she needs food at the moment. She really is coming on so well❤❤❤
I’m so happy to see Connie improving day by day. Mostly, I’m so very grateful to you for the 24 hours a day that you spend nursing her back to health. She wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you. Thank you 🙏
I hope she’s OK. Be good to see her eating properly again. Thankyou for showing us all your dedication to her xx ❤️
Maybe it is a combo of the love she gets while having that bottle! I am guessing that softness, warmth and care is a wonderful feeling when you have been hurt and starved.
She certainly loves the soup it must make you feel good she loves it hope she continues to get stronger thankyou for all you do for her and all the others .
Thank you for the update , so happy she is improving,I think of her every day
Your patience, caring and love for her can only help. If the is all she wants to eat, at least she is eating. maybe you could vitamise some carrots and yummy grass in it. Although you know what is best for her. She is a precious soul ❤️❤️. Thank you for looking after her. Be very proud of what you are doing
You have worked your magic again on a very poorly wombat well done so far. I hope x rays show she is ok ❤
Connie has flourished in your care. Hoping that she is just taking advantage of being able to cuddle and be bottle fed, and there are no further underlaying problems. Thank you for loving her❤️
She is enjoying the soup while she can , nice to see her doing better.
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