Wildlife Released at Rocklily Index
Wombats and macropods Released at Rocklily
Most of these animals have their extended story and photos. which is almost done again thanks to shopify our platform their updates keep overwriting our blogs.. mmm Sept 2026 Dianna
Macropod is Latin for Big foot and refers to Wallaby's Wallaroos and Kangaroos
You will see, we do birds, echidna's as well!
Pre 2019 December bushfire firestorms here we had released far too many wombats and macropods here—as they did well and started breeding plus the what we estimated at least 6 dumped humanised wombats and even more kangaroos from other carers. Finding release sites has always been a challenge. Some humanised wombats need a very long and supported release, often years. We have had 2 other long term large monitored release pens locally one is in the busfire burnt area like us and therefore only limited releases are possible for many years to come due to the significantly changed environment. The other 'kurts" is adjacent to the burnt area so has many wombats and roos moved into this farm free area and is quite full a new issue. Here is a summary and as time allows we will tell their stories in more detail in separate posts .
Many macropods and wombats are rescued from local roads, and deemed unsaveable just so broken up by cars. (unable to live a normal life if at all) and Dianna dose the very sad but needed job to end their suffering. Quite a few just took a week or two to get over concussion before being released here at rocklily away from roads. There are numerous birds especially Crimson rosella's, little wattlebird, Fria bird, Tawny Frogmouth that have been a joy.
Reading this list, given we retired here when Warwick was finally diagnosed with Parkinsons, exhaust's me, we have had a around 16months with international volunteer's rule changes to visa's ment a huge reduction in quality of volunters and time they could spend we liked a month as they were here 2 years in Aust , reduced to 3 months so it was more about getting photos than being in the moment and really helping. Generally its just been Warwick and I (Dianna) and we are tired very few little joes come in now its more adults which are really good to help and get them back out.
2009 Wombat Spud first wombat rescued by us and handed over to Phill and Lesley to raise and release we were still living in Sydney. Who became our mentors in all things wombat.510gms So looking at odd photos and came across Spud out first wombat back in 2009, we rescued her on a cold wet winter night. We worked with Phil and Lesley till they were ready and had room to take her, she was eventually released on a large property near a river in area she was found. Phil and Lesley were our wombat mentors, we learnt so much and they helped build our first Wombatorium we are very grateful to them
2010 Honey Wombat 2 weeks Rescued from long dead mum 203 gms and took a bit to get her going when to another carer from the area she was rescued from. (Phill and Lesley)
2010 Wombat Daisy Humanised Sydney wombat 12kg handed to another wildlife refuge whom later claimed she had escaped. Very unlikley
2013 - 2014 2 eastern grey kangaroo: Ryan & Missy, joeys at about 6 kg each. Our first macropods had arrived at Rocklily. They seemed so small to be left out in our pen! The local house mob had joeys at foot at the same size. Both eventually soft released at rocklily with misy still around in 2022. We saw Ryan when we built wombatorium he came and waited around relaxed under a tree and for Neville whom raised hi, whom was really delighted to see such a big boy Jan 2026 Missy is still around, with her latest in pouch and at foot joey she would be almost 13 years old now
2013 -2014 Bob, swamp wallaby came in under 1 kg. Seen twice a year now pre fires a firm favourite with tons of personality
2013 Wilber 35kg wombat traight from carers bed!
2013 - 2015 Neddy, red-necked wallaby His mum was blind and ran into a watertank here. Ned went blind with cateracts fairly early and had an op which worked but sadly ate some sharp bone (as they do) and it punctured through his bowel.
2014-2015 x 11 wombats supported soft released at Yvonne & Micheals Release pen in an large area that had no wombats left due to previous landowner shooting and blacking burrows with wire and then mange in years past.So it was a good place to repopulate with a permeant creek Phils wombats were: Mud, Peanut, Midnight, Sunshine,Dora, Squidgy, Ernie, Maddy, Missy, Chubby and Chester. This involved daily visits with hand cut grass till looking comfy in their surroundings then door opened still food for some months afterwards. Will try and get their release and post release stories up
2014 Softly wombat , rescued as a hand-raised, dumped wombat from Wombeyan Caves camping area. Rehabilitated and seen 18 months later looking fantastic.
2014 october to dec Kate & Buddy 2 x Wombats 300gms and her buddy. Both died of a Y brancing bacteria that came in with Kates new buddy. stopped the lower bowl growing and working and eventually caused a constriction Dr Howard Ralph tried to save them.Discovered neither would have survived Lucy had growth in lungs and Kate had splean and kidneys not right
2014 - 2015 2 wombats: Lilly & Poppy, our first released wombats here from 3 kg & 5kg to 24 kg. We continued to see the more sociable Poppy every now and then over the next 2 years. Lilly is hard to recognise from other large wild wombats.
2014 Bruce Wombat 84 gms Bad brusing developed jaw and hips lower back head over days after rescue died in his sleep, always sad
2014 - 2015 Rusty, red-necked wallaby still seen occasionally as her colour was striking.
2014 - 2015 2 eastern greys: Lee & Ginny, 9kg raised and released. into our mob.
2014 Wombat Softly rescued from laundry in wombeyan caves camp groun
2014 - 2016 Wombat release pen for Phil & lesley slow supported released 12 wombats
2014 - 2015 4 Wallaroos: Annie, Winnie, Cracker and Stunner,. Winnie returned with a badly infected eye, it took a while to heal and she’s made Rocklily part of her home area. Stunner is her mate, they have had 2 male joeys over the last few years and another is around. Not here all the time and till around 2022
2014 - 2016 2 wombats: Wiggles & Charlie Girl, 3 kg to 23 kg. Seen for some time after. Charlie is much shyer but we see Wiggles from time to time, beautiful silver wombat. Neighbours report seeing a dark and a silver wombat 4 km away. We see wiggles every now and then around monthly and Charlie Girl every few months. 2019 31st Jan Wiggles died in his burrow after a extremly large tree it was under burnt to the ground over 4 days in The Greenwattle mega fire. Vale Wiggles forever in our hearts.
2015 - 2018 x 5 wombats Elvis 1 , Queenie, Nikki, Pearl, Soft released at Gregs from Harriette each taking around 4 months on average. Release Pen was removed in 2024 when new owners bought property. It provides a safe dry burrow and automatic water feeder during dry times from 200 lt drum collecting rain for roof.
2015 - 16 Sadie, Eastern grey, 2026 we see occasionally. We can identify Sadie by her ragged ear. now 10 years old they are around 2 years old when released
2015 - 16 Dawn, Swamp wallaby. She was quite big and humanised, took 18 months to release. Saw her a bit over next year then she became one of the wild mob of Wallabys
2015 Wild one, Swampy sub adult. released after a few months
2015 - 2016 3 Wallaroos: Leggs, Lithgow, Ella, . came in at around 5 kg Released well.
2015 - 2016 2 Wallaroos: Blue, Red, came in 11 kg released 16kg released.
2015 - 2016 Wombats: Terry 6kg
2015 - 2016 wombat Frankie is seen more often. See his stories.
2016 Annie, Female wallaroo, returned with double fracture L7. Back in care and healed as was in position (pain relief and stress relief).
2015 Crimson rosella’s concussion recovered over a days or weeks and released into flock
2015 Little wattle bird concussion also recovered over 3 weeks and re released.
2015 Wombat Flossy soft released at Yvonne and Micheals fro Rosemarry Garlic
2015 – 2016 5 wombats: Tankie, Sarah, Jasper, Kodiak, June, all came in from 2.5 to 5 kg and were released 22-25 kg. All roadkill orphans. We have seen Jasper and Jules once this year but they’re all part of the wombats caught on cameras around the valley.
2015 - 2017 wombat Sarah stories to come
2015 - 2017 Wombat Jasper confiscated by NPWS from a small zoo stories to come
2015 - 2017 Wombat Kodiak stories to come
2015 - 2017 Wombat June stories to come
2015 - 2016 Milo, eastern grey joey, from another carer didn’t make it, died 12 hrs after arrival from cocci.
2015 - 2017 Benny, red-necked wallaby. Mum ran into a watertank here, sight-impaired. Little joey Benny was rescued and got cataracts. He was operated on and sight fully returned to one eye with a scar to be removed to give full sight in other. But he ate a sharp object, possibly bone, and after July 2017 was eu by Dianna :-((
2016 -2017 Tink, red-necked wallaby, buddy for Benny. After 8 months died of a massive stroke very suddenly
2016- 2017 Elmo wombat 2 kg twisted bowel released from anus in night and died
2016 Phundalee, wombats, 5 & 9 kg to 22 kg. Jules was rescued by Ranger Jules from a canyon, Pundalee seems to be Frankie’s favourite chasings partner, squealing as she runs (yes, normal mating behaviour), we think she has a joey onboard winter 2018.
2016 Wombat another from Wombeyan caves humanised in a bad way
2016-2018 Jules wombat rescued from wombeyan caves creek canyon by Jules the ranger . Now seems to be Frankie’s favourite chasings partner, squealing as she runs (yes, normal mating behaviour), we think she has a joey onboard in 2019
2016 - 2018 2 Wombats: Buddy & Bruce, Grace All Came in at around 11 kg not well and Buddy and Bruce released in early 2019 at Kurts release pen and did really well Grace never recovered and despite alot of vet help died.
2016 – 2017 8 Eastern Grey Kangaroos: Jatz, Johnny, Johnny in a bucket, Julie, Jules, Jojo, Dee, no name, 8 eastern greys kangaroos . The females are part of the house mob. Boys off to join the men drinking mob. Note Jonny cut his foot badly after release and
2017 x 2 Eastern Grey Kangaroos return Jojo male and Dee male many months after released. Jojo with a sliced open foot many, after a lot of work and 3 months back in care was re-released came back with Dee to last chance saloon
2016 - 2017 Spoke wombat, came in at 11 kg should have been 18 kg! Fed dog food, did not eat grass at all, very stressed with sad repetitive behaviour, suffering malnutrition. In care over a year till he became releasable here. We have not seen him for a while, but it’s a big place. Seen on wildlife camera’s xmas 2025 looking amazing
2016 – 2018 3 Wombat Ray of Sunshine, Wally, Trevor wombats alias the Three Amigos. Only Ray was released here, Wally and Trevor at Willarwang, further into the bush through Rocklily on a 1000 acres. June 2018, Ray has still just started his release process, some weight loss but doing well. Dec 2018 Looking good, sleek and shiny black coat seen now and then on cameras. Wally and Trevor survived the fires dec 31st 2019 grabbed by denis and Dave and put in bathroom. Trevor died in massing floods over 1 m rain when his whole hilside collapsed and washed down the gully.
2016 – 2018 Wombat Wally released with Trevor at Willarwang,
2016 - 2019 Jeffery white claw wombat. 1.1kg very ill from another carer, released at Denis Daves in 2019 and survived the fires and floods of 2019-20. 2026 still visits Dave only on the coldest winter nights and bangs on his door for some extra feed.
2016 -2018 George wombat, Released, his third attempt but seems to have it sorted now. Early returns with weight loss and he was back in care. George slowley got his act together were seeing him every few weeks. Dec 2018 George and one of the girls seem to be sharing a burrow Nov 2018 2025 october George retures with one rear leg retracted, comes back into care, recovers by march
2016 - 2018 Monty wombat, releasing 2nd attempt, weight loss (stress) but managing better and better looking good dec 2018 now so big not identifiable from a few onthers
2016 - 2018 wombat Pinki arrived 3kg very very shy and was eventually soft released here, part of big group of wombats nice tempered girl.
2016 - 2018 Luna wombat Luna’s third attempt at release she’s been a very sick girl (tumour) and is finally released at 3kg, she’s doing exceptionally well and were very pleased
2017 - 2018 Bushy wombat Released he’s a small wombat although nearly 2.5 years old so haveing a few issues but seems to be setteling after a few mmonts he’s currently living under warwicks huge shed, so enableing us to treat a couple of wombat wounds from a dumped wombat that was extremely aggressive and sadly did not eat grass. Still around in 2026
2017 - 2018 Amazing Grace wombat, released and we are not sure now if were seeing her on wildlife cameras. cam in 5kg with euro injury from tumbling down road, had a head tilt at release. Were not expecting to as she was Miss independant.
2017 - 2018 Vivian Wombat Released and as most girls do released and only seen rearley doing well
2017 - 2018 Chilli Wombat Released and as most girls do released and only seen rearley doing well
2018 Adult red necked wallaby Abercrombie snake bite 3 weeks in care
2018 2 Wombats: Tracys Abby Rebble 16kg 7 months not any improvement at all un-releasable as they were living in carers bed when confiscated. Totally ruined given back to Wires co-ordinator
2018 7 Eastern Greys dumped here: Resting macropod enclosure as too many Eastern grey Kangaroos in mob as we have had a number of 7 extremely humanised ones left near our gate that have added to the mob. We do know who it was. And there were a number of humanised wombats dumped, we know of only one that survived, others to young and stressed to catch and bring into care.
2018 Vince wombat, at 12 kg he was one of a few dumped at our gate late summer (we saw the small wombat poos and wondered), and appeared at the house starving, obviously hand-raised, terribly frightened, but managing his time living under the huge shed and being fattened up with grass hay and hopefully will manage
2018 - 2019 2 x Eastern Grey Kangaroos Jo Jo and Bo Dee from Lyn arrived with coci
2018 Abercrombie Adult red necked wallaby snake bite doing well then dogs were around pen died stress myopathy
2018 - 2021 Polly Wombat bundle of energy 3.5kg reapeared winter 2022 for support feed, run over near our house by speeding local.grr
2018 - 2021 Winnie wombat buddied with pearl and Polly released rocklily
2017-2018 Chilli Wombat Released at Denis and Daves and as most girls release really well and only seen occasionally. since 2019 fires
2018 - 2021 Pearl wombat 5kg buddied with Winnie and polly released at denis and Daves release pen
2018 - 2022 wombat Bubule
2018 – Friar bird Tweety (leatherhead) quite humanised released after 1 month
2018-2019 Wilber Wombat 29kg supported soft release very humanised wombat. Did not last 12 months, would not leave sight of house, daily trying to break inside. He did once pulled doona off bed rolled himself in it. Lost weight dramatically with stress and we ended up daily feeding to get him back to health. Suddenly disappeared one day.
2018 - 2020 Ranger wombat Released at rocklily after the fires. Can in at 11 kg with mange released rocklily did well.
2019 - 2021 Wombat Lucinda aka Lucy never still, Buddies with Bubule
2019 - 2021 Sally wombat 2kg from wombeyan caves road buddied with starman, flora. Reappeared first time winter 2022 for support feed. looking great
2019 - 2021 Starman wombat 296 gms buddied with Flora and sally released here. Living locally and extreme wet eems to have moved under Warwicks huge shed willing to challenge Frankie with Monty
2019 - 2021 Flora wombat (Florence) and back in care 5 mths in 2021 Infected rear leg. released at rocklily and made a home for herself nearby seen often winter 2022 for a little bit extra
2019 - 2020 Alberta wombat 900g snuggly girl with her buddies Flora and Starman released at Rocklily and slowly moved away. might be one of the mums that have been frequenting back shed feed stations winter 2022
2019 Greater Glider died on way home starvation from wombeyan caves road nearby. Site of recent RFS back burn
2020 - 2021 Burrow wombat 9kg full body fungal infection crusted mud and many small wounds Buddied up with Billie and Olive Died Viral encephalitis
2019 Crimson rosellar with concussion 3 in the year all re released where they were found we have had a few over the years often it only takes a few days to recover
2019 - 2021 0live wombat came in 380gms rescued by Oliver buddied with burrow and Billie Died Viral encephalitis
2019 - 2021 Billie wombat 2.2 kg buddied with Olive and Burrow died Viral encephalitis
2020 sept to dec Buru Adult red necked wallaby 19kg foot pulled apart in cattle grate in ICU very placid wallaby. Euthanaised due to tetanus in care 3 months. Very sad
2020 - 2022 may Willow wombat 1.5 kg came in still in care from local area march dies of a snake bit spring 2022 Buddied with Gidget release will be spring
2020 - 2023 may Gidget wombat arrives 1.5 kg buddied with Willow both separable, took Willows death very hard. Soft release started 2nd dec 2022 and continues into 2023 due to mange outbreak. 2026 still around using burrows and bringing joeys into wombatorium for saftey.
2021 - 2022 Tawny frog mouth 700g concussion in care 9 weeks released Jan's near where rescued.
2022 - 2024 3rd Oct wombat Millie, very unwell starving, only eating hay someones pet, eventually released and doing wll, last seen with her joey.
2022 Under road wombat relocation Widening of road. A big Job done in 2022 on Wombeyan caves Rd with help of council and contractors requiring a large digger to excavate so we could put in a trap and to then remove burrow under roadworks. Took a while to make the trap 'wombat proof so blots of back and forth 20km away. Relocated in safe place with willing landowner not many wombats.
2023 male Gang Gang concussion recovered and released here
2023 10th to 13th may Victoria wombat dog attack in taralga died of stress
2023 14th April wombat; eddy with infected dog attack wounds moved into a garage and we were able to treat him onsite over a nember or weeks and release him. Seen around looking great some time later.
2023 - 2025 2nd July wombat; Keith without fur found wandering on the road in 4 degree temp, rescued and buddied with Pattycake when she arrived. Released at Rocklily and doing well.
2023 - 2025 2nd august 2023 wombat; Pattycake, discovered roadside trying to get back into her dead mums pouch. Released at rockily doing well
2024 Lucky wombat Dog attack from Taralga died septicaemia
2024 - 2025 October Fluffy the baby echidna puggle November till about feb will be released at rocklily
2025 16th September wombat; Goodhew rescued from Goodhew lane in Taralga
2025 - 2026 October George wombat returns in a bad way unable to put rear leg down. Went mental locked in so allowed to go out, stayed just outside wombatorium for 15minutes and was happy. Pain relief March saw good recovery
2026 march Ray wombat returns with mange and multiple wounds from pigs and extremely underweight way expect him to be in care a long time, (1 year) and with a hot dry summer we plan for him to stay in the huge macropod enclosure we are about to get wombat secure (thanks Brian and Brian coming in a few weeks) and theres a starter burrow going in this week to the Joey wombatorium for him in early october and another starter burrow going into the 'resort" (mac enclosure) As Warwick says alot of work for one wombat but thats our core business not that we get paid at all. September 2026 Dianna
SOFT RELEASE OF WOMBATS ;All our wombat soft releases are from permeant large enclosures and wombat doors. Visits rea daily with feed till we think them ready to start their release, its still daily watching cameras and over coming months with them coming and going support food is released. this can take 3-6 months.
DOG ATTACKS; we treat adult wombats on site from time to time with compliant wombats and willing landowners, much less stressful and generally a better outcome.
MANGE: We treat local wombats for mange, this can be very time consuming as its a 14 dose course if we cannot get near the wombat for a quicker treatment We have done this on a number of properties, country is very hilly making it difficult.
wombat door in a wombatorium this one between class 2 and 3
