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Dr. Sarah Whitman
Chair
Veterinary surgeon with 20 years of wildlife rehabilitation experience across South-East Queensland. Founding director of two regional carer networks and long-standing advocate for purpose-built wildlife clinical care.
About the Foundation
Community-led. Government-backed. A decade in the making.
The Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital Foundation is an independent, community-run charity — not a government agency or council entity. We exist because volunteer carers have spent more than a decade arguing the region needs a permanent home for wildlife care, and because that case has finally been heard. Government and council have been instrumental supporters; the build itself is being delivered by the community, for the community.
The Foundation team — image coming soon
The People
Our Board
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James O'Connor
Deputy Chair
Former Moreton Bay City councillor and lifelong conservation advocate. Brings two decades of local-government and community-development experience to the Foundation board.
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Priya Nair
Treasurer
CFO of a regional health services group. Specialises in not-for-profit financial governance, capital project oversight and long-term sustainability planning.
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Mark Tanaka
Secretary
Environmental lawyer and former government policy advisor. Leads the Foundation's governance, compliance and stakeholder reporting work.
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Linda Brewer
Director — Carer Liaison
Wildlife carer of 25 years with hands-on experience across koalas, possums, raptors and marine reptiles. Voice of the volunteer carer network on the board.
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Tom Ferguson
Director — Community
Local business owner and community fundraiser. Coordinates partnerships with regional schools, sporting clubs and service organisations.
Our History
How we got here
Founded
Volunteer carers across Moreton Bay identified the gap — no dedicated clinical facility for the thousands of injured native animals they were treating each year from home.
Momentum
Years of community advocacy, grassroots fundraising and coalition-building brought the project to the attention of every level of government and the wider region.
Breakthrough
$15M Queensland Government commitment, a peppercorn land lease from Moreton Bay City Council, and a Development Application lodged in May 2026.
With thanks
Our partners and supporters
Government
Silver
FAQ