Big Boost to Cedar Creek Bushfire Recovery

Family confectionery brand, Kinder has made a vital contribution to Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue that will support the rehabilitation of native animals in bushfire-affected areas of the Hunter Valley region.

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Kinder’s $30,000 donation will fund a new hospital facility equipped with specialised surgical equipment and three Intensive Care Units. These improvements mean Cedar Creek’s team can continue to provide a critical service for local animals, expanding its recovery program for injured or displaced wombats and increasing capacity for other vulnerable wildlife.

“Kinder’s generous donation means so much to us here at Cedar Creek. Their support means we can start work on a new hospital facility that will allow us to save more wombats and injured animals,” said Roz Holme, founder of Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue.

Dedicated to rescuing not just orphaned joey wombats but also sub-adults and adults that need medical care, whether it be from an accident, injury or the result of extreme weather events, Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue also cares for many other native animals with a focus on wildlife that needs more than routine care to get them to the point of release.

Cedar Creek’s ‘wombat warriors’ worked tirelessly to keep fires at bay while providing care for injured and displaced wildlife during summer’s extreme weather. Six months on, local animals continue to return to the Rescue centre, relying on the team for food and shelter while the region’s bushland regenerates.

The contribution is part of Kinder’s ongoing partnership with the Australian Wildlife Society which has delivered more than $100,000 in vital funds to support communities across Australia and New Zealand.

In 2019 alone, Kinder helped Lismore’s Friends of the Koala, assisted Wombats SA’s work to protect the southern hairy-nosed wombat and funded conservation programs for New Zealand’s iconic kiwi, as well as raising much-needed awareness for endangered tree kangaroos in Queensland.

“Kinder’s Natoons range aims to promote awareness and education for endangered animals through play. We are incredibly proud of our partnership with AWS which allows us to support community groups like Cedar Creek to protect Australia’s unique wildlife,” said Marta Bako, Head of Brand for Kinder.

Through the brand’s unique approach to learning through play, the Kinder Surprise Natoons range aims to encourage families to discover new facts about native wildlife in different regions while supporting conservation efforts for endangered animals. The Natoons Australasia range features 26 animals including local wildlife such as wombats, cockatoos, frill neck lizards, kangaroos, koalas, numbats and tawny frogmouth owls.

In addition to the support given by Kinder, Cedar Creek Wombats also receive generous donations from local wineries, such as Mistletoe Wines, who take donations for the wildlife warriors through their Cellar Door in Pokolbin. Mistletoe has collected donations in excess of $5000 on behalf of Cedar Creek thanks to the generosity of their members and visitors to the Cellar Door.

“These people do an amazing job without any government assistance, and we support them as we know the money donated goes directly to the provider without any costs being absorbed by wages, overheads, commissions etc. as so often is the case with many charities,” says Ken Sloan, Owner of Mistletoe Wines.

For more information about the vital work done by Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue in the Hunter Valley, visit www.cedarcreekwombatrescue.com