2026 Fauna Rescue SA Workshops
Most workshops will be held at Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill
It is recommended that new members attend the New Members Orientation Workshop
to gain information regarding wildlife rescue and care.
Introduction to Wildlife Rescue training is recommended as a next step followed by individual species-specific training.
Please note – workshop date may be subject to changes!
**ONLINE WORKSHOP** – Managing Grief, Loss & Self-Care
Presented by WILDTALK (Frances Carleton)
Saturday 13th June from 11.00am till 3.00pm
Join us for an informative and supportive ONLINE workshop delivered via Zoom, designed for wildlife volunteers, carers, rescuers and anyone working closely with animals and emotional care roles.
Topics Covered – Managing Grief and Loss, Self-care Strategies and Experiential Exercises
This session will assist participants navigate the emotional impacts often associated with wildlife rescue and caregiving.
This workshop is subsidised by the generous donation towards training from the Lin Huddleston Charitable Foundation.
TICKET COST: Financial Members $5. Non-members $25
When registered you will receive a Zoom link 48 hours before the event to the email address used in your SimpleTix registration!
New Member Orientation Workshop
Saturday 20th June – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
We welcome the public, prospective members and new members to attend our workshops. The morning is a power point presentation overview of Fauna Rescue SA, species identification and general health and safety is covered. The afternoon session is a more focused teaching by the co-ordinators on the basic species: bats, birds, reptiles and possums. The whole day is friendly and informative.
Introduction to Wildilfe Rescue course is recommended as a next step in training followed by individual species-specific
Bat Information Day - Introduction to Flying foxes & Microbats
Sunday 28th June – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 10.30am till 3.00pm
The Fauna Rescue SA Flying fox & Microbat Team is holding a Bat Information Day for anyone interested in joining the team or learning more about these remarkable animals.
Topics covered in the presentations include:
Flying-foxes – Alice Wright
– The role of flying foxes in the Australian landscape
– Why flying fox numbers are declining
– Why flying foxes are found in South Australia
– Colony social dynamics and reproduction
– Key differences between flying foxes and microbats
Microbats – Katrina Boardman, Microbat and Flying fox Coordinator
– Species found in South Australia
– Identification
– Habitat
– Echolocation
How you can help:
Flying-foxes:
Caring for orphaned young—what’s involved?
Rescuing injured or sick animals—what’s involved?
Helping with flying fox fly out counts
Assisting at Heat Stress Events (HSE)
Microbats:
Rescue—what’s involved?
Care—what’s involved?
After the presentations, anyone interested in joining the team can attend a session to meet team members and ask questions about the roles and requirements of becoming a Fauna Rescue SA Bat Team member, whether vaccinated against rabies or not.
Introduction to Wildlife Rescue
Saturday 4th July – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
This workshop teaches the skills for new Rescuers to catch, handle and transport injured or sick wild animals in the safest manner for both the Rescuer and for the animal. It concentrates on the scenarios that Fauna Rescue SA most commonly attends, as well as introducing Rescuers to situations that they may encounter after they have gained some experience.
To build confidence and deepen knowledge, individual species-specific courses are recommended as a next step in training.
Orphaned Flying-fox Workshop - Hand-rearing Training
Saturday 18th July – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 10.00am-4.00pm
Presented by Linda Collins, a flying fox expert with many years of experience.
This full-day course covers all aspects of hand-rearing orphaned flying foxes, from intake to release.
To hand-rear orphans, you must be available full-time from October/November to January, be fully vaccinated against rabies, and have a proven immunity titre. You will also learn what is required to apply for a permit from DEW to raise orphan flying foxes.
Annual General Meeting ** MEMBERS ONLY**
Sunday 19th July – Fauna Rescue HQ, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 1.00pm
Log into Members Section of the website for the link closer to the date
Bird/duckling Workshop
Sunday 26th July – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
Learn how to rescue, transport and care for birds
Topics include – identification of species, Work Health & Safety, Equipment, Rescue, Housing, Husbandry, Feeding, Care, Common injuries and Diseases
Granivores, Insectivores and Nectivores are all covered in this workshop
Learn how to rescue, transport and care for ducklings
Topics include – what to feed, how to feed, what you need to keep them warm and everything else you will need to know to be successful in rehabilitating ducklings.
Possum Workshop
Saturday 8th August – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
Learn how to rescue, transport and care for possums
Topics include – identification of species, Work Health & Safety, Equipment, Rescue, Housing, Husbandry, Feeding, Care, Common injuries and Diseases, Wildlife Permits and Records, Reunite and Ringtail Wildling Release Program
Flying-fox and Microbat - Rescue Training
Sunday 23rd August – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
This is a full day course for new or inexperienced team members and those wishing to join the team.
Presentation covers:
– Rescue of adults and orphans, barbed wire rescues, net
entanglement rescues, electrocutions, ground and high rescues,
weighing and measuring, observations and photographs.
– Rescue procedures, reporting rescue data and photographic
requirements for SA Power Networks electrocution reporting.
– Equipment requirements
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES TO HANDLE ANY TYPE OF BAT
Reptile Workshop
Sunday 13th September – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
Learn how to rescue, transport and care for reptiles
Topics include – Identification of species, Work Health & Safety, Rescue kit and Rescue, Handling, Assessment, Husbandry, Feeding, Common disease and injuries, and Housing.
Flying-fox Heat Stress Event Training
Sunday 20th September – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 10.30am – 1.00pm
This course is essential for anyone who wants to join the Flying fox Heat Stress Event Team.
A Heat Stress Event may occur from November to March when temperatures exceed 42 degrees. By monitoring weather forecasts, we can often anticipate when an event may happen. Bats often do not need assistance until later in the day, so even if you work during business hours, you may still be able to help from late afternoon into the evening.
The presentation covers:
– A history of Heat Stress Events in Adelaide
– The different roles of volunteers
– Monitoring a HSE
– Site set up
– Role of the site Coordinator
– Occupational Health & Safety
– Stages of an HSE
– When to assist the bats
– Triage
– Fauna Rescue HSE Policy
There will be a need for non-vaccinated Fauna Rescue SA MEMBERS (as well as those vaccinated against Rabies to handle and rescue the bats) who can assist during these HSE’s.
There are numerous roles that can be undertaken, such as:
Photographers to record the day’s events, spotters of bats in difficulty, communications, respite and refreshment organisers, scribes for weights and measures of deceased bats as well as the roles for experienced carers and rescuers.
We need to be open and not hide the fact that you need to work in extreme temperatures and some Heat Stress Events can be very traumatic with many deaths (over 10,000 bats are estimated to have died in 2019/20 seasons events), but if you participate at an event, you will be invaluable in saving many lives and Fauna Rescue SA and Adelaide’s Flying foxes need you.
New Member Orientation Workshop
Sunday 18th October – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
We welcome the public, prospective members and new members to attend our workshops. The morning is a power point presentation overview of Fauna Rescue SA, species identification and general health and safety is covered. The afternoon session is a more focused teaching by the co-ordinators on the basic species: bats, birds, reptiles and possums. The whole day is friendly and informative.
Introduction to Wildlife Rescue course is recommended as a next step in training followed by individual species-specific
Introduction to Wildlife Rescue
Sunday 1st November – Fauna Rescue SA Headquarters, 24 Gaelic Avenue, Holden Hill from 11.00am till 3.00pm
This workshop teaches the skills for new Rescuers to catch, handle and transport injured or sick wild animals in the safest manner for both the Rescuer and for the animal. It concentrates on the scenarios that Fauna Rescue SA most commonly attends, as well as introducing Rescuers to situations that they may encounter after they have gained some experience.
To build confidence and deepen knowledge, individual species-specific courses are recommended as a next step in training.
