Meet the Team

Meet Celia

Celia Thomson is the Sanctuary Manager and Senior Veterinary Nurse for Waterfall Springs. Celia is responsible for all aspects of the Waterfall Springs Captive Management Program and daily animal husbandry and is an integral participant in the New South Wales and Victorian Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby recovery program.

Celia’s passion for native wildlife came at an early age, brought about by a family that encouraged wildlife care.

“I remember as a kid we always had a house full of injured or sick birds, possums and other small animals that we hand raised and nurtured back to full health”.

For Celia a weeks work at Waterfall Springs can include general animal husbandry and care, attending to sick or injured wallabies, monitoring animal behaviour, capturing wallabies for weighing, recording official animal data, managing wallaby breeding groups and pouch young and trapping and translocation missions with NSW State Forest and National Parks and Wildlife Service.

“My days are really busy often beginning at 6am and involving many overnight stays because the early morning and late evenings are the most appropriate time to work with the wallabies”.

“Asides from our conservation programs for Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies, Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and Bridled Nail-tail wallabies, the Sanctuary also has a General License for animal rescue and rehabilitation so we also get an assortment of local wildlife including wombats, most species of wallaby and kangaroo and possums, gliders, birds and reptiles that we look after”.

Celia has completed her nursing accreditation, works part-time for the Taronga Zoo Australian Native Mammals unit and teaches animal husbandry courses for TAFE.

Meet John

John Pengelly is one of Waterfall Springs’ small team of dedicated volunteers whose assistance and passion towards saving our wallabies makes our work at Waterfall Springs operationally possible.

After 17 years working for the building maintenance crew at the Sydney Opera House, John decided to leave the city for a more relaxed lifestyle with his family. He undertook a renewed study effort in environmental management and bushland regeneration and is currently studying for a bachelor of applied science degree in parks, recreation and heritage.

His interest in animals led him to apply for volunteer work at Waterfall Springs where he has since been a valuable member of the team. John’s duties initially involved the hands on construction of predator control fencing for the enclosures being prepared for the arrival of our first brush-tailed rock-wallaby breeding groups from the “Jenolans”. After undertaking intensive on-site training in animal care, John now works as a volunteer Keeper.

“My duties involve feeding and cleaning up after the wallabies as well as behavioural monitoring, trapping and other husbandry tasks. I have also been fortunate enough to have been involved in several expeditions to trap wild brush-tailed rock-wallabies in parts of NSW. The experience I have gained as a volunteer has been incredible. I will now be able to take the knowledge and skills I have learned and apply them out in the work force”.

Meet Aaron

Aaron Dennis joined the Waterfall Springs Team in January 2009 and provides operational support to the Sanctuary Manager. Combining his studies at the University of Newcastle with an “in the field” employment opportunity, Aaron is responsible for the many and varied jobs that arise is a working animal sanctuary including maintenance and repairs, servicing machinery, organising feed supplies and assisting in animal husbandry and care.

"My role at Waterfall Springs is unlike any other I've experienced. Not only do I get to be involved in a project I am passionate about, but I also ensure that the animals and grounds are looked after. It’s an often challenging but always interesting job. I learn something new everyday about the animals, and enjoy the chance to broaden my repertoire of skills.

“The uniqueness of my position means that I experience things that few people of my generation have or will and it is for this reason that I am passionate about ensuring the future of the endangered species Waterfall Springs looks after.

“It is an honour and a privilege to work alongside the people that I do, and without the help of our volunteers my job would be a lot harder!"