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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-05-26 Daily Xml
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AUSTRALIAN MARINE WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND RESCUE ORGANISATION

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (15:53): Aaron Machado was one of the founding members and eventual president of the Australian Marine Wildlife Research and Rescue Organisation, otherwise known as AMWRRO. This organisation was established in 1998 by local members of the community after the deliberate shooting of the six Port River dolphins. At this stage the project was known as Project Dolphin Safe. Aaron administered and ran AMWRRO from his home in Ingle Farm for eight years.

On one of their many patrols of the Port River, he and a group of volunteers saw the appalling condition of Mutton Cove, north of the Australian Submarine Corporation. This site was just about completely destroyed by years of commercial waste and public rubbish that had been dumped there. They decided enough was enough and called on community-minded businesses to assist. The community responded with cranes, waste disposal skips, trailers and other equipment, and after three years of hard work on this government-owned site the outcome was nothing short of amazing: gone were 71 dumped vehicles and 59 tonnes of all kinds of garbage and household refuse.

The waterways through Mutton Cove, which were once red with toxic waste, are now back to pristine condition, and as a result 11 sea and shorebird species, some of which are migratory, are back in large numbers and breeding there. Mutton Cove is now fenced and has walkways and information on all flora and fauna species for the public to enjoy, thanks to AMWRRO.

This organisation is also involved in the care and preservation of all other areas of natural habitat within the Port River estuary. AMWRRO procured a site at TXU Torrens Island Power Station. This site consists of a small building of three rooms, which were converted into an office, boardroom and clinic. Project Dolphin Safe then set up SA Seabird Rescue to handle and rehabilitate injured seabirds, including many protected, endangered and migratory species.

Over time, the clinic became far too small to house the number of injured animals it was taking in. Aaron then sought permission from the new owners of the Torrens Island Power Station (AGL) to extend the area it had given him so that they could incorporate and build a large facility, which would house large numbers of marine wildlife in a natural environment. This site now consists of 12 self-contained cages, each having its own pond, which can be filled by either sea water or fresh water. It has a large central rehab area, with a 270 square metre U-shaped lake, which contains sea water pumped in from the Port River which is continually filtered whilst circulating.

This facility was built with the help of volunteers and sponsors and Aaron working part-time after hours at AGL to fund the $55,000 needed to complete this project. Without the efforts of these volunteers and sponsors, this facility would have cost $590,000. It has been completely replanted with natural vegetation in keeping with the area.

The president and volunteers travel extensively to all areas of South Australia every week—from Mount Gambier to the east to Ceduna to the west—to rescue marine wildlife that has been reported to them by either government departments or the general public.

This facility, apart from zoos, is now the only one in Australia capable of housing and rehabilitating all seal, seabird and sea turtle species. It is home at the moment to three seals (Miya, Kira and Lexie) from Taronga Zoo, one of the world's leading organisations. The seals are here for two to three months whilst their exhibit in Sydney is being renovated.

Aaron works in conjunction with various vets concerning marine wildlife issues, including the vets and conservation staff at the Adelaide Zoo, where he is well respected. Working closely with several government departments, Aaron worked his way up to be assistant collection manager at the South Australian Museum, at the Maceration Facility in Bolivar, where he coordinated South Australia's marine mammals for post-mortem examination and further studies. Aaron has also passed on his knowledge in the training of volunteers here in South Australia, at the Australian Seabird Rescue in Ballina New South Wales, and in Victoria. He also visits schools on a regular basis to educate our youth on the problems we face with ecology and marine wildlife.

AMWRRO is called upon every day by various organisations, including government departments, and is expected to be there to rescue animals. However, it still receives no funding of any description from anyone, including the government, and it relies solely on members, volunteers and fundraisers.

The infrastructure at this facility is truly amazing, and I would recommend anyone to become a member of this essential organisation. The people at AMWRRO are probably the only people here in South Australia at the coalface of marine wildlife protection, rescue and research, making sure our marine habitats are not damaged any more than they already have been.

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