Wildlife carer Wyanda Lublink, pictured, says she "sick of finding dead animals".
SEVERAL wallabies have been beheaded and others had joeys ripped from their pouches in a shocking spate of animal cruelty in the Stanley State Forest.
This week Aboriginal elders conducted a smoking ceremony aimed at “cleansing the land”, a move welcomed by wildlife carers.
In the past three weeks Kangaloola Wildlife Shelter volunteers have found the remains of 17 wallabies that had been killed.
In February, carers found a joey in a bloody heap with a bullet wound through its body and at Christmas several native animals were found slaughtered in the forest.
“I’m sick of finding dead animals,” carer Wyanda Lublink said yesterday.
“It’s just been too much and too many.”
Ms Lublink and Kangaloola owner Glenda Elliott said they had found new resolve after indigenous elders came to the forest this week for a smoking ceremony intended to cleanse the land, leave behind troubles and start anew.
“It was pretty special for me,” Ms Lublink said.
“Glenda and I, we said again this morning: ‘We’re not going to stop’.”
They’ve also been bolstered by the support of the community.
It started with a $1000 donation from shopkeeper Gary Hayward, followed by $1000 from one of Mr Hayward’s clients, $1500 from another organisation and smaller donations from the community.
Mr Hayward said his donation had achieved what he wanted to achieve.
“We thought ‘let’s try and kick-start that and see if other people get on board’,” Mr Hayward said.
Ms Lublink, who has volunteered at the shelter for the past two years, is one of a handful volunteering their time to rescue and care for sick and injured wildlife.
She said the donations were a big help and it made the carers feel that people cared about their work.
“Sometimes you have the feeling you’re fighting the world on your own,” she said.
Police urge people who see something suspicious in the bush to take note of the registration plate and contact police.
Information can be passed on to local police stations or by phoning Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.