Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary

Courtesy of Australian of the Year Awards:

Tehree Gordon developed a close affinity for animals as a child. In 1974 she purchased a five-acre property near Barwon Heads in Victoria and started a refuge for injured Australian wildlife. Three decades later the Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary houses over three hundred native animals and continues to nurse distressed and injured kangaroos, koalas, possums, birds and penguins back to health.
Tehree is equally committed to the well being of her fellow humans, recognising that her animals can bring joy and healing to people in need. Jirrahlinga regularly hosts abused and disadvantaged children, building their self-esteem through interaction with the animals.
Disabled people are also welcomed and Tehree administers a volunteer program providing care for pets of the ill and elderly. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her mid-fifties, Tehree knows the importance of care and support.