Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast

Tree rescues are no walk in the park – unless you’ve got the legends from Pat McGrath Tree Services on your team! 🌳💪 When a member of the public spotted a cormorant tangled in fishing line and hanging from a tree in a super tricky spot, Donovan and his son Jhie didn’t hesitate to step up to support MWRCC vollie Michelle Proudfoot. With their incredible skills (and a whole lot of heart), they climbed into the tree, cleared away some branches, and carefully cut the one holding the fishing line. As soon as the branch came free, so did the cormorant – the fishing line pulled into the tree, and the bird flew straight into the water, diving out of sight in seconds. While we couldn’t confirm whether the hook came free with the line, this was the best possible outcome for such a challenging scenario. We’ll be keeping an eye out for this lucky bird, but we just have to shout out Pat McGrath Tree Services for their amazing effort! This isn’t their first rodeo with us either – it’s the second cormorant rescue they’ve helped with, jumping into action even after they’d wrapped up their workday. Their generosity of spirit and care for our local wildlife is second to none. 💚 Let’s show them some love – they’re a local family-run Coast business, and the kind of crew you want in your corner in an emergency.

First Pelican dive rescue 2025

A very special Pelican Time today when one of our own did their first dive rescue, for our first rescue of 2025 on a young male pelican with a precariously placed fishing hook in his glottis/neck! It was situated so, that we didnt want to try and get out without vet assistance! Michelle Proudfoot did an awesome dive to the absolute delight of the crowd that were there learning about our amazing pelicans and she came out of the water to them showing their appreciation with lots of applause!!!! Two awesome members of the public were there and caught Michelle's dive on video and then sent it us! Thanks so much guys! We really appreciated your help today and hope your kids dont get too jealous when you show them what you did! And enjoy those cocktails from Meantime@theentrance 😉 💙 they also got to name the pelican and chose Michael!!! Michael the Pelican was seen by SASH at Tuggerah and they were able to get the hook out and he will stay with us overnight and be released back into his home tomorrow!!! Whoo Hoo! Well done team!!!

Entangled whale off Terrigal

An entangled whale was sighted this morning off Terrigal heading north. The animal is not in good condition and has a large tiger shark following it. MWRCC have been liaising with NPWS about this animal. Please call us on 0478 439 965 asap if you see this whale #terrigal #marineconservation #awareness #marinelife #oceanawerness Friends of Kurrawyba Wildlife A.R.C Society Inc Hunter Wildlife Rescue, NATF Inc Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast. Thank you to Jade Indyka for the images

It’s shaping up to be a cruel, hot summer – and Avian Botulism is on the rise. Our team have rescued 12 pelicans (and counting) from various spots around Tuggerah Lake over the past month, all showing symptoms of this deadly disease, which causes progressive weakness and paralysis. Death is caused by eventual drowning, asphyxiation, or starvation/ dehydration. Sick birds are also often preyed on by dogs, cats, and foxes. But there’s always hope: the quicker we can get to affected birds and take them into care, the better their chances of surviving. Or, at the very least, we can ease their suffering. Please keep an eye out for waterbirds showing signs of botulism and phone our rescue hotline ASAP: +61 478 439 965 – together, we can help protect our wildlife! Also please report to NSW DPI Aquatic Pest & Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888.

Clean up Terrigal Haven

Wow, so much rubbish cleaned up at Terrigal Haven on Sunday morning! Jacquelene Anne Pearson from CEN and Friends of Kurrawyba and Cathy Gilmore from MWRCC did some sieve work for microplastics in and on the sand. The haul was huge, both on land and underwater - and though it doesn't look like we found THAT much, all of this came from only a small area, hidden under the sand! PS the water was divine, I couldn't help myself! Lol!

Rocky the Central Coast Seal 💙

Call to MWRCC about an injured or deceased seal on the beach at Wamberal, we call Ahmet Emir Saner and he puts his drone to work and this is what he said! 😂 I scan the beach from Spoon Bay to Wamberal to find this, Rocky the brat must have decided to have a rest on the beach and obviously the dogs spooked him back in water to everyone's relief it was false alarm. After that old mate met up with a friend, went fishing - ended up with a belly full and relaxed by the rocks near the Skillion. Days of Rockys life.....ya little brat we love ya.... 💙

For those who missed our sunrise segment yesterday, here are our segments in full! We were lucky enough to be featured three times throughout the show. We even rescued JT the pelican live on national TV. Way to go team!

Our awesome team will be doing a live cross on Weekend Sunrise with James Tobin on Sunday 25th August at 7am at the Pelican Platform Memorial Park if you want to come down and support us!!! Exciting!!! Video taken by Cathy Gilmore at Pelican Platform on Wednesday of 2 beautiful breeding pelicans doing their mating dance! Note the females whistle 💙

So everyone at The Entrance were treated to the awesome Wally - our NZ Long Nosed Fur Seal who enchanted everyone with his presence in the channel of Tuggerah Lakes today and even checked out the boats of our wonderful The Entrance Boat Shed ! He may come up and rest on land and if he does, please don't harass him and just allow him to be! You do know that seals are faster on sand than humans are and can give you quite a nasty nip! If you do come across Wally or Sammy or any of our other gorgeous seals that frequent the Central Coast - give us a call on 0478 439 965 or contact National Parks or ORRCA, so organisation of trained carers can be actioned to keep everyone safe until the animal moves on 😁 Brilliant video sent to MWRCC by awesome local Nat Bell 💙

On our way to Pelican Time this afternoon and noticed some young boys had accidentally hooked a pelican just by the bridge near the The Entrance Boat Shed! Cathy Gilmore & Erin Jennings were there to assist! Was fantastic the boys didn't cut the line and we were able to get the bird in and the lure eventually fell off but also had a 3 prong hook which we were able to retrieve!!! Way to go everyone!! #dontcuttheline

Robert Olive does these amazing water rescues for birds that won't come near us!! Way to go Rob - he does then rain hail or shine, Summer or Winter!!! Now that's dedication!

A funny blooper with Dr Chris Brown from The Living Room when he visited us and checked out some pelicans we had in care! 😂