Kangaroo Sanctuary South Australia Inc
A volunteer carer cradling an orphaned joey wrapped in a knitted pouch

Kangaroo Sanctuary South Australia Inc

Raisedby hand.Releasedto the wild.

We are a volunteer-run charity rescuing orphaned and injured kangaroos and wallabies across South Australia — bottle-feeding them through the night, healing what the road broke, and walking them back out to country when they are ready.

Fund a joey’s milk24hr rescue line
1,240+
Rescues attended since 2009
63
Joeys in carer homes today
84%
Of survivors returned to the bush
112
Trained volunteers on call

Who we are

Twelve thousand kangaroos are hit on South Australian roads each year. We answer for the ones who survive.

Kangaroo Sanctuary South Australia Inc began in 2009 around one kitchen table and three hanging pouches. Today our carers span the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Mid North, taking calls at any hour from police, ambulance crews, farmers and drivers who have stopped to check a pouch.

We are not a zoo and we are not open for casual visits. Every animal here is a patient or an orphan, and every one of them is being prepared to leave us.

A mob of eastern grey kangaroos grazing in golden South Australian grassland at dawn

What we do

Three stages, one destination

Nothing we do is permanent care. From the moment an animal comes through the gate, every decision is measured against a single question: will this help them live wild again?

  1. A wildlife rescuer in a hi-vis vest carrying a rescue bag along a dusty roadside at dusk
    01

    Rescue

    A call comes in and a trained rescuer is dispatched with pouches, a stretcher and warmed fluids. Most of our work happens on roadsides after dark, checking every pouch of every animal we find.

    Average response: 41 minutes

  2. A carer hand-feeding a milk bottle to a young joey in a hanging cloth pouch inside a timber shed
    02

    Raise & rehabilitate

    Pinkies feed every three hours around the clock, in a home carer's laundry, at body temperature, in a hand-knitted pouch. Injured adults recover in quiet paddock yards under veterinary supervision.

    8 to 18 months in care

  3. A young kangaroo bounding away into open eucalyptus woodland in soft morning haze
    03

    Soft release

    Joeys are grouped into a mob, moved to a pre-release paddock, then let out onto protected private land where supplementary feed and water remain available for as long as they need it.

    Monitored for 6 months after release

Animal stories

Meet the mob

All animal stories

Ways to get involved

Donate

Milk formula alone costs us more than $4,100 a month. Every dollar goes straight to feed, medication, transport fuel and veterinary bills — nobody here draws a wage.

Choose an amount
Volunteers washing pouch liners and preparing feeds in a rustic sanctuary shed

Volunteer

Carers, rescue drivers, pouch sewers, fence menders and weekend feeders. Full training is provided and you do not need any wildlife experience to begin.

See open roles

Found an animal?

What to do in the first ten minutes

If you have hit a kangaroo or found one injured, do not drive on. Our rescue line is answered by a person, every hour of the day, every day of the year.

(08) 8568 0142Other ways to reach us

  • Make yourself safe first

    Pull well off the road, switch on hazard lights and put on something visible before you approach any animal.

  • Always check the pouch

    A deceased female may still carry a live joey. If it is safe to do so, check, and keep the joey warm and dark until help arrives.

  • Call before you move it

    Kangaroos stress catastrophically when handled. Ring our 24 hour line and a trained rescuer will talk you through the next step.