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00:00Aussie Arc, with our major partner AGL, is thrilled to announce the official launch of our vet block.
00:06This incredible facility has been built and donated by AGL.
00:13Aussie Arc has needed a veterinarian facility for many years.
00:17In the past, animals in need of care had to be transferred to off-site, external vets or hospitals.
00:23We really needed a place on-site where our precious animals could be treated immediately,
00:27housed safely and monitored directly by our staff.
00:32AGL answered our SOS by offering to build and supply a custom-made vet block as a donation.
00:38How incredible is that?
00:41Aussie Arc and AGL worked on the designs.
00:43Then construction began in AGL's Bayswater plant.
00:47AGL's been involved with Aussie Arc for several years now and we've started with volunteer days
00:52and it's sort of culminated into these bigger, wider projects
00:55and some more corporate sponsorship that we're now involved in.
00:58And given the skills that we've got on-site, we're able to utilise those skills
01:02to build something that really added so much value to the team up here.
01:05We've really got our contract partners and a lot of people involved and the finished product is amazing.
01:11So a broad range of trades have worked through this project with boilermakers, fitters, electricians, plumbers
01:16to bring this thing together.
01:18There's a lot of different resources involved from different companies
01:21as well as different trade types to actually get it done.
01:24It's been great to actually use our skills to help out conservation.
01:29Last September 2024 it was ready.
01:32It was so exciting to see it being trucked up the mountain to Aussie Arc and placed into position.
01:41Inside there are tailor-made spaces to suit all of our animals
01:44including floor-to-ceiling enclosures for our koalas, quolls
01:48and half-height enclosures for our potoroos and bettongs.
01:52The main room is fully kitted out as a veterinary workspace
01:55complete with benches, sinks, medical fridges and shelving.
02:00The whole vet block is solar-powered thanks to the James N. Kirby Foundation
02:04providing a 24-hour temperature-controlled environment.
02:08I'm always being very concerned about climate change
02:11so being able to supply solar panels is helping climate change as well as conservation.
02:18And supporting Aussie Arc is such a great privilege.
02:24It was so special to officially launch the vet block with AGL today and celebrate.
02:30I'm so proud of our people.
02:32They've just put this together and it's the biggest thing I think we've ever done as a workforce
02:37for our community and it's good to see that it's getting put to good use already.
02:42It was great to show AGL representatives the vet block being used with a few different animals.
02:47Petey the palmer wallaby joey, Quincy the hand-raised eastern quoll
02:52and even a koala.
02:55From the moment the vet block landed on site it has been in continuous use.
02:59One of the most amazing times was just recently
03:02when the external vets used this to check all of our koalas.
03:06So Aussie Arc wants to say a heartfelt thank you to AGL for making and donating this amazing vet block.
03:14It is such a major asset at Aussie Arc and such a big help for our operations.
03:20Collaboration between conservation organisations like Aussie Arc
03:23with corporations like AGL and private donors like Jane's N Kirby Foundation are so important.
03:30Aussie Arc's a not-for-profit registered charity that is dependent on donations from the public
03:37be it private individuals or be it corporate.
03:40And AGL's given a very significant donation to Aussie Arc
03:45producing a world-class vet refacility for helping wildlife.
03:51It's incredibly rewarding to see the vet block in use by the team up here at Aussie Arc
03:55after all the time and effort that's gone into the project.
03:58And knowing that it's going to support the conservation of Australian wildlife
04:02is an incredibly proud moment for myself and the team.
04:06If you'd like to support Aussie Arc and the work we do with our endangered animals in our vet block
04:11please donate at aussiearc.org.au today.