Visiting and more
Where Wombats Dominate and Humans Accommodate!
At Sleepy Burrows – Australia’s largest wombat sanctuary – we worship wombats. That’s why our motto is: Where Wombats Dominate and Humans Accommodate! The sanctuary, which is set on 200 acres near Gundaroo (NSW), is home to around 75 lovable common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) – the ones with the cute hairless noses. If you’d like to meet and learn more about the wombats, please read on.
It’s possible to organise an educational visit to the sanctuary (subject to staff availability). Visitors to the sanctuary must be at least 16 years of age. Visits take place between noon and 2pm. Bookings are essential.
To book an educational visit, please enter your details below. We’ll get back to you ASAP via email.
For the foreseeable future, visits to the sanctuary will be very limited, and restricted only to wombassadors. Thank you for understanding.
The Wombat Whisperer
Donna Stepan (AKA the Wombat Whisperer) lives and breathes wombats. Since starting the sanctuary in 2004, Donna has helped (both directly and indirectly) thousands of wombats in need. Many people believe that Donna has a special gift: the ability to communicate or “whisper” to wombats.
Donna believes that the common or bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) will be an endangered species by 2030 – unless major steps are taken by government to control sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei). Donna estimates that up to 80 percent of common wombats in the wild are affected by sarcoptic mange.
Donna’s list of achievements in wombat welfare is impressive:-
- 20 years of continuous service and advocacy.
- Strong working relationships with major government stakeholders, including NSW Department of Primary Industries.
- Recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to animal welfare (June 2017).
- Author of the children’s book, “Does Maggie know she’s a bird?” – a book about wombats.
- Articulate and passionate media performer.
