Supporting community-led treatment to protect bare-nosed wombats
Results of the Curb Wombat Mange Program
- YEAR: 2023
- STATE: New South Wales
- FOCUS AREAS: SDG 15: Life on Land
- YEAR: 2023
- STATE: New South Wales
- FOCUS AREAS: SDG 15: Life on Land
How did we help protect wombats from mange across New South Wales?
Every wombat deserves the chance to live free from unnecessary suffering.
Through the Curb Wombat Mange Program, we helped expand community-led efforts to treat sarcoptic mange in free-living bare-nosed wombats across New South Wales. Delivered in partnership with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, this initiative strengthened the capacity of volunteers, wildlife carers and First Nations organisations to respond to one of the most significant animal welfare threats facing wombats.
By investing in the people already working on the frontlines, we helped create a stronger, more coordinated response to mange while improving outcomes for individual animals across the state.
What is wombat mange and why is it such a serious threat?
Sarcoptic mange is a debilitating disease caused by microscopic mites that burrow into a wombat’s skin. The infestation causes intense irritation, hair loss, thickened skin, infection and severe discomfort. As the disease progresses, affected wombats can struggle to feed, regulate their body temperature and evade predators.
Without treatment, mange often leads to a slow and painful death.
For wildlife carers and volunteers, the impacts are confronting. Yet treating free-living wombats in the wild is complex, labour-intensive and costly. Many community groups simply lacked the resources needed to respond effectively at the scale required.
How did the Curb Wombat Mange program support frontline carers?
From 2023 to 2025, we delivered a $2 million Rapid Response Grants Program designed to strengthen community-led treatment efforts throughout New South Wales.
Rather than creating a new system, we invested in the existing network of volunteers, wildlife rehabilitation organisations, Aboriginal organisations and community carers who were already making a difference on the ground.
Funding helped provide:
- Approved treatment chemicals and essential field equipment.
- Burrow flap systems that allow wombats to be safely treated in the wild.
- Training resources and support for volunteers.
- Monitoring and reporting through the Curb Wombat Mange Portal.
- Greater collaboration and coordination across treatment networks.
This approach empowered local communities to respond more effectively while building long-term capacity for wildlife disease management.
What impact did the Curb Wombat Mange achieve?
The program significantly increased the ability of volunteers and carers to identify, monitor and treat wombats affected by mange, helping to reduce suffering and improve animal welfare outcomes across New South Wales.
Program outcomes
- 18,582 treatments delivered
- 1,497 wombats treated
- 84% increase in field-based wombat treatments compared to pre-program levels
- 92% increase in volunteer treatment capacity compared to pre-program levels
The program exceeded its original target of 10,000 treatments, delivering nearly double the anticipated treatment effort.
Importantly, these outcomes demonstrate more than numbers. They represent thousands of opportunities to improve the welfare of individual wombats and prevent the devastating impacts of unmanaged disease.
Why was burrow flap technology so important?
Treating wombats in the wild can be challenging.
Burrow flaps allow treatment to be safely applied as wombats move through their burrow entrances, reducing stress on animals while improving treatment consistency and effectiveness.
Data collected through the Curb Wombat Mange Portal showed that 84% of recorded treatments were delivered using burrow flaps, demonstrating that volunteers successfully adopted this field-based approach and were able to meet a key objective of the program.
The technology helped make treatment more practical, scalable and effective across large areas of habitat.
How did the program strengthen community-led conservation?
One of the most significant achievements of the program was the growth in volunteer capacity.
By reducing the financial burden associated with field operations and providing access to equipment, training and approved treatment methods, volunteers were able to dramatically expand their efforts.
The program also supported the development of training resources and increased engagement with First Nations organisations in culturally sensitive areas, helping build a more inclusive and collaborative model of wildlife care.
Together, these investments created stronger networks, improved knowledge sharing and established systems that will continue to support wombat conservation into the future.
What happens now that the program has finished?
While the grant program has concluded, its legacy continues.
The skills, partnerships, equipment and infrastructure established through the Curb Wombat Mange Program remain in place, creating a stronger foundation for future wildlife disease response efforts.
As a pilot initiative, the program demonstrated how community-led action can successfully address wildlife health challenges at scale. It mobilised and equipped volunteers across New South Wales, creating a model that can continue to support the treatment of wombats affected by mange in the years ahead.
Most importantly, it helped reduce suffering and improve the welfare of one of Australia’s most iconic native species.
Together, we helped give thousands of wombats a better chance at life.
By investing in volunteers, carers and community organisations, we reduced the impacts of mange on individual animals while building the knowledge, networks and capacity needed to support healthier wombat populations into the future.
DOWNLOAD THE CURB WOMBAT MANGE REPORT
