Recovering corellas returning home
Eighty corellas that survived a suspected poisoning have been released back into the Newcastle suburb where many of them were discovered in poor health.
On 17 March 2025, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) received reports of sick and deceased corellas across multiple areas in Newcastle. The death toll surpassed 200 birds over the following days.
Eighty rehabilitated birds were released yesterday (30 March) by carers at Hunter Wildlife Rescue, who have nursed them back to health. They were banded for identification purposes, which is a common practice when releasing birds back into their natural environment.
NSW EPA Executive Director Jason Gordon said this is uplifting news for the community and the carers, but the EPA’s investigation is ongoing.
“It is heartwarming to see these beautiful birds back where they belong and in good health," Mr Gordon said.
“Releasing the birds back into the Carrington trees where they are familiar and comfortable is a huge win for everyone involved, but this is not case closed for the EPA.
“We are continuing to explore all lines of enquiry to determine the cause of this incident and would like to implore the public to reach out if they have any information that could assist us.
“The birds were well looked after by Hunter Wildlife Rescue carers, and it has been inspiring to see the dedication of local veterinarians and volunteers in responding to this incident and caring for the affected birds.
“We are really pleased to witness the birds’ recovery and remain focused on trying to gather information to find out how this mass poisoning happened.”
Initial testing has ruled out Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Virus but the testing process for chemicals is complex and may take several weeks to complete.
If you have information about the suspected mass poisoning or pesticide misuse, please contact the Environment Line at 131 555. Public assistance could be critical to the ongoing investigation.
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