Every school morning, siblings Amahlia, Darcy, Oakley and Wyatt usually check their mailbox from the car as their parents drive them to school. But one recent morning, they chose to walk instead — and that simple decision changed everything.
The kids were excited to see if a package had arrived. But instead of mail, they discovered something entirely unexpected: a frightened wombat trapped beneath a heavy cattle grate near their driveway in New South Wales, Australia.
The poor animal was wet, shivering and clearly distressed. Realizing they needed help, the kids quickly called on their neighbors James and Jilly, who then reached out to John Creighton, cofounder of the Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary and someone the children had met during a school visit.
Creighton immediately understood how lucky the wombat was.
“Had the kids not walked to that mailbox that morning, she would not have been seen,” Creighton told The Dodo. “Cars would’ve passed right over her. She would’ve spent the day trapped in wind and rain, with no shelter. She wouldn’t have survived.”
Creighton teamed up with Peter Lewis from the sanctuary and members of the Berrima Rural Fire Service. Together, they carefully lifted the grate just enough for Creighton to crawl under and scoop up the frightened wombat.
Cheers rang out as the team celebrated the rescue. “All of us were so delighted,” Creighton said. “It was such a great feeling knowing we all worked together to save a beautiful life.”
Thankfully, the wombat — now named Evelyn — wasn’t injured. After a quick checkup, Creighton released her nearby, where she happily dashed into the safety of a burrow.
Looking back, Creighton credits the children for Evelyn’s survival.
“The kids are responsible for all this,” he said proudly. “They saved that dear little wombat’s life.”
He hopes Evelyn’s story inspires others to keep an eye out for wildlife in need — and to always call an expert if they see an animal in distress.
To help wombats like Evelyn, you can donate to the Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary.
