Wildlife Wonders' impact
Secured the ideal site with Sefa’s early backing
Restored the land into a thriving ecosystem for endangered native species
Created stable local jobs and career pathways in a regional community
Became a community hub through volunteering, education and children’s programs
Survived COVID and emerged as an award-winning ecotourism success
Inspired a new vision for wildlife tourism – demonstrating what the zoos of the future could be
Environment Community Enterprise
Early support that unlocked everything
When the Conservation Ecology Centre (CEC) imagined Wildlife Wonders, they knew it had to do two things: inspire people through wildlife experiences and generate reliable income for long-term conservation in the Otways.
The Great Ocean Road and Otways are among Victoria’s most biodiverse regions; home to ancient rainforests, rare plant species, and threatened wildlife like the long-nosed potoroo and the spotted-tailed quoll. However, these ecosystems face ongoing threats from invasive species, bushfires, and habitat degradation, meaning protecting the area is critical.
Back in 2018, the Conservation Ecology Centre (CEC) had the model and the people for their new Wildlife and Conservation Sanctuary in place. What they didn’t have was land.
That’s where Sefa stepped in. Sefa provided a $1.2 million loan – as part of a blended capital solution in partnership with the RE Ross Trust and a private foundation – to help the CEC purchase the ideal site just outside of Apollo Bay.
“Sefa played an instrumental role,” says CEC CEO Lizzie Corke. “They provided a founding loan which enabled the purchase of the ideal site for our social enterprise.”
Sefa was involved from the beginning. Beyond the loan itself, we supported early planning, advised on grant applications and helped shape funding scenarios that would inform the capital raising strategy.
“As we navigated the project towards completion, Sefa’s due diligence provided assurance to other funding partners,” Lizzie says. “Their financial insights and ongoing advice have been extremely helpful.”
Sefa’s willingness to back the vision early on brought credibility and momentum to the project at a crucial moment.
That reassurance helped unlock the subsequent 22-funder blended finance model, including state and federal government support. Wildlife Wonders is now widely recognised as a successful example of blended capital in action.
“Sefa’s involvement gave others the confidence to believe in the idea,” says Lizzie. “Sefa’s ability to speak the same language as other funders and investors was really helpful. While we know about conservation science and ecotourism, we’re not impact investors – that whole world was unfamiliar to us. Sefa’s ability to bridge that gap made a huge difference.”
“What was also really helpful was Sefa’s deep understanding of social enterprise. In many conversations, especially with government, we found a lack of understanding of what social enterprise actually is.”
“Government could understand charity, or for-profits – but social enterprise demonstrates elements of both and we often ended up feeling like a square peg in a round hole. Sefa helped us navigate all of that.”
“Sefa’s involvement gave others the confidence to believe in the idea… their ability to speak the same language as other funders and investors was really helpful.”
LIZZIE CORKE OAM
CEO, CEC & Wildlife Wonders
A wildlife experience with a difference
Wildlife Wonders isn’t a zoo. It’s a guided tour through restored, predator-free bushland where native animals can choose how visible they are – or, indeed, whether they are at all. “It’s quite possible for an individual animal to choose never to be seen at Wildlife Wonders,” says Lizzie. “Because we manage the visitors and the paths, the animals have choice. And because of that, they’ve become incredibly relaxed and wildlife sightings are actually incredible.”
This approach means the fauna at Wildlife Wonders is thriving. Long-nosed potoroos and southern brown bandicoots are breeding. Pademelons, once extinct in Victoria, have been reintroduced. The site’s resident Koalas use high intertwining branches to move in and out of the sanctuary freely. Regular health checks show that this natural lifestyle results in animals that are in excellent condition.
“Because the experience is guided and quiet, and people follow a specific route, we’re able to keep the environment intact. That’s a huge part of why it works.” This approach is even inspiring the zoos of the future, with one zoological organisation holding their executive retreat at Wildlife Wonders. When one attendee was asked 'If you were starting a zoo from scratch, what would you do?’ they said, ‘Well, I wouldn't. Unless it was like Wildlife Wonders.’ This was a huge endorsement that they're on the right track and exactly the kind of far-reaching impact they once dreamed of.
Local jobs, skill building and secure work
Wildlife Wonders has also had a big impact on people, particularly the young people, living in and around Apollo Bay.
“We’ve had local school students working here in the holidays, learning to be baristas and gaining customer service skills. University students come and develop as guides during their breaks. And we’ve had a number of staff who started as guides and then have gone on to become managers,” Lizzie says.
It’s helped bring stability to people’s lives. “Having secure employment and then buying houses and doing all of those important things.”
Students from Apollo Bay and further afield can also take part in a structured work experience program that introduces them to both conservation and tourism. “The kids from Melbourne and the local kids often end up working together,” Lizzie says. “It builds really nice connections.”
Powered by volunteers and community connection
Wildlife Wonders has built deep ties with the local community through more than just employment.
Every Monday afternoon, a volunteer team called the Wondersmiths turns up to weed, mow, plant and help maintain the site. The group includes retirees and young children working alongside their grandparents.
“They work bloody hard,” Lizzie says. “But the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder, the social aspect of that – it’s been really important and really lovely.”
The site is also a space for families. Weekly kids’ storytime draws in young children and parents, many of whom build longer-term relationships with the organisation.
Built to last, even through COVID
Wildlife Wonders opened in early 2021. That same afternoon, Victoria announced its first COVID circuit breaker lockdown. With no access to JobKeeper government payments and strict operating limits, the business had to adapt fast.
“It was a very, very difficult time to be operating,” says Lizzie. “But the community were just absolutely wonderful in supporting us through that period.”
The café and tours operated whenever the rules allowed. Locals kept visiting. Volunteers kept showing up. And Wildlife Wonders stayed afloat.
“Surviving the worst operating period in history was huge,” says Lizzie. “We’re still here, which is really exciting.” Part of that early resilience stemmed from the early belief that Sefa and other partners provided. They could weather the storm and go on to thrive.
In 2022, Wildlife Wonders was awarded Silver for tourism attractions and Bronze for ecotourism at the Victorian Tourism Awards.
There have also been some quiet but powerful moments along the way... “A visitor from Ireland went home and picked up a second job specifically so that they could make a sizeable donation to us. He said the experience had touched him so much he wanted to give something back.”
Holding the vision
Lizzie refers to the Stockdale Paradox – the idea of confronting brutal facts while maintaining absolute faith in the end goal.
“I think it applies to social enterprise development,” she says. “You need to be absolutely focused on the purpose and have the right team in place to deliver. But also be open minded on the path to achieving it.”
That kind of mindset helped Wildlife Wonders survive uncertainty and evolve. “You need to be agile and flexible while also maintaining a clear focus. And your funders need to be too.”
By sharing the vision of Wildlife Wonders and backing the land purchase, while also serving as a reassuring presence for future partners and investors, Sefa was privileged to be able to help bring this unique, impactful and important place to life.
See it for yourself... Don’t forget to visit Wildlife Wonders next time you’re travelling the Great Ocean Road!
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Image credits: Tourism Australia, Wildlife Wonders