WHILE Port Stephens has its Marine Park which is preserving habitats for fish breeding and the wetland areas there are still marine creatures which need our help.

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The team at Irukandji are about to move their tourism attraction to the old Anna Bay Oval, however, they are doing much more at this new site.

With the move we will also see the creation of a new world class marine life hospital will be created here in Port Stephens.

This facility alongside the Koala Sanctuary will see Port Stephens as a growing tourism destination for animal lovers and for those who wish to see our wildlife thrive despite the impact of humanity.

Currently injured marine life is transported from Port Stephens to Taronga Zoo for treatment.

The facility will focus on conservation and education.

The centre will provide help to fish, sharks, rays, sea turtles and sea snakes.

The facility will allow the team to not only rescue marine life but to rehabilitate the animals which come into their care.

Lia Pereira of Sea Shelter told News Of The Area, “We can’t make change internationally by ourselves, this is about being a web of hospitals across the world that rescued animals can be brought to before it’s too late.

“We need all the other hospitals and we work together to compare data and monitor trends and also track individuals that are returning due to float or something else continuing that was thought to have been fixed.

“It is a massive ocean out there and many of the animals travel vast distances,” she said.

The facility will see marine life rescued in the Port Stephens area, treated locally with an aim to rehabilitate and release them with minimal trauma.

Sea Shelter will occupy around 25% of the site which Irukandi is moving to at the old Anna Bay Oval and the purpose built facility will deliver better outcomes for local rescued marine life.

By Marian SAMPSON