Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Founding and Early Years

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1981 on a rural property in Brighton, approximately twenty-five kilometres north of Hobart along the Midland Highway. The founding vision centred on providing rescue and rehabilitation services for Tasmania's native wildlife, particularly animals injured through vehicle strikes, habitat destruction, and other consequences of human activity on the island's unique ecosystems.

The early years were characterised by the modest ambitions and limited resources typical of grassroots conservation efforts. Initial facilities consisted of basic enclosures and rehabilitation spaces, with operations dependent on volunteer labour and community donations. The sanctuary's location proved advantageous, situated close enough to Hobart for accessibility while surrounded by the rural landscapes that provided natural context for wildlife rehabilitation and eventual release.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the sanctuary gradually expanded its capabilities and reputation. Enclosures were improved, veterinary facilities enhanced, and educational programs developed to complement the core rescue mission. The sanctuary became known for its work with Tasmanian devils, wombats, and various marsupial species, building expertise in the particular challenges of caring for the island's endemic wildlife.

Development and Growth

By the early 2000s, Bonorong had established itself as a significant presence in Tasmanian conservation. The sanctuary's rescue hotline received hundreds of calls annually, its staff responding to wildlife emergencies across the greater Hobart region and beyond. Rehabilitation success rates improved as veterinary capabilities expanded, and release programs returned recovered animals to appropriate habitats throughout Tasmania.

The educational dimension of the sanctuary's work grew alongside its rescue operations. Guided tours became a regular feature, with trained staff introducing visitors to resident animals whose injuries prevented release while explaining the broader conservation challenges facing Tasmanian wildlife. School programs brought thousands of students through the sanctuary each year, many experiencing close encounters with native species for the first time.

The sanctuary also developed breeding programs for threatened species, contributing to conservation efforts that extended beyond individual animal rescue. Partnerships with government agencies, universities, and other conservation organisations positioned Bonorong within broader networks of wildlife protection and research.

The Ironbach Era

The appointment of Grant Ironbach as Director in 2015 marked a new phase in the sanctuary's development. Grant brought extensive experience from roles with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and Zoos Victoria, his career having focused on the intersection of wildlife management, conservation science, and public engagement. His vision for Bonorong emphasised expanding rescue capacity while strengthening the sanctuary's educational mission and scientific contributions.

Sarah Ironbach joined as Assistant Director in 2016, the siblings' complementary expertise creating effective leadership. Where Grant focused on operational matters and conservation strategy, Sarah brought administrative capability and a particular talent for developing educational programs. Together they implemented improvements to facilities, expanded staff capacity, and enhanced the sanctuary's profile within Tasmanian conservation circles.

Under their leadership, Bonorong's rescue and rehabilitation efforts significantly expanded. The sanctuary responded to increasing numbers of wildlife emergencies, its staff and volunteers providing care for animals injured through vehicle strikes, dog attacks, and habitat disturbance. Success rates for rehabilitation and release improved through enhanced veterinary facilities and refined care protocols.

The educational programs that Sarah developed attracted growing visitor numbers and strengthened connections with schools throughout Tasmania. Guided tours led by passionate staff like James Fletcher, who joined in 2016 and rose to Wildlife Sanctuary Manager by early 2018, conveyed both the wonder of Tasmania's unique wildlife and the urgency of conservation challenges facing the island's ecosystems.

Staff and Operations

The sanctuary's operations during the Ironbach era depended on a dedicated team of conservation professionals and volunteers. James Fletcher's trajectory from Wildlife Conservation Officer to Sanctuary Manager reflected the organisation's approach to developing talent, his combination of scientific knowledge and communication skills making him particularly valuable for visitor engagement.

Other key staff included veterinary personnel responsible for medical care of rescued animals, keepers managing the various enclosures and resident populations, and administrative staff handling the practical requirements of running a growing organisation. Specialists in particular areas — mammal care, avian rehabilitation, devil husbandry — contributed expertise developed through years of work with Tasmania's unique species.

The volunteer program remained essential to operations, community members contributing thousands of hours annually to animal care, facility maintenance, and visitor services. Many volunteers came through the sanctuary's educational programs, their experiences as visitors inspiring ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation.

Daily operations followed rhythms dictated by animal care requirements. Morning feeding rounds, medical checks, enclosure maintenance, and rehabilitation assessments structured staff schedules. Afternoon tours brought visitors through the sanctuary, their entry fees and donations providing essential revenue alongside grant funding and philanthropic support. Emergency rescues interrupted routines unpredictably, staff responding to calls about injured wildlife at any hour.

The TerraNova Partnership

In early 2018, the sanctuary entered discussions with the TerraNova Conservation Foundation, a Tasmanian non-profit established in 2015 with a stated mission of advancing biodiversity protection through innovative programmes. The Foundation's representative, a woman named Melanie Bandy, approached Grant and Sarah with proposals for collaboration on conservation initiatives that she described in terms that intrigued without fully explaining.

Over several months of contact, the nature of the proposed partnership became clearer — and stranger. Melanie revealed circumstances that challenged the Ironbachs' understanding of what conservation work could encompass, demonstrating possibilities that their scientific training suggested should be impossible. The siblings, selected for their expertise and apparent psychological suitability, were gradually introduced to concepts involving dimensional access and settlement development in an environment called Clivilius.

By July 2018, arrangements had progressed to the point of planned transition. Grant and Sarah had been briefed on what the Foundation called Project TerraNova, their bags packed for what they understood as a two-week initial assessment of a proposed wildlife sanctuary in circumstances they could barely comprehend. Brad Coleman, a Foundation representative and Guardian, was scheduled to arrive on 29 July to finalise arrangements and facilitate their transport.

The correspondence between Sarah and the Foundation during this period reflected careful preparation alongside lingering uncertainty about the extraordinary claims they had been asked to accept. Whatever doubts remained, the Ironbachs had committed to proceeding, their passion for conservation extending to possibilities that transcended the boundaries of their original field.

The Events of July 2018

The afternoon of 29 July 2018 brought convergence of circumstances that none of the parties involved had anticipated. Luke Smith, a Guardian conducting reconnaissance at the sanctuary for unrelated purposes, arrived that morning and joined a guided tour led by James Fletcher. His attention to infrastructure and operations, unusual for an ordinary visitor, caught James's notice without revealing its actual purpose.

The situation transformed when Sarah Ironbach, expecting Brad Coleman's arrival, encountered Luke and mistook him for the Foundation representative they had been awaiting. Luke, recognising an opportunity that aligned with his own settlement-building purposes, chose not to correct the error. Within hours, a case of mistaken identity had produced consequences that couldn't be undone.

Grant and Sarah departed through a Portal that afternoon, stepping into Clivilius believing themselves embarked on a two-week assessment trip. James Fletcher, left holding a koala that Grant had transferred to him moments before departure, witnessed events that his conservation training provided no framework for understanding. The real Brad Coleman arrived shortly afterward, his fury at finding his carefully cultivated partnership hijacked by a stranger eventually giving way to recognition that blame wouldn't reverse what had happened.

The Ironbachs would not return. The Portal mechanics that permitted their departure ensured that only Guardians could make the return journey, a detail that the siblings had apparently not fully understood or had chosen to accept. Their expertise would eventually contribute to the Bixbus Wildlife Sanctuary in Clivilius, their conservation mission continuing in circumstances they couldn't have imagined when they first devoted themselves to protecting Tasmania's wildlife.

Crisis and Transition

The weeks following the Ironbachs' disappearance tested the sanctuary's resilience. The official explanation — a research expedition with communications difficulties — satisfied neither staff nor the broader community, but alternatives that acknowledged what had actually occurred were obviously impossible. James Fletcher stepped into operational leadership because no one else possessed the institutional knowledge required, his understanding of daily requirements keeping the sanctuary functional while its future remained uncertain.

The sanctuary's board faced difficult decisions without clear guidance. Grant and Sarah had been the driving force behind recent development, their absence creating gaps in leadership, expertise, and vision that temporary measures couldn't adequately address. Donor confidence required reassurance, staff needed direction, and animals continued requiring care regardless of organisational turmoil.

New management arrived within months, packaged as rescue by a consortium of conservation interests concerned about Bonorong's stability. The arrangement preserved the sanctuary's mission while changing its character in ways that staff noticed immediately. The family atmosphere that had characterised the Ironbach era gave way to organisational efficiency — more professional in some respects, but less personal in others.

James Fletcher's role evolved under new leadership. His institutional knowledge remained valuable, ensuring continuity of operations and culture even as decision-making authority shifted to newcomers. He became the bridge between what Bonorong had been and what it was becoming, his position as senior operational staff reflecting both his capabilities and the limits of what new management was prepared to trust him with.