Meet Our Rangers
Billabong Sanctuary has a core staff of full-time Rangers to
provide the best possible care for our native animal collection.
From diverse backgrounds, they are a incredibly talented and well-qualified mob, with a variety of practical skills as well as professional training. Each is passionate about working with wildlife and dedicated to the principles of conservation and education.
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Dan Bamblett
When Dan’s family moved to Townsville from Canberra, his parents had to apply for a reptile keeper’s licence so that he could have a pet snake:
Dan was only 5 years old! He has raised snakes, lizards and birds ever since, and has a special love of venomous snakes.
After high school, Dan worked for a couple of years as a beach volleyball umpire and in the tiling business before realizing his dream of becoming a professional animal keeper at Billabong Sanctuary.
Six years later he had the opportunity to spend time working at the Houston Zoo in the USA, where he helped initiate new wildlife shows in their reptile house. Having now returned to us as Curator, Dan intends to build on our excellent programme of breeding native animals, and has some exciting plans for new wildlife shows.
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Christy Derwent
While still in her teens, Christy joined the Sydney Wildlife Service, a volunteer organization dedicated to caring for sick, injured and orphaned native animals.
She worked with all kinds of creatures such as lizards, possums and owls, but her favourite was a kookaburra who was reunited with its parents after treatment.
Before moving north to Townsville Christy graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Biology, specializing in wildlife ecology.
Working at Billabong Sanctuary allows her to do what she loves best. Her favourite animals here are the mammals, especially possums and gliders.
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Andrew O'Brien
From the age of 2, Andrew always knew he wanted to be a zookeeper.
After finishing high school in Townsville, he moved to Melbourne to study at LaTrobe University for a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Biology.
Since then he spent about 7 years travelling the world, working odd jobs in America and Europe.
Most recently he worked in South Africa doing carnivore research at a private game reserve.
Mammals are a definite favourite with Andrew, and here at Billabong Sanctuary he hopes to improve our breeding programmes for endangered species like the Northern Bettong and the Spotted-tailed Quoll.
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Jackie Hasling
A native of Houston, Texas, Jackie earned her BSc in Biology at the University of Puget Sound. During this time she worked with Arctic mammals at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.
The Study Abroad programme brought her to Townsville, where she studied Minke whales for her Masters degree in Ecotourism at James Cook University.
She also worked part-time at Billabong Sanctuary, where she and Ranger Dan Bamblett met and fell in love! They married in Hawaii, and both worked for a couple of years at Houston Zoo where Jackie trained sea lions and birds.
Back in Queensland as our newest full-time Ranger, Jackie is hoping to develop new educational shows incorporating free-flying birds-of-prey.
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Vince Toohey
Having grown up on a cane farm in the Burdekin (just south of here) Vince brings to Billabong Sanctuary wide-ranging knowledge of local native animals, with a particular interest in snakes and fish.
He graduated from James Cook University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and Aquaculture.
Vince’s pet project here will be to design a barramundi pond by the cassowary enclosure to be stocked with large barra from a local fish farm.
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Sam Hawkins
Sam is another well-travelled Ranger. Born in Canberra, he spent his early childhood in Sydney before the family moved to Virginia, in the USA.
Here was able to indulge his passion for animals, keeping assorted snakes, lizards and tortoises as pets. After high school Sam spent his gap year touring in Europe before settling back in Australia.
He started Uni at Wagga Wagga, then transferred up here to James Cook University to complete a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Zoology.
Not surprisingly, his favourite courses were Herpetology and Animal Behaviour. After graduation, Sam took off again to see the sights of South-east Asia, then worked as a ski instructor in the Snowy Mountains (using skills learned during those long cold winters in America!). Here at Billabong Sanctuary, he is looking forward to working with our venomous snakes and big crocs.
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Brooke Taylor
Moving to Townsville a few years ago was like a homecoming for Brooke: she spent her childhood in the nearby town of Ayr before the family moved to Hervey Bay. After finishing high school there, she spent 2 years training at the TAFE college on the Gold Coast, qualifying for a Hospitality Diploma in Dive Resort Management.
For the next few years Brooke worked as a dive instructor at Tweed Heads, before deciding she really wanted to work with animals. This brought her back to north Queensland, where she has just completed a Bachelor of Science degree at James Cook University, majoring in Zoology.
Reptiles are a favourite group: Brooke has her own pet bearded dragon, and looks forward to being trained to work with estuarine crocodiles here at Billabong Sanctuary. She also hopes to team up with Ranger Jackie in the new birds of prey shows.
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Naomi Rogers
Like so many of our Rangers, Naomi has led a life of adventure, with years of experience working with animals. Born in Melbourne, she grew up in Papua New Guinea, where as a young girl she declared her intention to be an animal keeper when she grew up.
After high school in Brisbane she studied at Gatton College for her Bachelor of Applied Science in Animal Studies, specializing in Animal Production.
Naomi started her career in the Kids’ Zoo at Australia Zoo, where she went on to become a koala keeper. From here she moved to Brisbane to work with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service at Daisy Hill Koala Centre and Moggill Koala Hospital, and later at their office in Bundaberg. Although working mainly with licensing and public education, she also cared for orphaned or injured animals and birds.
Taking her work home at night often meant keeping a baby koala in the bathroom! Naomi has now moved to Townsville with Tiny, her pet carpet python. Here at Billabong Sanctuary she looks forward to working with Ranger Jackie in bird training and animal enrichment.
Fantastic tour guide and shows. Couldn’t ask for any better, thanks – Janai Trotter, Melbourne We love Ranger Dan – Col and Dan Haynes, NSW |