Our Board

Mr Boo

CEO and Co-Founder

Mr Boo was the very first kangaroo rehabilitated at Red Box Wildlife Shelter. Little Boo was found one chilly morning standing helpless next to his mother’s lifeless body.  She had been shot. Boo who weighed just 1800 grams and was too young to hop, would have had no chance of survival had he not been rescued that day. Mr Boo is now a young 5 year old buck that after returning from adventures further afield, has made his original stomping ground home. Here he leads a small mob of hand raised kangaroos from care to true freedom. Inspired by Mr Boo and his incredible intelligence, trust, strength and devotion to his mob, Nikki wanted to share Boo’s story with others in the hope that it would inspire compassion and understanding in her community for these amazing, unique animals.  

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Nikki Hanson-Medwell

Board Chair and Co-Founder

Nikki’s journey to wildlife rescue began with a single decision — stepping away from her managerial career in Melbourne’s not-for-profit sector to follow a gentler path guided by compassion and purpose.

 
After moving to rural Victoria, she founded Bed and Broccoli — Australia’s first all-vegan bed and breakfast — which she operated successfully for nearly a decade. The space became a sanctuary for guests and animals alike.
 
It was during those years that kangaroos entered Nikki’s life — quietly, profoundly, and with purpose. She often says they chose her. Recognising their vulnerability and the urgent need for understanding, Nikki made the life-changing decision to close her business and devote herself fully to their care and protection.
 
Today, through Red Box Wildlife Shelter, Nikki provides a full-time, voluntary and unpaid community service dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and advocating for kangaroos. As a volunteer macropod nurse working under the supervision of Senior Veterinary Surgeon Dr Mark Sayer, she combines hands-on rehabilitation with informed medical care — ensuring every joey and kangaroo receives expert attention and the best possible chance at survival. Her days are spent bottle-feeding joeys, restocking the meal time buffets (and the ensuing clean-ups), educating the public, and advocating for Australia’s most misunderstood native animal.
 
Every rescue, every release, and every conversation is part of Nikki’s mission to create a more compassionate future — one where kangaroos are not feared or overlooked, but respected and protected as the wild heart of this land.
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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pay our respect to their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging, as the original custodians of Victoria’s lands and waters.

Professional photographs generously provided by Tamara Kenneally Photography.

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