Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation Inc. (AMWRRO), Port River Estuary, Port Adelaide (2026)

11/04/2026

Another sobering day in Adelaide, marked by the loss of yet another Bottlenose dolphin in close proximity to the so called Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.

At approximately 10:00 am on Saturday, 11 April 2026, the Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation (AMWRRO) received reports of a Bottlenose dolphin repeatedly beaching itself north of Henley Beach. This information was promptly relayed to the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) – National Parks and Wildlife. Regrettably, no DEW Marine Parks Officer(s) attended the incident.

The dolphin continued to struggle for several hours and subsequently died after a prolonged and clearly distressing ordeal. At 12:45 pm, the now deceased animal washed ashore at Henley Beach, where it remains awaiting disposal by council.

This incident represents yet another tragic mortality along Adelaide’s metropolitan coastline—one that, as has become increasingly routine, will be managed through disposal rather than investigation. No meaningful post mortem assessment will be undertaken to determine cause of death or identify underlying health or environmental factors that may have contributed to this animal’s decline.

This dolphin could well have been a Port River Estuary resident. It has been as identified as an adult female, presenting as severely emaciated, with multiple visible lesions consistent with possible Vibrio vulnificus infection—a marine bacterium previously documented in several adult Bottlenose dolphins inhabiting the Port River Estuary.

AMWRRO has, over many years, consistently provided advice to the Department for Environment and Water outlining practical options to assess, mitigate, and better understand the health status and vulnerability of the few remaining dolphins within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. Unfortunately, this advice has been repeatedly acknowledged and just as predictably disregarded, beginning with ministerial oversight at the time and extending through successive departmental leadership.

To date, AMWRRO’s recommendations have been deemed inconvenient rather than actionable, while the dolphin population has continued its steady decline—from an estimated 80–90 individuals in 1998 to approximately 4–7 dolphins today.
As President and Founder of AMWRRO, I have long stated that within five to ten years the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005 will become functionally redundant—not due to success, but because there will be no dolphins left that reside within, or consider home, the area the Act purports to protect.

This scenario is no longer speculative. It reflects a systemic failure—one that spans policy, resourcing, implementation, and accountability—despite the substantial infrastructure and personnel theoretically available within DEW to manage and protect these animals. The continued inability to coordinate expertise, apply existing knowledge, or implement meaningful change has left only one consistent outcome: avoidable deaths.

After 21 years, the legacy of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is a comprehensive case study in how not to manage a protected population. The Act introduced to safeguard these animals has instead presided over their gradual disappearance, one dolphin at a time.

The phrase “fish rot from the head down” is uncomfortable, but difficult to ignore when examining the long term trajectory of this sanctuary and the fate of the dolphins it was created to protect.

20/12/2025

One Year Ago Today – Corporate Greed Destroyed Community Compassion.

On 20 December 2024, a single letter changed everything for marine wildlife species across South Australia. After 21 years of partnership, AGL – once a proud sponsor of AMWRRO – sent an eviction notice that shattered nearly three decades of rescue, rehabilitation, and research. This wasn’t just a single building. It was a world-leading, purpose-built facility, the first and only of its kind in Australia, designed to give injured marine wildlife the best chance at survival and it did for 21 years.

In total for 28 years, AMWRRO stood as a beacon of hope, saving tens of thousands of lives – seals, dolphins, seabirds, sea turtles – creatures that had no voice but ours.

AGL didn’t wait for facts. They acted on a hunch, ignoring previously made pledges and promises that an eviction would never occur post the 2018 failed attempt. What followed was a series of heavy-handed decisions, carried out in a manner that can only be described as barbaric, leaving AMWRRO with no chance to fight back.

This wasn’t just a corporate decision. It was an atrocity against our environment and community, executed in lockstep with government forces that should have protected what mattered most.

The timing could not have been worse. As South Australian waters faced an algal bloom crisis, thousands of marine lives needed us more than ever. Instead, our doors were forced shut.

28 years of volunteering. 28 years of collaboration. 28 years of hope, data and priceless genetic samples – gone in an instant.

And if that wasn’t enough… On 20 January 2025, during a meeting with AGL management, the mask slipped. When asked how many animals remained on site, we explained there were 11 souls still requiring care and protection.

AGL’s response? They referred to these lives as “things” and asked:
“When can I get rid of them?” As if they were nothing more than used tissue paper. That moment revealed AGL’s true colours – cold, callous, and utterly devoid of empathy.

AGL then assured us that anything “cumbersome” or “not worth removing” – dirt, concrete – would be dealt with during the B Station decommissioning in late 2026. At the time, we thought this was a gesture of goodwill.

But within hours of locking us out, excavators and bobcats moved in. They destroyed everything – every purpose-built structure, every piece of equipment, every asset painstakingly acquired over decades – dumped into skip bins and hauled away.

This facility was designed to be dismantled and reused elsewhere. Instead, AGL acted with malicious intent, isolating AMWRRO from its own property and erasing 28 years of history.

To sugarcoat this atrocity, AGL publicly pledged to pay up to $10,000 directly to a contractor AMWRRO chooses to help us remove the large property items from Torrens Island.
Last week, reality struck again: AMWRRO received a final notice from the transport company that helped move shipping containers and large items. AGL has now refused to pay unless we grant permission to demolish the last remaining building – a structure that cost AMWRRO and its supporters over $150,000 to build and that is not actually located on AGL land.

This was never part of the original agreement. It is blackmail, plain and simple. Another blow in a relentless campaign of lies, betrayal, and corporate bullying.

Today, we remember what was lost. We remember the lives we saved. And we remember the truth:
Corporate greed destroyed what compassion built.
But this is not the end.

AMWRRO’s mission lives on in every person who cares about our oceans, our wildlife, and our future.
We will not be silenced. We will not forget.

Join us. Speak out. Share this story. Because marine wildlife still needs a voice – and that voice is YOU.

12/07/2025

Just when you think you've witnessed the lowest someone (or something e.g. a company) could possibly go to, you can bet ya bottom dollar that AGL will exceed even the lowest of lows after today's find. Congratulations AGL for taking it that one or two steps lower than even I thought was possible.

Trying to operate and mange the huge work load that AGL have enforced on AMWRRO via this forced shut down - administration wise, and due to the main office being the only safe guard for general admin paperwork coupled with the sensitive documents, contracts, individuals personal details, business information that was and still is confidential, yet AGL thought it appropriate to lock us out and "pack" everything for us despite objections being raised. Our main computer is still missing therefore emails and documents that are needed are unable to be accessed until the system is found and restored. What about a laptop I hear you say?

Well, with special thanks to the fantastic AGL employees, these intelligent beings did manage to pack our main laptop, in the oil spill wash trough. Going by the water damage and physical appearance I would say this was left out as long as possible to ensure maximum and irreversible damage was caused.

I'm sure AGL CEO Mr. Damien Nicks is very proud of the actions of his line managers and lower level staff members that enjoy causing nothing but unthinkable and irreversible harm to a once non for profit environmental organisation run by volunteers.

Topping the list of barbaric moves, cutting the pad locks on our containers and locking them with AGL owned pad locks and keeping the keys, making it even move difficult and costly to not only access but again secure our own property.

10/07/2025

AGL Destroys 28 Years of Wildlife Rescue Work, Scientific Records, and Australia’s Only Marine Wildlife Facility of Its Kind

After nearly three decades of tireless voluntary service to South Australia’s marine wildlife, the Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation (AMWRRO) has been forcibly shut down by former sponsor and energy giant AGL—who didn’t just stop at eviction, but also destroyed infrastructure, sabotaged data servers, and disposed of priceless scientific specimens and research all of which irreplaceable.

AGL’s actions have obliterated a 28-year legacy of conservation, education, and internationally recognised science, placing both animal welfare and peer-reviewed research in jeopardy.

The Full Scope of Loss
• Evicted and Locked Out: On December 20, 2024, AGL issued an eviction notice. By March 20, 2025, AMWRRO was forcibly locked out of its Torrens Island facility, after being denied a realistic time frame to relocate or preserve equipment. AGL then workers completely destroy all AMWRRO owned infrastructure, the purpose built wetland, dry docking facilities, storage yard and shut AMWRRO down effective immediately.
• Infrastructure Deliberately Destroyed: When shipping containers were finally accessed on June 16, they were found in appalling condition—crucial medical and rehabilitation equipment destroyed, tools smashed, brand new and reusable building materials simply thrown away despite AGL management knowing the AMWRRO facility was designed to be dismantled should the need arise.
• Scientific Sabotage: AGL wiped 28 years of data from our servers—including wildlife case files, treatment records, and irreplaceable field data.
AGL also disposed of 28 years of genetic samples and histopathology specimens, used for studies in forensic science, disease tracking, and marine conservation.
• International Research Now at Risk:
Peer-reviewed, internationally published studies in medical, forensic, and ecological journals are now in jeopardy, with supporting evidence, tissue samples, and physical documentation destroyed by AGL's careless and deliberate actions.

• A Personal and National Loss: “I started AMWRRO at 18 years old. I’ve now lost everything I’ve built over 28 years—personally funding much of this organisation myself,” said founder Aaron Machado. “This was not just a rescue facility. It was a national scientific resource and a lifeline for Australia’s marine wildlife.”

A Message to the Public
“To our volunteers, committee, members, and the countless people who believed in our mission—thank you. I am deeply sorry for what has happened. I take full responsibility, even though it was taken from us. To the sponsors—past and present—thank you for standing with us. To AGL—your actions have not just shut us down. You have erased an institution, endangered science and species alike and for reasons only you know of. Lastly, AGL you have destroyed a lifetime of public service that was created for the greater good of protecting marine wildlife and associated sensitive environments from the very evil found within your companies hierarchy and overall structure.”

Why This Story Matters
• A National Environmental Tragedy: AMWRRO was the only organisation of its kind licensed in South Australia to perform marine wildlife rescue, rehab, and release at this scale. The void left behind is now absolute.
• Scientific and Legal Consequences: With specimens and research materials destroyed, global collaborations are at risk. There are serious legal and ethical questions surrounding AGL’s handling of biological, medical, and protected wildlife data.
• Public Accountability is Overdue: This is not a “breakdown in partnership”—this is the wilful dismantling of an essential service and erasure of Australian environmental history.

About AMWRRO
The Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation (AMWRRO) was South Australia’s only government-licensed 24/7 marine wildlife rescue facility for nearly three decades. From storm-tossed sea lions to oil-soaked seabirds, AMWRRO has saved thousands of lives, contributed to global scientific literature, educated countless students, and gave South Australia a voice in marine conservation that is now gone thanks to AGL...

25/05/2025

Yet another typical day down the bay however this morning a young Sub-Antarctic fur seal found himself accosted by uneducated 7 new crews and an equally uneducated city of holdfast bay council worker who did absolutely nothing but make matters worse by allowing individuals to get within touching distance despite AMWRRO informing those trying to control the situation that there is in fact a 30m no approach zone that should be enforced not a one meter no approach zone as Sub Antarctic fur seals have the ability to move very quickly and cause huge amounts of damage to not only people but animals if they get hold of them.

Nonetheless this young male is trying to get some much needed R&R after some rough weather at sea overnight and AMWRRO hopes no one is silly enough to touch or attempt to move this animal or bring it into care as national parks and wildlife historically have demanded any Sub Antarctic or Antarctic animal that is interfered with by people are euthanised immediately, let's hope national parks don't start changing their tune just for the sake of convenience.

For those wanting to help this young animal gets some R&R, please remember there was a 30 meter no approach zone for your sake as well as theirs, the animal may stay up on the dry for two to three days before making his way back to sea at his own free will. City of Holdfast Bay 7NEWS Adelaide 9 News Adelaide

18/05/2025

AMWRRO has been made aware of a very young dolphin that has unfortunately washed ashore dead at Largs Bay a few minutes ago. This is the third reported dolphin that has washed ashore with no obvious signs as to the cause of death in as many days.

17/04/2025

Now two days after forwarding this onto DEW and still the seal is entangled and who's life will be cut short if not rescued as a matter of urgency. AMWRRO not permitted to access rescue equipment thanks to AGL, plus where to house such an animal for any length of time for rehabilitation, AMWRRO's world class facility on Torrens Island, oh that's right....AGL destroyed that on a hunch that got withdrawn from courts last Friday 11 April 2025....too late now, AGL have completely destroyed every aspect of AMWRRO so yet another voiceless marine animal dies thanks to AGL. Three cheers for AGL's Mr. Taylor, Mr. Nicks and Mr. Schroeter...great work gentlemen. Sleep well!

16/04/2025

Energy Giant Australian Gas Light - AGL has continued destroying AMWRRO, the largest purpose build marine wildlife rehabilitation facility in Australia. Not only that, AMWRRO was the first of its kind in the world to have achieved incorporating a natural habitat into the rehabilitation process of those in need of long-term care and without imprinting the animal which would deem in un-releasable. AMWRRO received accolades from internationally recognised organisations for its design and abilities to achieve the above and proven track record.

On 20 January 2025 AMWRRO President and Founder Aaron Machado sat with AGL representatives and head of Torrens Kevin Taylor. During that meeting AMWRRO was advised that despite the letter provided to AGL post the termination of lease email AMWRRO received on 20 December 2024 and of which had no specific reasons as to why the lease was terminated and despite asking repeatedly for this information and it being declined multiple times by Mr. Taylor.

Finally, after Mr. Machado explained to Mr Taylor that he believes the eviction notice was due to an incident that took place on 12 December 2024 where Mr. Machado was confronted by SA Police Officer Sampson in front of the security gates of AGL.

This is when Mr. Taylor confirmed that as a consequence of that interaction with SAPOL AGL management decided to terminate the lease with AMWRRO.

Despite explaining in detail that the interaction was unlawful and a misunderstanding due to the police arresting Mr. Machado in front of AGL and whilst doing so AGL management were leaving Torrens Island for the day. Hence AGL management were required to slowly drive through the four vehicles involved in the unnecessarily heavy handed and unjustified actions of SAPOL.

The arresting officer clearly showing signs of professional incompetence and who does not know her professional limitations and who is now subject to internal investigations.

Due to this incident and despite explaining to AGL management on 20 January 2025 that this was due to one individual known to Mr. Machado who has malicious intentions towards him, and that the entire interaction on 12 December 2024 was unlawful, Mr. Taylor maintained his stance and that of AGL’s.

Friday 11 April 2025 and after just three court appearances and representing himself, Mr. Machado had the entire case thrown out of court – counts 1-3 withdrawn by the prosecutor himself after Mr. Machado’s facts of claims prevailed.

Despite giving AGL several opportunities to put down on paper the real reason for the eviction AGL refused, despite writing to the CEO Damien Nicks several times requesting his intervention due to the unjustified heavy-handedness of AGL’s Mr. Taylor. Nothing from either spineless individuals, NOTHING and now with the only real reason for their continued and complete destruction of AMWRRO being thrown out of court….well I say this to you Kevin Taylor and Damien Nicks, as the President and Founder of AMWRRO as it once stood in all its glory; thank you and God bless you both.

Not only have you show myself, the AMWRRO volunteers, supporters, the real AMWRRO sponsors and every one of the thirty plus thousand supporters that follow AMWRRO’s social media pages just how barbaric, how unfair and how you really do not care about the environment whatsoever and that the real reason you terminated AMWRRO’s lease and destroyed AMWRRO as an organisation was to protect your public image.

Isn’t that right Mr. Taylor, you actually said that exact phrase to my face didn’t you, you said and I quote “AGL has an image to protect” and police out the front puts in jeopardy that public image.

During my recent encounters with AGL I have learnt the real acronym behind those three little letters AGL, the truth about this energy giant is in its name…Australian Gaslighting Limited… the definition of gaslighting: gaslighting is when someone consistently denies or minimizes a situation the other person experiences or remembers, causing them to doubt their own reality. This can include denying an agreement, a conversation, or even something physical. The goal is to make the victim feel confused, insecure, and questioning their own sanity.

In the meeting held in my office on 20 January 2025 Mr. Taylor said to my face, “if you happen to leave anything behind because it’s not viable to take with you, e.g. broken concrete or other large objects, AGL can assist you by incorporating that into the “B Station” demolition project which will take place in late 2026”

What did AGL do the moment I was off site, the very next day AGL employees are seen breaking into my onsite caravan (my home) steeling personal belongings, breaking into my office going through personal and private paperwork, confidential paperwork like its their own and laughing about their findings and continue to break into every building and help themselves to thousands of dollars worth of generators, radar systems and security cameras all gone and to the value of $30,000.00 within seconds. The list of stolen items is extensive and is growing daily.

The next day construction equipment and lots of them, and all of which start stripping and shredding AMWRRO down to the ground, steel worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and all of which able to be salvaged, along with the main net, ponds, wiring, poly pipes and fencing all destroyed and done so as quickly as possible, before stop work papers can be served on Mr. Taylor. In total over a million dollars worth of AMWRRO facilities funded by myself and volunteers, members and supporters, destroyed for no reason whatsoever!

Yesterday I received these images thanks to a very dedicated volunteer and supporter.

To the AGL board of directors, CEO and other managerial parasites that had a hand in making the call or had any participation in the decision including the legal senior parasite that signed off after reassuring Mr. Nicks and Mr. Taylor of their legal refuge. The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, I hope you have the ability to see what it is that’s looking back. However, I dare say that not one of you would have the ability to see what it is that’s truly looking back at the reflection of pure evil and with nothing other than your ego to reflect back on, with the true intentions of protecting your back pocket along with those other oxygen thieves that believed you, in your self appointed judge, jury and executioner of issues you know nothing about, nor have any Jurisdiction over whatsoever.

A true group of narcissistic self indulgent, sanctimonious oxygen thieves. God bless you all! The true meaning of AGL – Australian Gaslighting Limited…the company filled with its own hot gas…who better to be the Head of Gas Assets; none other than Mr. Taylor himself as stated in his email signature Kevin Taylor Head of Gas Assets

Mr. Taylor, Mr. Nicks and Mr. Schroeter I wish nothing but sweet dreams and the best of sleeps for every day of your miserable lives moving forward, for what you have done, the lives you have not only affected but have cost; will be in my thoughts until my time expires in this lifetime...and when it does, the three of you will see my face often, that gentlemen I can assure you! AGL 7NEWS Melbourne 9 News Adelaide 10 News First ABC Adelaide BBC Earth Experience 7NEWS Toowoomba 7NEWS Sydney The Advertiser The Sydney Morning Herald Fox News Good Morning America CNN International Communications Mark Aldridge

08/04/2025

BBC Earth Experience CNN International Communications Fox News Good Morning America 7NEWS Melbourne ABC Adelaide 9 News Adelaide 7NEWS Sydney The Sydney Morning Herald

05/04/2025

Tragedy on a mass scale. Today AMWRRO received the following images. As the President and Founder I am appealing to all volunteers, members, sponsors and or just avid followers of our work. Please share this far and wide and I appeal to anyone who is a qualified and currently a practicing lawyer, barrister or KC; or if you know of such a person that believes in justice and you believe would like to assist a non for profit organisation obtain some of that said justice… please contact me directly at [email protected] as I am currently collating a legal team.
I do not have the funds up front but I give you my word, I will work day and night, through rain, hail or shine to see your assistance is reimbursed accordingly. Pro-bono would be greatly appreciated; however I also understand lawyers, barristers and KC’s come at a hefty cost and rightfully so, as all professionals incur educational costs that require paying back, so I get it. However right at this moment I appeal to you for your understanding and compassion towards this non for profit organisation that is getting torn apart by an energy giant that has proven to have no regard whatsoever for the law and or due process.
Despite receiving an email from AGL earlier in the week explaining the care that was taken in packing AMWRRO belongings, today I received these images of what can only be described as a bomb site. AGL have now shown just how barbaric and ruthless they are and with absolute disregard to the hundreds of volunteers who contributed to AMWRRO’s success and was leading the way in the industry of wildlife rehabilitation. Taking AMWRRO volunteers millions of hours to build the largest purpose built marine wildlife rehabilitation facility in Australia, destroyed in days by AGL, despite pleads for more time and reminding AGL of the pledges and promises they made to us – all ignored without batting an eye lid or giving us a second thought.

AGL your actions are unacceptable and unforgivable, to disregard other peoples property, their rights and the law. Even after explaining there is an appeal being lodged; AGL as quickly as possible ordered in the machines to destroy any hopes of saving and reusing so many aspects of the facility that were designed for dismantling should the need ever arise and then be reused. Despite providing a detailed email to the AGL head of Torrens with regards to what could be salvaged, these images show complete disregard for AMWRRO pleading for time to gather said goods and if not, then AMWRRO would expect those items to be dismantled accordingly.
Instead of replying to said email AGL order the entire facility to be levelled immediately, dismissing the email and showing absolute contentment in causing as much irreversible destruction to something that was not theirs in any way shape or form and only last week did AGL Torrens inform AMWRRO that he would give me another three months to get AMWRRO property off site.
To give you an idea of just how incredibly barbaric AGL are, AMWRRO installed poly ponds in each cage that over looked the wetland area, each cage had either a 1000lt or 2000lt poly pond that could withstand ground movement without cracking the pond. In this image you can see the 16 poly ponds crushed into a large bin ready for disposal, over $22000.00 in poly ponds and plumbing alone. The wetland main pool, 200,000lt liner, destroyed, dry docking cages easily able to be salvaged; shredded by machines as oppose to cutting the cages off at ground level and lifting them onto a truck for relocation. Over a million dollars worth of construction that took 27 years to build – purposely ravaged by a multibillion-dollar corporation that clearly couldn’t give a s**t about the community or the environment in which they abuse and capitalise from every day without a second thought whatsoever…

Please feel free to email AGL expressing your opinion, if they happen to provide you any justification, please let us know. Your local member and the state minister responsible for the environment, not forgetting the oppositions and independents can also be asked why they did nothing to assist and explain to them how this has made you feel.

They are all aware and have all sat on their hands with the exception of Mark Aldridge who has been a great supporter, thank you Mark.

Our government have a lot to answer for due to their lack of interest, even if it was to stop everything until an investigation was undertaken and other options discussed before the demolition started. The lack of response and intervention by this government will not be forgotten.

If you believe the media should be reporting on this, please let your voice be heard, the AMWRRO story has been stopped on all media platforms - one can only take into consideration how much AMWRRO spends on advertising verses those with much deeper pockets, a very sad day for those thousands that will now suffer and perish thanks to AGL.

26/03/2025

AGL have now not only broken into the AMWRRO facility, AGL have removed my personal belongings and placed them outside the AMWRRO outer perimeter so that anyone who has access to Torrens Island can freely pilfer whatever they like. AGL have also turned off the AMWWRO servers and DELETED 28 YEARS WORTH OF WORK AND COLLECTED DATA that AMWRRO had collected since starting in 1998... HOW DARE YOU AGL!! You have deleted millions of dollars' worth of work and have done so with malicious intent, even after you were told not to enter after being informed that you were in breach of contract. AGL you have reached a new low...I am disgusted and am ashamed to have ever been supported by such a barbaric pack of environmental criminals. 7NEWS Toowoomba, ABC Australia, ABC Adelaide, 10 News First, AGLnergy, 7NEWS Sydney, 7NEWS Melbourne, 9 News Adelaide, The Advertiser

Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation Inc. (AMWRRO)

11/04/2026

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