Every year on the RACV Great Vic there are things that happen that remind us that there is more to the event than just riding a bike.
Yesterday in Apollo Bay we had that moment when event volunteer Muzammil Patel took time out to rescue a drowning koala.
Muzammil had just arrived at the Apollo Bay campsite which lies next to the winding Barham River when a woman alerted people of a koala struggling in the water, right near the river's mouth at the ocean.
After speaking with a wildlife rescue service Muzammil realised that the koala didn’t have much time left and needed immediate help. He floated some tree branches into the river, but the koala couldn’t grab on, leaving Muzammil with just one thing to do.
“There was no other option, I had to jump in and save the koala. It looked like it was going to drown” said Muzammil.
“It was amazing saving a life, it felt beautiful. The lady who spotted him was crying after she saw that the koala had been saved.”
Muzammil Patel speaks to ABC South West Vic about rescuing a koala from the Barham River at Apollo Bay. |
Muzammil finished his final week of study for the year just last week before joining the RACV Great Vic as a volunteer and has just one semester to go before finishing his Masters of Engineering.
He hasn’t thought about whether he might change his career from engineering to rescuing wildlife, but he does love animals.
The RACV Great Victorian __bike Ride is currently in Apollo Bay as more than 4,200 riders supported cycle 527 kilometres over nine days from Halls Gap to Geelong. The event is supported by around 350 volunteers.
Last night it was revealed that next year's event will visit the world famous Wilsons Promontory.
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