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A philanthropist has saved Australia's best-known identical twins from potential eviction after offering to buy the site of their Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue centre for $1 million.
Key points:
- Identical twins Paula and Bridgette Powers run Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue
- Their centre was at risk of closure because the landlord wanted to sell the property
- Philanthropist Dr Peter Sherwood has offered to buy the site after being impressed by the Twinnies
Bridgette and Paula Powers, known as The Twinnies, have saved thousands of injured, orphaned and sick native birds over 22 years, having devoted their lives to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing a staggering 187 species.
But money has been tight on the Sunshine Coast in recent years, with the centre's food, rent, fuel and electricity costs spiralling.
Their vital wildlife work has scraped along on public donations, their father's Vietnam War pension, and the occasional government grant.
When the Powers' landlord of 12 years flagged selling the property they leased at Landsborough, the sisters were devastated and appealed for help.
"We couldn't sleep; we were really stressed," said the Twinnies, who dress identically and often speak in unison.
"One vet did tell us if we weren't here, the birds would be euthanased, and that really broke our hearts."
A 'great joy in giving'
Brisbane-based Peter Sherwood was watching television when news broke in July 2022 that Paula Powers had collapsed after answering an abusive anonymous phone call.
The stress on the sisters had become too much. Both women battle osteoporosis and serious heart and gut conditions.
Paula, 48, was in and out of hospital for 10 days.
"This [caller] was obviously a person with a severe mental or emotional problem who wanted to do something terrible and did, but it has caused me to come in and I'm delighted to help," said Dr Sherwood, who has a PhD in philosophy.
"The place was going to be sold out from under them and I saw their stress and I knew that I could help.
"There's a great joy in giving like that."
Philanthropist 'impressed' by Twinnies
The generous 80-year-old, a valued patron of the Burleigh Heads Surf Life Saving Club who recently wrote a book on its centenary, said he made his money through real estate investments, and founding and selling the Australian College of Natural Medicine.
Dr Sherwood has also written a book about healing, and travels overseas to help at a Buddhist temple in Thailand.
The Twinnies' devotion to caring resonated with him, and he made the decision to buy the property after visiting the rescue centre and meeting the Powers family in person.
"I was so impressed by them," Dr Sherwood said.
"They [the twins] were so genuine, and their total concern was for the birds. It wasn't for themselves and that was very telling."
Philanthropist dubbed 'Saint Peter'
The twins' mother, Helen Powers, is still pinching herself over the generosity of Dr Sherwood, who she dubbed "Saint Peter".
"It's pretty amazing to think that someone has come through the gate to fulfil the twins' dream, not for a roof over their heads, but a roof for the birds that they love saving," Ms Powers said.
"A million dollars is a lot of money; it's just unreal. We would never have been able to afford it.
"We would have had to end up moving or close down, and even to move [dozens of aviaries] from here — what a task."
The ABC's Australian Story last year featured the Twinnies, who for two years worked with Steve Irwin at Australia Zoo before branching out on their own.
Dr Sherwood said he was dealing directly with the landlord through his lawyers and the contract to buy the property had gone unconditional and would be finalised within weeks.
The power of giving
As to the family calling him Saint Peter?
"I love that religious significance," Dr Sherwood said.
"You could swing into a philosophical chat about religion and the power of giving and helping each other and sharing each other's burdens.
"It's what society is about, and I'm surprised that we don't have more people giving to organisations around the country."
The philanthropist plans to continue to work with the Powers family, enlisting an experienced friend to investigate ways to make the centre more self-sufficient to ensure the long-term future of the Twinnies' rescue and rehabilitation work.
Bridgette and Paula Powers said it felt like bricks had been lifted from their shoulders.
"We felt like chucking the towel in many times but when we looked in the birds' eyes we couldn't," the sisters said, in unison.
"We knew in our hearts that Peter was a good person."
Life changing for the better
In the short-term, Dr Sherwood is planning improvements to the home the family lives in on the property.
There will be no more braving the weather to run to the rescue centre to wash clothes in the same machines used to clean the linen fouled by birds.
Instead, Helen Powers will finally get a washing machine in the house.
"I am happy about getting a laundry because now we can build stuff because we're here to stay," Ms Powers said.
"I'm going to have a laundry and a laundry cupboard and, yes, it's going to feel good."