The Funky Farm: The healing place

As the business owners met some of the graduates and the 400 animals who call the Funky Farm home, Symons described the daily challenges that people who take part in the rehabilitation program face.

“Many people are learning to live with severe injuries, including acquired brain injuries, resulting from serious road or workplace accidents. Among them are jockeys, with more than a third of Australia’s 860 jockeys involved in accidents each year, some of which have life-changing consequences.” 

On Symons’s farm, some of them take part in the 12-week Mornington Peninsula Wildlife Project. The hands-on program rebuilds life skills and confidence and is now also focused on helping people re-enter the workforce to find volunteer or paid jobs.

“Aside from the injuries, one of the biggest challenges people face after serious injury is loneliness, and that breaks my heart. So, Sam and I thought about what else we can do to see people continue to grow once they finish the program, rather than returning home and feeling isolated,” said Symons.

“Our next mission is to help them get jobs – an apprenticeship, part-time or casual work or a voluntary role – so they can be part of something."

Chris and Sam bought their rural property about 18 years ago when Symons was still racing. He retired in 2021 after a 21-year career during which he rode more than 1200 winners. During that time, the couple built a family home, created their sanctuary and acquired a menagerie that includes horses, ponies, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, koalas, wombats, parrots, kookaburras, emus, snakes, lizards and seven crocodiles. 

To help pay the bills to maintain Funky Farm, they opened the property to the public. The idea for the rehabilitation program was then sparked by a visit to a local Riding for the Disabled event where Symons witnessed how animals can break down barriers and build connections.

“Sam was involved with Riding for the Disabled and I’d arranged for the Melbourne Cup to be brought to an RDA event on the Mornington Peninsula. I thought I’d take along one of our parrots, too, because the kids might want a photo with the bird. 

“After that, Sam and I came up with the idea of creating a wildlife park that was accessible to people with disabilities and special needs. Our good friend Troy Gleeson, whose father is well-known in the trotting industry, has cerebral palsy. He spent time on the farm and absolutely loved it.

"Another friend, Brenton Primmer, sustained serious injuries as an apprentice jockey after a fall at the Warrnambool races. He has been a great inspiration for the work we do here.”

Chris and Sam’s 12-week program sees young people and adults with disabilities learn to care for animals. They learn about their habitat, how to handle the animals and how to feed them. Divided into small groups and closely supervised, participants rotate around the farm, so they have a chance to work with all the animals.

During the 12 weeks, they also work together on a construction project, which might be creating a veggie patch or building a chicken coop or scarecrow. 

“By the end of the program, everyone is ready to greet members of the public who are visiting Funky Farm, and they can answer questions about the animals,” said Symons.

The program costs around $1800 per person and Chris and Sam are constantly looking for sponsors to help fund scholarships so more young people can benefit from the experience. 

The initiative has already transformed lives. One young man, once housebound with PTSD, is now thriving as a Navy cadet. Others have re-engaged with education, started apprenticeships or simply built the confidence to rejoin the world.

“The changes and growth we see from the beginning to the end of the program are incredible. They have confidence, they make new friends, they’re ready to step up and speak in front of people and they’ll happily introduce themselves to visitors,” said Symons.

“But perhaps the most special moment is when they take their own family on a tour and share everything they’ve learned. Parents are often crying by the end of that tour because they can’t believe the changes they see in their young person. That’s the biggest reward.”

To find out more about how to support the Mornington Peninsula Wildlife Project, go to thefunkyfarm.com.au