The Woodlands

Welcome to the Woodlands Historic Park. This beautiful park, located north of Melbourne, has become the focus of a joint effort between Conservation Volunteers of Australia, Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability & Environment Communities for Nature to reintroduce the Eastern Barred Bandicoot.

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot was once commonly found, but the significant lost of natural grasslands and the introduction of foxes and dogs has pushed the species to the brink. It is now one of Australia’s more endangered.

Reintroducing the Eastern Barred Bandicoot back into the wild has been a massive undertaken. For several reasons, The Woodlands Historic Park was chosen as a right location to begin the efforts. A massive section of the park was fenced in, and predators, like foxes, were removed.  Only once that was completed could the bandicoot be reintroduced.

The project has been a huge success. The latest estimates put the bandicoot population around 150 with signs of a growing community. It’s done so well, in fact, that it has caught the attention of other conservation group around the world. Many groups will send staff over to tour the Woodlands in hopes of starting or improving their own programs. On one such tour, Conservation Volunteers of Australia asked if I would be willing to tag along. Of course, I was happy to do so.

This grass is what makes this land so valuable to the bandicoot and their survival. This is the natural habitat for the Eastern Bared Bandicoot.

Checking for holes. Where are those little bandicoots hiding?

Travis, with CVA, explains the work that is done each day to ensure the stability of the park and it’s eco system.

The Woodlands Historic Park is a beautiful place to visit. To get more information about visiting or volunteering, please visit the Conservation Volunteers of Australia website: http://www.conservationvolunteers.com.au/support-us/wild-futures/eastern-barred-bandicoot.

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