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Rufous Bettong (Aepyprymnus rufescens)

The Rufous Bettong is a large, reddish-brown potoroid marsupial of eastern Australia, occurring from northern Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales. It uses grassy forest and woodland, feeds mainly on plant material and fungi, and may be affected by clearing, altered fire and grazing regimes, habitat fragmentation, roads and introduced predators on development sites.

Conservation status

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Rufous Bettongs can breed throughout the year, so a single short breeding window cannot be applied across the range. The seasonal pattern below is therefore general, with local timing influenced by food, cover, rainfall, fire and grazing conditions.

The supplied documents do not identify peak breeding months for Rufous Bettongs. Month values therefore show occurrence or risk across the full year, not seasonal abundance.

  • Breeding: Breeding is reported as potentially continuous rather than restricted to a defined season. One young is normally produced at a time.
  • Young: Dependent young may be present in the pouch or associated with the mother during any month because females can breed throughout the year.
  • Night-time foraging and local movement: The species is mainly nocturnal and may travel up to 4.5 km during a normal night of foraging. No seasonal migration is reported.
  • Daytime nesting: Animals rest in cone-shaped grass nests during the day. Suitable nests may occur throughout the year at the base of tall tussocks or fallen logs.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is present in every month because breeding may be continuous and daytime nests and dependent young may be present year-round. Clearing, slashing, fire and night traffic can also remove shelter or increase predation and road-strike risk.

Identification

The Rufous Bettong is the largest extant potoroid. It is a compact, reddish-brown marsupial with a broad, blunt muzzle, large hind feet and a long, furred tail.

Adults have rich rufous to reddish-brown fur, including on the muzzle. The hind limbs are longer than the forelimbs, and the hind feet are large. The species usually moves slowly by placing the forelegs down and bringing both hindlegs forwards together, but it can also move with a kangaroo-like hop.

The reported total length is about 70 to 80 cm. Published measurements give a head and body length of 375 to 390 mm, a tail length of 338 to 387 mm, and a weight of 3,000 to 3,500 g.

  • Look for a large, heavy-bodied potoroid with uniform rufous fur and a blunt, broad face.
  • An alarmed animal may stamp its hind feet.
  • The tail is furred and can be used to carry nesting material.

Identification: Distinguishing features

The Rufous Bettong is larger and heavier than the other modern bettongs and potoroids described in the supplied material. Its short, blunt rostrum and broad face help separate it from potoroids with a longer, narrower muzzle, such as the Long-nosed Potoroo.

In eastern forest and woodland, identification should also consider the Long-nosed Potoroo and wallabies. The Rufous Bettong is much smaller than a wallaby, has a distinctly potoroid body shape and large hind feet, and is usually associated with grassy ground cover rather than dense shrub cover alone.

Adult weight: 3,000 to 3,500 g

Face: Short and blunt, with a broad rostral region

Identification: Field signs

The most useful field sign is a cone-shaped grass nest in a shallow depression at the base of a tussock or fallen log. Rufous Bettongs carry nesting material with the tail, although they carry less material than some smaller Bettongia species.

Animals are often difficult to detect by spotlighting. In the South-east Queensland surveys they were commonly encountered opportunistically during the day, resting in grass nests, while hair tubes also recorded the species. A nest or a confirmed animal should be treated as a potential local use area during clearing.

  • Search the bases of tall grass tussocks and fallen logs for cone-shaped nests made from grass.
  • Use hair tubes, spotlighting and targeted searches of grassy shelter areas where presence needs to be confirmed.
  • Do not rely on spotlighting alone, because the species was rarely detected on standard spotlight transects in the South-east Queensland surveys.

Distribution: National range

The Rufous Bettong has a restricted and patchy modern distribution in eastern Australia. The supplied sources describe the current range as extending from northern Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales, with the former range having been much larger.

The current distribution extends from Cooktown and far north Queensland south through Queensland to north-eastern New South Wales, as far south as Mount Royal National Park. The historical range extended from Coen in northern Queensland to central Victoria, but the species has largely disappeared from inland New South Wales and from much of its former southern range.

In Queensland, records occur from coastal areas to slightly west of the Great Dividing Range. In New South Wales, the species is recorded across parts of the NSW North Coast, New England Tablelands and adjacent inland bioregions.

Current broad range: Cooktown, Queensland, to north-eastern New South Wales

Historical range: Coen, Queensland, to central Victoria

Current NSW status: Patchy distribution, with the species largely absent from inland areas

Distribution: Known areas and records

In the South-east Queensland Comprehensive Regional Assessment, the species was recorded at 23 sites across 17 survey areas, from Watalgan State Forest in the north to Emu Vale State Forest near the New South Wales border. It was also recorded incidentally at a further nine locations.

The South-east Queensland habitat assessment predicted moderate to high quality habitat across almost all forested parts of the bioregion, except for Great Sandy National Park and the Bay Islands. Forest between Maryborough and Woodgate was downgraded to moderate quality because of the prevalence of pine plantations.

  • South-east Queensland records include open dry sclerophyll forest with a grassy understorey.
  • NSW records and predicted areas include the NSW North Coast, New England Tablelands, South Eastern Queensland and parts of the Brigalow Belt South and Nandewar bioregions.
  • The NSW profile identifies known or predicted areas including the Clarence Lowlands, Clarence Sandstones, Scenic Rim, Eastern Nandewars, Northeast Forest Lands, Barrington, Coffs Coast and Escarpment, Guy Fawkes, Washpool, Yuraygir and other subregions.

Distribution: Population information

No national population estimate is provided in the supplied documents. The sources describe the species as secure in the South-east Queensland region but vulnerable in New South Wales, where the distribution is patchy and the population trend is not quantified.

Documented population estimate: Not provided in the supplied documents

South-east Queensland survey records: 23 sites in 17 survey areas, plus nine incidental locations

New South Wales conservation status: Vulnerable

Habitat: Habitat types

Rufous Bettongs use a range of eastern Australian forest and woodland types, provided suitable grassy shelter and food resources are present. The strongest habitat description in the supplied sources is open, grassy forest and woodland rather than dense shrubland.

The species occurs from tall, moist eucalypt forest and tall wet sclerophyll forest to low open woodland. In South-east Queensland it was typically associated with open dry sclerophyll forest with a grassy understorey.

The species usually occurs from coastal areas to slightly west of the Great Dividing Range. No elevation limits are given in the supplied documents.

  • Retain open forest and woodland with a continuous or well-developed native grass layer.
  • Assess both the proposed clearing footprint and adjoining forest, because individuals may use large home ranges and move several kilometres in a night.

Habitat: Structural requirements

A dense cover of tall native grasses is preferred for shelter. Habitat quality is also influenced by the condition of the grassy understorey, retention of fallen timber and the availability of food-producing ground layers.

The NSW profile identifies prickly vegetation and heath shrubland as useful denning cover in some settings, while the broader habitat description emphasises tall native grasses and open woodland.

  • Map tall grass tussocks, fallen logs and patches of dense ground cover before clearing.
  • Retain connected forested corridors between larger habitat patches.
  • Avoid reducing the understorey to short, sparse grass through grazing, slashing or inappropriate fire.

Foraging habitat: Diet and feeding method

Rufous Bettongs forage mainly at night on the ground, digging into soil and litter for plant foods, fungi and invertebrates. They can use open grassy habitat but generally remain associated with nearby forest or woodland cover.

The diet includes grasses, herbs, seeds, flowers, roots, tubers, fungi and occasional insects. The species is primarily rhizophagous, although fungi can become the predominant food at times.

Like other potoroids, it has well-developed forelimb claws used to dig for food. Soil and litter invertebrates form part of the diet, and the species may feed in pasture as well as forest and woodland.

  • Inspect areas with loose soil, leaf litter, grass tussocks and root-rich ground for digging disturbance.
  • Retain native ground vegetation and litter, because these provide both food and cover.
  • Avoid assuming that cleared pasture is of low value, as Rufous Bettongs have been observed feeding in pasture and may use open areas adjacent to shelter.

Foraging habitat: Foraging range

Both sexes maintain large home ranges. Reported home ranges are 75 to 110 hectares for males and 45 to 60 hectares for females. Individuals may travel up to 4.5 km during a normal night of foraging.

Male home range: 75 to 110 ha

Female home range: 45 to 60 ha

Nightly foraging movement: Up to 4.5 km

  • Consider habitat within at least several kilometres of a record when assessing indirect effects, access tracks, fencing and road upgrades.
  • Maintain movement links between grassy feeding areas and daytime nesting cover.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Rufous Bettongs can breed throughout the year and normally produce one young at a time. Breeding habitat is closely linked to dense ground cover and a safe nest site within the animal's home range.

Potoroids are non-seasonally polyoestrous and can breed continuously. A female normally produces one young at a time. Males and females may associate during mating, while the female and young remain associated for longer.

The supplied documents do not provide a Rufous Bettong-specific gestation length or a defined birth season. They report sexual maturity as early as six months for the species and indicate that adult and maturity are usually attained within one year in potoroids.

Breeding season: Potentially throughout the year; breeding may be restricted by local environmental conditions in the wild

Litter size: Normally one young

Gestation: Not stated specifically for Rufous Bettong in the supplied documents

Age at sexual maturity: As early as 6 months

Lifespan: More than 7 years in the wild and up to 12 years in captivity for potoroids

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat

Breeding and early care require secure daytime nest sites in dense native grass or other ground cover. A female may maintain a nest within a large home range, so breeding habitat can extend beyond the immediate location of an animal record.

Clearing during any month may affect breeding animals because reproduction is not confined to a short annual season.

  • Search for and protect nests before clearing.
  • Retain tall native grass tussocks, fallen logs and connected ground cover around confirmed records.
  • Use fauna spotter catcher procedures for any animal encountered during vegetation removal, with particular care around nesting cover.

Sheltering habitat: Nests and daytime refuge

The Rufous Bettong shelters during the day in a grass nest on the ground. Shelter is usually associated with tall tussocks, fallen logs and dense ground cover rather than tree hollows or burrows.

Rufous Bettongs construct cone-shaped nests from grass in a shallow depression at the base of a tussock or fallen log. They rest in these nests during the day and may carry nesting material with the tail.

No nest dimensions are provided in the supplied documents. The availability and density of tall native grass are more important field indicators than nest size.

  • Inspect the base of tall tussocks and fallen logs before slashing, mulching, grading or clearing.
  • Mark nests and retain a buffer of undisturbed ground cover where practicable.
  • Avoid burning or removing all grass cover from a known use area at one time.

Sheltering habitat: Other refuge features

The species is not described as dependent on tree hollows, caves or burrows. Shelter is provided mainly by the ground layer, particularly tall native grass, fallen timber and, in some areas, prickly vegetation or heath shrubland.

  • Retain fallen logs and dense ground vegetation within and beside the clearing footprint.
  • Keep connected patches of shelter between feeding areas and roads or construction zones.
  • Treat grass nests and suitable nest structure as potential occupied habitat even when no animal is visible.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main project-related risks are loss and fragmentation of grassy forest and woodland, removal of nest cover, altered fire and grazing regimes, road mortality and predation by introduced animals.

Clearing for agriculture, rural residential development, roads and infrastructure removes habitat and can break the forested corridors used for movement. Habitat loss, logging and removal of fallen timber are identified threats in New South Wales.

Because home ranges are large and nightly movements may reach 4.5 km, a small clearing can have effects beyond its footprint if it removes a movement link or separates daytime nests from feeding areas.

  • Retain native vegetation and forested corridors around records and predicted habitat.
  • Avoid creating isolated grass patches surrounded by roads, hardstand or cleared land.
  • Stage clearing so that animals can move towards connected retained habitat, subject to the approved fauna management plan.

Threats: Fire, grazing and ground cover

Inappropriate burning and grazing can reduce the density and diversity of the grassy understorey, remove shelter and alter food availability, including hypogeous fungi. Fire can also expose animals to predators by removing cover.

Slashing, grading and removal of fallen timber can have similar effects within construction areas.

  • Retain tall native grass, litter and fallen logs where safe and practicable.
  • Plan fire and fuel treatments to maintain a dense, structurally diverse ground layer.
  • Avoid broad, simultaneous removal of all shelter from a known use area.

Threats: Predators, roads and introduced competitors

Predation by feral cats, foxes and wild dogs is identified as a threat. Fox and cat activity may increase when dingoes are reduced through baiting. Rabbits may compete with Rufous Bettongs for food resources.

Road strikes cause mortality when animals cross roads in reserves or on private land adjoining major roads. Construction traffic, new access roads and increased night-time vehicle movements can increase this risk.

  • Control foxes and feral cats in accordance with the approved pest management programme.
  • Use speed controls and fauna warning measures on roads near records and retained habitat.
  • Inspect temporary fencing and avoid designs that funnel animals towards traffic lanes.

Threats: Knowledge gaps and other pressures

Abundance and distribution are poorly known in parts of the western range, and the species' critical habitat requirements and appropriate fire regime are not fully resolved. Climate-related changes in vegetation structure may also reduce the suitability of preferred habitat.

No species-specific disease threat is identified in the supplied documents. Standard hygiene and fauna handling procedures should nevertheless be used during trapping, relocation or spotter catcher work.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat assessment and daytime searches

Rufous Bettongs are cryptic, mostly nocturnal marsupials that are often missed by standard spotlighting. Survey planning should focus on open dry sclerophyll forest, grassy woodland and tall native grass cover, with searches for nests and indirect evidence supported by targeted detection methods.

Inspect suitable habitat during the day before works begin, concentrating on open grassy woodland, open dry sclerophyll forest and areas with a dense tussock grass understorey.

Search for cone-shaped grass nests in shallow depressions at the base of tussocks or fallen logs, and record feeding diggings, tracks, scats, runways and other signs.

Map retained grass cover, fallen timber, forest corridors and adjoining habitat that could be used for shelter or movement.

Day shelter: Cone-shaped grass nests in shallow depressions at the base of a tussock or fallen log

Preferred shelter: Dense cover of tall native grasses

  • Walk the proposed disturbance footprint and a suitable surrounding search area where access allows, using parallel transects or systematic coverage so that all habitat patches are inspected.
  • Record the location, habitat condition, nest or sign type, date, time, observer and confidence of each record.
  • Treat a lack of daytime sightings as inconclusive because the species commonly rests in grass nests during the day.

Survey methodology: 2. Spotlighting and nocturnal searches

Use spotlighting as a supplementary method during nocturnal fauna surveys. In the south-east Queensland surveys, Rufous Bettongs were rarely detected during standard spotlighting transects and were more often encountered opportunistically during the day in grass nests.

Search slowly along the edges of retained grass cover, open woodland, forest margins and likely movement routes, and scan both the ground and the bases of tussocks.

Record the start and finish time, route, weather, observers, spotlight type and all sightings or signs.

Reported movement: Individuals may travel up to 4.5 km during a normal night of foraging

Survey result in south-east Queensland: Recorded at 23 sites from 17 survey areas, with spotlighting rarely detecting the species

  • Do not treat a negative spotlighting result as evidence that the species is absent.
  • Give priority to quiet searches around suitable shelter and feeding areas rather than relying only on vehicle based spotlighting.
  • Plan nocturnal work when visibility is good and avoid conditions that make searching unsafe or ineffective, such as heavy rain, strong wind or poor access.

Survey methodology: 3. Hair tubes and other indirect methods

Use hair tubes or other approved indirect methods where suitable habitat is present and direct searches are unlikely to provide adequate detection.

The south-east Queensland systematic survey recorded Rufous Bettongs in hair tubes at two sites at Mount Mee State Forest and one site at Littabella National Park.

Combine indirect sampling with nest searches and habitat assessment because the available survey material does not provide a species-specific trap-night requirement or detection probability.

Documented hair-tube detections: Three sites in the south-east Queensland surveys

Species-specific trap effort: Not provided in the supplied documents

  • Place devices along likely travel routes, beside dense grass cover and near movement paths, without blocking access to nests or causing entanglement risk.
  • Check devices at the frequency required by the approved survey design and animal welfare requirements.
  • Identify collected hair through an appropriately qualified laboratory or analyst, and retain photographs and chain-of-custody records.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

The supplied documents do not set a national species-specific survey effort for Rufous Bettongs. Set effort in the survey plan using the project risk, habitat extent, access, season and the likelihood of false absence from spotlighting.

A qualified ecologist should document why the selected methods and effort are adequate for the proposed disturbance and should identify any limitations.

  • Use at least two complementary approaches where suitable habitat may be disturbed: systematic daytime nest and sign searches plus nocturnal searches or hair tubes.
  • Survey the full disturbance footprint and assess connected retained habitat, including likely shelter and movement routes.
  • Record survey dates, start and finish times, weather, methods, transect or device locations, effort, personnel, photographs, results and limitations.
  • Submit confirmed records and spatial data to the relevant state wildlife database, such as the NSW BioNet Atlas where the work is in New South Wales, and to any Queensland or other state database required by the project approval.
  • Retain negative survey results and evidence of searched areas, because non-detection is not reliable evidence of absence for this cryptic species.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Avoiding removal of grassy shelter, movement links and fallen timber is the preferred control. The species is listed as Vulnerable in New South Wales and is not listed under the EPBC Act on the supplied information.

Keep clearing out of open grassy woodland, open dry sclerophyll forest and areas with dense tall native grass wherever practicable.

Retain cone-shaped nest sites, tussocks, fallen logs, native ground cover and forest corridors within and beside the work area.

Avoid fragmenting connected forest and woodland habitat, particularly where the disturbance footprint separates grass cover from retained shelter or feeding areas.

  • Redesign the footprint, access tracks and laydown areas to retain the largest practicable areas of native grass cover.
  • Establish project-specific no-go areas around mapped habitat and nest locations, with the distance set by the ecologist and approval conditions.
  • Keep retained habitat connected to adjoining forest and woodland rather than leaving isolated grass patches.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and planning

Confirm the species status and approval pathway before works start. The supplied NSW profile records the Rufous Bettong as Vulnerable in New South Wales and not listed under the Commonwealth EPBC Act.

Assess whether state threatened species legislation, local planning controls, reserve approvals or project conditions require a permit, assessment, fauna management plan or relocation authority.

NSW status: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed on the supplied NSW profile

  • Obtain written approval for any handling, capture, relocation or release before disturbance begins.
  • Refer the project under the EPBC Act if the species becomes nationally listed or if another protected matter may be affected.
  • Include the species, mapped habitat, survey limitations, avoidance measures, timing, fauna handling arrangements, stop-work triggers and reporting requirements in the fauna management plan.
  • Stage works so that the smallest practicable area is disturbed at one time and retained habitat remains available throughout the project.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete a pre-clearance inspection immediately before disturbance, including a targeted search for grass nests at the base of tussocks and fallen logs.

Mark retained habitat, no-go areas, nest locations, movement corridors and any fauna release areas before machinery enters the site.

  • Use exclusion fencing where it can keep machinery, vehicles and people out of retained grass cover and other mapped habitat without blocking animal movement into safe habitat.
  • Brief all operators and spotter catchers on the species appearance, nest structure, likely shelter, work limits, stop-work triggers and incident contacts.
  • Remove rubbish, avoid unnecessary night lighting and control domestic dogs and other site risks before clearing starts.
  • Do not disturb or relocate a nest unless the fauna spotter catcher and the approved fauna management plan determine that it is necessary and safe.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery interface

Clearing should proceed slowly under the direction of an authorised fauna spotter catcher. The spotter catcher must be able to stop machinery, inspect shelter and arrange lawful handling or release when an animal or nest is found.

Inspect the work area each day before machinery starts, including grass nests, fallen logs, grass tussocks and the edges of retained habitat.

Maintain a direct communication method between the fauna spotter catcher, machine operator, supervisor and environmental officer.

Use staged clearing that allows animals to move towards retained habitat, while preventing machinery from entering mapped no-go areas.

  • Set out the daily clearing boundary and check that exclusion fencing, signage and access controls remain in place.
  • Clear from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat where this is consistent with the approved fauna management plan and does not drive animals towards roads or other hazards.
  • Stop the machine immediately when the spotter catcher gives the stop signal.
  • Keep the machine bucket, grapple or blade clear of a nest, tussock, fallen log or animal until the spotter catcher has inspected it.
  • Do not allow workers to chase, corner, touch or photograph an animal at close range unless this is part of an authorised handling procedure.

During habitat disturbance: Animal encounters and handling

If a Rufous Bettong is found, stop work, keep people and machinery back, and allow the spotter catcher to assess whether it can move safely to nearby retained habitat.

Handling should be limited to an appropriately trained and authorised fauna handler acting under the project approval and fauna management plan.

  • Record the animal location, condition, sex if known, time, habitat, action taken and release location.
  • Release a healthy animal into suitable nearby retained habitat only where the release is authorised and the habitat is safe, connected and appropriate for the species.
  • Use a secure, quiet container only when capture is necessary for safety or approved relocation, and minimise handling time, noise, heat and exposure.
  • Do not relocate an animal across roads, into isolated habitat or outside the approved release area.
  • Take an injured or sick animal to an appropriately qualified veterinarian or licensed wildlife carer as soon as practicable, following the approved wildlife care process.
  • Contact the project ecologist or relevant wildlife authority when the animal cannot be safely released or when the approval does not cover the proposed action.

During habitat disturbance: Habitat features and stop-work triggers

Treat dense grass cover and fallen logs as shelter features even when no animal is visible. Rufous Bettongs sleep in grass nests and use their tails to carry nesting material.

The supplied documents do not identify a specific dependence on tree hollows, rocks or wetlands for this species. Do not remove these features without a site assessment where they form part of retained habitat or may support other fauna.

  • Stop work if an occupied or potentially occupied grass nest is found, if an animal is sighted, or if the spotter catcher cannot safely inspect the next clearing section.
  • Stop work if exclusion fencing fails, machinery enters a no-go area, an animal is injured, or clearing conditions differ from the approved fauna management plan.
  • Pause clearing during unsafe weather, smoke, poor visibility or other conditions that prevent effective fauna detection and handling.
  • Protect fallen logs and dense native grass wherever practicable, and move any unavoidable feature only under the direction of the fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist.
  • Escalate repeated sightings, nest concentrations or unexpected habitat use for review of the clearing method and approval conditions.

During habitat disturbance: Records and incident reporting

Keep a daily fauna register for all inspections, sightings, nests, captures, relocations, injuries, deaths, stop-work events and no-go area breaches.

  • Photograph habitat features and animals only where this does not delay safe handling or increase stress.
  • Map each animal, nest and release location using coordinates suitable for the relevant state wildlife database.
  • Notify the environmental officer and regulator within the timeframe required by the approval for injury, death, unauthorised handling, habitat damage or other reportable incidents.
  • Submit confirmed records to the relevant state wildlife database after verification and quality control.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearing checks should confirm that no animals, nests or damaged shelter features remain in the work area and that retained habitat controls are functioning.

Complete a final inspection of the cleared area, retained edges, grass cover and fallen logs after machinery leaves and before the area is handed over for construction.

Repeat a targeted daytime nest and sign search, and use nocturnal follow-up or other approved methods where the pre-clearance assessment identified suitable habitat or a sighting.

  • Check for injured, trapped or displaced animals, damaged nests and animals isolated by fencing, trenches, spoil or temporary works.
  • Inspect open trenches, pipes, pits and other excavations daily while they remain open, and provide fauna escape measures where required by the fauna management plan.
  • Remove temporary fencing only after the environmental officer confirms that it is no longer needed and that it will not direct animals into hazards.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and maintenance

Monitor retained grassy understorey, fallen timber, forest corridors and any approved release areas for signs of continued use and avoidable degradation.

The supplied documents do not specify a standard post-clearing monitoring period, so set the period, frequency and success criteria in the approval or fauna management plan.

  • Use repeat nest searches, sign searches, spotlighting and hair tubes where they are appropriate to the impact and the agreed monitoring design.
  • Maintain exclusion fencing, fauna passage measures, erosion controls and weed controls for the period specified in the project conditions.
  • Investigate a loss of grass cover, increased predator activity, road mortality or repeated animals entering the work area, and modify controls where required.
  • Report monitoring results, incidents, corrective actions and database submissions to the regulator or approval holder as required.

After habitat disturbance: Offsets and residual impacts

Assess residual loss of Rufous Bettong habitat after avoidance, mitigation and rehabilitation measures have been applied.

Any offset, biodiversity credit, compensatory habitat or other residual impact measure must follow the applicable state approval and project conditions.

  • Document the area and condition of habitat retained, cleared, restored and permanently protected.
  • Do not describe an offset as replacing the need to retain dense native grass cover, fallen timber and connected forest habitat on the project site.
  • Include the species in residual impact calculations where approved habitat is cleared or habitat connectivity is reduced.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore shelter and food resources

Rehabilitation should recreate the shelter and movement conditions used by Rufous Bettongs, rather than only replacing canopy cover. Priority outcomes are dense native grass cover, open woodland structure, fallen timber and connected habitat.

Re-establish locally indigenous native grasses and other native ground-layer plants suited to the original open woodland or dry sclerophyll forest community.

Aim for a dense, continuous grassy understorey with tussocks that can provide day shelter and support feeding on grasses, herbs, seeds, flowers, roots, tubers, fungi and occasional insects.

Retain or reinstate suitable fallen logs where this is safe and consistent with the approved rehabilitation design, because nests may be built at their base and the species uses logs and grass cover for shelter.

Preferred habitat structure: Open grassy woodland or forest with a tussock grass understorey and no shrub layer in the habitat description cited by

Diet: Grasses, herbs, seeds, flowers, roots, tubers, fungi and occasionally insects

  • Use local provenance seed or tubestock where required by the rehabilitation specification and protect new plantings from grazing and browsing until established.
  • Control weeds that suppress native tussocks and ground cover without disturbing retained nests or occupied habitat.
  • Avoid dense shrub planting across all restored areas where the target habitat is open grassy woodland or open forest.
  • Do not claim habitat success from canopy establishment alone; measure the condition and continuity of the ground layer.

Rehabilitation actions: Reconnect retained habitat

Restore vegetated links between retained forest, woodland and grass cover so that animals can move between shelter and feeding areas without crossing avoidable hazards.

Prioritise gaps created by access tracks, construction compounds and cleared corridors that separate suitable habitat patches.

  • Use native ground cover and woodland restoration to close narrow breaks where practicable.
  • Keep release areas connected to established habitat and away from roads, active construction and high predator activity.
  • Maintain safe passage at project roads and crossings where the impact assessment identifies a movement route.
  • Record the location, length and condition of restored corridors and inspect them during monitoring.

Rehabilitation actions: Fire, grazing and predators

Manage fire and grazing to maintain tall native grass cover, nest sites and food availability. The NSW profile identifies inappropriate burning and grazing as threats and notes that fire can remove cover and increase predation risk.

Control feral cats and foxes in accordance with the approved pest management programme, particularly where construction has created exposed edges or isolated habitat.

  • Set fire regimes with the land manager and ecologist so that all suitable shelter is not removed at once.
  • Retain unburnt refuge areas and avoid burning during periods when nests or dependent young may be present unless required for an approved ecological objective.
  • Prevent domestic stock and uncontrolled herbivores from removing recovering tussocks.
  • Monitor rabbit activity and implement approved control where competition or grazing pressure is affecting restoration.

Rehabilitation actions: Rehabilitation monitoring and success measures

Set measurable success criteria before rehabilitation starts and review them against reference habitat retained near the project.

Use repeated inspections to assess native grass cover, tussock density, nest availability, fallen-log retention, weed cover, predator activity and evidence of Rufous Bettong use.

  • Use daytime nest and sign searches as the primary habitat-use check, supported by spotlighting or hair tubes where agreed in the monitoring plan.
  • Record whether restored areas are used for nests, feeding or movement, while recognising that spotlighting may miss the species.
  • Repair erosion, replace failed plantings, control weeds and adjust grazing or fire management when success criteria are not met.
  • Continue monitoring until the approval holder and relevant regulator accept that the restored habitat is stable and provides connected grassy shelter.

Sources