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Western Brush Wallaby (Notamacropus irma)

The Western Brush Wallaby is a small to medium macropod found in south-western Western Australia, from north of Kalbarri to near Cape Arid. It may use woodland, heathland and open grassy habitat within or beside clearing footprints, and is listed as Priority 4 in Western Australia, a DBCA category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Near threatened. Priority 4 (rare, near threatened) on the Western Australian priority fauna list. Priority species are not listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 but should be considered in assessments.

Breeding season

Western Brush Wallabies breed in April and May, with young emerging from the pouch in October and November. This timing is documented for the south-west of Western Australia, and may vary between years and locations.

Breeding mode: Marsupial. Young are born at an early developmental stage and continue development in the pouch.

Breeding period: April to May.

Litter size: Not recorded.

Gestation and pouch development: Not recorded.

Young emerge from pouch: October to November.

Weaning and age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding place or maternity site: Not recorded. Species-specific shelter and breeding-place details are poorly documented.

Timing may vary between years and regions, so retain suitable connected habitat and check for animals before clearing, with extra care from April to November.

  • Mating and breeding: Breeding is recorded in April and May, but the timing of mating, birth and pouch entry is not separated.
  • Young emerging from pouch: Young emerge from the pouch in October and November and may remain dependent after emergence.
  • General activity and movement: The species is mobile and may use suitable woodland, heathland, grassland and thicket habitat throughout the year.
  • Highest clearing risk: Use April to November as a conservative risk period because breeding timing is known, young emerge in October and November, and the duration of dependency is not recorded.

Identification: Appearance

The Western Brush Wallaby is a small to medium macropod. Field identification can be difficult where other wallabies, kangaroos and bettongs occur, so use the animal, its habitat and reliable records together.

No diagnostic measurements or detailed field description are available for this profile. Confirmed sightings should be recorded with photographs where safe and practicable, together with location, habitat and the animal’s direction of travel.

  • Treat an unidentified wallaby-sized macropod as potentially significant in suitable south-western Western Australian habitat.
  • Do not rely on body size alone for identification, especially where tammar wallabies, western grey kangaroos or woylies may occur.

Identification: Calls and similar species

A species-specific call is not established here, and echolocation is not relevant to this macropod. Similar-sized fauna may include the tammar wallaby, western grey kangaroo and woylie, with quokkas also noted as a source of confusion in south-western Western Australia.

  • Use habitat, body form, tail shape, photographs and expert confirmation when identification is uncertain.
  • Do not assign the species from a single scat or track unless the identification has been checked.

Identification: Field signs

Tracks, scats, feeding signs and runways may indicate macropod use, but these signs are not necessarily diagnostic. Scats from similarly sized macropods can be difficult to separate in the field.

  • Search for tracks and scats along vegetation edges, open grassy patches and access routes through heath or woodland.
  • Record fresh signs before machinery enters the area and photograph them with a scale where possible.
  • The species does not use nests, hollows or roosts. A sheltering animal may still be present in dense vegetation and should not be assumed absent because no nest is found.

Distribution: Australian range

The Western Brush Wallaby is endemic to Western Australia. Its known range follows the south-western part of the state, and no overseas range is relevant.

The species occurs from north of Kalbarri south through the south-west of Western Australia to near Cape Arid. Records and likelihood of occurrence can vary considerably between local areas.

  • State or territory: Western Australia.
  • Regional setting: south-western coastal and inland districts within the recorded range.
  • Some project assessments have considered the species possible or likely to occur even when it was not detected during a survey.

Distribution: What this means on a project site

A lack of records in a small clearing footprint does not rule out use of adjoining habitat. The species is mobile and may move through connected vegetation outside the work area.

  • Check DBCA records and local survey information before clearing.
  • Map native vegetation that connects the work area with larger woodland, heathland, mallee or grassland patches.
  • Treat recent local records and suitable continuous habitat as reasons for targeted field checks.

Habitat: Vegetation types

The Western Brush Wallaby uses a range of vegetation communities across its south-western range. On works sites, focus on native vegetation that combines cover with open areas for movement and feeding.

Recorded habitat associations include open forest, woodland, mallee, heathland, low open grasslands and thickets. It inhabits low Banksia woodland, jarrah and marri woodland, and moist Melaleuca lowlands.

  • Low Banksia woodland.
  • Jarrah and marri woodland.
  • Moist Melaleuca lowlands.
  • Mallee, heathland, thickets and low open grassland.

Habitat: Site features to inspect

Look for mosaics of dense native cover beside open, grassy areas. Vegetation extending beyond the clearing footprint can provide movement routes and alternative habitat.

  • Edges between woodland or heath and open grassland.
  • Continuous native vegetation beside roads, tracks and linear clearing areas.
  • Dense thickets, low shrubs and understorey adjoining open ground.
  • Moist lowland vegetation, particularly where it links with other native habitat.

Habitat: Habitat assessment

Assess the whole habitat unit rather than only the proposed disturbance area. A small area of suitable vegetation may still form part of a larger movement or foraging landscape.

  • Map the area to be cleared and the connected vegetation outside it.
  • Record habitat condition, gaps, tracks, fences, drains and other barriers.
  • Retain practical links between habitat patches wherever the project design allows.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

Open, grassy areas are favoured foraging habitat, often close to woodland, heath or thickets that provide cover. The species-specific diet is not confirmed here, so habitat use should be assessed from signs and direct observations.

Look for open grassland and grassy clearings within or beside Banksia woodland, jarrah and marri woodland, Melaleuca lowlands, heathland and thickets. The species may use habitat outside the immediate project footprint.

  • Open grassy patches within native vegetation.
  • Edges between dense cover and open ground.
  • Low woodland with a connected ground layer and nearby shelter.
  • Existing linear corridors where native vegetation remains connected.

Foraging habitat: Signs of use

Feeding signs, tracks, scats and repeated movement routes can help identify regularly used areas. These signs should be interpreted cautiously because other macropods may leave similar evidence.

  • Search early in the field inspection before ground disturbance begins.
  • Record the location and freshness of each sign.
  • Use several lines of evidence before treating an area as occupied habitat.

Foraging habitat: Clearing and construction practice

Avoid isolating small foraging patches from adjoining cover. Where clearing is unavoidable, keep the footprint as narrow as practicable and maintain connections to surrounding native vegetation.

  • Control vehicle movements to the approved disturbance area.
  • Avoid unnecessary clearing of grassy edges and low native cover.
  • Inspect active work areas for animals before machinery starts each day where fauna risk is present.
  • Stop and seek advice if a wallaby is found within the clearing or becomes trapped by works.

Breeding habitat: Breeding period

Breeding information for the Western Brush Wallaby is limited, and no nest, hollow or colony is associated with the species. Females carry young in a pouch, so breeding risk is best managed by retaining suitable habitat and preventing injury during clearing.

Breeding is reported in April and May. Young are reported to emerge from the pouch in October and November.

  • Give extra attention to habitat retention and fauna checks from April to November.
  • Do not assume that a site is free of dependent young because no adult is seen.

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat

No specific maternity site or breeding-place type is identified. Suitable breeding habitat is likely to be associated with the broader woodland, heathland, thicket and grassland habitats used by the species.

  • Retain native cover adjoining open foraging areas.
  • Avoid clearing connected habitat where alternatives are available.
  • Inspect dense vegetation and the edge of the clearing footprint before disturbance.

Breeding habitat: Pre-clearance response

A wallaby found during pre-clearance or clearing should be allowed an obvious escape route into retained habitat. Do not chase or handle an animal unless this is necessary to prevent immediate harm and the person is appropriately trained.

  • Use a fauna spotter catcher where required by the approval or project procedure.
  • Pause machinery if an animal is within the active clearing zone.
  • Check the pouch of any injured or deceased adult female under an approved wildlife response procedure.
  • Record sightings, injuries, relocations and any dependent young.

Sheltering habitat: Cover to retain

The Western Brush Wallaby has no known nest or roost structure. Shelter is likely to be associated with dense native vegetation and connected habitat that lets animals move between cover and open feeding areas.

Thickets, low shrub layers, woodland understorey, heathland and dense edges of Melaleuca or Banksia vegetation may provide shelter. Retain cover beside open ground where possible.

  • Dense thickets and low shrubs.
  • Understorey within woodland and open forest.
  • Heathland with continuous low cover.
  • Vegetated edges beside grassy areas and movement routes.

Sheltering habitat: Inspection before works

Inspect the full clearing footprint and the vegetation immediately beside it. Pay particular attention to dense cover, culverts, stockpiles, drains and other places where an animal may be confined or reluctant to move.

  • Search on foot before daily clearing begins where the risk assessment requires it.
  • Check that escape routes lead to retained native vegetation, not toward traffic or active machinery.
  • Keep excavations, trenches and materials managed so fauna cannot become trapped.

Sheltering habitat: Habitat connectivity

The species is mobile and may use vegetation outside the project area. Linear clearing beside an existing road may have a smaller habitat effect than broad isolated clearing, but the retained connections still need to be protected.

  • Keep clearing narrow and within the approved footprint.
  • Avoid creating new gaps through continuous native vegetation.
  • Use temporary fencing or other controls where needed to keep animals away from active work areas.

Threats: Habitat clearing and fragmentation

Historical declines were associated with foxes, habitat clearing and past skin trading. On modern works sites, the main concerns are loss and fragmentation of habitat, vehicle or machinery interaction, and disturbance that increases exposure to predators.

Clearing for roads, services, compounds and access tracks can remove foraging habitat and reduce connections between sheltering areas. Small areas can matter when they form part of a larger continuous habitat unit.

  • Keep the clearing footprint to the approved area.
  • Retain woodland, heathland, thickets and grassy habitat where practicable.
  • Avoid unnecessary widening of linear clearings and tracks.
  • Rehabilitate temporary work areas with appropriate native vegetation.

Threats: Fox predation

Foxes remain a threat to the species, with juveniles particularly vulnerable to predation. Clearing, night works and increased access can alter how animals move through the site and may increase exposure.

  • Manage food waste and other attractants around compounds.
  • Keep construction materials and laydown areas orderly.
  • Report repeated wallaby sightings, injured animals and evidence of predator activity to the environmental representative.
  • Coordinate any fox control with the land manager and relevant approvals.

Threats: Vehicles and machinery

Wallabies may move across roads, tracks and active work areas. Vehicle strikes, entrapment and contact with machinery are avoidable risks during clearing and construction.

  • Apply site speed controls and brief drivers on fauna response procedures.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher during high-risk clearing activities where required.
  • Stop work if an animal enters the active plant area.
  • Check open trenches, pits and culverts regularly and provide escape measures where needed.

Threats: Inadequate detection and follow-up

The species can be missed during short or general fauna surveys, particularly when it is moving through connected habitat outside the work area. A negative survey result should not be treated as proof that the species is absent.

  • Combine database checks, habitat assessment, direct observations and searches for tracks or scats.
  • Record the species as possible where suitable habitat and nearby records support that assessment.
  • Escalate unexpected records to the project ecologist and environmental manager before further clearing.
  • Review controls if fauna use is detected during construction.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Western Brush Wallabies are mobile and can be missed during a short daytime fauna survey. Use a combination of habitat assessment, searches for signs and targeted observation, with effort matched to the area of habitat and the clearing risk.

Check current DBCA records, local biodiversity databases, aerial imagery and previous survey reports before visiting the site. Map woodland, open forest, mallee, heathland, thickets, low open grassland, Banksia woodland, Jarrah or marri woodland, and moist Melaleuca lowlands.

Give particular attention to open grassy areas connected to remnant vegetation. Record nearby records, habitat continuity, proposed clearing, construction access and possible movement routes.

Treat the species as a possible visitor where suitable habitat is present, even when recent records are absent. The species is distributed through south-western Western Australia, from north of Kalbarri to near Cape Arid.

Western Australian status: Priority 4, a non-statutory category for rare and near threatened species that need monitoring.

  • Obtain the current conservation status and survey requirements from the relevant state authority.
  • Check whether the site is within or near a known population, conservation reserve or habitat corridor.
  • Map all habitat that will be cleared, temporarily occupied or isolated by the works.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Walk the proposed disturbance footprint and adjoining habitat in daylight to identify tracks, runways, scats, browse, resting areas and movement routes. Use careful sign identification because scats and tracks can resemble those of other small to medium macropods.

Undertake additional observation when wallabies are most likely to be active, generally around dusk, during the night and near dawn. Use spotlights or thermal equipment only where permitted and without pursuing or repeatedly disturbing animals.

Remote cameras can help confirm use of habitat, particularly where tracks, feeding signs or likely travel routes are present. Place cameras at safe locations on runways, gaps in vegetation and edges of open grassy areas.

  • Search both the clearing footprint and a suitable adjoining buffer of retained habitat.
  • Use more than one survey visit where the species would affect the clearing decision, especially when habitat is continuous with known records.
  • Do not rely on a single negative survey result to rule out occurrence.
  • Record the date, start and finish time, weather, recent rain, observers, methods, area searched and visibility conditions.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey timing and effort

There is no species-specific survey effort standard in the available information. Set effort according to habitat extent, proposed impact, connectivity, previous records and the likelihood that animals can move into the site between survey and clearing.

Breeding is reported in April and May, with young emerging from the pouch from October to November. Plan additional care during these periods and avoid treating a quiet site as unused habitat.

Repeat surveys where conditions are poor, including heavy rain, strong wind, dense vegetation, unsafe access or limited visibility.

Breeding period: April to May

Young emerge from the pouch: October to November

  • Survey at times when macropods are active, and include daylight habitat and sign searches.
  • Increase effort for large or connected habitat areas, sites near records and projects that remove movement corridors.
  • Use suitably qualified ecologists or fauna spotter catchers when detection, handling or clearing decisions require specialist judgement.
  • Record all sightings, photographs, tracks, scats, feeding signs, camera records and evidence that could belong to another macropod.

Survey methodology: 4. Confirming records

Photograph signs with a scale and record their location. Describe the habitat, direction of travel and whether the sign occurs inside the impact area or in retained vegetation.

Do not identify the species from one ambiguous scat or track alone. Seek expert confirmation where records could instead belong to a quokka, tammar wallaby, woylie or western grey kangaroo.

Report a confirmed or credible record to the relevant authority and add it to the project fauna register.

  • Use GPS coordinates or a mapped point for every record.
  • Keep original photographs and field notes with the project records.
  • Mark any active travel route that may be severed by fencing, excavation or construction traffic.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Avoid clearing suitable habitat wherever practicable, then reduce the area and duration of disturbance. Confirm approvals, survey findings and fauna procedures before machinery arrives.

Retain connected woodland, heathland, thickets and open grassy habitat wherever practicable. Keep clearing to the approved footprint and avoid creating isolated remnants or blocking movement routes.

Confirm the approval pathway before work starts. A Western Australian Priority 4 listing does not itself create a statutory threatened species approval, but other wildlife, clearing, parks, environmental or planning requirements may apply.

Check whether the project could affect a matter protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Make an EPBC referral if the legal self-assessment indicates that one is required.

  • Obtain all required state, local and project approvals before disturbance.
  • For work in Queensland, check whether the animal is protected wildlife and whether tampering with a breeding place requires a species management program or other approval.
  • In Western Australia, confirm any required authority for taking, handling, relocating or otherwise interfering with native fauna.
  • Record approval conditions in the construction environmental management plan.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Timing and work planning

Schedule clearing outside the April to May breeding period where practicable. Maintain extra caution from October to November, when young emerge from the pouch and dependent animals may be present nearby.

No regular migration pattern is established for this species. Plan for local movement between connected habitat and do not assume that animals will remain outside the work area.

Use staged clearing so animals have an opportunity to move into safe, retained habitat.

  • Clear the smallest area first and leave a clear route to retained vegetation where safe.
  • Avoid night clearing unless specifically assessed and approved. Night work can increase collision, trapping and disturbance risks.
  • Do not clear after heavy rain or in conditions that make tracks, animals or escape routes difficult to detect.
  • Confirm a stop-work and escalation process before each shift.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before each clearing stage. Search the footprint, edges, dense cover, drainage lines, stockpiles, trenches and other places where an animal could shelter.

Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher where required by approval conditions or where animals may be encountered. Mark all records and potential movement routes before machinery enters.

If the inspection finds an animal, dependent young, an active breeding place or a regularly used refuge, stop that part of the work and obtain advice before proceeding.

  • Inspect at a time that provides good visibility and a reasonable chance of detecting active macropods.
  • Check that excavations, pipes, culverts and temporary structures are either covered, ramped or inspected before work resumes.
  • Search areas again after vegetation has been felled but before material is mulched or removed.
  • Record the date, personnel, methods, weather, area inspected and outcome.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Site controls and induction

Fence or flag the approved clearing limit and retain habitat. Do not place laydown areas, access tracks, spoil or machinery in retained habitat unless authorised.

Brief all workers on the species, its Priority 4 status in Western Australia, the no-go areas and the stop-work procedure. Only authorised and trained people may handle fauna.

Make the fauna spotter catcher or nominated environmental representative clearly identifiable and give that person authority to stop work.

  • Use low-speed vehicle controls in areas where animals may cross.
  • Keep dogs and other unauthorised animals out of the work area.
  • Prohibit chasing, feeding, touching or photographing animals at close range.
  • Display contact details for the fauna spotter catcher, site supervisor and wildlife rehabilitator.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a trained observer involved whenever fauna may be present. Stop immediately when an animal, dependent young or active breeding place is found.

Use directional, staged clearing towards retained habitat where this is safe and consistent with the site risk assessment. Start with low vegetation and work progressively, allowing time for animals to move without being driven into traffic, trenches or dense machinery activity.

Inspect felled vegetation, dense cover, stockpiles and ground disturbance before mulching, burning, chipping or removal. Keep machinery stopped while the spotter catcher checks the area.

Do not force an animal to move by chasing, loud noise, machinery or direct contact.

  • Clear in short stages rather than opening the whole footprint at once.
  • Maintain a clear escape route to safe retained habitat.
  • Cover or barricade trenches, pits and pipes when unattended.
  • Inspect any uncovered pit or trench before work resumes.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and breeding places

Only an authorised and suitably trained person may capture, handle or relocate a Western Brush Wallaby. Minimise handling time, noise, heat and visual stress, and follow the authority's conditions and the animal welfare plan.

If an active breeding place, dependent young, injured animal or other fauna refuge is found, stop work in the immediate area. Do not disturb, move or destroy it until the spotter catcher and relevant authority have determined the lawful and safe response.

The species does not use nests, hollows or roost structures in the way that birds or bats do. Treat dense ground cover, resting areas and any location containing dependent young as sensitive until assessed.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion area around the find, sized by the qualified fauna professional and approval conditions.
  • Do not separate a young animal from its mother or move a mother and young without specialist direction.
  • Use an approved wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian when an animal cannot be safely released immediately.
  • Document the authority, decision, handling method, release location and outcome.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Injured or trapped animals

Stop work and protect the animal from machinery, traffic, people and dogs. Keep the area quiet and prevent untrained people from approaching or handling it.

Contact the fauna spotter catcher, project ecologist, wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian nominated in the project emergency plan. Follow their directions for containment, transport and treatment.

Do not offer food, water or medication unless directed by a qualified wildlife professional.

  • Record the animal's location, condition, visible injuries, time found and photographs where this can be done without causing further stress.
  • Use a ventilated, secure container only when directed and when the handler is authorised.
  • Report any death, injury, unauthorised handling or breach of an approval condition through the project's incident system and to the relevant authority where required.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Records and stop-work decisions

Keep a daily fauna log throughout clearing. Record searches, sightings, signs, captures, releases, injuries, mortalities, stop-work events and the name of the person making each decision.

The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work without waiting for routine supervisory approval. Restart only after the area has been checked and the required controls are in place.

Use incident records to identify recurring risks, such as vehicle strikes, open excavations, blocked movement routes or inadequate inspections.

  • Map all fauna records and exclusion areas.
  • Record the clearing stage, machinery, time and weather for each event.
  • Notify the site manager and environmental representative before restarting affected work.
  • Escalate repeated incidents to the project ecologist and relevant regulator.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Finish each clearing stage with a systematic check and confirm that retained habitat remains connected and usable. Review all fauna records promptly so controls can be improved before the next stage.

Inspect the completed footprint, retained edges, access tracks, trenches, culverts, stockpiles and temporary fencing after clearing. Look for animals, tracks, signs of entrapment, injured fauna and newly exposed movement routes.

Complete another check before demobilising fauna personnel and again after major changes to the site. Remove hazards that could trap or injure animals.

Confirm that no unapproved habitat was cleared and that exclusion fencing has not blocked movement into retained habitat.

  • Check all excavations and confined spaces.
  • Remove or secure waste, wire, netting and other entanglement hazards.
  • Keep fauna access paths clear where they are part of the approved design.
  • Photograph the final condition of retained habitat and controls.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated and encountered animals

Where an animal has been relocated under an approved procedure, record its release location, habitat condition, direction of release, time, handler and any follow-up requirement. Release should be into suitable nearby habitat selected by the qualified fauna professional and authority conditions.

Do not repeatedly recapture or move an animal because it returns to the work area. Reassess the work boundary, movement route and exclusion controls instead.

Any animal showing ongoing distress, weakness or injury must be referred to a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.

  • Check the release area for traffic, dogs, construction activity and other immediate hazards.
  • Use the shortest practical transport and handling time.
  • Report mortality or failed release according to approval and project requirements.
  • Maintain a register of all fauna interactions until the project is complete.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained habitat and movement routes where clearing removes connected vegetation, where a confirmed record was made or where approval conditions require monitoring. Use repeat cameras, sign searches or targeted observations suited to the site risk.

Set the duration and frequency with the project ecologist and relevant authority. There is no universal species-specific monitoring schedule, so base it on habitat size, disturbance and the significance of the record.

Provide a completion report that explains the clearing area, survey effort, fauna interactions, incidents, controls and rehabilitation actions.

  • Compare post-work observations with pre-clearance records.
  • Report confirmed new records to the relevant biodiversity database where appropriate.
  • Include maps, photographs, raw observations and incident outcomes.
  • Retain records for the period required by approvals and the project environmental management system.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every injury, mortality, escape into the work area, unauthorised handling event and repeated stop-work event. Include the spotter catcher, site supervisor and project ecologist in the review.

Change the work method where the review identifies a preventable risk. Share the revised controls with the crew before the next shift.

Use lessons from the review to improve future survey timing, exclusion design, excavation controls and habitat retention.

  • Identify what happened, where, when and why.
  • Assign an action, responsible person and completion date for each corrective measure.
  • Check that corrective measures are effective before closing the incident.
  • Notify regulators or approval holders where required.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore connected native habitat and safe movement routes, not just replace the cleared ground cover. Prioritise locally appropriate vegetation and protection from foxes, weeds, traffic and construction disturbance.

Reinstate native vegetation suited to the original habitat, such as Banksia woodland, Jarrah or marri woodland, Melaleuca lowlands, heathland, thickets or open grassland. Use local provenance seed or plants where practicable and appropriate.

Reconnect retained patches and protect open grassy areas used for movement and foraging. Avoid dense planting that removes the open structure preferred in some habitats.

Keep rehabilitated areas free from construction traffic, storage and repeated mowing while vegetation establishes.

  • Remove compacted soil and reinstate natural drainage where works have altered it.
  • Use weed-free soil, mulch and machinery.
  • Replace topsoil and stored habitat material promptly where suitable.
  • Protect revegetation from grazing, trampling, fire risk and unauthorised access.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Weeds, predators and hazards

Control weeds before they replace native ground cover or close movement routes. Plan follow-up control because a single treatment is unlikely to maintain a rehabilitation site.

Manage fox risk in accordance with the land manager's approved program. Foxes are a known threat, and juveniles are particularly vulnerable to predation.

Remove fencing, wire, netting and other hazards that could entangle or block wallabies.

  • Inspect rehabilitation areas after rain and during the growing season.
  • Repair gaps, erosion and failed plantings promptly.
  • Use fauna-friendly fencing where fencing is needed, and keep movement routes open.
  • Coordinate predator and weed management with adjoining land managers.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, lighting and construction design

Retain natural drainage and avoid creating steep-sided pits or artificial water hazards. Provide safe escape routes from any permanent or temporary excavation.

Use the lowest practical lighting level near retained habitat and movement routes. Direct lights away from vegetation, avoid unnecessary night lighting and use timers or controls where practicable.

Keep roads, culverts and crossings passable for fauna where they intersect known movement routes.

  • Shield and aim lights towards the work area, not retained vegetation.
  • Avoid bright, continuous lighting along habitat edges.
  • Inspect culverts and drainage structures for safe passage and entrapment risks.
  • Include fauna movement requirements in the final site design and maintenance plan.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Replacement structures and long-term monitoring

Nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites and roost structures are not a standard replacement measure for this species. Western Brush Wallabies are terrestrial macropods, so habitat retention, ground cover, movement routes and predator management are more suitable actions.

Monitor rehabilitated habitat for plant survival, weed cover, erosion, fox activity, tracks, scats and wallaby use. Use cameras where signs are difficult to interpret.

Continue monitoring for a period set by the approval and project ecologist, with longer follow-up where habitat connectivity has been reduced or a confirmed population is nearby.

  • Do not install bird or bat structures as a substitute for wallaby habitat.
  • Record the condition of rehabilitation areas and any confirmed wallaby use.
  • Repair failed rehabilitation and movement controls promptly.
  • Review monitoring results with the land manager and adjust weed, predator, lighting or access controls as needed.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Handover and maintenance

Include rehabilitated habitat, movement routes, fencing, drainage, lighting controls and monitoring commitments in the site handover documentation. Nominate the person responsible for maintenance after construction ends.

Retain maps and photographs that show the approved clearing footprint and final rehabilitation condition.

Treat rehabilitation as complete only when the agreed performance criteria have been met, not when planting has finished.

  • Schedule inspections after the first establishment period and after major storms or construction changes.
  • Keep access tracks out of rehabilitation areas.
  • Record maintenance actions and unresolved risks.
  • Reassess the site if wallabies continue to enter active work areas or if movement routes become blocked.

Sources