Building habitat for the nationally threatened Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu-wren
By Katie Loughran 19 June 2024
Nestled in the heart of Ngarrindjeri Country, the Watchalunga Nature Reserve is a serene landscape, dotted with red gums and meandering creek lines. Amidst the lush vegetation, a tiny creature flits through the underbrush, barely perceptible to the naked eye. This is the Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu-wren, one of Australia’s smallest and most elusive birds. With its mouse-like figure and delicate, emu-like tail feathers, this bird symbolises the fragile beauty of the reserve’s ecosystem.
Dr Lucy Clive, Science and Knowledge Project Officer at Nature Foundation, is at the forefront of an ambitious project aimed at preserving and growing the population of these endangered birds. “We now have the responsibility that this area could now be the largest population of emu-wrens in the region,” she says. “We want to look at growing the population as much as possible but also look at engaging with our neighbours, ensuring connectivity outside of the nature reserve and contributing to the whole region.”
The main goal of this project is to create a thriving habitat for the emu-wren across the entire Watchalunga Nature Reserve. The Nature Foundation hosts volunteer-driven planting events, aiming to plant 1,750 native plants provided by a local nursery. Dr Clive explains, “When we acquired the property in 2017, the land just looked like a manicured lawn.” Since 2017, over 5 hectares of land have been transformed, creating a sanctuary for the southern emu-wrens and other wildlife.
Watchalunga is not just a refuge for emu-wrens. This 92-hectare reserve, part of the critically endangered Swamps of the Fleurieu Peninsula ecological community, is also home to significant South Australian biodiversity. It provides essential aquatic habitats for native fish like the nationally vulnerable Yarra pygmy perch and the nationally endangered Murray hardyhead. “Our lignum bushes provide the emu-wrens with little islands throughout the nature reserve, which creates a corridor for them to safely travel across the property and expand their habitat,” Dr Clive adds.
The planting events are more than just conservation work; they are community-building activities. The Nature Foundation is committed to engaging with the Ngarrindjeri people, whose land stewardship traditions are deeply intertwined with the local environment. “The projects like Watchalunga really helped solidify our partnership with the Ngarrindjeri people. The community comes and conducts cultural surveys on the property,” Dr Clive shares. Volunteers from all walks of life come together for these planting days, united by a common goal.
Plant species diversity is also a priority. “When we have a planting event, we usually have about 15–20 different native plant species that get planted,” Dr Clive says. The diversity of plants not only supports the emu-wrens but also strengthens the entire ecosystem. “The restoration work that we're doing, controlling all the weeds and monitoring feral impact, will help the biodiversity of the emu-wren habitat by promoting the health of the invertebrate community that the emu-wrens feed on.”
Measuring the success of these efforts involves annual vegetation surveys and emu-wren population counts. “We’ve been planting annually since 2017, and the first lignum planted is now taller than a car,” Dr Clive notes proudly. The emu-wren surveys, conducted during the breeding season, are showing promising results. “The surveys are now regularly picking up emu-wrens’ presence along the planting transit areas. They’re moving and expanding their habitat on the property, which is phenomenal to see.”
Looking ahead, Dr Clive is optimistic about the future of the emu-wrens at Watchalunga. “It would be great to grow the population and get it to its maximum capacity,” she says. “Knowing that the birds we have are safe and the habitat they’ve got is providing them that safe haven even in those potentially tough drought years is a significant milestone for us.”
As volunteers plunge their hands into the soil, planting the seeds of tomorrow’s habitat, they are not just saving a species – they are nurturing a legacy of biodiversity and community for generations to come.
Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu wren photo by Subbu Conley.
Katie has a broad experience in non-profit program management and communications. Outside of work, she finds joy in gardening, cooking, and hiking. With a passion for animals and environmental conservation, she often spends her weekends volunteering at her local dog shelter and participating in beach clean-ups. Katie's goal is to see 30 million trees planted for National Tree Day.
