Bill Johnston's happy place
When you drive into Eurardy Reserve, there’s a relatively new sign that’s been built. Sitting nicely within the arid landscape, stacked rocks are held together by recycled steel mesh – also known as gabion baskets.
Kojonup Reserve stands out from the nearby cleared wheat belt country as a chaotic, magical bushland filled with chattering bird life.
The largest protected area of wandoo woodlands in the region, it shows us what this country was like before the destructive policies of the 1960s, when a million acres of WA bushland a year was burned, buried and bulldozed for broad-acre farming.
The reserve’s canopy buzzes with insects, perfect prey for insectivorous birds such as the Golden Whistler. Many local bird species, such as the declining Rufous Treecreeper, nest in hollows in mature wandoo.
What Kojonup Reserve protects
Kojonup is home to close to 100 species of native birds. It also protects these significant species and communities:
Animals: Rufous Treecreeper, Red-tailed Phascogale, Threatened land snail.
Plants: Shy Feather-flower, Trigger Plant, Redcoat, Fringed Lily.
Vegetation communities: Wandoo, Sheoak and Brown Mallet woodland and heath.
Image Information
Yellow spider on wildflowers on Kojonup Reserve. Photo Nic Duncan.
When dusk settles at Kojonup, tiny marsupials called Red-tailed Phascogales, no bigger than the size of a couple of matchboxes, fly through the air, leaping two metres at a time and gripping the sides of trees, almost as if their feet were wrapped in Velcro.
Once common in this area, Red-tailed Phascogales have declined dramatically in numbers, and now have the dubious distinction of being nationally vulnerable.
Brought to Kojonup Reserve in May 2010 and 2011 from various sites in the WA wheat belt, 30 individuals – 16 females and 14 males – were released just ahead of their mating season.
Their mission: to contribute to increasing the number of self-sustaining populations in the region.
The area is actively monitored through camera traps and regular surveys. Together with the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, we’re keeping a close eye on the breeding success of the Kojonup population, which may help to save this species from extinction.
Climb up the tree. Open the nest box. And look inside the lives of Red-tailed Phascogales. Known as Kenngor to Noongar people, these small arboreal marsupials are just as loveable as koalas and kangaroos, but with a few big differences.
Image Information
Red-tailed Phascogale at Kojonup Reserve. Photo Meredith Spencer.
Threats
As a consequence of land clearing in this part of the world, large tracts of land are now threatened by salinity, and Kojonup Reserve is no exception.
The southwest corner of the property has been particularly hard hit, with areas of the native bushland dead or salt-affected. However, tree-planting in neighbouring properties seems to be yielding results, with the saline groundwater table remaining steady in recent years.
The only weed of significance on the reserve is Bridal Creeper and this is controlled every year to minimise its spread.
Image Information
Tammar wallaby tracks. Photo Angela Sanders.
Reserve Scorecard
See a full ecological scorecard for Kojonup Reserve.
Learn more about how we measure our impact.
447 KB Cultural values
Kojonup is an Aboriginal name said to mean ‘place of the stone axe’ (kodja) and the stone used to make it (kodj).
The O’Halloran family owned Kojonup Reserve between 1926 and 1996, and were so intent on protecting its woodlands that when it came time for them to sell they spent 10 years finding the appropriate buyer – Bush Heritage.
