The big wet is bringing challenges and the promise of new life
With heavy rain and floods in Queensland and northern New South Wales last week, many staff have been impacted, but thankfully everyone is safe and in good spirits.
Pullen Pullen Reserve was established as a sanctuary to protect what was, at the time, the only known population of Night Parrots.
This critically endangered, ground-dwelling bird is famous for avoiding detection, and has been described by the Smithsonian Institution as ‘the planet’s most elusive bird’.
The Pullen Pullen Night Parrot population was discovered in 2013 (prior to this the last living specimen had been collected in Western Australia in 1912). Global interest was so intense the exact location was kept a closely guarded secret to protect the endangered birds from disturbance.
– Rob Murphy, Executive Manager Conservation Operations“Pullen Pullen Reserve is critical for this special bird that still could be lost forever if we don’t work together for the long term to protect it.”
Image Information
Pullen Pullen landscape. Photo Annette Ruzicka.
A Night Parrot Sanctuary
The Queensland Government’s approval to transfer a former pastoral lease to Bush Heritage recognised the significance of this land for securing survival of the Night Parrot.
We've been working closely with scientists to map the habitat, learn about Night Parrots, and put conservation planning in place to increase the bird’s chances of survival.
Ecologists and researchers have captured more than 500,000 hours of sound data to better understand habitat use and aspects of breeding biology for this nocturnal bird. This information has been vital to help us protect Night Parrots from feral animals, wildfire and grazing pressure from cattle.
What Pullen Pullen protects
Pullen Pullen Reserve is located in a bioregion that’s under-represented in the National Reserve System. The region is home to other endangered and vulnerable birds such as the Plains-wanderer (critically endangered) and Grey Falcon.
The reserve’s landscape features sandstone, claystone and siltstone plateaus (or mesas), skirted by long unburnt spinifex that’s important roosting and breeding habitat for Night Parrots.
Away from the plateaus, extensive gibber plains support chenopod shrublands that are dissected by braided watercourses lined with gidgee and mulga.
What we're doing
We've successfully installed important accommodation infrastructure that gives our land managers, ecologists, research partners and volunteers a sheltered base to work from.
In this remote landscape, where temperatures readily reach mid-40s, a reprieve from the elements means a chance to stay longer on reserve with each trip and spend more time working in the landscape.
Image Information
Night Parrot. Photo Nicholas Leseberg.
Studying Night Parrots
We’ve worked closely with researchers and scientists to study the elusive Night Parrot.
Ecologist Nick Leseberg finalised his PhD on Night Parrot ecology before joining our staff. His findings build on three years of research at the reserve by Dr Steve Murphy.
We've made important discoveries, including recording fledglings and finding nests. We've also been sharing learnings with land managers, fellow ecologists and, importantly, with Indigenous rangers.
A Special Wildlife Reserve
Pullen Pullen had the honour of being declared Queensland’s first ever Special Wildlife Reserve.
This new class of protected area, legislated by the Queensland Government, provides National-Park-level protections to privately owned nature reserves.
Queensland is the only state to provide National-Park-level protection to private land, making the declaration of Pullen Pullen Special Wildlife Reserve an Australian first as well.
This status will ensure the land is permanently protected from activities such as mining, timber harvesting or grazing. It’s also great recognition of the tireless work done since the land’s purchase in 2016, such as feral predator control and fire management across the reserve.
Ecological Scorecard
Learn more about our Conservation Management Process and how we measure our impact.
466 KB Cultural values
The term "Pullen Pullen" means Night Parrot. The reserve is on traditional Maiawali country and includes culturally significant areas such as worked stone scatters.
Our work at Pullen Pullen to protect the Night Parrot is supported by the Queensland Government’s Nature Assist program.
