Manypeaks couple donate land for endangered flightless noisy scrub-bird habitat revegetation

Manypeaks couple Melanie and Neil Rae have donated 16ha of land for ecological redevelopment in an attempt to thicken the nature corridor between Two Peoples Bay and Manypeaks. The revegetation project of the area aims to provide greater stability for the noisy scrub-bird, also known as the tjimiluk, and other local endangered species. The noisy scrub-bird is an endangered species only found east of Albany and was thought to be extinct until the rediscovery of the flightless brown bird in 1961 at Two Peoples Bay. The joint effort between Carbon Positive Australia, revegetation expert Dr Geoff Woodall and the Raes will see more than 40 native species of flora planted on the 16ha area starting in 2025. Closely related to the lyrebird, the noisy scrub-bird is a small flightless bird with a preference for dense vegetation which can make them easy to hear but not see. The habitat area is under threat of bushfire, with 90 per cent of the scrub-bird’s habitat burnt away in the 2015 bushfire on Mt Gardner. DBCA south coast regional ecologist Sarah Comer said similar projects in the area would strengthen the ecological link between two centres of endangered species. “As well as the tjimiluk, other threatened species such as the ngilkat (Gilberts potoroo), kwoka (quokka), ngwayir (western ring-tailed possum), noolbenger (honey possum) and all three species of black cockatoos will be helped by this project,” she said. The project aims to begin revegetation planting efforts in 2025 after collecting native seedlings and planning over and understory planting this year. Brett and Asha Peak, along with their two children, currently act as caretakers for the land while the Rae’s are away from their Manypeaks property. Carbon Positive Australia project co-ordinator Jess Fitzgerald said as a charity they relied on grassroots community support for critical work. “We are expanding the habitat to build the range of many endangered species, including these wonderfully noisy birds that live nowhere else on the planet,” she said. “Being classified extinct once is bad enough, so we are doing our best to make sure this does not happen a second time. “Restoring our ecosystems will not only increase biodiversity but also help farmers with land care, clean our rivers and reduce the impact of climate change. “It’s a win-win that will leave a lasting legacy for the country.”