
Southern Brown Bandicoot
Fifty years ago, many residents of South-East Melbourne would often have seen the long, pointy nose, humped back and stumpy tail of the Southern Brown Bandicoot, snuffling around searching for bugs and fungi to eat. As Melbourne has grown, our now nationally endangered bandicoots are getting harder to find.
Thanks to removal of habitat, introduced predators like foxes and cats, and big, busy roads isolating populations, our bandicoots are in trouble. If we don’t take some serious action quickly, there’s a very real chance we might lose them forever.
Retaining wildlife within residential areas helps residents to connect with and value their environment, and keeps plants healthy and ecosystems functioning. While the bandicoots are dependent on low, dense plants for habitat, they return the favour. Just one southern brown bandicoot can turn over 3.9 tonnes of soil in a year, helping spread beneficial fungi, increasing nutrient turnover, and improving water penetration into the soil.
At Cranbourne Gardens we are lucky to be the custodians of a large population of Southern brown bandicoots. With a few small actions, we can improve their chances of surviving and thriving in South-East Melbourne.
Get on the Bandi-wagon today!
If you live in a bandicoot area, you can help by keeping pets contained, by looking out for bandicoots on the road and by creating a bandicoot-friendly patch in your garden. If you see a Southern brown bandicoot, let us know! Log it on VBA Go or iNaturalist, or contact us.
We're getting on the bandi-wagon - will you join us?
Handy Links
For residents
- City of Casey and Cardinia Shire indigenous plant guide
- Gardens for Wildlife Casey and Cardinia
- Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne native plant sales
For learners and teachers
- Bindi & Buddy – A Bandicoot Tale
- Cranbourne Gardens school programs
For land managers
- Guidelines for best-practice management of Southern Brown Bandicoots
Contact
Southern Brown Bandicoot Outreach Officer
sbb@rbg.vic.gov.au
03 5990 2262