Landscaping to Support Threatened Wildlife in South West WA

14 Aug

South West Western Australia is home to wildlife found nowhere else in the world. As new homes and estates replace areas of existing vegetation, residential gardens can provide extra food, shelter and safer movement between remaining habitat.

A new-build garden cannot replace established bushland or mature habitat trees. However, homeowners do not need enough room for a 30-metre marri or jarrah to make their garden more useful to wildlife.

Smaller native shrubs, compact food-producing trees, dense boundary planting and climbing plants can all contribute while still creating a practical, attractive garden.

Three threatened species that can benefit from thoughtful planting are:

Forest red-tailed black-cockatoos
Western ringtail possums
Carnaby’s black-cockatoos

These species have different official conservation classifications: the forest red-tailed black-cockatoo is listed as Vulnerable, Carnaby’s black-cockatoo is Endangered, and the western ringtail possum is Critically Endangered.

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Supporting Forest Red-Tailed Black-Cockatoos

Forest red-tailed black-cockatoos naturally feed on the seeds found inside marri and jarrah nuts. These trees are extremely valuable, but their mature size means they are rarely practical for a typical new-build garden.

Fortunately, red-tailed black-cockatoos have also adapted to some suburban food plants. They are known to feed from introduced almond and macadamia trees, as well as native Banksias, Hakeas, Grevilleas and wattles.

Dwarf almond

Dwarf almond — Prunus dulcis

A grafted dwarf almond is one of the most practical nut-producing trees for a smaller new-build garden.

Self-pollinating dwarf varieties are available that mature at around two metres high and wide. They can also be espaliered against a suitable fence, allowing the tree to provide flowers, seasonal shade and nuts without taking over the backyard.

A dwarf almond could be positioned:

In a sunny rear corner
Along a wide fence line
Beside an orchard or productive garden
As a small deciduous feature tree
In an area where fallen shells and leaves can be cleaned easily

There is no guarantee that cockatoos will visit or use a particular tree. However, where red-tailed black-cockatoos already occur, almonds may provide an additional seasonal food source.

Homeowners should also understand that visiting cockatoos may eat much of the crop, break smaller branches and leave chewed nuts beneath the tree. For a wildlife-friendly garden, this is part of the trade-off.

What about macadamias?

Macadamia nuts are also eaten by red-tailed black-cockatoos, but the tree must be selected carefully.

Standard macadamias can become very large, with some reaching approximately 20 metres. For a residential new-build, we would only consider a genuinely compact or dwarf grafted cultivar after confirming its expected mature size with the supplier.

In most small gardens, a dwarf almond will be easier to position and maintain than a macadamia.

Honey bush

Honey bush — Hakea lissocarpha

Nut trees can be combined with smaller native food plants.

Honey bush is a compact, prickly Hakea that grows to approximately 1.5 metres. Its woody seed follicles provide a more natural food source for black-cockatoos, while its flowers and dense foliage can support birds, insects and smaller wildlife. BirdLife Australia includes honey bush among its recommended black-cockatoo food plants.

Its smaller size makes it suitable for:

Medium-width garden beds
Native planting around a dwarf almond
Low informal screens
Sunny front gardens
Wildlife-friendly planting beside a larger shrub

Fuchsia Grevillea

Fuchsia Grevillea — Grevillea bipinnatifida

Fuchsia Grevillea is another native plant recommended for black-cockatoo-friendly gardens. Its flowers also provide nectar for smaller birds and pollinating insects.

It can be planted with Hakeas and Banksias to provide a variety of flowering and seeding plants rather than relying on one food source.

Supporting Western Ringtail Possums

Western ringtail possums are particularly important around Busselton, Dunsborough and the Geographe Bay area, which supports one of the species’ remaining stronghold populations.

WA peppermint is their most important food plant in coastal areas and may make up as much as 95% of their natural diet. However, a full-size peppermint commonly reaches around six to eight metres, which may be too large for some new-build gardens.

Smaller peppermint cultivars, Melaleucas, wattles and dense climbers can still provide useful food and shelter.

Dwarf willow peppermint

Dwarf willow peppermint — Agonis flexuosa ‘Nana’

Dwarf willow peppermint is one of the most useful choices for a compact possum-friendly garden.

It generally grows between one and three metres and can be maintained as:

A hedge
A dense boundary shrub
A small multi-stemmed tree
Understorey beneath taller planting
Part of a connected fence-line garden

The dwarf cultivar is recognised as a food source for young western ringtail possums and can provide shelter and protection from predators.

Although it does not provide the same canopy or habitat value as a mature full-size peppermint, it is a practical way to include peppermint foliage where space is limited.

Western coastal wattle

Western coastal wattle — Acacia cyclops

Western coastal wattle is a dense shrub that grows to approximately two metres. Its leaves and flowers are highly palatable to western ringtail possums, and it is suited to sandy, limestone and loamy soils.

It is particularly useful for:

Coastal gardens
Wider boundary beds
Informal screening
Filling gaps beneath taller vegetation
Providing dense lower-level shelter

It should be allowed enough width to develop naturally rather than being planted in a very narrow garden bed.

Local Melaleucas

Melaleuca viminea and Melaleuca huegelii

These local Melaleucas generally grow between approximately two and five metres. They can provide edible flowers, dense protection and material that possums may use when constructing their leafy nests, known as dreys.

They are a useful option where the property has room for a taller shrub but not a large habitat tree.

Depending on the selected species and location, they may be suitable for:

Screening along a rear boundary
Connecting lower shrubs with existing trees
A sheltered side garden
Wider native garden beds
Areas receiving some shade

Native wisteria

Native wisteria — Hardenbergia comptoniana

New-build gardens often have extensive fencing but limited garden-bed space. A native climber can use this vertical area without requiring the footprint of a tree.

Native wisteria can grow densely over a suitable trellis or fence and provide a protected daytime resting area for western ringtail possums.

It should be provided with a strong support and positioned where its mature growth can be managed without covering gates, vents or neighbouring structures.

Coastal sword sedge

Coastal sword sedge — Lepidosperma gladiatum

Coastal sword sedge generally grows around one to two metres and creates dense ground-level protection beneath taller shrubs.

It can provide a cooler refuge during hot weather and reduce large exposed gaps beneath the planting. It is particularly useful as part of a layered garden rather than as an isolated feature plant.

Supporting Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos

Carnaby’s black-cockatoos feed extensively on seeds from Banksias, Hakeas, Grevilleas and other native plants.

This makes it possible to create feeding opportunities without planting enormous trees. BirdLife Australia recommends several shrubs and smaller plants that can be incorporated into suburban gardens, including honey bush, fuchsia Grevillea and parrot bush.

Honey bush

Because honey bush only reaches approximately 1.5 metres, it is one of the best options for a smaller new-build garden.

Its prickly structure also helps provide lower-level protection for small birds, while its flowers support insects and nectar-feeding species.

Several honey bushes can be grouped in a garden bed to create a more useful feeding habitat than a single isolated plant.

Parrot bush

Parrot bush — Banksia sessilis

Parrot bush produces abundant flowers and seed-bearing structures that can provide food for Carnaby’s black-cockatoos and other birds.

It can reach up to approximately five metres, so it is better suited to the rear of a wide garden bed than a narrow strip beside a driveway. Its dense and prickly growth can also create a useful screen and provide protection for smaller wildlife.

Parrot bush is most appropriate where homeowners are comfortable with a natural, informal shrub rather than a tightly clipped hedge.

Fuchsia Grevillea

Fuchsia Grevillea can be used through the middle of a native garden bed with Hakeas and smaller Banksias.

Using several different species is generally more useful than planting a row of only one variety. It creates different flowering and seeding periods and supports a wider range of birds and insects. BirdLife recommends choosing plants local to the area because cockatoos are more likely to recognise them as food, and the plants are more likely to suit the local soil.

Could a dwarf almond also help Carnaby’s cockatoos?

Carnaby’s black-cockatoos are also known to use some introduced food sources, including almonds and macadamias.

A dwarf almond may therefore provide supplementary food for more than one black-cockatoo species. However, native Hakeas, Banksias and Grevilleas should still form an important part of the planting because they support a broader range of local wildlife.

A Practical Wildlife-Friendly Layout for a New Build

A new-build garden still needs to provide lawn, access, entertaining space and clear areas around the home. Wildlife-friendly planting does not require the entire property to become dense bushland.

A practical layout could include:

A small food-producing feature tree

Plant a self-pollinating dwarf almond in a sunny rear corner or espalier it along a suitable fence.

Dense possum planting along one boundary

Combine dwarf willow peppermints with western coastal wattles and one or two taller Melaleucas where space permits.

A native wisteria could be trained along the fence to reduce exposed gaps between the plants.

A sunny black-cockatoo garden bed

Plant honey bush, Fuchsia Grevillea and other locally suitable Hakeas. Where the bed is wide enough, include a parrot bush towards the rear.

A protected lower layer

Use coastal sword sedge, native grasses and groundcovers beneath the shrubs. This provides shade, shelter and habitat for insects, reptiles and smaller birds.

A usable centre

The remaining area can still include premium buffalo turf, a stone footpath or a fire pit space. The aim is not to remove every open area, but to position useful planting around the parts of the garden that people use.

Connected Planting Is More Useful Than Isolated Plants

The arrangement of plants matters, particularly for western ringtail possums.

Shrubs planted along a fence or between neighbouring vegetation can create a more continuous route through the property. Dense planting reduces the distance possums may need to travel across open ground, where they are more vulnerable to cats and dogs.

This does not mean plants should be overcrowded. Each plant still needs enough space to reach its mature width without blocking pathways, windows or service areas.

Keep Cockatoo Food Plants Away From Busy Roads

Black-cockatoos are large, heavy birds and need room to take off safely.

BirdLife Australia recommends leaving at least three to five metres between cockatoo food plants and roads where possible. This is especially important for low shrubs or plants that encourage birds to feed close to the ground.

On a new-build block, it may therefore be better to place the strongest cockatoo food planting in the backyard rather than directly beside the front verge.

Avoid Feeding Wildlife Directly

Planting natural food sources is preferable to putting out birdseed.

Regular feeding can affect bird health, attract pest species and spread weeds. Nut-producing trees and native seed plants allow birds to forage more naturally without becoming dependent on food placed out by people.

Keep Pets and Wildlife in Mind

Planting alone will not create a safe garden if wildlife is exposed to domestic animals.

Cats and dogs should be contained at night, particularly in areas where western ringtail possums are present. Rat and snail baits should also be selected and positioned carefully so possums and other non-target animals cannot access them.

Elevated, clean water can also be provided during hot weather, but containers should be cleaned and refilled regularly.

Choose Plants for the Actual Site

A plant may be useful to wildlife but still be unsuitable for a particular property.

Before selecting it, consider:

Mature height and width
Distance from the house and fence
Soil type
Drainage
Sun and shade
Coastal wind
Irrigation
Access requirements
Fire management
Neighbouring properties
The maintenance that the homeowner is willing to complete

A new-build garden with limited space is usually better served by a carefully selected mix of compact plants than by planting a large habitat tree in an unsuitable position.

Landscaping With South West Wildlife in Mind

Karri Coast Landscaping can help create practical new-build gardens that also offer food and shelter for local wildlife.

Depending on the property, this may include:

Selecting compact, wildlife-friendly plants
Improving builder’s sand before planting
Installing reticulation
Creating layered garden beds
Planting along boundaries
Installing mulch and steel edging
Combining native planting with turf, paths and usable outdoor areas

A single residential garden will not solve the loss of threatened-species’ habitat. However, well-planned gardens across many homes can provide valuable additional food, shelter and connections through developed areas.

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