Brush-tailed rock wallaby: running out of time

The brush-tailed rock wallaby is dark brown with a distinctive bushy black tail. Sadly, populations that nhabit rocky outcrops and dam walls of both Perseverance and Cressbrook are declining. Over the last 18 months 13 wallabies at the dam wall at Perseverance have been killed and there are now less than 20 left.

Wildlife Queensland Toowoomba Branch and head office are working towards saving the remaining members of a group of brush tailed rock wallabies that live on the dam wall at Perseverance Dam, near Crows Nest, one of the last colonies of this vulnerable species in south-east Queensland.

In 2005, vehicles killed more than 13 members of the original colony of 30, leaving fewer than 20 animals. Wallabies are being killed when they cross a 1 km stretch of damside road that runs through their small home range, despite signs asking traffic to slow down. The colony cannot remain viable with this number of deaths.

What will save these wallabies?

Traffic is killing these animals and will destroy the colony. Options that could change this situation, include:

traffic calming on the section where most animals are killed and
a barrier to stop the animals crossing at the most dangerous point.

but Crows Nest Shire Council that owns the road and Toowoomba City Council that owns the land over which the road runs have refused to approve the necessary expenditure for either solution. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service have not yet contributed to funding solutions either.

What Wildlife Queensland is doing

Local public alert. WPSQ Toowoomba Branch, working with Ravensbourne and District Landcare and Toowoomba City Council, has produced and distributed a flyer and poster across the region to alert drivers to the threats from traffic (see image).
Traffic signs. A large metal warning sign for traffic will be erected on the dam road. Toowoomba Branch members have donated the costs for this. Toowoomba Branch is also raising funds to pay for more activities (see What you can do below)
Lobbying state government. Wildlife Queensland's Policy Section has written twice to Minister for the Environment and Local Government to do something about the situation now.
Lobbying local government. Wildlife Queensland has also written to The Mayor of Toowoomba to encourage her to make efforts on the wallabies' behalf. This is a priority issue for Wildlife Queensland.

What you can do

What Wildlife Queensland says...
The time for talking is over. Action is required by all the relevant government bodies right now if this unsustainable rate of mortality is not halted and the colony is to be saved. Solutions will cost money but what price can you put on the survival of this species?

Urge local and state government to fund the necessary roadworks and modifications to prevent further deaths
- Write to the Hon. Desley Boyle MP
  Minister for the Environment, Local Government, Planning and Women
  POB 15031 City East Q 4002
- Write to the Mayor of Toowoomba, Dianne Thorley, POB 3021 Toowoomba Village Fair, Toowoomba Q 4350
- Write to the Mayor of Crows Nest, Geoff Patch, POB 35 Crows Nest, Q 4355.
Drive slowly if you drive in and around Perseverance Dam, especially the road by the dam wall. Tell people you know to drive carefully too.
Contact Toowoomba Branch to buy raffle tickets in their forthcoming fundraiser or donate funds.

Brush-tailed rock wallaby

The loss of this group threatens the survival of this whole species. Find out more about the Brush-tailed rock wallaby.

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, contact us by email or call +61 7 3221 0194

Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland

February 2006