Gang Gang Cockatoos are now listed as a vulnerable species. (Photo: David Cook via Flickr, Creative Commons license.)
By Tracie McMahon
Threatened Species Day commemorates the day of the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger. It is a reminder of the vulnerability of our native flora and fauna and that we need to act before it is too late. In Lithgow, the once common ‘squeaky door’ call of the Gang Gang Cockatoo has become a rarity. On Threatened Species Day 2023, Lithgow and Oberon Landcare volunteers banded together at Farmers Creek to see what could be done to address their decline.
Key Points:
The Black Summer bushfires are estimated to have impacted 3 billion native animals. Species such as Gang Gang Cockatoos are now listed as vulnerable.
Planting trees along the creek lines of Lithgow replaces their habitat as well as stabilising banks to minimise the impacts of flood.
Landcare hosts regular events throughout the Lithgow Area, providing all tools, equipment and training. There is no prior knowledge or skill requirement, and all ages are welcome.
Only ten years ago I would sit on my verandah in Little Hartley watching flocks of Gang Gangs soar overhead. My mother-in-law said they signalled the coming rain, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a flock and we’ve had a lot of rain!
National Threatened Species Day marks a ‘milestone’ day for Australia: the death of the last Tasmanian Tiger on 7 September 1936. The day was established in 1996 by WWF Australia and the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust to “shine a spotlight on all the Australian native animal and plant species that are facing similar fates to that of the Tasmanian Tiger.” WWF Australia indicates that in 2023 there are over 565 native species currently listed as threatened. The Black Summer bushfires impacted nearly 3 billion animals. After the 19/20 fires the Gang Gang Cockatoo was rescheduled as ‘vulnerable’.
To be listed as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, one of the following indicators must be exhibited: a substantial reduction in numbers, a limited geographic distribution, a limited number of mature individuals, and evidence suggesting it will continue to decline, or the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 10% in the medium-term.
There are many that would throw their hands in the air, considering that the fire damage was too big and the loss irreversible, but there are others that believe that something can be done and will roll up their sleeves to do it. Members of the Lithgow and Oberon Landcare Association fall into this category. On Threatened Species Day they invited volunteers to join them to plant habitat on Farmers Creek near Geordie Street. Over 20 locals responded.
Poster for Threatened Species Day (LOLA supplied)
This section is now frequented by cyclists and walkers, enjoying the Farmers Creek cycleway that runs alongside the Creek. In 2017, when the Farmers Creek Precinct Masterplan was adopted by Lithgow City Council, it was described as degraded and prone to weed infestation. Today it is recovering from the extensive rain of 2022, including slippage of the natural banks, and regrowth of both natural grasses and weeds.
There are some benefits to all that soil and water movement. My self-elected task as a volunteer on Threatened Species Day is digging holes. Clumps of soft alluvial soil lift easily with a single swing of a mattock, revealing earthworms and a network of roots and fungal webs, ready to give the plantings a great start to life.
Farmers Creek Lithgow. Source Farmers Creek Precinct Masterplan. The Masterplan can be found here
The 2017 Farmers Creek Precinct Masterplan envisages redeveloping the area in three stages at a cost of over $9 million. The Masterplan suggests it will take close to two decades for Farmers Creek to realise its “enormous potential as a recreation and environmental asset”. Every plant inches this rehabilitation forward and it is inspiring to meet so many people willing to assist.
Volunteers include tiny tots learning how to hold a trowel to those with years of experience and their favourite trowel. Age, skill, strength and knowledge vary considerably, but all are welcome and there is much to do. Planting each individual seedling involves digging a hole, clearing surrounding vegetation, planting, assembling a tree guard, staking the tree guard around the new plant, gathering water from the creek, and finally watering the plant. Phew!
Species planted to create habitat for native fauna.
Before we begin, Steve Fleischmann, Landcare Coordinator, explains that the “planting is aimed at joining fragmented pockets of remnant bushland to create continuous stretches of riparian vegetation.” Riparian zones are those areas of vegetation alongside rivers or waterways that help protect the waterway. Plants have been chosen specifically for the vulnerable Gang Gang Cockatoo, but also to create the layers necessary for the health of the entire ecosystem.
Eucalyptus viminalis is a locally endemic tree species Gang Gangs have been seen in, while Leptospermum (tea tree) and Acacia (wattle) are roosting and food trees for several birds, including Gang Gangs. Lomandra longifolia helps to retain the banks and creates a ground level layering and food source for pollinators.
As we work, I ask my fellow volunteers what encouraged them to join in. Malcolm Reid, a Hartley resident and relative newcomer to the area, says it is an opportunity to learn and meet new people, while others see it as a commitment to the future.
Malcolm Reid, nicely warmed up after digging holes.
Lithgow High School Teacher Erika Marlin mentions her desire to set an example for students. It is Erika’s first event, and she says: “she wouldn’t ask her students to do anything she wouldn’t do herself.” As we speak, students Malakai and Malik Houzaifi turn up to lend a hand.
Others like Christine Bailey, author of a new book on the Purple Copper Butterfly, know intimately the value of habitat to the unique flora and flora of Lithgow, and are keen to ensure it is in abundance. As I look around, I comment that it is hard to imagine the tubestock we have planted morphing into shady trees, scent-laden shrubs and thick grasses, but a fellow volunteer pops his head up to remind me: “the true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
Christine Bailey, hammering in tree guards.
I stop to check on the ‘hole to tubestock’ count, as the tub of tubestock is beginning to look a little bare. Greer Ashworth, one of the waterers, has lived in Lithgow most of her life and has been volunteering with Landcare for several years. I take time to check in with her too:
As 12.30 arrives, I look back over the area we have planted. After less than three hours, two hundred tubestock punctuate the creek bank, helping to stabilise 130 metres of degraded land, creating habitat for our native fauna and shade for walkers and cyclists on the nearby pathway. Perhaps one day I will sit under the shade of a towering Eucalypt as a flock of Gang Gangs soar overhead, but if not, well I am hopeful my children will.
Before: Pre-planting: The creek bank when it was bare, save for an abandoned bike.
After: Post planting: 200 mixed species have been planted to create layered habitat for Gang Gang Cockatoos and other species.
Take Action:
Participate in a Landcare event. Steve Fleischmann, Landcare Coordinator, Lithgow & Oberon Landcare Association can be contacted on 0419 795 781 or steven.fleischmann@lithgow.nsw.gov.au for details of future events and to subscribe to their newsletter.
Plant habitat in your own backyard. Lithgow and District Community Nursery can provide advice and tubestock. Open Saturday 9-1 pm and Friday and Monday 8.30-3.30 pm. 2A Coalbrook Street Lithgow.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Our video on Falling In Love With Glossy Black Cockatoos is now up on our Planetary Health YouTube channel (sorry, it`s too big to share here but there`s a link in our profile).
Jayden Gunn finishes his presentation by saying:
"Care is like a snowball. The more people you tell the bigger the snowball gets, and the further it goes. And the more we know, the more we care. And the more we know, the more we`re able to help."
The video is of our fabulous Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, and includes presentations by Jayden Gunn, BirdLife Australia, Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, and STEM teacher Samantha Bowden from Glenbrook Public School. There`s a link with the video on how to register for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong on 5 July (and it`s also in our profile). Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCERdF21Ud0&t=13s
Today we`re enjoying eating ripe medlars! Medlars are attractive cold climate fruit trees that were popular in Medieval gardens. They`re one of the few fruits that can be harvested in late Autumn and eaten in early Winter when they`re fully ripe. This is a great time of year to plant them for a future harvest. Check out our short video on how to eat them! #coldclimategardens #ediblegardens #medlars #growyourown #planetaryhealth #bluemountains...
We`re thrilled to share that last night @BlueMountainsCityCouncil`s Planetary Health Centre won the Innovative Leadership Award (Population Under 150K) in the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. What a great end to World Environment Day! 🌏 This award celebrates how local government can lead transformative change for a more sustainable future. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard with us to make our vision a reality. You can read more about what we`re doing at our website (link in profile): http://www.bluemountainsplanetaryhealth.com.au/ @ph_alliance #planetaryhealth #worldenvironmentday #localgovernmentleadership #nswlocalgovernmentexcellenceawards...
Blocking out a couple of hours a week to step off the treadmill and give ourselves time to nurture our relationship with the earth and ourselves, is one way to keep our creative spirit and ‘lust for life’ alive. If you haven’t done so yet, one opportunity over the next week is to spend some ‘slow’ time in the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre before it closes on 15 June. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/the-2024-wynne-prize/ @bluemountainsculturalcentre @artgalleryofnsw #wynneprize #landscapes #bluemountains #katoomba #artexhibition #planetaryhealth...
Recognising how violence and war impact the health of the planet, the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative has become a member of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective. On Sunday 25th May, we attended a presentation by Dr Keith Suter on Making Peace in the World Today at the Leura Uniting Church. In this powerful presentation Dr Suter questions why we learn about war rather than successful peace negotiations! View the video of his presentation below and read our full story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/3Fl4WgQ (link in profile)
With an extra day up your sleeve this long weekend, it`s a great opportunity to give nature a hand to regenerate and provide more habitat for our fellow species! Join our fabulous all ages Planetary Health Bushcare Group from 1.30pm and then participate in the Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm, followed by drinks and nibblies! You can also start the day with a fabulous Tai Chi session at 8am. Visit our Planetary Health Pluriversity website to book in and learn more (link in profile): https://bmpluriversity.org/program/
Or ring 0407 437 553 for more information. #planetaryhealth #bushcare #katoomba #bluemountains #glossyblackcockatoos #landcare #biodiversity #habitat #wearenature #togetherwecan...
In this inspiring interview with Medlow Bath resident Amanda Foxon-Hill she talks about her work with Mid Lachlan Landcare, why Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo is so important, and why she loves her work so much! Read the full story in Blackheath Area Local News here: https://blackheathnews.com/connecting-landscapes-for-glossy-black-cockatoos/
Book in for the Growing Connected Landscapes Forum at 4pm this Saturday 7 June here: https://events.humanitix.com/growing-connected-landscapes-for-the-glossy-black-cockatoo Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong here: https://events.humanitix.com/glossy-black-cockatoo-community-tree-planting-5
In a world that increasingly feels out of balance, we’re thrilled to be offering Saturday morning Tai Chi and Qigong at 8am this Saturday 7 June (and the first Saturday of every month on our Skill Share Saturdays). Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art and moving meditation for body, mind and spirit. It is ideal for learning to keep calm amidst chaos but also has health benefits to increase longevity. Harvard Medical School has reported that this gentle form of exercise can help maintain strength, flexibility, and balance, and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life. It`s particularly popular in Hong Kong, where residents have one of the highest life expectancies in the world! T`ai-Chi has also been found to improve brain function (like memory and mental flexibility) faster than other exercise and, in a recent study, comparing T`aiChi to brisk walking, the martial art was found to be significantly better at reducing blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease, like blood sugar levels and cholesterol. If you’d like to try it out, you can reserve your spot here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3FxWPgR
Learn how to Grow Connected Landscapes for the magnificent Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm on Saturday 7th June. In our first Planetary Health Forum we’ll be hearing from Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, Jayden Gunn from Birdlife Australia and Samantha (Pongi) Bowden from Glenbrook Public School, to learn more about the Glossy and how we can all help improve its habit from the Lower Mountains to Central NSW. We’re also launching a Community Tree Planting Day on 5 July in Goologong (near Cowra) to which we’re hoping we’ll get a large group of volunteers to help make a difference for this beautiful bird (and lots of other species as well!)
Habitat connectivity is essential if species are to adapt and overcome the challenges posed by our changing climate.
Join us as we imagine life as a Glossy Black Cockatoo. We`ll make our way through the temperate eucalypt forests of Dharug & Gundungurra land here in the Blue Mountains before leaving the Great Dividing Range for the Wheat & Sheep belt of the Central Tablelands. Our journey ends on Wiradjuri Land, North West of Cowra in the dry scleropyhyll forests of the Conimbla & Nangar National Parks, the start of the Western Woodland Way
Jayden Gunn is an adept wildlife photographer, ecologist, and environmental educator, with a deep passion for Australian birdlife. Through his lens, he captures Australia`s unique wildlife, using digital storytelling to connect people with nature in meaningful ways.
Links in profile to book in.
Book for the Forum here: https://bit.ly/43FzamP
Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day here: https://bit.ly/3HwYHa5
Watch an interview with Amanda here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77y2jrCzINo&t=52s
Read more about Glenbrook Public Schools work for the Glossy Black here: https://lowermtnslocalnews.com/glossy-black-cockatoos/
Our newsletter is now out! View our video of Dr Keith Suter on "Making Peace in the World Today” and read about Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo and the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Cultural Centre. You can also book in for our Mushroom Cultivation and Tai Chi workshops, and our Planetary Health Bushcare on Skill Share Saturday, 7 June. And PS. We’re a finalist in the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. Read the newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4dEFL5u
Yesterday a delegation from the University of Sydney and the Razak School of Government in Malaysia visited the Planetary Health Centre to exchange experiences on the challenges all our local governments are facing, including adapting to climate change, managing ageing populations, and finding economic opportunities for small councils to support their community`s needs. @rsog_insta #localgovernment #planetaryhealth #disasterriskreduction #systemicchange #councils #malaysia #exchange...
As part of an international project to advance science communication for Planetary Health (SciCoPH), Indonesian science journalists, science communication experts and bioscientists visited the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre to learn more about what we`re doing last month. Read our story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/43MFUjM (link in profile)
Tracie lives, writes and walks on the unceded lands of the Dharug, Gundungurra and Wiradjuri people. Born in Lithgow, she and her family have spent most of their lives living and working with the people and places of the Lithgow area. Her passions are nature and community, which she pursues through story, art, and volunteering in Lithgow and the Blue Mountains.
