As you drive around the southern Yorke Peninsula area, you may see signs that say ‘Marna Banggara’, attached to very high wire fences.

When I first saw these, I assumed the fences were either to keep something in or out so it was worth further investigation.

It turns out that Yorke Peninsula which is home to a heap of wildlife including kangaroos, emus, wombats, echidnas and wallabies, is in the process of reintroducing even more native animals, through this project.

Species to be reintroduced include the Brush-tailed Bettong, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Red-tailed Phascogale and Western Quoll, and this rewilding fence is designed to keep native species in and ferals out. The 25 kilometre long predator control fence stretches across the width of the peninsula just east of Warooka.

This is the first project in Australia to apply these rewilding principles in a working landscape. It was formerly known as the Great Southern Ark but is now referred to by the name Marna Banggara which comes from the Narungga dialect meaning healthy or prosperous country. It was chosen to honour the Yorke Peninsula’s Traditional Custodians, the Narungga people, and reflects the project’s aim to achieve a healthy and prosperous land for all.

A number of stakeholders are involved including local landholders, farmers, traditional owners, small businesses, non-government and government agencies, to ensure the land continues to thrive into the future.

Monitoring the number of predator animals in the project area, is done by using camera traps across the landscape and camera data is analysed and recorded by volunteers. FeralScan is also used, a community pest animal recording and management tool that helps to record pest animal activity in the area.  It’s a free be downloadable resource where you can use a smartphone to record feral animal sightings or attacks by predator animals.

Here’s hoping it works. For more information check out the Marna Banggara website.

Cheers

Glenys