A thriving grassy woodland: have your say on the new Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary strategy

A Swamp Wallaby eating a mistletoe leaf at Mulligans Flat. Photo: Supplied.

The ACT Government has released its strategy for the new Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary for the next 25 years – embedded with iconic, endangered species and overseen by Indigenous land management practices – and has encouraged Canberrans to have their say on the proposals.

Community consultation is open until February 2021.

The Sanctuary has reintroduced the Eastern Bettong, the Eastern Quoll and the Bush Stone-curlew and is considering the reintroduction of koalas, Brush-tailed Phascogales, Southern Brown Bandicoots and Australian Bustards.

Animals will also be shared with other sanctuaries around Australia to help the populations grow and safeguard these species from extinction.

Just 20-minutes from Parliament House, the Woodlands boast 280 species of native plants, 177 species of birds and 100,000 visitors a year.

It is also Australia’s first fox, cat, rabbit and hare-free sanctuary.

“The Sanctuary is special to many Canberrans because it allows people to learn about and experience the region’s unique ecosystem right in their backyard,” Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti said.

“Mulligans Flat has seen so much ground-breaking conservation research and is recognised internationally for its operational model.”

Construction has also started on the new Woodland Learning Centre in Throsby and is set to be completed in 2021.

Director of the ANU Fenner School of Environment Professor Saul Cunningham says the partnership between the university and the Ngunnawal Traditional Custodians, the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust and the ACT Government has helped achieve outstanding results for the area’s conservation.

“The Strategy charts an exciting future for Canberra with stronger engagement with the Ngunnawal community and a pathway for putting biodiversity back into the Capital’s Bushland – making us a real Bush capital,” Professor Cunningham said.

“We are very grateful for the contributions of our volunteers and community members in developing the Strategy, and we are really keen to now hear from all Canberrans.”

You can view the strategy and have your say on the ACT Government YourSay website.