Monitoring & insights

Before this project began, almost nothing was known about Malleefowl across this vast region — more than 2.5 million hectares — and there were no records from Narndee or nearby properties.

Monitoring has already changed that picture. Surveys have revealed a surprisingly widespread and significant Malleefowl presence on Narndee, including active breeding sites and abundant signs such as tracks, scats, and feeding activity. Early mapping suggests the area may support one of the more important Malleefowl populations nationally.

The project has also confirmed high numbers of feral cats, which was expected, but now provides a clearer understanding of how this major threat operates across the landscape — information that will guide future management.

During surveys (~10,000 ha to date), the team also located a rare plant previously known from only one other site in Australia. Alongside this, the project has recorded key biodiversity datasets, mapped habitat, captured fire history, surveyed fox and feral cat activity, and collected more than 200 hours of acoustic recordings.

Innovative approaches to financing conservation

To support this work, Forever Wild has partnered with BeImpact to develop a carbon co-benefit project using a verifiable framework. This approach has helped secure more reliable funding for critical conservation activities and opened the door to investment that sits outside the competitive and uncertain world of grants and philanthropy.

Conservation activities will continue long-term, enhancing this threatened species trajectory along with the biodiversity values of this unique landscape