Habitat for Wildlife

Bundanoon lookout with bush, photo by Dee Kramer

Habitat for Wildlife is about providing a backyard garden that is wildlife friendly, and is for people who live in the Wingecarribee Shire who love native animals.

It is about making small changes to your backyard to improve habitat values and to encourage native birds, moths, butterflies, insects, frogs and lizards to visit or live in your garden. Creating a wildlife refuge in your backyard will increase the likelihood of a native animal’s survival and movement through a landscape.

Tips can be provided on how you manage pets, how you think about and plan your garden design and through the installation of bird baths, native grasses, shrubs and trees and other features such as rocky gardens, nest boxes in trees, or ponds that will encourage and protect native animals.

You can be as creative as you like!

Habitat for Wildlife

How do I Join?

Membership is free and available to residents of Wingecarribee Shire.

Members receive:

A colourful metal sign to install on their front gate or fence

Resources including the Backyard Habitat Planting Guide

A native plant gift voucher to the value of $30

Subscription to the Wingecarribee Web E-Newsletters

Access to workshops and events as they happen

To join Habitat for Wildlife, complete the member form:

Habitat for Wildlife Membership Form(PDF, 1MB)

Return the signed form and send by email to mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au or alternatively, put it in the post or drop it off at the Civic Centre. If you would prefer to complete a printed copy of the form, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 02 4868 0888.

If you are under 18 years of age you will need a parent or guardian to sign the form.

Making Your Garden Bird-Friendly

It is a good time to get the binoculars out and get out in the back garden or your favourite park or bush land reserve and observe and count the birds you see.

Greening Australia have published a brochure to help you make your garden more bird-friendly.

Planting for Birds(PDF, 2MB)

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Visit citizen science opportunities for updates and reports on the Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

Backyard Habitat Planting Guide

Download the new Backyard Habitat Planting Guide to read about simple ways to make your backyard garden more wildlife-friendly. A printed copy of the guide is posted to all members who join Habitat for Wildlife. Click the below image to view as an online flipbook or access download icon to download a copy.

Native Plant Selection

A native plant selector tool is being developed to help you find and choose a list of suitable native plant species for your garden. In the meantime, have a look at the lists provided here from Wariapendi Nursery using the location closest to your property. In addition, you could talk to a specialist in native plants or look at the patch of natural bush closest to your home for inspiration! Make sure your garden design and plantings do not increase the bush fire risk for your property.

Moss Vale & Berrima Plant List(PDF, 198KB)

Mittagong & Bowral Plant List(PDF, 199KB)

Robertson & Burrawang Plant List(PDF, 200KB)

Canyonleigh & Marulan Plant List(PDF, 198KB)