Wombats

Active wombat burrows are easy to identify by fresh cube-shaped droppings, scratch marks, and recently dug soil near the entrance. While mostly solitary, wombats may occasionally share burrows within their range.  

Burrow activity can be confirmed by placing sticks across each entrance and checking (every day for at least a week) if these are disturbed. 

Wombats also mark their feeding areas with scent trails and droppings to communicate with other wombats. 

Wombats are resourceful creatures that sometimes interact with human spaces, occasionally affecting fences or gardens. However, simple and innovative solutions can help with interactions with wombats: 

• Fence modifications: Wombats follow well-established trails and prefer moving through rather than around obstacles. Installing ‘wombat swing gates’ at crossing points or raising the lowest fence wire (15 cm above ground) enables their movement under fence lines without causing damage. 
• Protecting livestock: Marking burrows with posts or small fences can help prevent livestock from stumbling into them, ensuring safety for both animals.

Wombats sometimes seek shelter under houses and sheds for warmth. To guide them to more suitable areas: 

• Use a one-way exit flap: a simple wire mesh flap allows the wombat to leave safely without re-entering. 
• Once the burrow has been confirmed to be inactive, install strong wooden boards reinforced with weld mesh or rabbit wire over the burrow.
• In areas where you have noticed wombat activity around your house, lay mesh along the ground, either burying it at least 60–90 cm or extending it outward as a ‘skirt’ to discourage digging.
• Other deterrents: Wombats are naturally clean animals and sensitive to strong smells. Placing organic fertilisers such as blood-and-bone, dog urine, or chicken manure near burrow entrances can encourage them to find a new home. However, as wombats are highly determined, deterrents should be paired with exclusion strategies for best results.

Restoring and conserving natural vegetation provides wombats with safer, alternative burrowing sites: 

If you come across sick or injured wombats, please contact a wildlife care organisation. 

• WIRES:1300 094 737
• Wildlife Rescue South Coast: 0418 427 214
• Wombat Care Bundanoon: 0490 659 245 

More information can be found on Council’s Wildlife Care page.