The Jedbinbilla Safe Haven at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve has opened to help protect the critically endangered southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby from predators and save them from extinction.

The ACT government says there are less than 100 of these animals in the wild, and they are on the brink of extinction from major threats such as foxes.

The safe haven is a predator-proof enclosure where the brush-tailed rock-wallaby can thrive without threat. It will also help to prepare these animals to one day go back into the wild.

The government has been contributing to the recovery of the southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby since the mid-1990s by protecting and breeding animals in captivity at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. The animals produced by this breeding program are now more genetically robust than the few remaining animals in the wild. 

“This is an incredible achievement, that could not have been done without the commitment, passion and vision of Tidbinbilla’s staff, and others from across the Parks and Conservation Service,” says Dr Sarah May, the threatened species program manager at Tidbinbilla and chair of the National Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team.

“Despite significant setbacks, including floods and covid, we have achieved something we should all be very proud of as well as providing a safe home for brush-tailed rock-wallabies.

Co-chairs of the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team, Marc Perri and Richard Hill, say: “From captive breeding and genetic management of the captive population to this incredible milestone, the establishment of Jedbinbilla.

“This purpose built fox-proof open range facility will allow the captive population of the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby to grow to several hundred animals, which will allow us to reintroduce this species across its range in the ACT and Victoria.”