A NEW quokka population has been discovered in the Perth Hills by local charity, Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association Inc (BNAA).

The quokkas were discovered through the BoorYul-Bah-Bilya program, a recent initiative that aims to address declining river health through creation of a new type of community catchment plan.

According to the BNAA this is the first time that quokkas have been photographed by the general public in the Perth Hills and is an important finding for conservation of the species.

“While known to occur in isolated locations in the Darling Range, quokkas are rarely seen by the wider community. Their exact location will remain confidential and the best place to see quokkas is still on Wadjemup-Rottnest Island,” a spokesperson said.

Quokkas are best known on Wadjemup-Rottnest Island although small groups live in the forests of Noongar Boodja, mostly around Jarrahdale, Dwellingup, Collie, Nannup, Northcliffe, Denmark, the Stirling Ranges, Green Ranges and Bald Island.

BNAA Senior Elder Greg Ugle said: “Looking at these photographs, this is an important find for me. As a Noongar Traditional Elder, my intention is to be sure to protect these little animals.”

BNAA chairperson Walter McGuire said the discovery of these quokkas on Whadjuk Boodja demonstrated the importance of community-led programs like BoorYul-Bah-Bilya.

“As Noongar Traditional Owners, we have the language, stories and knowledge to look after this land as we have done since time began. Through BoorYul-Bah-Bilya, we will do everything we can to ensure that quokkas do not become another in a long list of our extinct or endangered native animals,” Mr McGuire said.

BNAA director Francesca Flynn said she hoped this important discovery would help to strengthen efforts to protect mainland quokkas and other threatened native species that were under constant threat from land clearing, fires, feral predators and the changing climate.

“I acknowledge the huge effort of BoorYul-Bah-Bilya volunteers, including Tim Blake who has purchased fauna cameras and dedicated many volunteer hours,” she said.

Quokkas were once abundant in south-west WA but have reduced dramatically since the 1930s, likely due to foxes and widespread land clearing practices for agriculture and mining.

In the 1920s, quokkas were considered a pest of pine plantations and farms near Perth and were actively hunted and poisoned.

Current threats to mainland quokkas include predation by foxes and cats, habitat loss due to land clearing, Phytophthora dieback and destruction by feral pigs, increased bushfire intensity and burning of swamps and creek lines and reduced rainfall and drying of wetland habitats

Quokkas are a threatened species under both state and commonwealth legislation and in WA, they are listed as vulnerable under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria.

Nationally, quokkas are listed as vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Quokkas have been studied extensively on Wadjemup-Rottnest but research on mainland quokkas is limited, which limits the development of strategies to protect them.

This new quokka population was identified by BoorYul-Bah-Bilya volunteers as part of a conservation audit to assess the health of the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) catchment, and the finding will assist the ongoing management of quokkas in the Perth Hills.

BoorYul-Bah-Bilya is the first program of its kind to consider the environmental, cultural and social values of a river in one integrated plan.

It uses the Mandoon-Helena River to create a model process that can be applied to any river by any community, with the program aiming to restore river health, protect cultural significance, improve social amenity, support sustainable economic growth and reconnect people with the many values of rivers.

BNAA are working with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to manage the discovery and hope it will lead to additional resources including more surveys, monitoring and research, and protecting key populations and habitats.