THE iconic Carnaby’s black cockatoo, a well-loved resident of the Wheatbelt, has received a million dollar funding boost to further enhance and protect their Wheatbelt habitat into the future.

The Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management team project is building on the achievements of their previous black cockatoo project and continuing to partner with Wheatbelt landholders to secure critical Carnaby’s habitat across their breeding range.

Activities will focus on both breeding and feeding habitat and include things like installing artificial nests, controlling pest animals, protecting remnant vegetation through fencing, and revegetating with cockatoo specific species.

A vital aspect of the project relies on knowing where Carnaby’s are spending their time when they’re here and how they’re behaving.

“This is where we rely on our community to let us know what they’re seeing to help target our conservation efforts,” Healthy Environments project manager Alex Griffiths said.

“People can help us protect these birds and their habitat into the future by reporting any sightings they may have.”

“We work across 12 million hectares of the Avon River Basin, so the work will occur within our region, within suitable Carnaby’s black cockatoo habitat where we know they are persisting and using the area for forage and breeding.

Mrs Griffins said due to the size and tenure holdings within the region, the organisation relies on the community to let them know where they’re seeing Carnaby’s and what behaviours they’re exhibiting to assist them to do their work.

The project is funded by the federal Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Wheatbelt Resource Management, a member of the Regional Delivery Partners panel.

The total funding for the project is $1 million from August 2024 to the end of June 2028.

If you’d like to register your interest in this project you can get in contact with Kate Nicol by emailing knicol@wheatbeltnrm.org.au