Watchalunga, a Nature Foundation reserve on swampland south of Adelaide, gives hope for the wren and bell frog

Watchalunga Nature Reserve, south of Adelaide on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, provided hopes for a swampland sanctuary to rescue the numbers of the criticially endangered Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu wrens.
Image by Subbu Conley, courtesy Nature Foundation

Watchalunga, 92 hectacres or 20% of low-lying Fleurieu Peninsula swamp on the lower Finniss River, south of Adelaide, became another Nature Foundation reserve in 2015 as habitat for highly significant South Australian biodiversity.

Among Watchalunga Nature Reserve hopes was to provide a sanctuary for threatened wildlife including the critically endangered Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu wrens and threatened southern bell frog.

About 2.5 kilometres from the town of Finniss, the reserve provided important aquatic habitat for at least 13 species of native fish and might still be a refuge for the nationally vulnerable Yarra pygmy perch and the nationally endangered Murray hardyhead. Flora surveys have identified at least 36 indigenous species.

Nature Foundation work aimed to minimise threats to habitat and wildlife by controlling pest plants including tall wheatgrass, kikuyu, wild aster, African daisy and artichoke thistles, revegetating areas and maintaining firebreaks. The Watchalunga reserve was available to researchers and groups interested in monitoring and studying its important biodiversity.

The Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority’s Aboriginal Learning on Country team was involved in early restoration at the property, with weed control, fencing and revegetation. Goolwa to Wellington local action planning group and the South Australian Conservation Council were among others helping to maintain the area and doing the research into the swamplands..