The Annandale & lilyfield wren project
What's it all about and can i have a wren on my house?
I started the Wren projects after learning that Suberb Fairy Wrens used to be a common sight in Sydney but small bird numbers had dropped almost 50% from 2014 to 2021. Mostly due to habitat loss, cats, pesticide use and aggressive larger birds.
I decided to put some (painted) wrens back into Sydney suburbs and put QR code links next to them with information on small birds and ways to get involved in habitat protection. In Annandale & Lilyfield I've kept the wren as a symbol but the focus will be on the wildlife still in our area such as the long necked turtles and blue tongue lizards and how we can expand the amazing patch of natural habitat we have at Whites Creek into our streets. There are three parts to the project:
1 - There are 50 wrens on houses in the area and I'll be making a walking trail out of some of them and posting the map here at the end of March. If you still want a wren on your house (or anywhere else) I'm doing a commissioned round of them in April. (Click below to register for a commissioned wren).
2 - Aboriginal Horticulturalist Terry Lennis gave a free walk and talk around the Whites Creek Wetlands on the 15th February where he shared his amazing knowledge of the plants down there and talked about the importance of respecting our natural areas.
3 - The preschoolers at Explore and Develop on Booth St are designing signs to help people care for and protect the turtles at the wetlands. The signs will appear in April. Click below to see what we've been up to.
What else can you do?
There are three big things we can do to help the wildlife in Annandale & Lilyfield:
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Be a responsible pet owner - Keep cats inside and dogs on leash around natural areas.
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Plant habitat - Make a wild area in your garden, make a verge garden or choose native plants to attract the species you want to help.
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Get involved - join a bushcare group, volunteer at a local nursery or participate in citizen science
Click below for more information on each of these topics.
Be a responsible Pet Owner
Plant Habitat
Get involved
Inner West Council has over 50 natural areas and parts of Whites Creek Parkland are natural. Natural areas are places that do not look trimmed and manicured but are representative of our pre-1750 landscape. They are part of a network of green corridors providing habitat for plants and animals. Because we are so close to a patch of natural area any plantings we do in our gardens and verges in Annandale helps expand this habitat corridor out into the suburb.
The natural areas of Whites Creek are teeming with wildlife including blue tongue lizards, ringtail possums, frogs, turtles and even a waterdragon. Dogs kill bluetongues in Whites Creek and people have even taken the turtles out of the wetlands and destroyed the ringtail posum dreys. Tread lightly and be aware animals share the space and please keep your dog on a leash around these areas.
More Information on Inner West Biodiversity