Hopes High For Shy Ones

Newcastle Herald

Saturday November 29, 2008

By MATTHEW KELLY

HUNDREDS of brush-tailed rock wallabies once roamed large parts of the Hunter.

Today, those left are so scarce that experts list the species as being in severe decline.

But it is hoped numbers will bounce back as a result of the Department of Environment and Climate Change's brush-tailed rock wallaby recovery plan.

The department plans to release dozens of wallabies bred at the Central Coast's Waterfall Springs Wildlife Sanctuary across state and Hunter sites next year.

"The shy but beautiful rock wallaby used to be abundant along the east coast ranges of Australia but had drastically declined in numbers since European settlement," sanctuary communications officer Karen O'Mara said.

Only a few hundred remained in central NSW and fewer than 20 were left in Victoria.

Ten wallabies bred at the sanctuary were released into Victoria's Grampians National Park last week.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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