From vineyard to habitat: rebuilding a home for regent parrots
Threatened species recovery doesn’t only happen in large conservation areas. Sometimes it starts on a private property, with a shovel, a seedling and a belief that small actions can create lasting change. This Threatened Species Day, we’re celebrating the people helping to create a future for one of South Australia’s threatened birds – the regent parrot.
At Murtho in the Riverland, a former vineyard is being transformed back into native habitat, replacing rows of vines with native food plants that would once have been part of the landscape. As the vegetation grows, it will provide regent parrots with food, shelter and habitat to move through, while also supporting a range of other native species.
For local landholders Tony and Cherie, the vision has been to return 14 hectares of former vineyard back to native vegetation, creating a future feeding ground for regent parrots and helping rebuild a habitat across the River Murray landscape.
The restoration journey began in 2023 following involvement in the regent parrot tracking program, which sparked conversations about how the property could be transformed to better support the species. Since then, rows of vines have gradually made way for carefully selected native trees and shrubs, chosen to provide important food sources for regent parrots.
This year, with support from the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board’s Grassroots Grants program, the final stage of the restoration project was completed.
But rebuilding habitat isn’t just about planting trees, it’s about bringing people together.
Local school students, River Murray Youth Council members, River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation rangers and landscape board staff came together to help plant more than 3,000 native seedlings, gaining hands-on experience in conservation and seeing firsthand how their efforts can contribute to the future of threatened species.
Reflecting on the completion of the revegetation project, Tony and Cherie said they were extremely grateful for the many volunteers who helped plant trees at Paradise Gully.
'This 2026 planting now completes a 3-year project in revegetating a vineyard and restoring it back to what it was. We look forward to watching the trees grow along with the return of birds and mammals.'
Each tube stock planted represents a bigger vision: a landscape where native vegetation can thrive, and future generations can continue to experience the beauty of species like the regent parrot.
Restoring habitat takes time. The native plants established through this project will continue to grow, providing food and shelter, and helping reconnect habitat across the landscape.
These seedlings are a reminder that meaningful conservation happens over time, through the commitment of landholders, young people, volunteers and communities working together to create a future for threatened species.
