Investing in nature: bold new plan to restore wildlife and support regional growth
A world-class rewilding project on Yorke Peninsula is vying to attract global investment after proving that locally extinct species can be successfully returned, whilst supporting communities and industry to prosper.
Led by the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, the next phase of the Marna Bangarra project was launched today, showcasing a new 10-year plan that aims to reintroduce more native species, such as bilbies, southern brown bandicoots, dunnarts and western quolls.
Scaling up nature
Over the past seven years the project has successfully returned brush-tailed bettongs (known as yalgiri to the local Narungga people) to Yorke Peninsula (Guuranda), after they were locally extinct for more than a century, due to habitat loss and predation by foxes and feral cats.
Marna Bangarra, meaning healthy, prosperous Country in Narungga language, stands apart from many rewilding projects in Australia and the world because of its model strongly focused on strategic coexistence and the environment and community working together. It shows that investment in nature is essential infrastructure to everyday life.
While most rewilding projects are confined to islands or fully fenced areas where ecosystems can be tightly controlled, Marna Bangarra is different because it operates across 140,000 hectares alongside farms, regional towns and local tourism businesses.
By working closely with landholders and National Parks and Wildlife SA, foxes and feral cats in the area are managed, giving native species the best chance of survival. Reduced pests also mean farmers have a better chance of increasing their farm’s productivity.
Backed by strong partnerships between state, federal and local governments, the Narungga people, landholders and conservation organisations, the project is jointly funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.
Partners actively involved in developing and delivering Marna Banggara include Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation, South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water, Zoos SA and WWF-Australia.
🔗 For more information visit www.marnabanggara.com.au
“Marna Bangarra is not only restoring our environment but also supporting regional industries and positioning South Australia as a leader in world-class conservation,” says Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Emily Bourke.
It’s helping to re-establish Yorke Peninsula as a place where wildlife thrives, ecosystems function naturally, and communities prosper alongside a healthy environment.
This isn’t just about wildlife - this project will have far-reaching benefits for farm production and in time, become a drawcard for tourists.
This new long-term vision boldly sets out to restore ecological balance at scale, bringing native species back, rebuilding ecosystems, and strengthening communities.”
“We have achieved a lot in the past seven years since the project’s inception - but the reality is here on the Yorke Peninsula we’ve lost more than 80% of our ground-dwelling native mammals and it takes a big commitment and investment to get that back,” says Marna Bangarra Project Manager, Derek Sandow.
We know what works. The next phase is about scaling up, bringing back species like bilbies and quolls and restoring the balance of nature.
The opportunity here is enormous. This plan is about bringing in the partnerships and investment we need to reintroduce species, roll out game-changing predator management technology, and restore nature across an entire landscape.
By re-introducing lost species we will help rebuild the natural “tools” of the ecosystem, restoring processes that have been absent for decades.
The goal is to reach the goldilocks zone of predator management, not full eradication but enough to enable vulnerable native fauna to survive but sustainable in the long-term.”
“Our relationship to Country is that we need to care for it - to provide for us - and that’s why Marna Bangarra is so critically important. To bring back the health of our Country and the health of our people,” says Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation Spokesperson, Garry Goldsmith.
Marna Bangarra means “healthy, prosperous Country” in our Narungga language, reflecting the connection between environmental, cultural and community wellbeing. It’s all connected.
This project is about stepping forward to the future together, but ultimately, it’s also about stepping back as well, bringing back those animals that supported us and our Country.”
We look forward to growing the active partnerships needed to scale up this proven approach and unlock a future where healthy ecosystems and thriving regional communities go hand in hand.
Partners actively involved in developing and delivering Marna Banggara to date include Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation, South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water, Zoos SA and, WWF-Australia, Regional Development Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, FAUNA Research Alliance, BirdLife Australia, Nature Conservation Society of SA, Primary Producers SA, Primary Industries and Regions SA, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Northern & Yorke Local Government Association, Yorke Peninsula Council, Yorke Peninsula Tourism and Scientific Expedition Group.
