Common Nillumbik animals

The common wombat and eastern grey kangaroo are animals commonly found throughout the Shire. Learn more about their habits and what you can do to help protect them. 

Wombats

Wombats are medium-sized stocky marsupials with bristly grey-brown fur. This solitary marsupial, when not sleeping in one of its burrows, can be seen grazing on grasses and sedges. The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is the only species that occurs in Victoria, and prefers to live in densely-vegetated locations that have grassy areas nearby.

Common wombats are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. If you have wombats on your property, you can learn about appropriate wildlife management methods to keep them and your property safe.

Eastern grey kangaroo 

Kangaroos are a large, long-snouted hopping marsupial with grey to grey-brown fur. The eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) sleeps under low vegetation for most of the day and then comes out to graze on grasses and shrubs in the evening. This marsupial usually moves with others amongst well-vegetated areas.

Eastern grey kangaroo, alongside the western grey kangaroo and swamp wallaby, are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. You can learn some fun facts about the kangaroo in Manningham's Backyard Biodiversity series, and in the webinar about the biology and population dynamics of kangaroos presented by Associate Professor Graeme Coulson, Honorary Principal Fellow and Wildlife Ecologist at University of Melbourne.

Informative kangaroo video courtesy of Manningham Backyard Biodiversity.

How to help protect them

There are a variety of ways to help protect these beloved and iconic Australian species.

• Help prevent wildlife roadstrikes - slow down at dawn and dusk and obey speed limits. Kangaroos, wallabies and wombats are the top animals impacted by vehicle collisions in Nillumbik.
• Report injured animals.
• Find out how to manage wildlife appropriately on your property and apply for the relevant authorisations from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
• Let wildlife feed themselves.
• Keep your dogs on a leash.
• Volunteer and participate in conservation efforts.