Emu-friendly fencing trial

07 September 2021

Emu-friendly fencing will be trialled to help ensure the safe passage of coastal emus along some of their popular pathways on Brooms Head Rd.

Clarence Valley Councils Coordinator of Natural Resource Management, Reece Luxton said maintaining the migratory pathways through the landscape was essential to the future of the coastal emus.

With as few as 50 birds remaining, it is one of the most endangered bird populations in Australia.

“As a critical keystone species, the coastal emu is essential to the health of our local environment,” Mr Luxton said.

“The birds roam over considerable distances, in the process, they disperse seeds that maintain the health of the ecosystem. Many plant species are dependent on the emus for this wide distribution of their seeds.

“As development continues to expand across the Clarence Valley it inevitably impacts on the environment and the wildlife that inhabit our region. With the emu population at such low numbers, being struck by vehicles as the birds attempt to cross roads between foraging habitats is a key threat to the coastal emu.

"The Emu Fencing Project is exciting as we are working closely with local landholders and the NSW Government, through its Saving Our Species program, to help them achieve a positive outcome for their properties and for the emus that traverse their land."

“The aim is to enable the farmers to maintain a boundary fence while at the same time making it permeable so emus can pass through without stress or risk of injury.”

“Trial sites will be monitored using motion detection cameras to see how the emus adapt to this style of fencing, which will determine if it is suitable for future projects.”

The emu is just one of 173 threatened species of fauna that resides in the Clarence Valley, some of which include the tusked frog, brush-tailed phascogale, rufous bettong, black-striped wallaby, and the koala.

There are also 170 threatened plants and 18 threatened ecological communities. Over 450,000 ha, or more than 40 per cent, of the Clarence Valley is protected through National Parks and reserves.

Today is National Threatened Species Day which is commemorated across the country to raise awareness of plants and animals at risk of extinction.

For more information see our Emu Fencing Pamphlet.