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Help provide water for wildlife
13 Jan 2020
With hot and dry conditions forecast to continue within the ACT, water for wildlife usually available in dams and vegetation is scarce across many areas of the ACT.
Members of the community are providing water where none is available by leaving out tubs and other containers in safe places.
If leaving out water for wildlife, please:
- Place containers in places around your local suburb and residential area, away from roads that provide some protection and screening from predators (including domestic pets).
- Keep containers clean, full of fresh water and clearly labelled with 'Water for Wildlife'.
- Place sticks, rocks or bricks in your container to enable small animals to enter the water to get back out.
- Consider a variety of water containers for different birds, bats, reptiles and mammal species. Providing water at different levels makes the containers accessible to all species while minimising their risk of being preyed upon.
- Consider hanging water dispensers in trees or hanging baskets that can be easily accessed by birds and bats.
Please be mindful that the congregation of animals in a particular area may increase the risk of disease transfer.
Due to the complex dietary requirements of different wildlife species and the risks surrounding animal health, predation, disease transfer and the introduction of weeds, it is an offence under the Nature Conservation Act 2014 to feed a native animal in a reserve.
Connect with the Water our Wildlife Facebook community to coordinate efforts in your local area.
Road users should also continue to be vigilant for wildlife on roads, especially kangaroos, which may be difficult to spot in smoky conditions. If you come across an injured animal on any of our roads, please call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
In times of extreme heat, the community should be vigilant to their own safety by staying hydrated and abiding by reserve closures and Total Fire Ban precautions when they are in place.
For emergency updates such as extreme heat and Total Fire Bans, visit the ACT Emergency Services Agency website, follow @ACT_ESA on Twitter or like ACT Emergency Services Agency on Facebook.
Ongoing parks and reserve closures
07 Jan 2020
A decision has been made to maintain the closure of some ACT Parks and Conservation Service managed estate due to elevated fire dangers until 11:59pm on Monday, 20 January.
The following sites will be closed during this time:
- Namadgi National Park (including the Visitor Centre)
- Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (including the Visitor Centre)
- Lower Cotter Catchment
- Bullen Range Nature Reserve (west of the River only)
- Stony Creek Nature Reserve (west of the River only)
- Blue Range Forest
- Pierces Creek Forest
- Hyles and Sherwood Forest
- Ingledene Forest
- Uriarra Forest (not including picnic areas at Uriarra Crossing)
- Googong Foreshores
- Kowen Forest
- Lower Molonglo River Corridor
- Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve
- Mulligans Flat Sanctuary including Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve
- Centenary Trail between Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve and Hall.
There is also a ban of naked flames across all of ACT Parks and Conservation Service’s managed estate, excluding Cotter Campground, until the end of March 2020.
Five campgrounds remain closed for the entire fire season. These are:
- Woods Campground
- Honeysuckle Campground
- Orroral Campground
- Mt Clear Campground
- Blue Range Campground.
Additionally, the following roads in northern Namadgi National Park are closed for the entire fire season:
- Old Mill Road
- Warks Road
- Blundells Creek Road
- Mile High Road
Swimming areas at the Cotter and along the Murrumbidgee River such as Kambah Pool, Pine Island, Point Hut and Uriarra Crossing will be opened. The Cotter Campground will also be opened.
In an effort to accommodate recreational users, the Canberra Nature Park (other than Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves) and all pine forest areas (other than Kowen Forest) will remain open to the public.
Electric barbeques provided at the Cotter, Casuarina Sands, Pine Island and in Canberra’s urban parks will be available, however all gas barbeques will be turned off.
View the seasonal and total fire ban closure map here. Areas marked in red are closed until 31 March 2020.
For up-to-date total fire ban declarations and more information about how they affect you, visit the ACT Emergency Services Agency website, follow @ACT_ESA on Twitter or like ACT Emergency Services Agency on Facebook.
For more information contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
06 Jan 2020
ACT Parks and Conservation Executive Branch Manager, Justin Foley has made the decision to maintain a number of the current closures of Parks and Conservation managed estates due to the safety issues resulting from the current weather conditions until 11:59pm on Monday, 6 January... Read more...
Ongoing parks and reserve closures
Published: 07 Jan 2020
Published: 05 Jan 2020
Additional Parks and reserve closures due to elevated fire dangers
Published: 03 Jan 2020
Published: 01 Jan 2020
Parks and reserve closures during fire ban
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Parks and reserve closures during fire ban
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Parks and reserve closures during fire ban
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