Saving Faunal Emblems: A Landcare Legacy on Coranderrk Country in Victoria
In the heart of Victoria’s Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, a powerful alliance of landholders, Traditional Owners, scientists, and community groups is rewriting the future for two of Australia’s most endangered species—the Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater’s Possum.
The Nangana Landcare Network has been awarded the Silver Tier Australian Geographic Nature Award for their visionary project, Coranderrk Country – Saving Faunal Emblems. This recognition isn’t just a trophy—it’s a testament to what happens when community-led conservation meets cultural wisdom and ecological science.
A Race Against Extinction
With fewer than 200 Helmeted Honeyeaters and just 37 lowland Leadbeater’s Possums left in the wild, the stakes couldn’t be higher. These faunal emblems are not only biologically precious—they’re symbols of resilience and hope.
The Coranderrk Country stage of the project focuses on restoring 20 hectares of critical habitat and engaging 20 landholders to steward biodiversity corridors. But it’s more than numbers—it’s about weaving together ecological recovery with cultural renewal, guided by the Wurundjeri Engagement Plan and the Yarra Strategic Plan.
Collaboration at Scale
This isn’t a solo effort. It builds on the success of the Beyond Yellingbo project, which restored over 370 hectares across 121 properties. Now, with the support of the Australian Geographic Society, the team is scaling up to reconnect 128,000 hectares of fragmented habitat.
Arabella Eyre of Zoos Victoria captured the spirit of the project perfectly:
“They may be small, their numbers may be few, but they embody something far larger – resilience, collaboration, and the power of hope.”
Who Is Nangana Landcare Network?
Based on the southeast edge of Melbourne, Nangana Landcare Network unites member groups between the Dandenong Ranges, Yarra Ranges, and Bunyip State Park. Their mission? To drive landscape-scale projects that restore biodiversity, empower communities, and honor Traditional Owner knowledge.
From seed collecting and weed research to sustainable agriculture and cemetery conservation, their work is as diverse as the ecosystems they protect. Learn more about their projects at Nangana Landcare Network nangana.net.
About the Australian Geographic Nature Awards
Launched in 2024, the Australian Geographic Nature Awards celebrate outstanding conservation efforts across Australia. With $150,000 in funding distributed across five projects, the awards spotlight initiatives tackling biodiversity loss, climate change, and invasive species—with strong community and Indigenous leadership at their core australiangeographic.com.au.
This year’s winners prove that conservation isn’t just about protecting nature—it’s about connecting people to place, purpose, and each other.
Read the full story on Australian Geographic’s Awards for Nature 2025.