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Laughing Kookaburras are found throughout eastern Australia, inhabiting areas where there are suitable trees. They feed mostly on insects, worms and crustaceans, although small snakes, mammals, frogs and birds may also be eaten. Prey is seized by pouncing from a suitable perch. Laughing Kookaburras are believed to pair for life. They nest in a naturally occurring tree hollow or in a burrow excavated in an arboreal (tree dwelling) termite mound. Both sexes share the incubation duties and both care for the young. The Kookaburra is one of the larger members of the kingfisher family and, with its distinctive voice, is a recognisable and popular Australian bird.

The Bare-nosed Wombat, also known as the Common Wombat, has the nickname ‘the bulldozer of the bush’. These Australian marsupial mammals have very short muscular legs and are amongst the world’s largest burrowing animals. They are the closest relative to the Koala. The main habitat for this wombat is the temperate forest-covered areas of south-eastern Australia. The species is often found in mountainous areas. Wombats prefer to dig their main shelters on slopes above creeks and gullies, and feed in grassy clearings. Unlike the endangered Hairy-nosed Wombat, the Bare-nosed Wombat is not considered to be vulnerable. However, individual animals are still at risk from feral dogs and road vehicles The most serious health problem affecting wombats in Australia is mange, a systemic problem caused by a small mite.

Australian King-Parrots are often seen flying below tree level, weaving in and out through the tree trunks of the dense forests which they inhabit. Their flight is swift and strong, characterised by deep, rhythmic wing beats and regularly punctuated with rapid twists and turns. Male Australian King-Parrots are the only Australian parrots with a completely red head. Females are similar to males except that they have a completely green head and breast. King-Parrots are normally encountered in pairs or family groups. Their average size is 42cm and their breeding season is September to January. King-Parrots are found along the east coast and ranges of Australia, ranging from Cooktown in Queensland through to Port Campbell in Victoria. They appear to be increasing in abundance in well-treed suburbs.

The Feathertail Glider is the smallest gliding marsupial in the world. It is nocturnal and lives in family groups in wet and dry eucalypt forests, parks and gardens. An unusual feature of the Feathertail Glider, from which it receives its common name, is the feather-like arrangement of stiff hairs along its flattened tail, which enhances its ability to glide. The Feathertail Glider is threatened by the logging of stands of mature forest.

For many Australians, this ‘blue wren’ is their favourite native bird. Adult male Superb Fairy-wrens are among the most brightly coloured of the species, with their rich blue and black plumage above and on the throat. Females and young birds are mostly brown above with a dull red-orange area around the eye and a brown bill. Superb Fairy-wrens are found south of the Tropic of Capricorn through eastern Australia.They are common in urban parks and gardens where suitable dense cover and low shrubs occur. Superb Fairy-wrens feed on insects and other small arthropods which are caught mostly on the ground. They are usually seen in small social groups of one male and several females and young birds.

The Platypus, one of the world’s most unusual animals, is often described as a living fossil - a furry, warm-blooded, egg-laying mammal which retains some features of reptiles. Platypus, living only in Australia, are not considered to be a threatened species, however they are vulnerable to the continuing degradation of suitable water bodies and burrowing habitat.
The Growling Grass Frog, also known as Green and Golden Frog and Southern Bell Frog, is one of the largest frog species in Australia. It is nationally vulnerable and one of Victoria’s most endangered frogs. Threats to many frog species include loss of habitat (from urban spread), drought and reduced habitat quality.
 

The Diamond Firetail, also called the Diamond Finch or Java Sparrow, is endemic to south-eastern Australia and found in open grassy woodland, heath and farmland or grassland with scattered trees. They can be seen hopping around on the ground feeding on seeds. Diamond Firetails have been adversely affected by clearing for agriculture or urban development as well as predation of eggs and nestlings by increased populations of native predators.

The endangered Mallee Emu-wren is one of Australia’s smallest birds. It uses its size to great advantage to move quickly through dense shrubs, darting about amongst the spinifex. It occurs in mallee regions south of the Murray River, in south-eastern South Australia and north-western Victoria. The distribution of the Mallee Emu-wren is severely fragmented because past clearing and wildfires have combined to eliminate a large proportion of suitable habitat.

The Painted Honeyeater is endemic to mainland Australia and is found in dry open forests and woodlands. It feeds mainly on the fruit of mistletoe, Amyema species, but will also feed on nectar and invertebrates, usually in eucalypts. These honeyeaters probe the, often quite exquisite, mistletoe flowers with their deep-pink beaks. They find the flowers so alluring that their regular seasonal movements coincide with the times when different species of mistletoes are blooming. A threat to this species is the clearing and degradation of its woodland habitat.

The Eastern Spinebill is found east of the Great Dividing Range from Cooktown in Queensland to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, inhabiting shrubs in open eucalypt forests, as well as heathland and suburban gardens. Fuelled with the energy-rich nectar from flowers, Eastern Spinebills are often seen actively darting about on fluttering wings, after flying insects. Their nest is a small cup of twigs, grass and bark, combined with hair and spider’s web, built in a tree fork.

The endangered Black-throated Finch inhabits open grassy woodlands where they forage on the ground, pecking at fallen seeds, sometimes in the company of other finches. There are two subspecies of Black-throated Finches. The northern subspecies occurs in north Queensland, mainly on Cape York Peninsula. The southern subspecies is recorded at a few scattered sites, mainly near Townsville and in the Galilee Basin of Central Queensland. It is estimated that in recent decades its habitat has significantly been reduced due to the clearing, fragmentation and modification of the land.

Lives in three isolated populations in the ACT/NSW Southern Tablelands region, southern Victoria and south-east Queensland but this species is threatened due to a decline in its grassland habitats.

The Dusky Hopping-mouse is a nocturnal species that prefers desert environments. It digs its burrow into the flat tops of sand dunes and uses its long, narrow hind feet to hop swiftly across its desert habitat. This species range is now limited to fragmented areas of South Australia, south-western Queensland and north-western New South Wales.

Inhabits open heathland and coastal areas and is increasingly under threat by habitat loss and introduced predators such as foxes and cats.

Australia’s only hibernating alpine marsupial. It lives in the Snowy Mountains of Southern NSW and North-Eastern VIC, but as global temperatures increase, the possums’ habitat is receding as the snowline is pushed higher.

An endangered marsupial that can be found in the central highlands of Victoria. Prior to 1961, this animal was thought to be extinct.

The Helmeted Honeyeater is the Victorian bird emblem. It is the largest of the sub-species of Yellow-tufted Honeyeater and is restricted to the Yellingbo area of Victoria. This brightly coloured bird lives in eucalypt forests, feeding on invertebrates, lerps, honeydews, manna, nectar and sap. The Helmeted Honeyeater is critically endangered and it is only by the combined efforts of organisations such as Zoos Victoria and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater that the wild population is slowly increasing. This is being done through captive breeding programs and protection of vital habitat.

The Short-beaked Echidna is a monotreme (egg-laying mammal) of which there are only three species in the world. It is found all over Australia, living in forests and woodlands, heath, grasslands and arid environments. The baby echidna (called a ‘puggle’) hatches from the egg by using its egg tooth and pulls its way along the mother’s hair into the pouch area. The Echidna has a slender snout and long, flicking tongue, ideal for catching their specific diet of termites, ants and other soil invertebrates. They have very strong claws in which to break open rotting logs to collect termites. The Echidna also has distinctive sharp spines (quills) along its back and sides for protection against predators. Although the Echidna has few natural enemies, it is often still killed or injured by cars, dogs and foxes.

The Dingo is an iconic native animal that serves a crucial function in the Australian ecosystem (as top order predator) in their regulation and suppression of pest species. Dingoes are most active at dawn and dusk, when their prey is also active. The Dingo is under severe threat due to concerted and ongoing efforts to eradicate them, and by interbreeding with domestic dogs. Truly pure Dingoes are extremely rare.

The lovable Koala is an Australian marsupial that is mostly nocturnal and eats only eucalypt gum leaves. Habitat loss is the greatest problem facing koalas. The main reasons for this are landclearing, bushfires and diseases of the eucalypts. Other threats are dog attacks and road accidents. Koalas are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in some states of Australia.

The Little Penguin, also known as the Fairy Penguin, is the world’s smallest penguin species and is the only penguin to breed in Australia. Most penguins return from the sea after dark, calling from out in the water and usually coming ashore in small groups, before heading off to individual burrows. The natural predators of penguins include sea eagles, fur seals, goannas and snakes. Other threats, such as free-roaming dogs and human disturbance, can also significantly reduce bird numbers.

The Eltham Copper Butterfly occurs in dry open woodland, with an understorey often containing Sweet Bursaria and a ground cover of native grasses, mosses and leaf litter. This butterfly is known in the Eltham-Greensborough area near Melbourne, at Castlemaine in central Victoria and in the Wimmera. The major cause of decline for this species has been the loss of habitat because of agricultural expansion and urbanisation, which results in loss of suitable food plants or changes in the structure of grasslands.

Hairy-nosed Wombats are heavily built animals with a broad head and short legs. They have strong claws to dig burrows where they spend much of their time. The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat may appear slow and clumsy but can move at speeds up to 40 km/h over a short distance. Threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation has resulted in the Hairy-nosed Wombat becoming another of Australia’s endangered mammals.

Green Tree Frogs are one of the largest Australian frogs, around 12cm in size. They are one of the most widespread of Australia’s amphibians, found in all states except Victoria and Tasmania. Green Tree Frogs live in urban areas, forests and woodlands, wetlands and heath.

The Grey-headed Flying-fox, also known as the Grey-headed Fruit-bat, is one of the largest bats in the world. Its primary food source is blossom from eucalyptus and related genera but in some areas it also utilises a wide range of rainforest fruits. They are considered a vulnerable species due to a significant decline in numbers as a result of loss of their prime feeding habitat and disruptions to their camp sites. Flying-foxes play a major role in the regeneration of native hardwood forests and rainforests by pollinating as they feed and dispersing seeds as they move throughout the forest. Grey-headed Flying-Foxes have sophisticated vocal communication, making over 30 specific calls.

The Greater Glider is the largest of the glider species in Australia and occurs down the east coast of Australia in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This threatened species is also the most variable in their colouration, ranging from a light grey almost white colour to a very dark sooty grey. The population of the Greater Glider is declining because of habitat loss, fragmentation, extensive fire, and some forestry practices. The species requires large tree hollows (and hence mature forests) and has a specialised diet, feeding almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.

The Emu is Australia’s tallest native bird, with an adult bird reaching nearly 2m in height when standing. Their wings are too small to fly but their legs are long and powerful. Emus mainly eat grass, flowers, seeds, fruits and insects. They live throughout most of Australia and in almost all habitat types, though are rarely found in rainforest or very arid areas. Emus are absent from heavily populated regions, especially along the east coast. The coastal Emu has been listed as endangered in NSW due to its declining population. The coastal grasslands of Australia are the perfect habitat for the coastal Emu, but are also the prime location for housing Australia’s growing human population. This urban spread is driving the Emus further inland.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia’s largest living bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. It has a long wingspan of 2.3m, a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail and legs that are feathered all the way to the base of the toes. The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found from sea level to alpine regions, but prefers wooded and forested land and open country. Eagles can be seen perched on trees or poles or soaring overhead. Wedge-tailed Eagles build their nest in a prominent location with a good view of the surrounding countryside. It may be built in either a live or dead tree, but usually in the tallest one in the territory. In Tasmania the Wedge-tailed Eagle is endangered, threatened by habitat loss and deliberate persecution.

Along with other woodland birds, the Regent Honeyeater is threatened by the loss of box-ironbark forests of Victoria and NSW due to expanding agriculture.

The Numbat is a marsupial that lives in eucalypt woodlands where old and fallen trees provide hollow logs for shelter, nest sites and foraging. The Numbat eats termites exclusively and does not need to drink water because they get enough water from the termites they eat. Although the Numbat used to be found across the southern part of Australia, there are now fewer than 1000 left in the wild.

Australia’s largest owl, this nocturnal predator is found in eastern and south-eastern Australia, inhabiting a range of vegetation types, from woodland to open wet forest and rainforest. The Powerful Owl roosts by day, perched in the dense shade of a tree, often with the previous night’s prey held in its talons. It needs old growth trees to nest; so is adversely affected by land clearing.

Leafy Sea Dragons are fascinating to watch as their movements appear to mimic the swaying movements of seaweed and kelp. They are endemic to the temperate waters along the southern coastline of Australia. The Leafy Sea Dragon is now protected because demand for aquarium specimens has threatened the species with extinction. Other threats to this species include pollution and loss of its seagrass habitats.

Bilby: A bandicoot; a nocturnal marsupial that is one of the few medium-sized native mammals remaining in arid Australia.

The Mahogany Glider is one of Australia’s most threatened mammals and Queensland’s only listed endangered glider species. It is found only in a very restricted area of coastal woodland in far north Queensland. It is named for its rich brown mahogany colour and the importance of the swamp mahogany tree in its habitat.

The Australian Painted Snipe is found in all main-land states, inhabiting many different types of shallow, brackish or freshwater wetlands. They usually spend much of the day loafing quietly beneath the cover of low shrubs or other vegetation; they become active around dusk and remain active throughout the night. It is probable that the loss and alteration of wetland habitat since European settlement is a key factor in the species decline, particularly in the Murray–Darling Basin, an area known to be important to the Australian Painted Snipe. It is threatened by the drainage of wetlands and the diversion of water from major rivers for irrigation, which prevents shallow wetlands from forming.

The endangered Bridled Nail-tail Wallaby was believed to be extinct until 1973 when a small colony was discovered in central Queensland. Threats to this species are land clearing, feral predators (dogs, cats, foxes) and exotic grasses. Wallaby mothers build nests in long grass, stick piles and hollow logs. They are nocturnal, emerging a few hours before nightfall to browse and groom and feed, and spend the day in shaded scrapes on the edges of brigalow scrub.

The Tree Kangaroo is a unique macropod that has adapted to a life in the trees. They are Australia’s largest aboreal (tree-living) mammals. Living in tropical forests, feeding on mostly leaves and fruit, this species is under threat from habitat loss, and hunting. Of the 14 species of tree kangaroo, only 2 (the Bennett’s and Lumholtz’s) are found in Australia. Other species are found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The Green and Gold frog belongs to the tree frog group, but actually spends most of its time on the ground, is listed as rare and in Victoria it is called the “growling grass frog”.

The Masked Owl, is the largest Tyto owl and the second largest of the nocturnal birds (night birds) in Australia. It inhabits forests, woodlands, timbered waterways and open country on the fringe of these areas. They require tall trees with suitable hollows for nesting and roosting and adjacent areas for foraging. The nest is a bare chamber located deep in a tree hollow, which is lined with soil, sand or soft wood mulch. It is classified as endangered in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, and vulnerable in most other states and territories of Australia.

The Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo occurs only in south-western Western Australia, inhabiting native woodlands dominated by eucalypts. It is a large, cockatoo, mostly grey/black in colour, with narrow off-white fringes to the feathers and a patch of cream-coloured feathers on the ear-coverts. Their tail has large white panels, especially noticeable when the bird is flying. The Carnaby’s Black- Cockatoo is classified as endangered, due mostly to the loss and fragmentation of their preferred habitats.

The Dusky Hopping-mouse is a nocturnal species that prefers desert environments. It digs its burrow into the flat tops of sand dunes and uses its long, narrow hind feet to hop swiftly across its desert habitat. This species range is now limited to fragmented areas of South Australia, south-western Queensland and north-western New South Wales. 

The Greater Glider is the largest of the glider species in Australia and occurs down the east coast of Australia in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This threatened species is also the most variable in their colouration, ranging from a light grey almost white colour to a very dark sooty grey. The population of the Greater Glider is declining because of habitat loss, fragmentation, extensive fire, and some forestry practices. The species requires large tree hollows (and hence mature forests) and has a specialised diet, feeding almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.

Acrylic on canvas, 50x40cm

Bilby: A bandicoot; a nocturnal marsupial that is one of the few medium-sized native mammals remaining in arid Australia.

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo is a large black bird with a strong bill, large crest, red across the tail and like many species is threatened by the loss of native forest.

The Hairy-nosed Wombat prefers deep, sandy soil as it is ideal for digging burrows. The northern hairy-nosed wombat is classified as critically endangered.

The Australian Sea Lion is a threatened marine mammal, which prefers sandy beaches, usually in isolated bays and sheltered areas.

The Gouldian Finch is Australia’s most spectacularly coloured grassfinch. It is a small bird that is found in tropical northern sub-coastal areas, always near water. It feeds almost entirely on grass seeds and nests in tree hollows. Their population was once in the millions, however in recent decades has declined dramatically due to wildfires, feral herbivores, feral cats and captivity for the aviary trade.

The Woylie is a small macropod (member of the kangaroo family) that was once common and widespread across much of southern Australia. After European settlement, the extensive clearing of its habitat and the impact of feral predators has severely reduced its population. The Woylie lives mainly in open forest and woodland with a dense low understory of tussock grasses and woody scrub.

The Helmeted Honeyeater is a nectar feeding bird with long, brush-tipped tongue, endemic to Victoria, Australia and critically endangered.

An endangered marsupial that can be found in the central highlands of Victoria. 
Prior to 1961, this animal was thought to be extinct.

The Freckled Duck, found primarily in the south east and south west of Australia, is also known as Canvasback, Oatmeal Duck, Speckled Duck and Diamantina Duck. Threats to all wetland birds are draining and clearing of wetlands and swamp habitat; changes to natural river flow and flood as a result of dams, weirs and irrigation; grazing and trampling of wetland habitat by stock. This rare bird, which may easily be confused with the Pacific Black Duck, is protected in all states and territories and must not be shot.

Wall mural with trompe l’oeil effect, depicting an Edna Walling style garden hidden in the wall, complete with a representation of the landscape designer herself, her dog, visiting children and ever-present birds. Pictured birds are the Eastern Spinebill, Grey Fantail and Rufous Fantail, and a flock of Black Cockatoos flying overhead.

Details of garden wall mural

A visit to Mooroolbark’s Candlebark Indigenous Nursery provided references for some flora to include in my signal box painting design.

Exhibited in World Vision's "Art 4 Aid" 2007 Exhibition/Award. Acrylic on canvas.