Let’s take a closer look: Stage Two of the Wirey Swamp Restoration Reserve

Quick facts about Stage Two

Where is the project?

Stage Two of the Wirey Swamp Restoration Reserve is located just a few hundred metres south of Stage One, separated by an area of pine plantation.

The Reserve is situated in the Strathdownie district of western Victoria, about a 25 minute drive west of Casterton. This is near one of the region’s most important brolga flocking sites at Kaladbro, a key zone for the species that straddles the state border between Victoria and South Australia. The area is one of a limited number of places where the birds from the southern brolga population in Australia gather in large numbers each autumn and winter, prior to dispersing in pairs across the surrounding landscape to seek wetlands for breeding over the spring and summer months.

Can you remind me about Stage One?

Stage One is an 180 acre parcel of land that was successfully purchased by NGT in mid-2025, thanks to the incredible support of a wide range of partners and supporters.

As soon as we clear the land purchase debt on Stage Two, this second property can become part of NGT’s newest Permanent Reserve alongside Stage One, approximately doubling its total size. As a Permanent Reserve, Stage Two would also be restored, protected and held by NGT in perpetuity, with the support of the NGT Foundation.

What are the benefits of the project?

Although not touching boundaries, the second stage of the project is located only a few hundred metres south of Stage One, which means that the three recovering wetlands across the Reserve will function as an interconnected network of habitat, for species to move between. The loss of wetland clusters across the landscape is one of the reasons that threatened species have disappeared from so many places.

For example, the nationally threatened Growling Grass Frog, is known to actively move between and utilise wetlands like this in the landscape for breeding and feeding. A wide range of species of birds also take advantage of wetland clusters like this. For instance, the brolga is known to walk in a family group between nearby wetlands in the landscape to forage when rearing their hungry chicks.

Having more high-quality wetlands in the landscape, close together, also gives these species a variety of different wetland sizes, shapes and depths to choose from, and helps address the risk that not every wetland in a cluster will inundate every year.

Given the amount of wetland loss in the surrounding landscape, projects like this are critical for our wetland dependent species, re-creating a more resilient landscape for wildlife to not only persist but thrive, in a complementary way, alongside neighbouring agricultural and plantation forestry land use.

Above the high water mark, we also have the opportunity to enhance and expand the magnificent remnant woodlands that are a standout feature of Stage 2, habitats which do not occur within Stage 1. This will bolster the value of the site as an important stepping stone for species moving to and from the nearby Wirey Swamp (Kaladbro H3) Bushland Reserve, managed by Parks Victoria.

How will Stage Two be restored and funded?

Unlike Stage One, fortunately the wetlands of Stage Two are not directly compromised by artificial drainage, but they are still very much at risk of wider trends in surface and groundwater availability that are influencing the condition of wetlands across the region. With this in mind, and with the support of our neighbours, we’re going to begin assessing ways to supplement the water requirements of these two additional wetlands, to make sure that they recover and thrive into the future. We’ll have more to share on this topic over the coming months.

In the immediate term, the main initial priority is to remove cattle grazing from the property, which will allow the bushland and wetlands to spontaneously regenerate, and to protect those habitats in the parts of the property that remain in better condition, like the beautiful habitat in Wetland 2, shown below. We will then look to complement this process in the future through additional revegetation activities, with a focus on expanding and enhancing woodland habitat around the margins of the wetlands of Stage Two.

We are very grateful and fortunate that the first 5 years of restoration planning and works at the Wirey Swamp Restoration Reserve (including the tasks outlined above), are now funded thanks to a generous grant from The Ian Potter Foundation. This massive boost to the project ensures we’ll be able to hit the ground running.

However, it is worth noting that The Ian Potter Foundation do not contribute any funds towards land purchases, which is why this critical step in the process must now be funded by NGT through other means – highlighting the importance of the current fundraiser.

Are there other threatened species that will benefit from the project?

In short, yes!

For one important example, rare population of the Swamp Everlasting, Melbourne’s recently adopted floral emblem, occurs in the Stage 2 land addition area, and will be permanently protected, managed and conserved. You can learn more about the species in this update.

How can you get involved?

The details of our latest fundraiser are outlined in this separate update, which also includes this fantastic video created by one of NGT’s very own ecologists, Lauren Creasey. If you are in a position to help, and want to be part of practical environmental solutions, we’d very much appreciate your support!

There will also be future opportunities for community involvement in the restoration, monitoring and management of the site, as well as educational activities. If you wish to register your interest, please email Lisa at:

To make a donation towards the expansion of the Wirey Swamp Restoration Reserve, please click this link or the button below. All donations over $2 are fully tax-deductible.

The creation and expansion of the Wirey Swamp Restoration Reserve is an initiative of Nature Glenelg Trust.

Stage Two is being made possible by NGT’s community of supporters, and our plantation forest industry partners:

Stage One was made possible with the generous assistance of NGT’s strategic supporters, and our plantation forest industry partners:

The first five years of restoration planning, monitoring and works across this new permanent reserve are being supported by a grant from The Ian Potter Foundation