 NB: maps referred to on bendigolive.com are available for free at the Bendigo’s Visitor Centre located in the Old Sandhurst Public Offices you can also pick up brochures for Bendigo’s Bushland Trail |
| Box-ironbark forests are great places to see marsupials Mammals/Marsupial: Plentiful/Pest - Endangered/Threatened - Extinct Species |
 Brush-tail Phascogale are carnivorous marsupials, largely confined to open woodlands and forests that contain hollow-bearing trees, the species was once widespread throughout the goldfield region, with early naturalists reporting many sightings
throughout most of Eastern and South Western Australia, sadly today, the species is presumed to be extinct in SA. (last reliable record to date was in 1967).
The species decline appears to be due to a steady reduction in the extent and quality of its habitats which, have been drastically reduced predominantly due to agricultural clearing and deforestation associated with gold mining activities.
The distribution and movements of Brush-tail Phascogale is mostly unknown, as the species eludes conventional fauna survey techniques although, sightings typically reported from infrequent single sightings and/or captures by individuals indicate as to the species distribution which, seems to be absent or in very low numbers across much of the remaining habitat.
Current threats to Brush-tail Phascogale include, continued habitat clearing and habitat alteration by logging and mining but, its greatest current threats are the increasing decline in, the availability of hollow-bearing trees and by predation by foxes/cats.
Reproductively viable populations are unlikely to persist in suitable habitat areas smaller than thousands of hectares. The Brush-tail Phascogale can sometimes be spotted in the box-ironbark woodlands surrounding Bendigo.
Other Endangered/Threatened Fauna Species include: Dingo - Grey-headed flying-fox - Greater long-eared bat - Squirrel glider and Large-footed myotis.
Brush-tail Phascogale info sheet |
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 | Macropods Black Wallaby - Eastern Grey Kangaroo Eastern Red Kangaroo Australia’s bush Kangaroo can be seen hopping free and in captivity. |  |
 | Arboreal Mammals Brush-tail and Ringtail Possum - Koala - Sugar Glider |
 | Bats Grey-headed Flying Fox Conservation status; Vulnerable Greater Long-eared Bat Conservation status; Vulnerable |  |
| Victoria’s
Extinct Marsupial Species Eastern hair wallaby - White footed rabbit rat - Bridled nail tail wallaby |