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Welcome to the Wilderlands project report for the Alleena project detailing the various monitoring activities undertaken as part of the management plan and offering insights into the outcomes and findings at each of the monitoring sites within the property.
This report has been developed by Wilderlands Lead Ecologist, Deanna Marshall.
Wilderlands acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Alleena Project, the Wiradjuri people, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their deep ongoing connection to land, water and culture.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to Cassinia Environmental and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, with special appreciation for the dedicated staff members who shared valuable information regarding the biodiversity on the property.
Wilderlands would especially like to acknowledge and thank the following amazing volunteers who contributed to the collection of biodiversity data during 2025: Dr David Baker-Gabb, Philip Hughes, Peter Morison and Greg Ogle.
The Alleena Project, situated at the core of the NSW Riverina, lies 20km southwest of West Wyalong.
Covering 497 hectares, this protected area has been under the ownership and management of Cassinia Environmental since 2020, and is operating as a dedicated conservation reserve which is permanent protection through a covenant with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).
Complementing the substantial revegetation efforts spanning 444 hectares on the property, as well as the neighbouring South West Woodland Nature Reserve – Buddigower and Buddigower Conservation Reserve, the Alleena Project contributes significantly to conservation at the landscape scale.
Watch this mini documentary detailing how Wilderlands undertake spring monitoring, filmed in recent years.
At Alleena, two threatened ecological communities are present within the project area.
These communities are Mallee and Mallee-Broombush dominated woodland and shrubland, lacking Triodia, in the NSW South Western Slopes Bioregion – which is considered critically endangered under NSW conservation legislation; and Inland Grey Box Woodland in the Riverina, NSW South Western Slopes, Cobar Peneplain, Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions – considered endangered under NSW conservation legislation.
The Wilderlands team recently visited the project for the purpose of monitoring 11 sites across the property to gather baseline data on the overall health of the woodlands through flora and fauna monitoring, identify actions that will assist in improving the condition of the woodlands and determine the prevalence of some of the threatened species across the property.
The survey results provide evidence of a flourishing and diverse ecosystem. Notable highlights include the native plant diversity at Alleena, which reached a total of 184 species, alongside an equally rich avian assemblage, with 105 native bird species recorded. This included the first records of the vulnerable Shy Heathwren and Cockatiel, as well as the continued presence of rare and threatened species such as the Superb Parrot, Pink Cockatoo, Grey-crowned Babbler and Scarlet Robin.
New fauna species were also recorded including Sand Goanna and Red Kangaroo, both captured on remote camera deployed across the property.
These outcomes were observed against a backdrop of markedly drier seasonal conditions, providing important insights into how this landscape responds to climatic variability.
The bureau of meteorology’s closest weather station to Alleena is based at the West Wyalong airfield and the below chart shows an overall trend in the data from recent years with a peak in rainfall during 2020-2022, reflecting multi-year wet conditions.
From 2023 onwards, however, the pattern shifts towards drying, with a strong downturn apparent in 2025.
Spring 2025 was exceptionally dry relative to both earlier years and other seasons within the same year and this was evident from observations on the property, which indicated a decrease in vegetation cover, particularly in the understorey native grasses (see photopoint photos).
The graph below illustrates the recent transition from multi-year wet conditions to a return to drier conditions. It demonstrates the strong variability in rainfall throughout each year, with totals declining from spring 2022 onwards. In particular, 2023 received less than half the rainfall recorded in 2022, and 2025 is tracking well below the long-term average for the year.
How Wilderlands monitor the flora at the Alleena
Eleven monitoring sites were established by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) at the Alleena Project and have been utilised by Wilderlands as part of the ecological monitoring program which aims to monitor environmental change and contribute to the understanding of biodiversity management at the property scale.
Wilderlands performed flora monitoring across all eleven monitoring sites in Spring 2024, with each permanently marked with two star pickets, one at the 0m point and one at the 50m point on the midline transect. These star pickets also double as photo monitoring points with the images providing a visual representation of the condition of the vegetation at each site.
These sites were surveyed in spring and will be resurveyed by Wilderlands every 5 years at this stage. The star pickets also double as photo monitoring points with photographs taken to provide a visual representation of the condition of the vegetation at each site.
This program aims to monitor environmental change and contribute to the understanding of biodiversity management at the property scale.
Click the sections below to see the results from each site comparing site photopoints in 2025 to the baseline in 2023. Floristic monitoring is due to be undertaken in 2029.
Take a breath and enjoy the sounds of Alleena before enjoying the rest of this report.
Fauna Monitoring
Bird Monitoring
BirdLife Australia pioneered the Bird Atlas method, which involves the recording of bird species and the count of individual birds within a 2-hectare area during a 20-minute observation period. This approach has been adopted by individuals across the country, culminating in the creation of the nation’s most extensive biological database.
For the Alleena Project, bird species and numbers were recorded 50m either side of a 200m transect (2ha) over 20 minutes at each of the 11 sites, during both winter and spring. Data was entered into the Birdata app. Additionally, incidental species lists for the property were compiled during both winter and spring visits and entered into the Birdata app.
In 2025, 445 individual birds from 42 species were recorded within monitoring sites. A further 13 species were recorded incidentally, bringing the total species richness for the year to 55 species and contributing to a long-term total of 105 species.
The most frequently recorded species were Noisy Miner, White‑eared Honeyeater and Grey Butcherbird, while the most abundant species included Noisy Miner, White‑eared Honeyeater and Galah with full results below.
During spring, 341 birds of 36 species were recorded in eleven monitoring sites. Among these, the most abundant bird species during the spring season were Noisy Miner, White-eared Honeyeater and Galah. During winter, 104 birds of 20 species were recorded in eleven monitoring sites. Among these, the most abundant bird species during the winter season included Noisy Miner, Weebill and White-eared Honeyeater. During spring, 341 birds of 36 species were recorded in eleven monitoring sites. Among these, the most abundant bird species during the spring season were Noisy Miner, White-eared Honeyeater and Galah
Whilst Shy Heathwren were recorded in the monitoring data for the first time in 2025 and Cockatiel were incidentally observed on the property for the first time.
When compared with previous monitoring periods, Brown Quail, Painted Button-quail and Common Bronzewing were recorded in lower numbers or were absent in 2025. These data may coincide with drier conditions and reduced grassy groundcover, suggesting subtle environmental influences or regional variation affecting these species; however, given the limited number of years available for comparison, it is premature to draw inferences.
Among the birds recorded are the Spotted Nightjar with a pair flushed from this area of the property (above). Spotted Nightjar are widespread and quite common from drier inland areas of Australia. A ground nesting bird, they are exceptionally well camouflaged and are more likely to be seen when flushed or sitting on the sides of roads at night. Photo: Nik Mulconray.
Bird Richness and Abundance by Site
When measuring the bird richness and abundance by site, the bird species richness was consistently higher in spring compared to winter across all monitoring sites whilst species abundance was higher in spring.
During winter, sites CA0503 P2 & P3 (Western Slopes Dry Sclerophyll Forests & Floodplain Transition Woodlands respectively) had the highest species richness, while Sites CA0503 P3 (Floodplain Transition Woodlands) and CA0507 P1 (Inland Rocky Hills Woodland – mallee) had the highest species abundance.
During spring, CA0504 P1 (Western Slopes Dry Sclerophyll Forests) had the highest species richness and CA0503 P2 (Western Slopes Dry Sclerophyll Forests) had the highest species abundance.
As expected, these results suggest a strong seasonal influence on both bird species richness and abundance, with spring being a period of greater avian activity.
This could be attributed to favourable conditions such as warmer weather, increased food availability, or breeding activity. The variation across sites may reflect habitat differences or ecological factors influencing bird populations in each area. Long-term data sets will assist in the future interpretation of these results.
Remote Cameras
Two remote cameras were deployed on the project site. Over an average of 179 trap nights, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Swamp Wallaby were the most frequently recorded species, along with White-winged Chough and Noisy Miner.
Red Kangaroo, Australia’s largest native ground mammal, and Sand Goanna were also recorded for the first time on the property.
Explore the gallery to see some of the other species captured on camera.
In recent years, many other species have been recorded via these remote cameras including Eastern Bearded Dragon, Tree Goanna, Short-beaked Echidna, Brush-tailed Possum, Painted Button-quail, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Dunnart sp, White-winged Chough and Yellow-footed Antechinus which are shown in the footage below.
Protect precious biodiversity at Alleena. Forever. One square metre at a time.
The Alleena Project, situated at the core of the NSW Riverina, lies 20km southwest of West Wyalong.
Covering 497 hectares, this protected area has been under the ownership and management of Cassinia Environmental since 2020, operating as a dedicated conservation reserve.
The property has permanent protection through a covenant with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT). Complementing the substantial revegetation efforts spanning 444 hectares on the property, as well as the neighbouring State Forest and the nearby Buddigower Conservation Reserve, the Alleena Project contributes significantly to conservation at the landscape scale.
As well as protecting these species, the project is addressing the decline of the suite of birds dependent on intact woodland ecosystems for foraging and nesting. These once common woodland birds, such as the Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus cyanopterus, are now found almost exclusively in small, scattered remnants of habitat on private land, within State Forests or Nature Reserves.
Typical of many such farms within the region, the property was historically utilized for cropping and sheep grazing. The restoration of previously cleared land commenced in 2013 with the direct seeding of almost 850ha with local tree and shrub species.
Although Dusky Woodswallow and other threatened species also utilise whatever little habitat remains on private or public land, such remnants are unprotected and subject to further clearing and degradation. Consequently, conservation management strategies designed to halt the decline of woodland birds towards extinction include actions such as conserving remnant habitat on private land (preferably through in-perpetuity covenants), restoring degraded sites, preserving or establishing connectivity across the landscape, and expanding habitat through revegetation activities.
Connect with our team to discover how you can join Wilderlands and protect this project today.
