Friends of San Remo Wombats

26/10/2026

It's important the community is made aware of the facts of what Friends of San Remo Wombats are proposing on the San Remo Back Beach to better protect wombats.
We love dogs, and have never called for a 'complete ban on dogs' on the beach.

We share the following excerpt from our report (linked in the comments) that we tabled at last week's council, meeting, and what I echoed in my speech:
"FOSRW love dogs and understand their needs. We support off-leash designation on suitable beaches and have tried everything we can to educate the community.
Therefore, to protect the welfare of wombats and maintain beach access for off-leash dogs, we propose leash-only designation to approximately 510m of the south end of the San Remo Back Beach.

This compromise leaves nearly a kilometre (880m), and a majority of the San Remo Back Beach for off-leash access. The northern section of the beach area has either a fence, a seawall, or a wide lowland dune system that act as buffers between the sanded area of the beach and wombat habitat."

Ultimately, it's up to the council to decide what's best for the wombats. We will continue our work and advocacy for the voiceless wombats who are at risk from off-leash dogs.

Friends of San Remo Wombats support the advice that all dogs should be leashed in wildlife areas, including all beaches, during the H5N1 bird flu outbreak. But moving into the future, we have always been happy to compromise in terms of the rules on this beach.

Thanks to everyone who signed our petition and supports this cause, the wombats deserve more protection.

26/10/2026

A timely reminder for everyone.

Please be careful and slow down on the roads, especially at night.

If you hit a wombat on the road, when it's safe to do so, always stop and check for pouch-young. Drag dead wombats off the road to avoid scavengers being hit when they feed on the carcass.

Always carry a towel and cardboard box in your car for emergency rescues and save Wildlife Victoria's number in our phone (03) 8400 7300.

If you can't stop immediately, take note of the road address, or any landmarks you can give to wildlife rescuers to check.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17C7noo7LT/

26/10/2026

Great tips to help wildlife everywhere.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EguLf8KcE/

Our Wildlife are under increasing pressure, largely due to human activities, particularly habitat destruction.

It’s can be difficult to comprehend how we can help as individuals, without a complete change in views and policies across the board it can seem hopeless.

But there are countless small ways we can make a difference, especially if enough of us make the effort.

• Plant natives. They will provide much needed food and shelter.

• Set up your garden with safe spots for reptiles to escape pets. Perhaps some clay pipes or rocks around the perimeter.

• Lawns are deserts for insects. Commit some of it to insects and let it grow or plant flowers.

• Stop using sprays with harmful chemicals that harm our vital pollinators.

• Switch off those lights at night, it has hugely disorienting effects on so much wildlife.

• Keep rescue numbers in your phone, and use them.

• Don’t litter, if you see some, pick it up and bin it.

• Be mindful when binning things, particularly things that could entangle wildlife, and make it safe before disposal.

• Drive with wildlife in mind.

• Make sure your pool has a wildlife ramp to allow escape for critters. Cheap to buy or easy to fashion.

• Don’t allow pets to roam, practice responsible ownership.

• Those leaves you rake up are great for your soil and are vital insect habitat. Leave them be perhaps?

• Put up a nesting box, it will be a lifesaver for some sweet creature.

This isn’t even close to an exhaustive list, please feel free to pop your helpful suggestions in the comments, collaboration and good hearts will get us a long way ❤️

24/10/2026

CALLS FOR MORE WOMBAT CROSSINGS AS BLUE MOUNTAINS CONFRONTS OVERWHELMING ZEBRA REPRESENTATION

Reports of a second wombat killed on Tablelands Road in a week have prompted questions about why the Blue Mountains has 68 zebra crossings and just 33 wombat crossings.

Despite generations of wombats residing in the Mountains, zebras continue to enjoy extraordinary access to publicly funded road markings.

“Name one local zebra,” a campaign spokesperson said.

“Just one. Someone who lives here. Not a bloke in striped pyjamas outside Katoomba Woolies.”

Campaigners say the imbalance sends a troubling message to native wildlife.

“A zebra can arrive tomorrow and immediately find infrastructure reflecting its identity. A wombat born in Wentworth Falls has to take its chances between a Ranger and someone checking whether the bakery’s open.”

The group has called for an immediate audit of zebra privilege, followed by a binding commitment to greater wombat representation across the Mountains.

Early opposition has centred on whether replacing traditional zebra crossings would erase the Mountains’ proud zebra heritage.

“These crossings have been zebras for decades,” one resident said. “You can’t just change history because a wombat’s upset.”

Council is expected to consider a feasibility study into a draft framework for a preliminary wombat crossing strategy, subject to consultation with stakeholders, traffic engineers and the zebra community.

23/10/2026

Please sign and share if you are in Victoria.

This petition is to prevent wombats being buried alive by rabbit management contractors.

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/ban-lethal-pest-management-to-protect-ground-dwelling-species?fbclid=IwdGRzaAVIIbhjbGNrBUghs2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YBc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEe1-fQmoWzr34Zdo0WJBosROKBX5KvDcBEXo7nmva3ofZ3svTrnQwgS1Trwyc_aem__Z6THGwDSS3Vm8tjjZz6MA

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the horrific deaths and immense suffering of wombats buried alive across Victoria due to non-chemical pest control programs involving filling, collapsing or blocking burrows.

23/10/2026

22/10/2026

22/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DrWQfdNZ8/

Did you know - the word 'wombat' comes from the Darug language, spoken by the Traditional Owners of Sydney?

Happy Wombat Day!

Celebrated on October 22, the date was chosen to coincide with Australian springtime, as this is when wombats are most active.

Victoria and NSW are home to the common wombat, also known as the bare-nosed wombat. In SA and a small corner of WA, you will find the Southern hairy-nosed wombat, and in small pockets of Queensland, if you’re very lucky, you might find the Northern hairy-nose wombat, which is critically endangered and considered one of the rarest mammals in the world.

For almost a century, wombats were seen as vermin and from 1926 to 1966, even had a bounty on them. Wombats only became officially protected in Victoria in February 2020, after the devastating Black Summer bushfires which saw about 21% of their population wiped out.

The illustration we're sharing with you today comes from a Qantas menu and bar list, which would have been distributed on one of their international flights. The artwork was made by Don Stephens, who was active in the 1980s, though the menu dates later than that. We do not know exactly what year it is from, but we can narrow it down: the branding includes 'Spirit of Australia', which came into operation probably in the 1990s and was used until 2012, so it must have been during this period.

Qantas

(Image: VF 033550. The Royal Historical Society of Victoria has more than 100,000 items in its archives. For a high-resolution copy of this image or others, contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria.)

22/10/2026

https://www.basscoastpost.com/enviroblog/wombat-protection-plea

FRIENDS of San Remo Wombats has called on Bass Coast Shire Council to make the southern end of San Remo Back Beach a dogs-on-lead area,