Extract from ABC News
In what conservationists are labelling an incredible milestone, 150 bilbies have been released into the wild in a national park outside the predator fence.
In the middle of the night in western Queensland, Save the Bilby Fund CEO Kev Bradley is nervous and excited opening a small hessian bag to allow a bilby to gently bounce out.
"You've got a lump in your throat. It's pretty rough in the bush. But it takes my breath away," he said.
Wild bilbies were last seen in Currawinya National Park in the 1970s before going locally extinct.
After a decade of preparation, conservationists have spent the past six nights releasing 150 bilbies into the park.
About 20 volunteers spent six nights releasing 150 bilbies into the wild. (Supplied: Save the Bilby Fund)
It is the first time in Queensland bilbies have been re-introduced back into the wild in an area where they were previously locally extinct.
"It's fantastic to see," Mr Bradley said.
Decades eradicating predators
The predator-proof fence has been in place since 2003. (Supplied: Save the Bilby Fund)
A 25-kilometre predator-proof fence was installed in the park in 2003 but failed in 2010 when feral cats breached the barrier.
Inside the fence, Mr Bradley said the bilby population was thriving, with as many as 1,000 bilbies, based off last year's estimates.
"With the conditions we've got at the moment, it's sort of perfect timing for us to get bilbies back into the true wild," he said.
"We don't want our native species to only exist behind closed fences these days."
Since 2021, a few of the bilbies released inside the fence have escaped and set up life outside.
The bilby population inside the fence has been flourishing. (Supplied: Save the Bilby Fund)
"We never designed the fence to keep bilbies in. It was designed to keep predators out," Mr Bradley said.
That outside population is also thriving, Mr Bradley said. But it does not make re-introducing the bilbies less stressful.
"Bilbies are boom-bust animals," he said.
"We're at a heightened situation in high-rainfall areas, but we know there's a dry coming."
Mr Bradley says the bilbies released into the wild are extremely healthy. (Supplied: Save the Bilby Fund)
'Beware of bilby crossing'
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Threatened Species Operations conservation officer Steve Peck said researchers will track the new population using cameras, tracking devices and burrow counts.
Steve Peck looks forward to the day bilbies freely roam the landscape. (Supplied: Save the Bilby Fund)
Mr Peck said there was only one wild population of bilbies in Queensland about a decade ago, but he is hopeful this will be the start of a new booming population.
"The ultimate aim is to have a tourist be able to come to Currawinya and see a bilby bouncing around," he said.
"We look forward to the time when we have to put up a sign that says: 'Beware of Bilby Crossing'."
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