With Tidal River a mudpit, as construction on the visitor centre and toilet upgrades gets underway, Parks Vic has provided an update on the rest of the park and one of the most ambitious conservation projects Victoria has seen - the Prom Sanctuary.
This massive conservation effort aims to establish a 50,000-hectare climate refuge for threatened species, buffered by Bass Strait's brisk waters and protected by a 10-kilometre entrance fence across the isthmus scheduled for completion by mid-2026. The Prom's unique location makes it an ideal climate refuge, as it’s usually 5-10 degrees cooler than mainland areas.
The project recently reached a significant fundraising target of over $400,000 through public and philanthropic contributions, unlocking matched Victorian Government funding totaling $800,000. This allowed major grassland, heathland and island restoration projects to proceed with dedicated project officer support.
Ruby leads one such project - the Prom Sanctuary invasive species team - managing a range of programs such as deer control, fox baiting, cat trapping and weed control. Recently, they finished a six-week fox baiting pulse and an aerial deer operation. More than 1,200 deer have been removed, with vegetation already recovering and erosive deer tracks disappearing. Parks Victoria's geospatial team uses satellite imagery to monitor this recovery progress.
According to Parks Vic, “Ruby’s favourite part of her project has been discovering and controlling a highly invasive weed, Blue Hounds Tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), the first record of this dangerous species occurring in Victoria. Contractors were instrumental in discovering the weed and Ruby then liaised with multiple agencies to formally identify and manage the species. It turns out wombats were part of this weed’s puzzle – they were spreading seeds from visitor areas into nearby bush.”
Camera monitoring has revealed exciting discoveries, including the first confirmed Lace Monitor images in decades, regular visits by tiny Eastern Pygmy Possums, and healthy populations of Long-nosed Bandicoots, Southern Brown Bandicoots, and Rikali.
Following last September's ecological burn on Yanakie Isthmus, endangered Coastal Bitterbush is recovering in areas once dominated by invasive Coastal Teatree. Over 200 trees have been planted by Friends of the Prom volunteers, with koalas regularly sighted in revegetated areas.
Reintroduced Eastern Bristlebirds are thriving and expanding beyond their original Vereker heathland release area, prompting expanded predator control zones.
The project requires $25 million to reach full potential, with tax-deductible donations supporting this critically important work through the People and Parks Foundation. Learn more at https://peopleandparks.org/the-prom-sanctuary/
