Since 2022, 920 Iron-grass plants have been planted across Tiliqua Nature Reserve, a key step in restoring this Critically Endangered ecological community, located near Burra in South Australia’s mid north.

Approximately 680 Iron-grass (Lomandra multiflora ssp. Dura, Lomandra densiflora, and Lomandra effusa) plants, planted at the start of the restoration project, were contained within planting exclosures constructed to protect these highly palatable young plants from grazing by sheep and kangaroos. Three years on, these exclosures can be removed, allowing grazing between the establishing plants and assisting habitat management for the Endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis) and the Critically Endangered Pale Sun-moth (Synemon selene) that call the nature reserve home.

Thanks to funding from a Goyder Renewables Zone Community Benefit Fund grant supporting community projects in the Goyder region, we were able to purchase semi-permanent wire-mesh tree guards to continue protecting the Iron-grass plants.

In mid-November, supported by a group of Nature Foundation volunteers, our Reserve Management and Science & Knowledge teams began dismantling and removing the exclosure fencing, removing the existing coreflute guards, hand-pulling any weeds that might be choking the plants, and installing wire-mesh tree guards.

Given the number of plants and exclosures, this project will need several volunteer working bees, with two held so far, and more planned for the new year once the weather becomes milder.
It is gratifying to see the ongoing progress and improvement of these Iron-grass grasslands, and we are grateful for the invaluable support of our funding partners and volunteers.

Learn more about our Volunteer Program and register your interest for our 2026 season here.