A community project helping wildlife recover after fire

Rushworth Field and Game Club is helping support local wildlife while giving students hands-on learning opportunities through a unique community project backed by a Fosterville Gold Mine Community Grant.

With support from the grant, the group has been working alongside students from the Rushworth P-12 College HOPE program to build hen houses designed to support native birdlife in local wetlands.

The project took an unexpected turn earlier this year following devastating bushfires in western Victoria, with the group instead stepping in to help wildlife recovery efforts. Members and students worked together to build and repair nest boxes for fire-affected areas, with more than 100 already delivered to the Longwood and Natimuk regions to help replace natural tree hollows lost in the fires.

The grant has also helped fund repairs to four hen houses damaged in the Natimuk fires, which will soon be returned and reinstalled.

Closer to home, students have been involved in building cradles and erecting hen houses in local wetlands, giving them practical skills while helping improve habitat for native wildlife.

“We’re proud to support projects like this that bring together environmental conservation, education and community involvement,” said Luke Krois, General Manager at Fosterville Gold Mine.

Over the coming months, Rushworth Field and Game Club plans to continue building and installing more hen houses throughout local wetlands, ensuring the project continues to benefit both the environment and the wider community.

Image credits: Rushworth Field & Game Club Facebook Page