Guardians of the grassy woodland

Illawarra lowlands grassy woodland is one of the most threatened habitats on the NSW south coast.

Once widespread across the Illawarra–Shoalhaven region, only about 12% remains today. It’s growing in tiny patches like a jigsaw across our suburbs and is at risk of disappearing. 

These small pockets of bushland are scattered across suburbs, parks and farmland, sometimes right in people’s backyards.

The Guardians of the Grassy Woodland project helps communities protect and restore these habitats so native plants and animals can thrive again.

Why grassy woodland matters

Grassy woodland threatened ecological community looks different from dense forests. There’s more space between trees, allowing sunlight to reach the ground and support native grasses and wildflowers. 
These habitats provide food and shelter for many animals, including:

• little bent-wing bats
• feathertail gliders
• eastern blue-tongue lizards
• swamp wallabies
• powerful owls. 

Even small patches of woodland can support surprising biodiversity.

What to look for

Walking through these patches of bush, you will pass under majestic forest red gums, smell the spicy tang of shrubs and grasses, and see delicate native orchids growing in the spaces between the grass. These pockets of grassy woodland are brimming with biodiversity.

Microbats 

Microbats are tiny, fast and rarely seen but each one can eat thousands of insects in a single night, helping reduce mosquitoes in your area.  

The woodland has a huge variety of plants, which support all kinds of insects crucial for the microbats’ diet, and provide shelter for roosting bats to shelter during the day, under bark and in tree hollows.

Native bees

Adding more native plants, especially shrubs, flowers and grasses, helps attract bees, birds and other pollinators, which are essential for keeping woodlands healthy. Even small changes can make a big difference.

Increasing understorey plants, like grasses and wildflowers) can boost native wildlife by up to 120%, creating vital stepping stones across urban areas.

Native grasses

Take a walk through local reserves and you’ll see one of the most important parts of grassy woodland — native grasses, shrubs and herbs. They carpet the ground beneath eucalypts and support insects, birds and small animals.

Some common species include:

• kangaroo grass – provides shelter for wildlife
• hedgehog grass – known for its spiky seed heads
• barbed wire grass – an important food source for seed-eating birds.

Native grasses are under threat. Weeds, including some common garden plants, can quickly take over and push them out.

How you can become a guardian

You can help protect grassy woodland near you. Every small action helps restore habitat across the Illawarra–Shoalhaven landscape.

These simple actions make a big difference:

• Plant native species in your garden to support pollinators and birds
• Make sure weeds don’t spread from your garden into nearby bushland
• Record wildlife sightings using the iNaturalist app
• Keep cats indoors to protect native animals. 

Support for landholders

If you have native trees or grassy woodland on your property, help is available.
The program supports landholders with:

• plant giveaways
• wildlife surveys
• weed removal
• pest animal control
• fencing and habitat restoration.

 This work helps reconnect small woodland patches across the region.

Get involved

You can help protect grassy woodland in the Illawarra.

• Attend a community event.
• Plant native species.
• Join a restoration project.
• Report wildlife sightings.

Or, stay up to date with the latest information. Together we can restore these habitats for future generations.