Supporting native birdlife: Bathurst campus nest box initiative and community engagement

Charles Sturt’s Bathurst campus is vital for habitat connectivity between major local ecosystems, including Boundary Road Reserve and the Macquarie River system. With only five significant hollow-bearing trees, the campus needed interim solutions for native birdlife while current biodiversity enhancement projects mature.

The Bathurst campus environmental working group were kindly donated 10 nest boxes from the Peel Native Flora and Fauna Reserve Trust. These nest boxes were modified by Charles Sturt Facilities Management team to include a baffle, which prevent Myna species from inhabiting them. These boxes favour native species such as lorikeets and parrots.

The project also involved a community engagement element with the Mitchell Early Learning Centre, where children were given the opportunity to paint the nest boxes before installation. This initiative aims to provide habitat connectivity for migratory birds, including the Critically Endangered Swift Parrot.