Friends of Fred Caterson Reserve

The platypus is an Australian icon, but it is also a freshwater species that relies on healthy creeks and rivers, stable banks for burrows, good water quality and connected habitat.

This article examines the uncomfortable knowledge gaps around this distinctive species, the race to understand it well enough to protect it, and the major role citizen scientists can play in bridging those gaps.

An Australian icon, the platypus is struggling — and scientists still lack answers The platypus is an evolutionary anomaly. This duck-billed, semiaquatic mammal is both unique and rare. It’s just one of five egg-laying mammals on the planet. It nurses its young. And it also has reptilian traits: It has a cloaca, maintains a low body temperature (32° Celsius, or 90° Fahrenheit)...

It's World Environment Day.

At Fred Caterson Reserve, nature has already done the hard work: the shade of mature trees, the hollows that take generations to form, the creek line that connects this bushland to the Hawkesbury, and the wildlife that still finds refuge here despite everything happening around it.

Healthy ecosystems are worth understanding before they are changed, because it's easier to protect what is already functioning than it is to replace it.

Today is a good day to pause, look closely, and value what is still here.

ABC News has reported on growing community concerns about wildlife being killed, injured and displaced at Fred Caterson Reserve since works began.

Animals displaced, residents say, as controversial sports project green lit A sports development in Sydney's north-west has been accused by residents of killing and displacing wildlife.

Upcoming local event this Thursday

Join Terry Evans, author of Sky Knows When, for a Q&A exploring how First Nations peoples have read the land, sky, plants and animals for tens of thousands of years.

The book shares knowledge of seasons, food cycles and the deep connections between people and place.

When: 6pm, Thursday 4 June 2026
Where: Uniting Hall, 116B Jones Rd, Kenthurst
Cost: Free

Come and join us as we explore “Sky Knows When”

Our local bushland is home to some extraordinary birdlife. Here, The Powerful Owl Project shares simple ways to enjoy watching them, including their Ethical Birdwatching Guidelines:

- Do not stress birds or expose them to danger
- Do not use spotlights, call playback or drones
- Avoid handling birds
- Help conservation efforts by recording your observations in Birdata
- Practice kind photography
- If providing food or water, do it appropriately
- Care for their habitat
- Respect the law and the rights of others

Click below for more info 👇

The Western Sydney Weeds Authority is urging residents in Sydney’s west to remain vigilant and report sightings of the poisonous w**d known as Mother of Millions via their online w**d notification form.

The Mother of Millions is a fast-spreading succulent originally introduced to Australia from Africa as a garden plant, but it has now invaded bushland across Sydney.

Link to the online tool in comments 👇

Aussies urged to act now before weather event 'supercharges' spread of poisonous w**d A warning has been issued over a poisonous w**d that's set to spread across bushland.

Foxes are active in our area. Sadly, they are an introduced predator that kills native wildlife, including ground-dwelling mammals, reptiles and birds, and can impact pets and poultry.

Simple tips to reduce fox problems:

- Don't leave pet food outside overnight
- Use enclosed compost bins
- Keep domestic animals secure at night
- Remove fallen fruit around fruit trees
- Keep garbage bins covered
- Block entry points to drains
- Close off access to underneath buildings
- Use fox-proof enclosures for poultry
- Turn off outside lights that attract insects
- Reduce w**ds that provide food and shelter, such as Blackberries

Also, record every sighting and fox activity in FoxScan. It's quick and free, and helps build a map of fox activity to guide control efforts and protect native wildlife. Link in comments.