‘Future proof’ seedbank may be key to save Leadbeater’s Possum from extinction

A groundbreaking conservation project spearheaded by Melbourne Water is aiming to ‘future proof’ forests and safeguard habitat for the critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possum.  

With less than 40 lowland Leadbeater’s Possums in existence Melbourne Water is using climate modelling technology to identify trees that will provide both essential habitat for the tiny marsupial and survive the hotter and drier decades ahead. 

With the help of Federal Government funding, Melbourne Water has created a seedbank of 7,000 seeds collected from areas in Victoria and New South Wales with climatic conditions similar to what the Yarra Valley is expected to experience in 25-65 years.  

While for now the seeds are being stored by the volunteer-run Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater nursery, which has specialist knowledge in Indigenous plants, Melbourne Water hopes to begin trial plots to plant a combination of the ‘climate adjusted’ and local seed at Yarra Valley sites within 24 months. 

While most people know Melbourne Water as the manager of Melbourne’s water supply, it also plays a vital role in managing large areas of forested land in catchment areas. 

“We know that to save the lowland Leadbeater’s Possum from extinction, we need to protect and expand its habitat by growing forests that will be resilient to hotter, drier climates,” Melbourne Water Partnership Coordinator Kacie Melfi said. 

"Climate adjusted seeding is a relatively new conservation approach that involves collecting seeds from locations that match the predicted future climate,” said Kacie Melfi, Partnership Coordinator at Melbourne Water.  

“With the Leadbeater’s Possum in mind, we used climate modelling to identify forests that currently have climates similar to what the Yarra Valley is expected to be like in 2030, 2050 and 2090,” she said. 

“Then we shortlisted six species of native trees and purchased seeds from local specialist nurseries. The seeds will grow into ‘future-proof forests’ in Victoria’s Yarra Valley to hopefully secure the future of the lowland Leadbeater’s Possum.” 

As well as the climate adjusted seedbank, Melbourne Water, through the Yarra4Life program is working with Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team, Zoos Victoria and DEECA to identify new tracts of land where the lowlands Leadbeater’s Possum could live.  

Melbourne Water supports the Yarra4Life program which is working collaboratively on community driven projects to restore and protect habitat for Leadbeater’s Possum and Helmeted Honeyeater, in the greater Melbourne area. 

“People can do their bit to save the Leadbeater’s Possum by choosing recycled and re-used paper products which help to preserve native habitat, or joining the Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum or a local Landcare group,” said Ms Melfi. 

Fast facts: 

• Once thought to be extinct, the Leadbeater’s Possum was rediscovered near Marysville in 1961.  

• In 1971 the Leadbeater’s Possum was declared Victoria’s official faunal emblem, an honour bestowed because the animal is not found anywhere else in the world. 

• Today only a very small population of the lowland subspecies can be found around Yellingbo Forest. 

• Leadbeater’s Possums are known to have once occupied wet forests from the mountains right through the old Koo Wee Rup Swamp down to the Bass river. 

• Leadbeater’s Possums are a small nocturnal possum with large eyes and a long fluffy tail. They are known as forest fairies as they are very elusive. They rely on old growth forests that include large trees with hollows to nest.  

The Leadbeater’s Possum seedbank project was supported with funding from the Australian Government in partnership with Melbourne Water, the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater volunteer nursery, Yarra Valley Water, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Greening Australia and Zoos Victoria.   

Via the DEECA administered Faunal Emblems Program, since 2018 the Victorian Government has contributed $6 million towards Leadbeater’s Possum and Helmeted Honeyeater conservation.  

More information here: Faunal Emblems Program (environment.vic.gov.au)