Coronavirus (COVID-19) response

We are working to protect our agriculture and food industries, supply chains and environment during the COVID-19 outbreak. See our advice and support.

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island lies off the mainland of South Australia, southwest of Adelaide and has a total area of over 440,000 hectares. More than a third of the island is dedicated nature reserve. Flinders Chase National Park sits at the west end of the island.

Impacts of the 2019–20 bushfires

During the 2019–20 bushfires, around 38 per cent of the island was burnt, 83 per cent burnt at high to very high severity.

Map of the Kangaroo Island region following the 2019–20 bushfires

Map of the Kangaroo Island region following the 2019–20 bushfires

Text version of image

This map shows the extent and severity of the 2019–20 bushfires in the Kangaroo Island region.

Important environmental values on Kangaroo Island, which were impacted by the fires and have been identified as in need of urgent management intervention, include:
  • 23 animal species such as the Kangaroo Island Dunnart, Kangaroo Island Southern Emu-wren, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Kangaroo Island Whipbird, Kangaroo Island Echidna, Kangaroo Island Micro Trapdoor Spider, Kangaroo Island Assassin Spider and the Green Carpenter Bee.
  • 31 plant species such as the Kangaroo Island Ground-berry, Kangaroo Island Gland Flower, Mountain Woodruff, Kangaroo Island Heath-myrtle and Kangaroo Island Bush-pea.

Glossy Black Cockatoo

Glossy Black-Cockatoo. Photo: Rebecca Citroni / AlamyStock Photo

Kangaroo Island Dunnart

Kangaroo Island Dunnart. Photo: South Australian Government

Kangaroo Island Bush-pea

Kangaroo Island Bush-pea. Photo: South Australian Government
The Glossy Black-Cockatoo’s favourite food is the seed from the she-oak tree. The 2019–20 bushfires burnt almost 70 per cent of the Glossies’ habitat on the island. Before the 2019–20 bushfires, it was estimated that between 300 and 500 Kangaroo Island Dunnarts lived on the island. The small marsupial had more than 95 per cent of its habitat burnt during the Black Summer fires. The Kangaroo Island Bush-pea is one of the many species on Kangaroo Island that are not found anywhere else in the world.

Australian Government bushfire recovery funding in the region

As part of the Australian Government’s initial $50 million investment in bushfire recovery for wildlife and habitats, $3 million has been directly invested on Kangaroo Island. This includes:

  • $986,100 to the South Australian Government to support rapid assessment surveys of priority animal and plant species, and the protection of unburnt vegetation.
  • $855,000 to the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board to support pest animal control, erosion management and restoration of Glossy Black-Cockatoo feeding and nesting habitat.
  • $1 million for three grant projects that will support recovery actions for 13 priority invertebrate species, prevent extinction of the Kangaroo Island Dunnart on private land, support recovery of the South Australian Glossy Black-Cockatoos, and manage threats to 17 priority rare or threatened plant species endemic to Kangaroo Island.

Additional funding includes:

  • $770,000 for grant projects where some activities are being undertaken on, or are relevant to, Kangaroo Island.
  • $1 million to Zoos SA for a range of activities, some of which are being undertaken on Kangaroo Island, including: emergency veterinary deployment post-fires, supplementary feeding for the Kangaroo Island Dunnart, and Southern Emu-wren translocation.

Next steps

Through the bushfire Regional Fund the Australian Government is investing $110 million to provide strategic on-ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets across seven bushfire affected regions. 

A co-design workshop was held with stakeholders from Kangaroo Island on 18 August 2020. The aim of the workshop was to engage and collaborate with stakeholders to identify regional investment priorities for post-fire recovery of species and natural assets. The workshop report is available below.

Kangaroo Island - Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report (PDF - 2.54 MB)
Kangaroo Island - Regional Bushfire Recovery Workshop Report (DOCX - 8 MB)

Investment decisions will be guided by the workshop outcomes and will include careful consideration of community capacity, existing recovery efforts and value for money. Funding will primarily be provided through existing arrangements, for example with NRM regions and/or state governments. This will include formal and informal partnerships with other organisations and community groups where this will enhance recovery outcomes.

Further information