Year 10 students’ wildlife research to shape local conservation plans
POSTED July 10 2025 , Boarding, News, Parents & Community, Senior School, Sports
This term, our Year 10 Science students swapped the classroom for the bush, heading into the scrubland behind our school to take part in a hands-on conservation project. Teaming up with researchers from Murdoch University, the goal was to find out if the quenda—a shy, threatened marsupial—was living nearby.
Quendas (also called southwestern brown bandicoots) are native to Perth’s bushland and play a huge role in keeping ecosystems healthy. They help spread seeds and fungi, improve soil, and even reduce fire risk.
To track them down, the girls set up motion-sensor cameras provided by Murdoch University, carefully hiding them among logs and leaves just beyond our top oval. Over the next few weeks, they analysed the footage and data to see what wildlife was around.
Students then expanded their work by teaming up with environmental officers from the City of Stirling to install more cameras in Trigg Bushland Reserve. The council wanted to know if any quendas were still living there, after a recent study couldn’t find evidence of them within the reserve. They also hoped to spot any predators, such as foxes or cats, that could be threatening the quenda population.
The results? A confirmed quenda sighting—plus evidence of both foxes and cats in the area. These findings are significant, and the City of Stirling will use them to inform future management plans within the reserve.
For our students, this wasn’t just a science project—it was real-world research with real impact. It sparked conversations about the importance of urban bushland, the dangers of invasive species, and how we can all play a part in protecting nature.
We thank Murdoch University and the City of Stirling for supporting this amazing experience. And a big congratulations to our Year 10s for their curiosity, commitment and scientific skills.