Main points:
- Two possum bridges are now operating in the City of Cockburn
- A new possum bridge has been installed across Hammond Road in Success
- The bridges help Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) move safely between bushland areas in Cockburn.
A second possum bridge is operating in the City of Cockburn to help local Brushtail populations travel between bushland parks in Success.
As recently as late October, a motion sensor camera recorded images of nocturnal Brushtail Possums (
Trichosurus vulpecula), or Koomal/Koomool in Nyungar, traversing Yangebup’s Beeliar Drive possum bridge, erected in mid-2019.
This 34m rope bridge helps possums inhabiting Kogolup Lake in Beeliar Regional Park on Beeliar Drive’s southern side to access additional habitat around Yangebup Lake on the road’s northern side.
A second 35m rope bridge has been installed on Hammond Road. It will help possums safely move from bushland around Kogolup Lake (managed by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions) to and from the City’s nearby Jubilee Park which comprises Jubilee Lake, bushland and manicured park areas.
Hammond Road is undergoing a $22.6m upgrade to improve safety and traffic flow and is due for completion around mid-year. The rope bridge was included in the project.
City of Cockburn head of Sustainability and Environment Chris Beaton said the new bridge aligned with the City’s aim to improve ecological connectivity between bushland areas in Cockburn.
“Although it took about a year following installation, photos from surveillance cameras have proven that possums regularly use the rope bridge on Beeliar Drive,” Mr Beaton said.
“We are confident that in time, the Hammond Road bridge will also be a popular route for local wildlife.
“The 6.3m tall Beeliar Drive possum bridge was Perth’s first and it is helping keep the local possum population as safe as possible from vehicles, and away from potential predators on the ground.
“As tree-dwellers during the day, Brushtails forage on the ground at night where they are vulnerable to cats, dogs and foxes.”
Caption: This Brushtail was photographed by the motion sensor camera on the City of Cockburn’s Beeliar Drive possum bridge on 27 October 2022 at 3.47am when it was a chilly 7 degrees!