Photo Accreditation: Stuart Robinson via pexels

In 2024, we trialed a small Superb Fairy-wren habitat garden bed on the Roman Catholic LL compartment at Melbourne General Cemetery.

This year we’re excited to extend the initiative in alignment with the Superb City Wrens project, providing habitat corridors through Melbourne for these iconic birds.

We’ll be replacing overgrown plantings along the Children's Walkway (Presbyterian L) and respectfully refreshing nearby garden areas. Close to 3,000 native and indigenous plants will be introduced to this space. This will create a gentle environment for reflection, as well as continue our growing network of safe, bird-friendly spaces across MGC.

Works will commence in early April to clear out the beds, with planting taking place from mid-April 2026.

Why the Superb Fairy-wren?

While a variety of small native birds are regularly observed across the cemetery, Superb Fairy-wrens have not been sighted onsite since 2021, making the continuation and expansion of suitable habitat particularly important.

Prickly shrubs, tussocks and groundcovers create sheltered corridors and refuge close to the ground, helping reduce exposure to predators and encouraging birds to remain within the landscape. Visitors are encouraged to help build our understanding of bird activity at the site by reporting any bird sightings through eBird or iNaturalist, supporting ongoing monitoring and future habitat planning.

Sign up to iNaturalist here: A Community for Naturalists - iNaturalist