What’s swimming, slithering or paddling through our local creeks? A major five-year wildlife survey environmental DNA from local creek systems in Wacol is about to find out—and locals from the area and across the Centenary suburbs are being called on to help.
Creek Sampling with Cutting-Edge Science
The project, led by the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (WPSQ) and Wolston & Centenary Catchments (WaCC), will use environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to detect traces of animals in waterways. From late August to September, volunteers will collect water samples from 12 sites along Bullockhead Creek, Sandy Creek and their tributaries.
Each sample is analysed in a lab to identify species—from elusive platypus and rakali to native fish, frogs, and turtles—without disturbing their habitats. The data will be compared year-on-year to track population changes and the impact of urban pressures on local biodiversity.
Why This Matters
These creeks form part of a vital wildlife corridor linking the Brisbane River to surrounding bushland. By mapping the species that live here, scientists can better protect threatened fauna and identify areas needing habitat restoration. The survey also complements earlier monitoring projects in the area, including camera trapping for koalas and waterway health assessments.
The project will apply vertebrate metabarcoding techniques to collect eDNA from water bodies. This method allows researchers to detect species by analysing DNA fragments left behind in the environment. Data collected over the five-year period will help track species presence, highlight pollution impacts, and identify long-term ecological trends.
The Wacol catchment region has already been the focus of previous fauna and flora monitoring, including nest box installations in Riverhills and platypus and koala tracking in nearby bushland reserves. eDNA testing has previously been used to confirm platypus presence in the creeks, although visual observations remain necessary to support the findings due to limitations in the method.
How You Can Get Involved
No specialist skills are required—training is provided. Volunteers will assist with collecting, labelling and delivering samples, as well as logging site conditions. The project runs for five years, offering multiple opportunities to participate.
Interested community members are encouraged to register through a formal expression of interest process. Volunteers may assist with data collection, monitoring, and observation logging across the five-year timeline. This builds on an existing tradition of community involvement in environmental work throughout the Wacol area.
Similar community-supported efforts include the koala research program at Pooh Corner and Wacol Bushland Reserves, where trained residents have tracked released koalas and recorded habitat use, including preferred tree species like blue gum and gum-topped box.
Complementary Efforts
Citizen science has long played a role in shaping conservation actions within the region. In 2024, twelve artificial nest boxes were installed in Riverhills to provide nesting opportunities for native species in an area lacking suitable tree hollows. These installations have already been used by rainbow lorikeets and possums, based on follow-up monitoring.
The nest boxes are now subject to routine inspections with help from trained community members. A citizen science workshop conducted in late 2024 involved adults and children learning how to use inspection cameras and report findings for monitoring.
Next Steps
The upcoming eDNA survey presents another opportunity for the Wacol community to contribute to ongoing ecological monitoring. Expressions of interest are now open online for those who wish to participate ahead of the August/September 2025 launch.
Findings from the project will inform biodiversity mapping, conservation planning, and future habitat restoration efforts in the catchment.
Published 26-July-2025
