Parma Wallaby - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Notamacropus parma

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Profile last updated: 19 Apr 2023

Description

A small wallaby, with a head and body length up to 52 cm. Fur is a uniform greyish-brown on the back and shoulders with a dark stripe along the spine ending mid-back. It has a white stripe on the cheek and upper lip and a white belly. When hopping, remains close to the ground in an almost horizontal position with the forearms tucked tightly against the body, and the tail curved upwards in a shallow U-shape.

Distribution

The species once occurred in north-eastern NSW from the Queensland boarder to the Bega area in the southeast. Their range is now confined to the coast and ranges of central and northern NSW from the Gosford district to south of the Bruxner Highway between Tenterfield and Casino.

Habitat and ecology

Preferred habitat is moist eucalypt forest with thick, shrubby understorey, often with nearby grassy areas, rainforest margins and occasionally drier eucalypt forest.
Typically feed at night on grasses and herbs in more open eucalypt forest and the edges of nearby grassy areas.
During the day they shelter in dense cover.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Predation by foxes.
Predation by domestic and wild dogs/dingos.
Habitat loss and fragmentation as a result of human activities including farming, forestry, urbanisation, and rural development leading to a lack of connectivity between populations.
Inappropriate fire regime reducing or degrading habitat, especially as a result of overly frequent or intense fires and regular burning of forest margins.
Climate change altering habitat and increasing risks associated with fire.
Removal of the understorey and shrub layer by grazing stock.
Predation on juveniles by feral cats.
Habitat degradation and grazing competition by feral horses, cattle, pigs and rabbits.
Vehicle strike
Insufficient understanding of the species’ current distribution limiting the ability to undertake targeted management.
Weed invasion following disturbances such as fire and timber harvesting, changing structure and composition of vegetation and reducing food availability
Lack of knowledge on the impact of critical threats on population trends limiting the ability to identify critical threats for management.
Insufficient understanding of the species’ habitat and food requirements limiting the ability to identify key habitat requirements.
Lack of knowledge about the species’ response to fire limiting the ability to plan for conservation during future fire events.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Implement best-practice, strategic, adaptive management of invasive introduced predators including wild dogs/dingos, foxes and cats to benefit populations of wallabies.
Negotiate agreements with relevant landholders (preferably in-perpetuity covenants) that maintain areas of habitat and vegetation connectivity between reserved areas. Where possible incorporate management strategies that maintain habitat quality such as grazing and fire management strategies..
Identify and implement restoration and revegetation projects in areas where connectivity between large areas of known habitat is compromised, with the aim of increasing the width, condition and security of critical landscape links.
Monitor species response to fire when implementing hazard reduction works in areas of known habitat. Monitoring should cover the altitudinal and latitudinal range of the species.
Implement best-practice, strategic, adaptive management of invasive pigs/horses/cattle/rabbits to benefit populations of wallabies.
Liaise with relevant authorities or landholders undertaking hazard reduction burning to ensure that a mosaic of vegetation structures exists in areas occupied by the species.
Liaise with land management authorities regulating grazing on public lands to ensure sustainable grazing practices that maintain habitat requirements.
Liaise with land managers and consent authorities to ensure the maintenance of corridor vegetation connecting areas of key habitat during logging operations.
Opportunistically collect blood samples to investigate prevalence of disease and genetic diversity, store data in a centralised database.
Monitor vehicle strike in areas where there is a perceived adverse impact on the local population. Work with road management authorities to identify and implement mitigation measures where appropriate.

Information sources

Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford Uni Press, Melbourne.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Lower North Coast of New South Wales. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Upper North Coast of NSW: Fauna. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)
Strahan, R. (ed.) (1995) The Mammals of Australia. (Australian Museum and Reed Books, Sydney)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Range	Predicted	Cedar Brush Nature Reserve
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Predicted	East of Oaky River
New England Tablelands	Ebor Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Nightcap	Known	East of Mt Mitchell
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Barrington	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Carrai Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	Above 300 m altitude
NSW North Coast	Comboyne Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Mummel Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Tomalla	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None

Nature conservation

Threatened species