The Richmond birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondia) is the largest subtropical Australian butterfly. It was once abundant from Maryborough in southern Queensland to Grafton in northern NSW, breeding in rainforest habitat wherever the food plants were plentiful. Much of this land was eagerly sought after for grazing and subtropical agriculture due to its rich soils.
In 1870 the butterfly was reported in newspapers as occurring in the thousands on the streets of Brisbane, but by 1926 natural history enthusiasts noticed a massive decline in the south, west and east of the city.