24 September 2025
For millennia, brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) have lived on Queensland’s cliffs and forested ranges. Once common, these now vulnerable marsupials live in scattered populations across eastern Australia.
Families of brush-tailed rock-wallabies may use the same lookout or “scout” rocks for generations. Our BTRWCN team recently stumbled across this well-used rock.
On one rocky outcrop, Wildlife Queensland Project Manager Matt Cecil discovered a lovely reminder of their long history. He came across a polished stone platform, smoothed by generations of wallabies sitting in the same spot.
“It’s a great reminder of how long these animals have shared these landscapes with us, and how much we stand to lose if they disappear,” Matt says.
That worn patch of rock tells a story of resilience. But it also speaks to the fragility of a species under siege from two of Australia’s most destructive invaders, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the feral cat (Felis catus).
Foxes in the landscape
Introduced to Australia in the 1800s for recreational hunting, red foxes quickly spread across much of the continent. As opportunistic hunters, they thrive in a range of environments, from farmland to forested ranges. In Queensland, they are now established in rugged habitats once considered safe for rock-wallabies.
Brush-tailed rock-wallabies are especially vulnerable. Although they retreat to rocky outcrops for shelter, they must descend to forage, which leaves them exposed. Foxes, skilled hunters of small and medium-sized animals, take advantage of this, preying on both juveniles and adults (1).
The result has been devastating declines, not just for wallabies but for many other ground-dwelling marsupials. Across Australia, foxes have been among the main causes of mammal extinctions since European colonisation (2).
The added pressure of feral cats
Cats and foxes both keep brushies under stress and prey on juveniles.
Alongside foxes, feral cats worsen the issue. Descended from domestic animals brought by settlers, cats now roam large areas of Queensland. They are skilled hunters, catching not only wallaby offspring but also smaller native animals like lizards, birds and rodents (3).
While foxes are the bigger threat to brush-tailed rock-wallabies, the combined pressure from both predators makes survival even harder. Together, these threats hinder recovery efforts and keep vulnerable populations under constant stress.
How predation shapes behaviour
Predation not only removes individual animals; it also changes how the survivors behave. Brush-tailed rock-wallabies are mostly nocturnal, a behaviour thought to reduce encounters with predators (4). However, foxes and cats are also active at night, so the threat remains constant.
Studies show that wallabies in risky environments avoid some of the best feeding spots, spending less time foraging and more time watching for predators; this leads to poorer nutrition, lower health and reduced breeding success (5).
Why control is essential
For many animal-lovers, the idea of controlling introduced predators can be confronting. Foxes and cats are, after all, animals themselves. Yet the harsh truth is that without invasive pest management, species like the brush-tailed rock-wallaby will continue to disappear from Queensland’s landscapes.
This isn’t about picking one animal over another—it’s about restoring balance. Australian wildlife didn’t evolve alongside foxes and cats. Our native species never had the chance to adapt to such efficient predators. If left unchecked, these hunters threaten dozens of species, including the brush-tailed rock-wallaby.
Myth vs fact: Predator control and wildlife survival
Myth 1: Killing foxes and cats is cruel.
Fact: Uncontrolled predation is far crueller. Foxes and cats kill for food and sport, causing suffering to countless native animals every night. Without pest control, species like the brush-tailed rock-wallaby face extinction.
Myth 2: Native species should adapt to new predators.
Fact: Evolution typically takes thousands of years. Foxes and cats have only been in Australia for around 200 years, which is not nearly enough time for native species to adapt.
Myth 3: Predator control only helps one species.
Fact: Control programs protect entire ecosystems. By reducing fox and cat numbers, we safeguard not only wallabies but also small mammals, reptiles, birds and even native plants.
Myth 4: Once you control predators, the problem is solved.
Fact: Predator control is ongoing. It requires consistent monitoring and community support to keep native species safe into the future.
Securing a future for wallabies
Wildlife Queensland’s Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Conservation Network is committed to ensuring that brush-tailed rock-wallabies remain part of Queensland’s natural heritage. Our goal is to double the population in the wild, and controlling introduced predators is one of the key methods for achieving that.
“These efforts are designed not only to protect brush-tailed rock-wallabies but also to preserve many other native species that share their habitats,” adds Wildlife Queensland Project Officer Jess Guidotti.
The polished rock platform that Matt Cecil found tells the story of centuries of wallaby presence. With the right actions today, it won’t mark an ending, but a continuation.
Further reading
- Hazlitt, S., Goldizen, A., & Eldridge, M. (2006). Significant patterns of population genetic structure and limited gene flow in a threatened macropodid marsupial despite continuous habitat in southeast Queensland, Australia. Conservation Genetics, 7(5), 675–689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-005-9101-x
- Davies, H., McCarthy, M., Firth, R., et al. (2018). Declining populations in one of the last refuges for threatened mammal species in northern Australia. Austral Ecology, 43, 602–612. https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.12596
- Hardman, B., Moro, D., and Calver, M. (2016). Direct evidence implicates feral cat predation as the primary cause of failure of a mammal reintroduction programme. Ecological management & Restoration, 17 (2), 152 –158). https://terrestrialecosystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Hardman_et_al-2016-Ecological_Management__Restoration.pdf
- Botma, K., Shapland, F., Hoy, J., et al. (2021). Habitat influence on activity patterns of brush-tailed rock-wallabies in Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology, 68(3), 136–144. https://doi.org/10.1071/zo20090
- Tuft, K. S., & Crowther, M. S. (2011). Predation risk and competitive interactions affect foraging of an endangered refuge-dependent herbivore. Animal Conservation. 14 (4), 325-457. Predation risk and competitive interactions affect foraging of an endangered refuge‐dependent herbivore
What you can do
- Download Wildlife Queensland’s Saving the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby: A Landholder’s Guide
- Learn more about Wildlife Queensland’s Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Conservation Network.
- Subscribe to our eBulletin Talking Wildlife to learn more about your local wildlife, plus Wildlife Queensland’s latest news, offers and events.