The City of Belmont is home to a number of native birds, lizards and other reptiles, bees, butterflies and other wildlife. You can support these animals by creating and maintaining a wildlife-friendly garden. Please refer to the Verge maintenance and compliance page for permitted verge treatments. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Find inspiration

Within the City of Belmont, you could visit Miles Park on Belgravia Street and Forster Park on Abernethy Road, both in Cloverdale. These are water-efficient native gardens which have been designed with the needs of local wildlife in mind. 

Focus on nature

Local birds, insects and other animals will benefit most from a garden which is closest to their natural habitat. 

Avoid using too much plastic, cement or concrete in your garden design and try to create natural coverage with stones, gravel or ground cover plants. Use mulch to support your soil and avoid using chemicals in your garden. Look for more natural alternatives for fertiliser, weed and pest control.

Use local native plants

A range of local natives, including shrubs, ground cover and trees in your garden could help to provide shelter and food for many local animals, including birds, lizards and butterflies. To find out the best local plants to use, you could:
 

• Visit the Downloads page of the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare's website for brochures with information on plant sizes, forms, flowers and bird and butterfly-attracting species; 
• Visit the Water Corporation website for a range of popular garden design ideas suited to the Perth climate and using local native, waterwise species.

Please refer to our Verge maintenance and compliance page for information on treatments which are permitted on your verge.

Add some wildlife-friendly “furniture”

You could include a range of interesting features as part of your wildlife friendly garden design, such as:
 

• A birdbath or frog pond with a semi-submerged stick or rock to help any creature which falls in by accident;
• Logs and large rocks to be used as shelter or places to hide from predators;
• Flowering natives to provide a valuable food source for birds, bees and other insects.

The Perth Zoo website offers a range of ideas to help you design a fauna-friendly garden.

Take action to help protect wildlife

If you are passionate about helping local wildlife, a welcoming garden environment is a great place to start. You might also like to join a ‘Friends Of’ or catchment group, and help protect your local bushland, foreshore or wetland. For more information visit the Events and volunteering page.