Following an announcement by the Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC on 29 October 2025, a 12-month project is getting underway to deliver a comprehensive condition report and preliminary flora survey of the Kensington Bushland.
This project is being made possible with $10,000 from the WA Government, committed to the Friends of Jirdarup Bushland prior to the 2025 State election. We thank Hon Hannah Beazley MLA for making this commitment and Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC for approving this specific project.
The project is being led by the Wildflower Society of Western Australian (WSWA) under the leadership of Bronwen Keighery working with Jolanda Keeble. Bronwen will be bringing her extensive knowledge of the Swan Coastal Plain to this project. She played a pivotal role in getting the value of the Kensington Bushland acknowledged in the 1990s and being included as a Bush Forever site. She sees this as a wonderful opportunity to revisit this bushland.
Jolanda Keeble who recently completed a Field Guide for Wongan Hills will be undertaking surveys with a small team of trained volunteers over the coming 12 months. We anticipate a final report at the end of 2026.
The Kensington Bushland lies at the heart of the Jirdarup Bushland Precinct in Victoria Park. It is home to an estimated 235 native plants, 73 bird species, 4 species of microbats, reptiles and invertebrates as well as fungi and slime mould.
It was designated as a Bush Forever site by the State Government in 2000.
What’s been learnt so far
October 2025
The first foray by WSWA volunteers and Friends of Jirdarup was on 22 October 2025.pegged three quadrats including the area first surveyed by Bronwen Keighery on 20 September 1995 as part of the work to get the Kensington Bushland included as a Bush Forever site.
Eleven volunteers from the Wildflower Society’s Plant Survey Project and the Friends of Jirdarup Bushland assisted in setting up 3 quadrats in 3 of the community variations: one replicating the Bush Forever Site Reference site (Kens01) in low open woodland, one in the low shrubland (Kens02) and one in the low woodland (Kens03). Fence pickets have been left in-situ. These quadrats are used to provide information about the condition of the bushland.
Walks were also conducted along paths and through the bushland to record weeds and to collect
flowering specimens opportunistically, for preparation of a comprehensive species list.
Thanks to the volunteers who gave up a day to help out.
December 2025 update
On 25 and 27 November 2025, our project lead from WSWA Jolanda Keeble together with two FoJB volunteers (Emily and Dan) made vegetation condition ratings at 571 data points at approximately 10m intervals. Information is being entered into a database for analysis. Interim results found 84 native plant species, 45 weed species with some potentially new native plant species.
January 2026 update
On Saturday 24 January 2026, the forecast was for 26ËšC. An ideal temperature to carry out a survey for summer flowering plants. Although many people believe the bushland is devoid of flowers in the middle of summer, this is clearly not the case.
The team of three, Jolanda from WSWA and two Friends of Jirdarup Bushland (Emily and Dan) arrived at 8 am for a walk through the areas of the bush that constitute Kensington Bushland. After 3 ½ hours of walking they had found 20 native plants in flower and 4 introduced plants. Of particular interest were the Calytrix species (yellow and pink star-flowers) and the native blue-bells (Billardiera).
They also found two Melaleucas in flower, as well as Banksia attenuata and Eucalyptus todtiana. There was plenty of bee activity and the blue-banded bee was seen visiting Scholtzia involucrata (spiked scholtzia) flowers seen all through the bushland. The only reptile seen was the West Coast Long-tailed Ctenotus.
June 2026 update
Survey visits to Kensington Bushland Reserves were carried out on 2 April, 12 May and 16 June 2026. The aim was to record any flowering plants over these three months for preparation of a comprehensive species list. All species collected and identified have been given to the Friends so they can mount them for a field herbarium of the reserve. This work will begin in July 2026.
At the last site visit it was noted that there were signs of quenda diggings in the southern block of the reserve.
This project is funded by the WA Government.
