Karakamia Sanctuary

Karakamia is the Australian Wildlife Conservancy's first sanctuary — 268 hectares of jarrah forest, marri and wandoo woodland in the Perth Hills, bought by AWC founder Martin Copley in 1991 and fully enclosed by a feral-proof fence in 1994. Inside the fence, with foxes and cats removed, the original mammal fauna of the northern jarrah forest has been allowed to return: Woylies (Brush-tailed Bettongs), Tammar Wallabies, Quenda, Mardo. The sanctuary holds one of the most significant remaining wild populations of the critically endangered Woylie. The only way to visit is on a two-hour guided spotlight tour at dusk, led by one of AWC's resident ecologists; bookings are essential and the gate is roughly an hour east of Perth, near Chidlow. Bring boots, long sleeves, water, and a torch for footing. Children under seven aren't admitted. The land is Whadjuk Noongar country, and the sanctuary is named for the Karak — the forest subspecies of the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.