Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Yarra River and its surrounding corridors support a surprising diversity of wildlife, from native fish to urban-adapted mammals.
Native and introduced fish include Australian grayling, blackfish, carp, catfish, eel, flathead, goldfish, rainbow trout, redfin perch, tench, and trout cod.
Frogs are well-represented: common frog, eastern froglet, growling grass frog, Peron's tree frog, striped marsh frog, and the less common uplong burrowing frog.
Eastern long-necked and snake-necked turtles are frequently seen basking, along with water skinks.
The river attracts waterbirds such as black swans, dusky moorhens, Eurasian coots, great and little pied cormorants, grey herons, Pacific black ducks, royal spoonbills, and silver gulls.
Riparian and aquatic mammals include Australian fur seals (occasionally), common ringtail possums, eastern water rats (rakali), platypus, short-beaked echidnas, sugar gliders, swamp wallabies, and water rats.
Conservation efforts focus on improving water quality and habitat connectivity to sustain this urban biodiversity hotspot.