Hotspot Fire Project

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Safe Havens Large Forest Owls Project Update - June 2026

Wednesday, 10th June 2026

Autumn Update

Since commencing in 2023, the Large Forest Owls (Safe Havens) Project team has been working to monitor and conserve some of Australia's most iconic and elusive birds – the large forest owls, and the many other animals that depend on hollow-bearing trees to survive.

Funded by the NSW Environmental Trust and including properties covered by existing Hotspots Fire Management plans, the Safe Havens project spans nearly half a million hectares across Bundjalung and Yaegl Country in the lower Richmond and Clarence Valleys — a vast and diverse landscape stretching across some of the most ecologically significant forests in eastern Australia.

The project has improved our understanding of the distribution and activity of large forest owls and gliders in the project area, supported the recovery of hollow dependant wildlife following the 2019 bushfires, and built the conservation awareness and knowledge of landholders involved in the project.

Key project highlights include:

Passive acoustic monitoring across 58 sites distributed across 29 properties and amounting to 12,800+ survey nights.

17 target species acoustically recorded including Powerful Owls (detected at 87% of sites), Barking Owls (detected at 83% of sites), and Masked Owls (detected at 11% of sites).

Nocturnal field assessments and camera traps used to supplement acoustic data, resulting in over 930 threatened species records.

Over 800 nestboxes installed featuring 6 different box designs, providing insight into what box attributes best promote threatened species to occupy regrowth forest and areas where natural hollows have been depleted.

17 species recorded using the nestboxes including threatened yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis).

A range of education and engagement activities have contributed towards supporting landholders including four Owl workshops and on-site management advice.

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