Possum Magic

Over the years I have watched Mont Albert and the neighbouring suburbs become more and more city suburbs. The suburban fringe is constantly on the more outwards. I can still remember when Ringwood was paddocks and orchards. And now it virtually goes all the way to Lilydale.

There movement of suburbia has displaced native animals from what once was their home. I read an article in the newspaper on possums and the impact they have on properties and gardens. It seems to me that people are very happy to complain about the damage and inconvenience possums cause but not so happy to do anything about it. It’s really quite simple, if you don’t want possums residing in your roof don’t have holes for them to get in. In the surrounding trees of my house we have put nesting boxes. These mainly attract the Ringtail possums which I think are very cute especially when you get to see mum with all her babies on her back. This hopefully will encourage possums out of the roof and into the boxes. It did at my place and then we patched up the holes and now have a possum free roof. I see them every now and then madly scurry across the fence sometimes pausing for a second to have a quick staring competition then scamper off again.

We recently have had Tawney Frogmouths move in and this has reduced the number of possum sightings. Again people will complain bout the noise and the mess they make. It’s a shame people when people are so negative about wildlife we get to see in the eastern suburbs. At then end of the day they were here first and we chose the move into their space.

They say it is a privilege to have nature living along side you.

These are 2 Tawney Frogmouths on our clothesline. Pretty good I think.