The Director
Species Listing, Information and Policy Section
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
species.consultation@dcceew.gov.au

cc. NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee
scientific.committee@environment.nsw.gov.au

Dear Director,

Comment on listing assessment and conservation advice for Canberra Raspy Cricket

Friends of Grasslands (FOG) is a community group dedicated to the conservation of grassy ecosystems in south-eastern Australia - natural temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands. FOG advocates, educates and advises on matters to do with the conservation of these ecosystems, and carries out surveys and on-ground work. FOG is based in Canberra and its members include professional scientists, landowners, land managers and interested members of the public.

Our understanding

The draft (combined listing and) Conservation Advice explains the Threatened Species Scientific Committee found the listing of Canberra Raspy Cricket, Cooraboorama canberrae, in the ‘Endangered’ threat category was appropriate following a widespread reduction in the species’ geographic distribution. The area, extent and quality of its habitat, and the number of its subpopulations, have all diminished. Most of the species’ habitat has been cleared and what little remains is highly fragmented and close to urban areas.^[1]

Of concern is the loss and degradation of Canberra Raspy Cricket habitat is ongoing and forecast to continue. A factor contributing to a decline in the number of mature individuals is the threat of predation by non-native animals.^[2]

Our comment

FOG strongly supports the listing of the Canberra Raspy Cricket in the threat category ‘Endangered’ under national, ACT and NSW environment protection legislation. We see no evidence NSW has committed to list Canberra Raspy Cricket as threatened, and we urge NSW to take this step. If NSW needs to conduct further surveys to justify a listing in that jurisdiction, then FOG call for those surveys to be conducted.

Canberra Raspy Cricket is a highly restricted species, limited in its distribution to grassland habitat that is ‘critically endangered’, and only ever recorded in very low numbers. Canberra Raspy Cricket faces multiple threats to its habitat from climate change, inappropriate fire regimes, urban expansion, the invasion of exotic grasses and perennial forbs, and disturbance including by predation by feral animals such as pigs, inappropriate fire regimes and over grazing by stock and native herbivores.  

In these respects, the draft Conservation Advice is well written and largely accurate. The Advice needs a specific action related to protection of known habitat and better examples should be provided of problem weeds.

In relation to the protection of habitat, it is not sufficient for the plan to just suggest protection of habitat is needed when urgent action and enforceable control is required to prevent this species’ extinction. 

Detailed comments

Re: Table 1. Threats – Invasive plants causing habitat degradation

• In the second paragraph in addition to the three weeds mentioned Chilean Needle Grass, Nassella neesiana, should be included as it is the major invasive plant threat in several of the known habitat areas such as in the Majura Valley and at Jaramalee Nature Reserve.
• Bridal Creeper, Asparagus aspargoides, is a poor example of a ground matting weed as it is yet to establish in the grasslands in which the Canberra Raspy Cricket occurs and hopefully this will remain the case (Canberra Raspy Cricket needs frosts to continue despite future climate change). St John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum, is a mat-forming weed that is unfortunately well established in known Canberra Raspy Cricket habitat, and is a much better example of the issue raised.

Re: Conservation and Management priorities (pp. 14-16)

The following dot point should be added under the section ‘Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation’:

• Prohibit actions within known habitat patches that reduce the size of, or fragment the habitat patch. 
• The last dot point should be rewritten along the following lines

Evaluate the effects of the most impactful and habitat altering invasive weeds, such as African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma), Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica), Chilean Needle Grass (Nasella neesiana) and St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to inform better weed control in the native grassland habitats.

Yours sincerely,

 

SIGNED

 

Professor Jamie Pittock

President, Friends of Grasslands

13 August 2026

---

References

[1] DCCEEW (2026) DRAFT Conservation Advice for Cooraboorama canberrae – Canberra Raspy Cricket, p. 2

[2] Ibid