The Cockitrough: Supporting Native Birds and Innovation in Wildlife Care
We’re excited to share the arrival of the Cockitrough at Amaris Wildlife Sanctuary—a bird watering station tailored for conservation efforts. Made possible by the NRM Community Stewardship Grant, this initiative aligns with their mission to protect biodiversity and enhance wildlife care in sustainable ways.
Designed for Threatened Black Cockatoos
The Cockitrough is specifically designed to support our beautiful yet threatened black cockatoos, ensuring they have consistent access to clean water. As these iconic birds face significant challenges due to habitat loss and changing climates, this installation provides much-needed relief, aiding their health and longevity.
Innovative Modifications for Ringtail Possums
At Amaris, innovation is key to making conservation more accessible for all species. Beyond benefiting black cockatoos, we’ve creatively adapted the Cockitrough to help another critically endangered species—ringtail possums. By stringing a sturdy rope from a nearby large tree to the Cockitrough, we’ve created a pathway for these possums to safely access the water station. This small addition makes a big difference in addressing the needs of wildlife with unique challenges.
A Shoutout to the Town of Victoria Park
We would like to give a huge shoutout to the Town of Victoria Park for designing and manufacturing the Cockitrough! Their vision, craftsmanship, and dedication have made this project possible. Without their innovation and hard work, this essential resource wouldn’t exist. We are incredibly grateful for their contribution to wildlife conservation and for helping us take another big step forward in supporting native species.
Capturing the Magic
To better understand how these creatures utilize the Cockitrough and to celebrate their moments of recovery and resourcefulness, we’ve installed a security camera nearby. We’re hopeful that this footage will give us fascinating insights into the lives of our native wildlife while reinforcing the importance of initiatives like these.
With the Cockitrough, Amaris Wildlife Sanctuary continues to embody innovation, stewardship, and compassion in wildlife care. We’re grateful to the NRM Community Stewardship Grant for helping us achieve this milestone, and we look forward to sharing updates as it makes a difference for Australia’s unique and endangered wildlife.
Special Thank You
A special thank you goes to Stuey Plumbing for their amazing work in getting the Cockitrough up and running smoothly—your expertise and dedication have been invaluable in ensuring this project’s success. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Dave Gray, a carpenter from Kendenup, for going above and beyond to transport the Cockitrough all the way from Victoria Park to to Amaris in Tenterden, entirely free of charge. Your generosity and community spirit have truly made a difference, and we are so grateful for your support in helping us care for our precious wildlife.
We’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Rachel Guilfoyle, Greening Care Officer, for her incredible support throughout this project. Rachel made the entire process seamless—from ordering the Cockitrough to providing pricing details and vital information for the grant application. Your efficiency and dedication were instrumental in bringing this project to life, and we are so grateful for your invaluable help!
Raising Awareness
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking live with Paul on ABC Radio about the Cockitrough and its impact. During the conversation, I shared how this innovative bird watering station operates, its significance for threatened black cockatoos and ringtail possums, and the creative modifications we’ve implemented here at Amaris Wildlife Sanctuary. It was a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and encourage listeners to support projects like this that make a real difference in wildlife conservation. Together, we can amplify efforts to protect our unique native species and foster a healthier ecosystem.
First Cockitrough Installed in Great Southern to Support Two
Endangered WA Wildlife Species
Amaris Wildlife Centre in Tenterden has become the first organisation in the
Great Southern region to install a Cockitrough—an innovative bird watering
station designed and supplied by the Town of Victoria Park. While the
Cockitrough was created to provide safe, clean water for native birds, particularly
the declining black cockatoos, Amaris has gone one step further and adapted it
to support another critically endangered species—the ringtail possum.
Maggie van Santen, founder and owner of Amaris Wildlife Centre since 2020, first
learned about the Cockitrough through a conservation group’s Facebook post.
Recognising its potential to attract black cockatoos back to the area, she applied for a
grant through Perth NRM and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development. After securing funding, the Cockitrough was installed at Amaris on 21
March.
“When I moved to Tenterden five years ago, black cockatoos were everywhere, but
they’ve become a rare sight despite the native banksias and marri trees they feed on
and are available around the centre,” said Maggie.
“Black cockatoos don’t like drinking at ground level, so I saw the Cockitrough as a great
way to bring them back. They play a vital role in our ecosystem by dispersing native tree
seeds, helping them regenerate.”
Following its installation, Maggie saw another opportunity—to support the ringtail
possum, another species that avoids drinking from the ground.
“Like black cockatoos, ringtail possums are critically endangered and need an elevated
water source,” she said. “Since possums are nocturnal and cockatoos are active during
the day, they can share the Cockitrough without conflict. The design of this bird watering
station also ensure fresh water each morning, flushing out any residue left by the
possums overnight.”
To facilitate easy access for the ring tail possum, Maggie attached a rope from the
ground to the 4m-high watering station. With up to 20 ringtail possums rehabilitated at
Amaris annually, she hopes this dual-purpose solution will improve hydration and safety
for both species while helping manage costs at the donation-funded centre. Expanding
capacity to care for up to 20 injured joeys, possums, and echidnas annually remains a
key goal.
Stephen Szydlowski, Urban Ecosystem Supervisor at the Town of Victoria Park and part
of the team behind the Cockitrough’s design and development, praised Maggie’s
innovative approach – something he indicated is happening throughout areas where the
bird watering station has been installed.
“The Cockitrough was initially developed to prevent birds from drinking on roads,
reducing the risk of vehicle strikes. Since then, we’ve refined the design, adding
features like wooden troughs for beak sharpening to further support black cockatoos,”
said Stephen.
“Now, we’re seeing continued innovation across more than 130 sites where the
Cockitroughs are installed or due to be installed to further enhance our urban
ecosystems. For example, some councils and conservation groups are integrating solar-
powered pumps and bird health monitoring sensors.”
“Maggie’s use of the Cockitrough to assist two endangered species is another inspiring
example, and we look forward to sharing this idea with others working to protect WA’s
rich biodiversity.”
For more information on Amaris Wildlife Centre:
https://www.amariswildlifesanctuary.com/
For more information on the Town of Victoria Park’s Cockitrough:
https://vicpark.info/birdwaterers
Press Release by
Petra Vanessie