Paruna Sanctuary

Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary, owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), is a nature reserve located in the Avon Valley, 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-east of Perth in south-west Western Australia. This 7.7 sq mi (20-square-kilometre) sanctuary is a part of the Avon-Wheatbelt Bioregion.

It was formed by consolidating several properties to create a 14km corridor between the Walyunga and Avon Valley National Parks and was officially opened to the public in 1998. The sanctuary has undergone extensive rehabilitation and offers walking tracks for public use.

The sanctuary is situated in the Darling Range, known for its hills with rocky escarpments and river valleys. The climate is Mediterranean, with wintertime rainfall and dry summers. The average yearly rainfall is 700 millimetres (28 in).

The landscape of Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary varies from wandoo and powderbark woodlands to extensive areas of heathland, with scattered patches of jarrah and marri forests. Along the Avon River, flooded gum and paperbarks can be found, hosting various reptile and amphibian species.

The sanctuary's diverse habitats support a wide range of native flora and fauna. Mammal species such as the chuditch and honey possum can be found here. The sanctuary is also home to Carnaby's black-cockatoo, and efforts are being made to reintroduce native mammals that would have lived in the area in the past. Ongoing programs target the control of exotic predators like foxes to help the sanctuary thrive. Successful reintroductions include the woylie, quenda, black-flanked rock-wallaby, and the