It isn’t every day you get to witness Australia’s largest owls, hunting as a pair, right in front of your eyes. That is exactly what the Friends of Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park volunteers witnessed on Saturday evening.

An evening to remember

As dusk settled over Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park, just outside Caboolture, a group of volunteers gathered for a community spotlighting and thermal drone session led by FoPQ’s senior ecologist, Paul Revie. What followed was something none of us will soon forget – a pair of Powerful Owls, Australia’s largest owl species, hunting together in the dark canopy above. The group spent 15 minutes quietly watching the pair swoop, dive, and unsuccessfully snag one of the three possums perched in the canopy of a eucalypt tree before one was finally snatched. Illuminated by the red lights of the group, the owls were completely unbothered by our presence (much to the dismay of the possums). One owl then brought its fresh catch to perch directly above us on the fire line, for a few minutes before moving off to a more sheltered position. This was a genuine privilege and a reminder of the wonders of the natural environment.

It wasn’t only the owls that left us in awe – the group also spotted:

• 6 common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
• 4 greater gliders (Petauroides volans)
• 3 grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus)
• 1 sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)

Greater gliders were observed in three different tree species in the park: Corymbia citriodora, Corymbia intermedia, and Eucalyptus moluccana. This data is reported to the Queensland Government’s database, WildNet.

A community brought together

The evening was wonderfully well attended, drawing a real cross-section of the community. Youth and retirees stood side by side, and some participants had travelled all the way from the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast to join us. It was heartening to see people of all ages and backgrounds united by a shared curiosity for the wildlife on our doorstep, some of whom who had never ventured into the bush at night. These events are proof that conservation has a way of bringing people together for unforgettable shared experiences.

The end of a grant-funded chapter

This special evening marked the final event held under the City of Moreton Bay’s Our Healthy Environment grant, which funded the Sheep Station Creek Project. We are deeply grateful for the support this funding has provided, enabling us to run events that connect the community with the extraordinary biodiversity of Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park. Over the life of this grant, we have delivered:

• 10 community habitat restoration sessions
• 4 full-day ecological restoration contractor sessions
• 5 community spotlighting sessions, including the thermal drone demonstration
• Facilitated the installation of 10 wildlife cameras on nest boxes
• Ensured the group will continue beyond the life of the grant

A morning of habitat restoration marks a turning point

The evening was wonderfully well attended, drawing a real cross-section of the community. Youth and retirees stood side by side, and some participants had travelled all the way from the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast to join us. We were also delighted to welcome our first-ever three generations of volunteers together at one event, a wonderful sign of conservation values being passed down through families. It was heartening to see people of all ages and backgrounds united by a shared curiosity for the wildlife on our doorstep – proof that conservation has a way of bringing people together.

The journey continues

The good news is that the spotlighting group isn’t going anywhere. Fauna monitoring will continue under the leadership of Brooke Studt, ensuring that the community can keep observing, learning about, and helping to protect the remarkable wildlife of Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park. Keep an eye on our website and social media pages for upcoming events and details.

Help us keep this work going

Evenings like this one – and the ongoing monitoring and restoration that support them – are only possible thanks to the generosity of people who care about Queensland’s wild places. If you’d like to help ensure experiences like witnessing a pair of powerful owls remain possible for our community, please consider making a donation to Friends of Parks Queensland. Every contribution, large or small, helps us support volunteers and protect the places they love.

Donate today and become part of the story.