Banyule Flats is home to many wombats. They are rarely seen by day, but their scratching and burrows (below top) are widely evident. Another sign that wombats are around is the cube-shaped green faeces (below bottom) that they carefully perch on top of objects; something they are thought to do to mark territory. The cubic shape of wombat faeces has previously been attributed to their hard protective backside, but a recent study has shown that it is a function of slow digestion and an unusual intestine.

To have a good chance of seeing a wombat, you need to go out at night. Once the wombats are confident that the humans and their dogs have gone home, they happily graze and dig for roots along the main Yarra trail. The key to getting a good view of a wombat is to move quietly and avoid shining bright lights at them. A red light (e.g red cellophane over a torch) disturbs them less because they don’t see this colour well. If you remain quiet and still, they with keep grazing and digging while you watch. Just be careful not to get between a wombat and its burrow because this is where it will go at high speed if startled!