Suburb for a Bobtail

Saki White-Sugito

Contents 01 Introduction 02 Analysis 03 Design Guidelines 04 Masterplan 05 Plant + material palette 3 - 6 7 - 11 12 - 13 14 - 24 25

Umwelt: how the world is experienced, perceived and absorbed by humans and non-humans.

Bird sound waves by Priscilla Hubbard

“Ecological islands” Jirdarup Bushland, Victoria Park Exploration of transect walk through Victoria Park to the Swan River. Shown through the lens of a non-human.

209.7 Bobtail Tiliqua rugosa yoorn Scale 1:1

Good sense of smell and hearing for navigation

Exceptional memory to absorb site information allowing them to navigate

Tail confuses predators as emulates bobtail’s head

Scales provide protection and allow camouflaging in their habitat

Strong mouth for crushing food

Blue tongue used to trick predators when threatened

Close proximity to the ground helps control body temperature

Strong feet and claws for moving, burrowing, and gathering

Bobtail lizards are fairly active during the day, mostly basking and foraging within their home range.

Bobtail lizards have a large home range of approximately 200 metres. Throughout their lifetime they will move between habitats.

A study published by CSIRO revealed urban blue-tongued lizards spent approximately 75% of their time in suburban gardens.

Daily activity cycle

R et u r n B u r r o w / peelS B a s k

span

Forage Bask

20+ year life

Garden Forest Built Environment

Context

Distribution of bobtails in Western Australia.

FOOD PREDATORS HABITAT

Scale 1:10,000 0 100m 200m

Analysis

Public green spaces and likely habitat in Victoria Park with the projected 200 metre home range of the bobtail. The bobtail’s movement is being interrupted by main roads in which they actively avoid.

Two large zones of vegetation bookend the urban landscape with scattered smaller patches between. There is an opportunity to connect the small patches to create a third zone which then begins to bridge the gap and improve the suburb’s green network.

Scale 1:10,000 0 100m 200m

Opportunities and constraints

‘Estimates of strike probability for a reptile crossing the study road at a low traffic volume was > 75% for slow-moving reptiles’

Wolfe, A, Fleming P & Bateman P, Surveying Attitudes toward Reptiles on Roads: Questionnaire Responses Do Not Directly Translate to Behavioral Action , 2019

“...we’ve seen unacceptably high road mortality of bobtails and I live near the park and want to see the population thrive.”

The problem

Professor at Murdoch University and Fremantle resident, 2023

The strategy aims to develop the green network of the built environment by honing in on one small residential area of the suburb. The focus is put into re-vegetation and connection within the existing street scape to form a bobtail friendly suburb. Surrounding roads can facilitate further connection that begin to expand the habitat patch.

Scale 1:10,000 0 100m 200m

Strategy

MACRO

Impact

MICRO Improving green network Connecting patches Creating habitat

Maintain suburban scale Utilise empty blocks of land for bobtail habitat Enhance existing public green spaces for safe bobtail and human interaction Maintain pedestrian access Implement traffic calming strategies on roads for safety of bobtails Create connections within suburb to facilitate bobtail movement Improve tree canopy for shading on roads Weave human and non-human habitat to build physical and emotional connection Design guidelines

Zoning of masterplan driven by needs of bobtail and informed by solar analysis that looks at sun exposure throughout the day.

Solar analysis

- Specific zones for basking as determined by sun

- Separation of spaces to facilitate different activities

Morning Day Afternoon

- Improved native planting in verges to create corridor for safe bobtail movement

Zoning

Bobtail basking

Bobtail refuge

Quiet roads

Street tree canopy

Verge corridor

Natural road buffer

Alternate vehicle parking

Dense multi-leveled planting

New medium to large trees

Scale 1:1000 0 10m 20m

park

Bobtail and human basking

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 6 7 8

Scale 1:250 0 2.5m 5m

Scale 1:100 0 1m 2m

Human + bobtail basking Bobtail

Bobtail-safe crossing Bobtail buffer

Scale 1:50 0 1m

Human + bobtail basking

Scale 1:1

BASKING CROSSING

Scale 1:250 0 2.5m 5m

Bobtail sanctuary Bobtail buffer Bobtail-safe road Verge Swale

Scale 1:100 0 1m 2m

Bobtail buffer

Scale 1:50 0 1m

Bobtail refuge

Scale 1:1

REFUGE

Eucalyptus gomphocephala – Tuart

Eucalyptus wandoo – Wandoo

Eucalyptus Sideroxylon Rosea Pink Flower Ironbark

Agonis flexuosa – peppermint

Eucalyptus laeliae - Butter gum

Eucalyptus megacarpa - Bullich

Xanthorrhoea Arborea - Grass Tree

Corymbia ficolia – Red flowering gum

Banksia grandis – bull banksia

Banksia menziessi – Firewood banksia

Grevillea thelemanniana – Spider net grevillea

Leucophyta brownii – cushion bush

Grevillea hybrida Showtime – Grevillea showtime

Pimelea ferruginea – pink rice flower

Banksia blechifolia – Southern blechum banksia

Rytidosperma caespitosum – Ringed wallaby grass

Tulbahhia violacea ‘silver lace’ – society garlic

Anigozanthos ‘Bush Bonanza’ – Kangaroo paw

Hemiandra pungens – Snakebush

Conostylis candicans – Grey cottonheads

Opercularia vaginata – dog weed

Laximania squarrosa

Jacksonia sericea - Waldjumi

Not all plants listed are pictured

Materiality

Planted areas Paths Paths +

elements Quiet roads Basking platforms Attract bees and insects Provide food for bobtails Shelter for bobtails Provide shelter and protection for bobtails Attract birds Provide shade for bobtails

built

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook