What Happened to Kangaroo Grass? Human Agents and Endemic Grassy Ecosystems in South-Western Australia

Early colonists encountered extensive grassed areas in south-western Australia. While important in colonial agriculture, they declined and are almost forgotten today. In this study, focused on the Goorbilyup (Blackwood River) catchment, their remnants were surveyed and their distribution related to historical commentary. We argue the grassy ecosystems in higher rainfall zones in this catchment were derived through landscape burning by Wadandi/Pibulmun, the Indigenous people of this part of the south-west, and that fire was used across all zones. Colonists drew upon this knowledge to manage these grassy ecosystems for fifty years before adopting more intensive agriculture. The extent of these grassy ecosystems is established and proposals for preserving the remnants are discussed.