{"id":585520,"date":"2026-04-04T18:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/585520\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T18:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:43:11","slug":"aussies-called-to-action-as-icon-of-suburban-skyline-set-to-disappear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/585520\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussies called to action as icon of suburban skyline set to disappear"},"content":{"rendered":"

An icon of suburban Australia that\u2019s dominated the skyline<\/a> since the 1950s television boom is set to progressively vanish.<\/p>\n

Antennas are no longer needed to watch our favourite shows in the digital age, but with their loss, there will be an unintended impact on the wildlife that lives in our backyards.<\/a><\/p>\n

Although not intended as perches for magpies<\/a>, turtledoves, kookaburras<\/a>, wattlebirds, and lorikeets<\/a>, the long metal elements make an ideal perch, high above prowling cats and dogs.<\/p>\n

The loss of antennas will be gradual, but they\u2019re unlikely to be added to many new estates, and eventually be removed from old houses.<\/p>\n

The issue may seem trivial, but there are few safe refuges available along our streets for birds, and they\u2019re being further squeezed as governments prioritise density over green space.<\/a><\/p>\n

Professor Sarah Bekessy<\/a>, an urban design expert at the University of Melbourne and the independent expert group, the Biodiversity Council, explained there are several wildlife-friendly features that are gradually disappearing from houses.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother one is draft proofing,\u201d she told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we block up every little hole and gap, it means animals that used to use wall and roof cavities for habitat can\u2019t do so any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aussies can share their homes with 1,000 animals<\/p>\n

Professor Bekessy said most people underestimate how many animals they share their homes with.<\/p>\n

A 2023 University of Queensland study published in the Scientific Naturalist<\/a> found that a Brisbane study found 1,000 macro-organisms could be found in a single metropolitan property.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnimals use our houses all the time for habitat without us being intentional about it, because they have to,\u201d Professor Bekessy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd often we don\u2019t think through the implications of removing features like antennas.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying we should keep them, but maybe we need to provide other kinds of roosting habitat to replace them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

A recent exhibition in Melbourne highlighted how backyards can be changed to help wildlife. Source: NGV<\/p>\n

Plan to redesign houses with wildlife spaces<\/p>\n

Melbourne University PhD candidate Bethany Kiss is currently working through a data set of 76,000 records from rescue group Wildlife Victoria, to understand how animals were using different parts of buildings.<\/p>\n

Her work categorised the many ways animals use our homes, finding areas that mimic their natural habitat, like wombats sleeping under homes instead of burrows.<\/p>\n

She believes a solution to helping Australia\u2019s wildlife is to include purpose-built nooks and dens in biodiversity plans, which are becoming more common in Germany and the United Kingdom.<\/a><\/p>\n

These design standards could sit alongside those for energy ratings, fire safety, and accessibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn architect could consult with an ecologist in the same way they would with an engineer,\u201d she told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d like to see a cultural shift where homeowners don\u2019t see wildlife in buildings as a problem, but something that could be encouraged.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery house could have something for local biodiversity \u2014 maybe an eave for a swallow, or a cavity for a possum, and a garden that connects to other habitats down the street,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think any of that is too crazy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that technically hard to do, it\u2019s just not how we think about design, so we need to stop thinking about our cities and buildings as just human spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Wildlife is often forced to live in our homes because all the natural habitat has been destroyed for humans. Source: Getty<\/p>\n

(Getty Images)Simple steps to encourage wildlife showcased<\/p>\n

Professor Bekessy\u2019s team recently showcased specialised designs that could help nature in backyards at the National Gallery of Victoria.<\/a><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s well-known that synthetic turf kills microorganisms beneath<\/a>, the exhibition also highlighted that concrete slabs under houses do the same.<\/p>\n

It showed how a raised floor allows spaces for wildlife to live, insect hotels in backyards encourage native bees, and air conditioners can create shallow puddles that butterflies need to sip water.<\/p>\n

Along with helping the environment, encouraging wildlife into yards also increases happiness in people.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes you feel more at home, and it’s really good for your physical and mental wellbeing,\u201d Professor Bekessy said.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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