How WIRES Illawarra use discarded election signs to save wombat lives

Some will be recycled, others packed away for the next season of our democracy, but Greens Candidate for Whitlam Jamie Dixon has found a group who will happily take his:

The Illawarra's mangy wombat population.

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The election posters, called corflutes, can be used to help deliver life-saving treatment to wombats with mange, said WIRES Illawarra volunteer Rebecca Daly.

"What we do to treat the wombats is put a burrow flap when we know they have mange," she said.

"That holds a little container that tips the treatment solution onto the wombat."

These burrow flaps are made from corflute, the same corrugated polypropylene used to make election signs.

Mange is a serious condition for wombats, and estimates suggest up to 20 per cent of the wombat population are affected by it, Ms Daly said.

"Any wombat with mange if it's not treated will eventually die...treating the wombats for mange is quite a critical thing," she said.

"The whole area that wombats inhabit in the Illawarra, we see mange throughout all the populations."

Mange is spread wombat to wombat via the burrow system, with mites that cause mange jumping off and spreading as the wombats explore the burrows, she said.

With the donation of election signs, Ms Daly hopes WIRES now has enough corflute to last more than a year, as each sign can be used to make three burrow flaps.

Ms Daly received 60 posters from the Greens and has been offered more from the Wollongong Botanic Gardens, who will also donate old signage.

"This latest gift is going to go a long way... we're really pleased about it."

Greens Candidate Mr Dixon said he was always on the lookout for ways to reuse corflutes.

"I'm not sure, but I think we've got the wombat vote now..." Mr Dixon laughed.