[3] In 1965, with increasing community concern about declining helmeted honeyeater numbers, and following recommendations from the Victorian Ornithological Research Group and the Bird Observers Club (now BirdLife Australia) some areas, including sections of public land along the Woori Yallock, Cockatoo and Sheep Station Creeks, were reserved as the Yellingbo State Wildlife Reserve by the Victorian Government for wildlife conservation.

[4] Significant species include the Leadbeater's possum, helmeted honeyeater, Epacris impressa (heath), Eastern Mourning Skink Lissolepsis coventryi, Green Scentbark Eucalyptus fulgens, Powerful owl Ninox strenua, Growling grass frog Litoria raniformis.

[6] Vegetation Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve protects areas of Sedge-rich Eucalyptus camphora Swamp Community, the only known occurrence and which is considered to be of national significance.

Clearing of land in the Yarra Valley for agriculture and the draining of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp from the 1880s destroyed most of the habitat of the helmeted honeyeater.

Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve provides habitat for the last wild population of Victoria's only endemic bird and its avifaunal emblem.

[16] Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve is under considerable threat from such events as altered hydrology, declining native vegetation, pest animals and plant, and inappropriate fire regimes.

[17] Invasive weeds include blackberry, gorse, Spanish heath, ragwort and St John's wort, and introduced predators such as foxes, Fallow and Samba deer.

[25] The current helmeted honeyeater population is recognised to have low genetic diversity which makes it vulnerable to inbreeding depression, and this lowers its ability to evolve to changing environments.

[27] Outside of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve, one of the key threats to the possum is widespread clearfell logging, which significantly impacts on the quality of the habitat.

The report states that the ‘goal of saving the helmeted honeyeater and the lowland Leadbeater's possum can be achieved in the long-term through integrated management process.

Goals for implementation are improving the conservation of the biodiversity and ecological values, including the endangered helmeted honeyeater and the lowland Leadbeater's possum.

[32] The Yellingbo Conservation Area Coordinating Committee will include a representative from key stakeholders: Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, Cardinia Shire Council, Yarra Ranges Council, Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Zoos Victoria, Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority, and Trust for Nature.

In addition to working towards achieving the proposed Great Forest National Park to provide security to Leadbeater's possum populations into the future, the group support projects at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve.

[31] Ultimately, the greatest benefit of the management of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve has been saving the helmeted honeyeater and the lowland Leadbeater's possum populations from extinction.

Zoos Victoria play an important role in conducting research to improve captive breeding success and help monitor the survival of helmeted honeyeaters after release.

[41] There has been progress in phasing out stream-side cattle grazing licences in the Yellingbo Conservation Area to improve the habitat for the Leadbeater's possum, the helmeted honeyeater, and other threatened species.

[6][36] Funding support In the 2014–15 budget the Victorian Government announced a $3.2 million revegetation program that will build habitat at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve.

[44] In April 2014, the Victorian Government allocated $11 million over five years to support implementation of all recommendations made by the Leadbeater's Possum Advisory Group.

[45] In 2015 Greening Australia commenced a three-year project to increase habitat and improve vegetation condition to support wild populations of the helmeted honeyeater and Leadbeater's possum.

Greening Australia will work with six partner agencies and two friends groups to deliver: improved habitat quality for these species and enhanced connectivity between existing populations; increased duration and availability of food resources and availability of nesting sites for helmeted honeyeaters through additional 650,000 trees and shrubs; and increased spatial extent of Eucalyptus camphora woodland and associated riparian vegetation by 100 hectares.