Wombats live in a range of Australian environments, from cool forests and alpine country to dry grasslands and mallee. This guide covers ten habitat settings and explains how soil, vegetation, climate and shelter shape where different wombat species can live. It is for wildlife watchers, students and anyone curious about the places wombats call home.
1. Temperate Eucalyptus Forests
Temperate forests in southeastern Australia are important habitat for the bare-nosed, or common, wombat (Vombatus ursinus). These forests occur across parts of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as Tasmania, and often combine eucalypt trees with a lower layer of shrubs, ferns and grasses. Wombats do not eat the trees; they mainly graze on grasses and other low-growing plants, while the forest floor provides cover and places to dig. The mix of feeding areas and burrow sites is what makes this kind of forest useful, rather than a dense canopy by itself.
2. Tasmania’s Forests and Open Country
Bare-nosed wombats are widespread in Tasmania, where they use a variety of landscapes rather than one narrowly defined habitat. They occur in forest and woodland as well as more open country, provided there is suitable vegetation to graze and ground in which they can make a burrow. Tasmania’s cooler climate does not prevent them from being active; their burrows offer a sheltered retreat from weather and temperature extremes. For visitors, it is worth remembering that wombats are wild animals and may forage after dark, so a lack of daytime sightings does not mean the habitat is unoccupied.
3. Alpine and Subalpine Country
In the Australian Alps and other high country of southeastern Australia, bare-nosed wombats use alpine and subalpine environments, including open areas near woodland. These places have pronounced seasonal conditions: winter can bring cold weather and snow, while warmer months support grasses and other herbaceous plants that wombats graze. Burrows provide a protected place to rest when conditions above ground are harsh, and wombats may use more than one burrow within their home range. This habitat is a striking reminder that wombats are not limited to mild coastal settings, though local food and suitable digging ground still matter.
4. Coastal Heath and Woodland
Some wombat habitat lies in coastal landscapes, where heath, scrub and open woodland create a patchwork of feeding and shelter areas. Bare-nosed wombats occur in parts of southeastern Australia where these vegetation types meet forest or grassier clearings. Low plants can supply grazing, while thicker vegetation offers cover between a burrow and a feeding area. Coastal habitat is not simply beach or sand: wombats need ground that can support a stable burrow, so suitable sites are more likely where the soil and landform allow excavation rather than in loose, shifting beach sand.
5. Grassy Woodland and Forest Clearings
Grassy woodland combines a tree layer with open ground where grasses and herbs can grow, making it a useful habitat pattern for wombats. Bare-nosed wombats can feed in clearings and grassier patches, then retreat into burrows in nearby suitable soil. The relationship between open feeding ground and shelter is important: an area of trees alone may offer cover but little forage, while an exposed lawn may provide food without safe places to rest. Woodland edges and clearings can therefore support the different needs of a wombat across its daily routine.
6. Pasture and Farm-Country Edges
Wombats may also use modified landscapes, including pasture and the edges of farms, where grasses provide accessible food. In southeastern Australia, bare-nosed wombats can occur in agricultural country close to remnant woodland or other areas with burrowing ground. A pasture is not automatically good wombat habitat, however: intensive land use, roads, fences and loss of natural cover can create hazards or separate feeding areas from shelter. This setting is worth understanding because it shows how wildlife habitat can overlap with working land, and why coexistence depends on considering both wombat needs and farm activities.
7. Mallee and Semi-Arid Shrublands
The southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) is adapted to drier country than the bare-nosed species and occurs in semi-arid parts of southern Australia. Its range includes South Australia and extends into parts of Western Australia and New South Wales. Mallee and other shrubland landscapes can contain open areas with grasses and herbs, which provide forage among the woody vegetation. Rainfall and plant growth vary in these regions, so food availability can change over time; the species’ use of burrows also gives it a sheltered refuge in landscapes with hot, dry conditions.
8. Open Plains of Southern Australia
Open, relatively flat country with suitable soils is characteristic of important southern hairy-nosed wombat habitat, particularly in South Australia. This species is strongly associated with burrowing landscapes, and colonies can occupy areas where underground shelter is possible alongside grazing vegetation. A burrow system is more than a sleeping hole: it gives wombats refuge from heat and predators and connects their above-ground feeding areas with protected resting places. The contrast with forest-dwelling settings is useful when comparing species; southern hairy-nosed wombats often inhabit more open, arid country than bare-nosed wombats do.
9. Epping Forest National Park, Queensland
The northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) has an exceptionally restricted natural range and is associated with Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland. The park protects the species’ remaining wild population in a landscape of open woodland and grassland, where wombats rely on burrows and native plants for shelter and food. This is not a general example of where all wombats live; it is a distinctive habitat tied to one highly localized species. Its importance lies in the fact that protecting this particular place is central to the survival of the northern hairy-nosed wombat in the wild.
10. Burrow Sites: Soil, Slope and Shelter
Across their different ranges, wombats need places where they can excavate burrows in ground that is diggable yet stable enough to hold shelter. Soil depth, drainage, slope and nearby vegetation all influence whether a spot can provide a useful refuge; very loose or waterlogged ground is less suitable than firm, workable soil. Wombats may use several burrows, with entrances connected to the surrounding feeding area, rather than relying on a single den. Looking at burrow habitat explains why two landscapes with similar plants can differ greatly in their value to wombats.
How to Choose
If you are identifying or visiting wombat habitat, start by asking which species is native to the region. Bare-nosed wombats are associated with a broad range of southeastern Australian environments, southern hairy-nosed wombats with drier country in southern Australia, and northern hairy-nosed wombats with the protected habitat at Epping Forest National Park. A location that suits one species should not be assumed to suit all three.
Next, look for the combination of resources rather than a single landscape label. Grazing plants matter, but so do suitable burrowing ground and enough cover or connected habitat for wombats to move between shelter and feeding areas. If you are planning a wildlife visit, use local park guidance and keep a respectful distance from animals and burrow entrances; do not approach, block or enter a burrow. For land management, local wildlife authorities can advise on species-specific issues and practical ways to reduce conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do wombats live naturally?
Wombats are native to Australia. Depending on the species, they occur in southeastern forests and open country, drier southern landscapes, or the northern hairy-nosed wombat’s limited habitat in central Queensland.
Do wombats live in burrows?
Yes. Wombats dig burrows for shelter and rest, and may use multiple burrows. They also leave the burrow to graze, so the surrounding vegetation is an important part of their habitat.
Are wombats found only in forests?
No. Bare-nosed wombats use forests, woodland and open country, while southern hairy-nosed wombats are adapted to more arid, open landscapes. Habitat varies by species and local conditions.
Do wombats live in hot, dry areas?
Southern hairy-nosed wombats occupy semi-arid parts of southern Australia. Their burrows provide shelter from conditions above ground, while grasses and other low-growing plants provide food when available.
Where can the northern hairy-nosed wombat be found?
Its remaining wild population is associated with Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland. It does not share the broad distribution of the bare-nosed wombat.
Final Thoughts
Wombat habitat is best understood as a combination of food, burrowable ground and shelter, shaped by the needs of each species. From southeastern forests to semi-arid plains and a protected Queensland stronghold, these settings show how varied Australian wombat country can be. Knowing which species and habitat you are looking at makes wildlife watching—and habitat protection—more informed.