I live in the Dandenongs MAGNA.
Don't know about the cat ban mate...but we gave away two before we came up here four years ago. It's a small cluster of 'ye olde' tourist villages up here mate...lots of middle-aged couples and people staying in expensive bed and breakfasts over weekends and public holidays...old guys in their MGs and Morgans. Every holiday and weekend, the CFA sirens go off (twice today) because some wannabe Schumacher drove off the road. They're very winding. There are a few cats in my area...dunno about the others though. I hope you're right. This place is bird paradise and smaller marsupials. The roof is very busy at night.
There's a track in the bush we know where we never fail to see Lyrebirds. We have a 100% success rate in four years. Nature produced no better mimic than the Superb Lyrebird. Rosellas, Cockatoos white, black and Gang-Gang, any sound. I've heard them do cameras, lawn mowers and blowers...even a baby crying. It's just amazing. Until you hear it, you'll think I'm exaggerating.
MAGNA is quite right when he suggests nine years. Australia is the size of the continental US but has only a small fraction of the population. There's a lot of 'nowhere' out there and much of it is pristine. The nature of Western Oz where MAGNA is, is quite special in terms of wildlife...so much variety.