The beautiful bird hasn't been seen for many years. Peter Jirgins has lived at his Cambewarra property for 38 years and had never seen it - until now.

It's reappearance follows 18 months of continuous fox baiting along the Tapitallee Creek corridor, as part of the Shoalhaven Fox Control Program.

Peter and other property owners along the Tapitallee Creek corridor started laying fox baits in 2018.

In September and October 2019 the Shoalhaven Fox Control program was getting around eight fox baits taken every week.

Now they are only getting one fox bait taken every seven to eight weeks.

Purple Swamp Hens are mainly ground dwelling native birds, making them an easy target for the European Fox.

Peter said he's thrilled to see them making a comeback.

"I even saw a female on the nest recently, which shows they are starting to breed and thrive now that foxes are no longer impacting them," Peter said.

In a first in the 38 years he's been there, Peter has also noticed Eastern Long Necked Tortoises, which have been able to successfully hatch their eggs around his property dam.

Tortoises eggs are favoured by foxes, who dig them up and eat them.

The Shoalhaven Fox Control Program is a community lead program, run by the Shoalhaven Landcare Association.

It was launched in February 2018 and program uses trapping, baiting and shooting to reduce fox numbers across the Shoalhaven.

The Program is also supported by South East Local Land Services.

Anyone can be involved and no experience is necessary. For further information visit shoalhavenlandcare.org.au/fox-control