Threatened species: the Western Plains are full of them, and yet not full enough. While the area is home to some of Australia’s most celebrated and uniquely diverse species, 116 are under threat in the Castlereagh-Barwon region alone. 

In Australia, there are 1900 nationally listed threatened plants and animals. 

This September, Australians across the country baked like the life of an endangered animal depended on it - in the Threatened Species Bake Off. 

The competition was open nation-wide, inviting Australians to bake something - not the species themselves - but a food in the shape of an Australian native threatened species; as a tool to build community awareness about Australia’s remarkable yet threatened wildlife. 

This year’s competition focused on ‘ecosystem engineers’, which is a plant or animal that modifies, maintains, improves or creates a habitat. 

The competition attracted 700 entrants in its fifth successive year, its largest number of submissions yet. 

Acting Threatened Species Commissioner Dr Fiona Fraser said it's critical for the public to know why we need to save the species.

"These plants and animals play critical functional roles in their ecosystem such as pollination, erosion control or seed dispersal, and in (protecting them) we can provide benefits to many other species," said Dr Fraser.

While bakers young and old across the country served up some tasty treats, the cause behind it was fed by a much deeper issue that plagues the country. 

As of March this year, Australia added 13 more species to the list of extinction, bringing the country’s total number of extinct species to 100 since colonisation in 1788. 

While the official list is 100, the number of species that aren’t formally recognised is said to be much larger, and making people listen and care is much easier said than done. 

The cake-driven approach to raising awareness of threatened species during the bake-off not only forced amateur chefs to reckon with the issue as they chose which species they would turn into an edible creation but stirred an online conversation as they uploaded their baked goods to be judged.

The Australian Threatened Species Strategy involved plans to improve the trajectory of 20 mammals, 20 birds and 30 plants by 2020. The final reporting of the five-year strategy warranted mixed reactions. 

Only 13 of the targets were met, improving the trajectory of six birds, eight mammals and 10 plants. 

It is apparent that not enough is being done by government or the public to rectify the rapid decline of precious wildlife. 

In Central West and Orana LGAs, investment into the cause has decreased by almost four million dollars in two years, one of the smallest investment drops in the state.

Winner of the Minister's Award for the bake-off Eliza created a Regent Honeyeater on flowering red ironbark.

Threatened species in the Western Plains include the square-tailed kite, the barking owl and the turquoise parrot. 113 other species feature on the list. 

The national focus on threatened species plans to improve trajectories by tackling feral cats, creating safe havens for species most at risk, improving habitats and emergency intervention to avoid extinctions. 

Until then, let them eat cake.