Our Wildlife Habitat is a 36 acre privately owned property on the border of the Brisbane Ranges National Park - home to wild Eastern-grey Kangaroos, Swamp Wallabies, a Koala, frogs  and many species of birds.

We are so excited to finally present a photograph of a large Echidna visiting the Wildlife Habitat on 5 October.

It climbed the hill, crossed our driveway nearby and was heading further up the hill when the camera came out.

It immediately decided against digging a hole in the rock hard ground and settled on a tree stump for its hideout.  

It stayed there until it thought it was safe and then headed for the hills.  

We have seen diggings and scratchings before but it is wonderful to see a very healthy looking Echidna here.  

They travel great distances so it may or may not stay somewhere on the propery.  

Update - September 2009

Welcome to our new baby joey  
Big Mumma's  lump in the pouch appeared and popped out for what seemed like the first time on 14 September.  It is a cute little joey quite wobbly on its legs and it probably couldn't wait any longer to check out the beautiful sunrise.  After a scramble around for minute or so it jumped back in and looked at the world from its more secure haven.  It reaches out to eat the grass too when Mumma bends over to feed herself.

Ginge getting tasty grass
The grass close to the deck was obviously worth a good check out by this young cheeky Joey we have called Ginge.  
He looks very much like our local  alpha male, and may have a big future as he is already very active and enjoys a spar with the others.  



Update - July 2009
Since the hot summer finished we have been doing some more planting. The new plants will provide additional habitat and protection for these and more native animals as it adjoins and extends the neighbouring National Park. They will also help with carbon storage and erosion control. We will care for these plants to give them the best chance to live their maximum life span.  The soil is poor with little topsoil and it does not hold the water very well but it is improving with mulch and some loving care.      

Again we are keen to see what wildflowers and other plants will emerge this Spring.  A close eye is also being kept on our native grasslands with a variety of kangaroo grass. weeping, tussock and wallaby grass varieties doing quite well.  Most of Victoria's native grasslands are now lost so it is important to assist their regeneration wherever possible. 

Update - May 2009
The Wildlife Habitat is already proving a success. When we bought the property after the bushfires in late 2006, the resident wild mob of kangaroos were decimated and would disappear as soon as they saw humans. They seem to know we are not there to annoy or harm them and are becoming quite comfortable with us around.  They enjoyed drinking from the new wetland particularly over the hot months.

Now the mob is growing with new joeys in and out of the pouch and they graze within 50m of the house! We haven't done anything to make it happen, we've just left them alone. It's lovely.

The other day Janine was kneeling at the edge of the new wetland planting trees when she heard a hop. Upslope, a small family of kangaroos was making its way to the wetland for a drink. She stayed low and they didn't really see her until they were part way down. They looked, flicked their ears back and forth, and paused a moment to decide, then came on down to the water! Across a distance of only 20 metres she watched, entranced, as the big female and her little daughter drank.

For the first time in all her 17 years working with kangaroos, Janine heard a wild kangaroo drink. Isn't that crazy? It had never occurred to her that she had missed out on such an important part of her kangaroo education. One never stops learning!

Of course, at this exciting moment in her life she didn't have the camera.

Another treat for us was hearing the kangaroos munching the grass close to the deck where we were standing.

Update - January 2009

We are looking after our plants and animals as well as possible during the very hot weather, although we have very strict water restrictions in the area. Luckily we still have some water in the dam and new wetland. Regular birds include the local pair of Peregrine Falcons and family of 4 Wedge-Tailed Eagles, as well as the Magpies, Galahs, Cockatoos and countless smaller birds. The two smaller mobs of Kangaroos and Serena, our resident Swamp Wallaby are quite accustomed to us being around now. 

Update - September 2008

Among the hills we have some very healthy rare plants (Velvet Daisy-bush (Olearia pannosa subsp. cardiophylla) which will  be looked after. 

We have planted over 200 new plants already. We plan to make it full of natural shelter and food for wildlife. Habitat destruction has always been the biggest threat for wildlife, so we are putting some back. It's only a tiny step, but lots of little steps make a difference.

Kangaroos, Swamp Wallabies and Koalas will not be the only animals to benefit from our Wildlife Habitat. More water birds and frogs will come to the two wetlands, little birds will shelter in the spiny, tangled shrubs we are planting for them, possums and parrots will nest in the specially-designed nest boxes we are hanging up for them. Reptiles will find a home in the rocky outcrops and fallen logs, and they'll never know how carefully we've arranged their new homes (the snake homes will be placed well away from the house, love them though we do!).

We are very keen to see what wonderful wildflowers and other plants will be on show this Spring as it is now the second spring since the bushfires and natural regeneration is occurring. The Brisbane Ranges area is well know for its diversity and wildflowers.

Update - April 2008
Some of our new plants are already being tasted by our local wallabies and the kangaroos are keeping some of the grass short. Our resident male Koala has been heard and seen feeding in the River Red Gums and a Yellow Gum. The variety of birdlife and other creatures has noticeable increased now that it is more than two years since the bushfire on the property and the neighbouring National Park.

Wildlife Habitat 

Our Wildlife habitat is a 36 acre privately owned property on the border of the Brisbane Ranges National Park - home to wild Eastern-grey Kangaroos, Swamp Wallabies, a Koala, frogs  and many species of birds.

 Most of the property is untouched natural Bushland, with some grassland degraded by past farming practices.  It is regenerating after being partly burnt in the January 2006 bushfires and we have started the big job of revegetating the front and side perimeters to create a wildlife corridor connecting to the bush on both sides.

Private Wildlife Habitat property adjoining National Park

The property will be environmentally sustainable with solar hot water, rainwater tanks and all waste converted to irrigation water.

A new wetland area created in 2008 is already providing water for the animals and birds and additional habitat.

The regeneration work we are carrying out is directed at improving the diversity of the grassland to it's pre-farming condition, creating shelter-belts and corridors of shrubs and trees for wildlife, and revegetating the eroded creekline.  

The Wildlife Habitat will be covenanted to ensure that the Bushland is maintained in perpetuity.

Echidna Walkabout's tours support this regeneration and revegetation and also contribute to the protection of wild kangaroos and koalas, through research and by fostering understanding of their value in their wild state.