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Bush Heritage Australia to protect vital piece of Murray-Darling Basin ecosystem.
Leading conservation not-for-profit Bush Heritage Australia has successfully raised the funds to acquire a property that forms one of the most important waterbird breeding sites in Australia.
Nil Desperandum is a 4,037-hectare property located in one of the least disturbed parts of the Murray–Darling Basin in north-western New South Wales.
The acquisition extends the bushland between Yantabulla Station, a partnership property owned by South Endeavor Trust, and Bush Heritage’s Naree Reserve, which links to the NSW state government’s newly acquired Cuttaburra National Park. All up this extends a nature corridor covering over 70,000 hectares and protecting almost 200 native species.
Nil Desperandum, meaning ‘nothing is to be despaired of’, is part of a nationally significant wetland, Yantabulla Swamp. By purchasing the property, Bush Heritage will protect critical wetland habitat.
“The Yantabulla Swamp is an incredibly important waterbird breeding site, it is one of the most significant wetlands in the Murray–Darling Basin,” says Dr Jo Axford, Head of Region at Bush Heritage. “We see a huge diversity and abundance of birds in this area including migratory birds that come when conditions are right, and tens of thousands of waterbirds that rely on this ecosystem to forage, nest and breed.”
The property has historically been grazed by cattle and sheep, which put pressure on the ecosystems and impacted the survival of native species. Feral goats and pigs have also been known to damage wetlands and bird nests, even eating eggs and chicks.
“This is a long-awaited opportunity for us to reverse the damage done to this ecosystem. We have over 30-years of rigorous science as well as right-way knowledge that informs our conservation work. I can’t wait to get boots on the ground to help revive this landscape,” Axford said.
Ross Mitchell, Aboriginal Partnerships Manager for the North Region, says the acquisition also offers Traditional Custodians the chance to reconnect with Country.
“When I first stood on Nil Desperandum I could feel its presence and its power. It’s not my Country, it’s Budjiti Country, but I knew immediately how significant it would be if we purchased it given the endless opportunity for Budjiti Custodians return to Country.”
Bush Heritage and Budjiti Custodians will work together to have cultural camps and connect with schools in the region to ensure cultural knowledge of Country is passed on.
Bush Heritage CEO Rachel Lowry expressed her appreciation for the generosity of donors.
– Rachel Lowry, Bush Heritage CEO“Time and again Bush Heritage have found these incredible parcels of land that are vital to assist landscape scale conservation, and time and again Australians have answered our call for support, helping us step in and purchase to protect these landscapes that needs us most.”
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