Reduce, reuse, recycle this World Environment Day
For people living in cities and towns, rubbish removal is one of the many conveniences of life that we take for granted. But what about those who live remotely?
Infrastructure might seem boring, but it’s incredibly important in supporting the critical conservation work we do. Providing the right kind of infrastructure for staff and volunteers is essential to allow them to get on with the job.
Australia’s harsh seasons impact staff and volunteers across all our reserves. Providing shelter from the sub-zero freezing temperatures sometimes felt in our southern states and the harsh sun in the country’s north is vital.
New accommodation at Naree
Temperatures at our Naree Station Reserve on Budjiti Country, 140 km from Bourke, can soar close to 50 degrees during summer, leaving a parched landscape and local workforce.
After a harsh day in the sun, Reserve Manager Jack Liersch and his partner, Bridget Roberts, the Reserve Ecologist, take a refreshing dip in one of the waterholes dotted across the vast landscape.
This moment of peaceful solitude is among the many reasons why the pair love living in this remote corner in northwest NSW. But living here doesn’t come without its challenges.
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Aerial view of floodwaters across Naree. Photo Bridget Roberts.
The former pastoral property lies 500 km from the town of Dubbo and can be cut off from the outside world for weeks at a time due to flooding.
Jack and Bridget live and work on reserve. The house is their sanctuary to escape the harsh conditions, relax and take a break from the day-to-day of reserve life.
The original native pine weatherboard served as a house for staff at Naree since we acquired the property in 2012, but it wasn't fit-for-purpose. So, we decided to provide a new house for the Reserve Manager.
– Jack Liersch, Naree Reserve Manager“With very little insulation, floorboards you could see through, the odd snake and Australia’s worst laid out kitchen, the old house was ready to retire.”
“Topping off all this, Naree is prone to flooding and has had several inches of water through the house on two occasions,” said Jack.
Being so remote, there were limited local options for renovations and new builds. So, we headed 500 km down the road to find a solution.
We found a builder in Dubbo to construct a fit-for-purpose transportable house for Naree. Once it was ready to move, they navigated some tricky logistics to bring it onto reserve.
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The transportable house crossing a river. Photo Christine Ferguson.
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The house was split into three parts and transported from Dubbo. Photo Jack Liersch.
“They split the house across three trucks and loaded up each room with more materials for the floors, verandas and carport, then hit the road. After more than 500 km, the builder’s team arrived at sundown at Naree,” says Bridget Roberts.
“By sunset the next day all three sections were in place, and both decks partly assembled. It was amazing to see it come together without a crane involved.”
The house was designed with all of Naree’s harsh environmental conditions in mind. We opted for screened verandas to prevent flies, mosquitoes, crickets, and other miscellaneous bugs from getting in, while the heavy insulation and industrial air conditioner will help keep our staff cool in summer. Lighter paint colours were also chosen to help maximise energy efficiency.
In preparation for the big floods, the house had a cold room installed for food storage and has also been positioned on higher ground.
– Jack Liersch, Naree Reserve Manager“Ultimately, having a well-insulated, sealed and well-equipped house in a remote area is critical to staff comfort, retention and work output.”
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The back of the house after it was reconstructed at Naree. Photo Jack Liersch.
The Scottsdale Conservation Centre
An 11-hour drive south, our Scottsdale Reserve staff and volunteers have been anticipating their own exciting new build to help them through the cold winter months.
NSW Volunteer Coordinator Mina Bui Jones remembers seeing frosty faces during virtual meetings from Scottsdale last winter, before their new conservation centre was complete.
“They were sitting at their desks swathed in woollen beanies, scarves and jackets, their condensing breath visible though the computer screen, trying to type with fingerless gloves, and blowing on their fingers in between sentences,” she recalls.
– Mina Bui Jones, Bush Heritage NSW Volunteer Coordinator“The reserve staff are incredibly strong people and acclimatised to the region, but still, it’s just wonderful that they now have an elegant, comfortable and climate-adapted office."
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The Scottsdale Conservation Centre will help us look after our staff and volunteers. Photo by FJ.
Just 45 minutes south of Canberra, our Scottsdale Reserve is located on the lands of the Ngambri and Ngarigo people. It protects temperate grasslands and endangered grassy box-gum woodlands. It's also home to the nationally vulnerable Silver-leafed Mountain Gum.
Much of the land was cleared for farming during the 1800s and 1900s. It is now our busiest reserve for volunteers, as people help us restore the precious native woodlands that once stood tall across the local landscape.
To look after Country, we first need to look after our staff and volunteers. Long-term Bush Heritage advocate Gina Grubb recognised this need, when visiting and volunteering at Scottsdale. With this ethos, and Gina’s generosity, the new Scottsdale Conservation Centre was born.
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Staff and volunteers at the opening of the new Scottsdale Conservation Centre. Photo Sharron Marks.
The new building will be used as daily offices for reserve staff, to host events and to support our incredible volunteers.
“It is well designed for the climate on the Monaro and having energy efficient, comfortable accommodation and recreation areas is going to save energy costs and carbon emissions,” says Mina Bui Jones.
She says the facility is also a practical way to give back to the many people who have contributed to Scottsdale over the past 20 years.
"It’s kind of an architectural expression of gratitude and hope for continued care,” she says.
