Hollow homes
Monitoring our reserves in north-west Victoria, Dja Dja Wurrung Country, helps future homes for hollow-dependent fauna.
This small property joins up our J.C. Griffin Reserve and John Douglas blocks, making it a crucial piece in connecting remnant woodlands of the Kara-Kara Wedderburn area in central Victoria.
Much of the temperate woodlands in the Goldfields' region in Central Victoria has been cleared in the name of agriculture, gold mining or timber harvesting.
Connecting up and extending the pockets of remnant habitat that remains has been a focus of our work in the region.
In particular, these woodlands are important habitat for declining woodland birds. Over 100 species have been recorded on our reserves in the region, a suite of declining species including Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter, Brown Treecreeper and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters have all been recorded at Sanstrom.
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Jacky Winter. Photo Rowan Mott.
Migratory species such as endangered Swift Parrots and threatened Blue-winged Parrots, have also been spotted at our Victorian reserves. Migratory birds face greater challenges than resident species.
Their need for high-quality habitats across different locations and seasons, as well as the need for habitat connectivity along migration routes, makes them vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation.
Our Victorian reserves witness the arrival of various species during winter migration, including Silvereyes, Striated Pardalotes and Grey Fantails.
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Brown Treecreeper. Photo Ian Mayo.
What Sanstrom protects
This property preserves some ecological values that are important to protect in this landscape (much like the neighbouring reserves (J.C. Griffin and John Douglas).
Vegetation communities: Heathy Woodlands, Box Ironbark Forest, Grassy Woodland/Alluvial Terraces, Herb-rich Woodland Mosaic and threatened orchids.
Animals: Declining woodland birds such as the Brown Treecreeper, Black Chinned Honeyeater and Yellow-Tufted Honeyeater. Ground-dwelling fauna such as the Painted Button-quail, Echidna, Peaceful Dove and Common bronzewing. As well as hollow dependent fauna (possums, gliders and other small mammals).
What we're doing
Our work on Sanstrom will be an extension of programs on our neighbouring J.C. Griffin and John Douglas reserves. Annual bird surveys and spring monitoring will help us keep track of the health of resident fauna. While reducing grazing pressure and the attention of resident orchid whisperer, Julie Radford, should help identify threatened orchid populations.
Weed control, particularly of any new Wheel Cactus incursions, will be important, as will the opportunity to reintroduce cultural burns, with the Dja Dja Wurrung people to reinvigorate the landscape.
Our partners
As always, we're working closely with our neighbours in the area on landscape-scale conservation initiatives. These include Parks Victoria, North-Central Catchment Management Authority and Trust for Nature.
Over 20 years that we've been working in the region, we've established a strong relationship with Djaara, who have been involved with and supportive of this property's acquisition from the beginning.
