Over ten years they worked diligently to remove acres of Gorse, Blackberry, Thistle and English Broom from the property, and kilometres of old fencing. After putting in dams, kangaroos that visited the property seasonally took up residence, and waterbirds began to visit, feeding on yabbies in the dams.
“Over time we have seen a lot of regeneration which has been delightful to observe,” says Rose. “It’s been a natural progression of changes that have been welcoming to nature. With guidance from our Trust for Nature Project Manager, we have recently embarked on a forest and understory planting program to supplement the ongoing natural regeneration.”
“Over time we have seen a lot of regeneration which has been delightful to observe,” says Rose. “It’s been a natural progression of changes that have been welcoming to nature. With guidance from our Trust for Nature Project Manager, we have recently embarked on a forest and understory planting program to supplement the ongoing natural regeneration.”
Keen bushwalkers, Rose and Stephen have always enjoyed nature in all its forms. It was also where they noticed the difference between areas that had been rehabilitated or left untouched, and those areas that had been adversely impacted by human activity.
“Conservation comes from that awareness. It made us realise that on our property we can make a difference, and very naturally. We started with potential and we continue to work with, and build on that.” Rose says.
Beautiful patches of remnant forest on Rose and Stephen’s property.
For Rose, living on the property and observing how it changes has been a joy and an education.
“The property continues to provide ongoing surprises, like in late 2025 when many tiny onion orchids popped up over large areas in substantial numbers, while 2026 has produced an eruption of fungi with hardly anywhere spared.”
“We know that the property can experience strong winds throughout the year and fierce frosts, so we incorporate that knowledge into what and where we plant. We’re also willing to experiment and be a bit spontaneous – we offer nature a bit of a banquet and see what takes.”
“The property continues to provide ongoing surprises, like in late 2025 when many tiny onion orchids popped up over large areas in substantial numbers, while 2026 has produced an eruption of fungi with hardly anywhere spared.”
“We know that the property can experience strong winds throughout the year and fierce frosts, so we incorporate that knowledge into what and where we plant. We’re also willing to experiment and be a bit spontaneous – we offer nature a bit of a banquet and see what takes.”
As members of Woodend Landcare, Rose and Stephen have worked across the community to restore habitat. Rose and Stephen’s property is home to the threatened Black Gum (Eucalyptus aggregata) and they have worked with the Threatened Species Network, and with support from Woodend Landcare, to plant the species and increase its numbers.
Rose and Stephen registered their property with Land for Wildlife in 2001, and in 2026 protected it forever with a conservation covenant. They were aware of the pressure that might arise to subdivide the property.
Rose and Stephen are restoring areas of cleared land.
“We just could not let that happen here. It’s a thrill and dream come true to have the covenant in place, that we’ve been able to take something and create habitat for wildlife and conservation. It feels very powerful in a meaningful way. We want to see that things are changing for the better and nurtured for the future.”