Serendipitously, her parents had been looking for a place to be closer to nature. They’d been considering the coast, but started looking in the Strathbogie Ranges, in
the Strathbogie Shire in North East Victoria. In 2000, they found their beautiful property, Aviemore, which became a base from which Jen could do her research in the ranges.
the Strathbogie Shire in North East Victoria. In 2000, they found their beautiful property, Aviemore, which became a base from which Jen could do her research in the ranges.
“It’s a place to engage with the landscape, and enjoy the landscape,” says Michael, Jen’s brother. “It’s been a sort of family retreat. We all love spending time there.”
The property is covered in peppermints, where echidnas forage and wallabies and Koalas browse, and is home to more than 80 species of birds, including Crested
Shrike-tits, Powerful Owls, Gang-gang Cockatoos and Satin Bowerbirds. In 2024, the family – Jen and Michael, their parents Angus and Sue, Michael’s partner Radhika
and Jen’s partner Euan – decided to protect the property forever with a conservation covenant, contributing half the costs of the covenant. As well as exempting
the family from paying land tax, the covenant helps secure habitat in the highly fragmented forests of the Strathbogie Ranges.
Shrike-tits, Powerful Owls, Gang-gang Cockatoos and Satin Bowerbirds. In 2024, the family – Jen and Michael, their parents Angus and Sue, Michael’s partner Radhika
and Jen’s partner Euan – decided to protect the property forever with a conservation covenant, contributing half the costs of the covenant. As well as exempting
the family from paying land tax, the covenant helps secure habitat in the highly fragmented forests of the Strathbogie Ranges.
“What we’re doing at Aviemore at least gives me the feeling that I’m achieving something here,” says Angus. “As a family we made a decision that the covenant would be a good idea because it aligns the title with the family intention for the property, which is to look after it for nature.”
Nature runs in the family. Angus is a retired zoologist whose research looked at the evolutionary biology of frogs and Sue is a lifelong naturalist who has catalogued Aviemore’s wildflowers and butterflies. Euan is a Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at Deakin University.
“It’s a tangible way to feel like you’re having a positive impact in the world. A lot of the time as an academic who works in this area, you research these things and
you talk about these things, but sometimes you feel like not a lot of progress is being made,” says Euan. ”So having that link to something that’s within your
control and that’s positive is really important to me.”
you talk about these things, but sometimes you feel like not a lot of progress is being made,” says Euan. ”So having that link to something that’s within your
control and that’s positive is really important to me.”
Since they acquired the Strathbogie Ranges property, the family has worked hard to control blackberries on the property and restore the forest, planting hundreds of trees. Two decades on, the changes are becoming clear.
“The trees that we planted now look like a forest in some areas. There’s at least one tree that’s now too big to get your arms around. That’s pretty special, to
be able to see the results of our restoration efforts,” says Michael.
be able to see the results of our restoration efforts,” says Michael.
The family are keenly aware of changes they’re seeing on the property. The birdlife and the forest are changing. Deer are increasing and damaging the forest. But the covenant is a way for them to contribute to dealing with these changes.
“I think a lot of people still don’t realise just how crucial private land conservation really is,” says Euan. “If you want to have good conservation outcomes for wildlife
and ecosystems across Australia, it’s essential to work with private landowners. There’s huge opportunity to take relatively simple steps, like controlling weeds,
revegetating areas, and restoring wildlife habitat, which together can lead to wonderful outcomes.”
and ecosystems across Australia, it’s essential to work with private landowners. There’s huge opportunity to take relatively simple steps, like controlling weeds,
revegetating areas, and restoring wildlife habitat, which together can lead to wonderful outcomes.”
Jen discovered that the social and mating relationships of Bobucks depended on the availability of hollow-bearing trees for shelter and Silver Wattle trees (Bobucks’ main food source) in the habitat. Since completing her research, she’s become a science communication teacher, sharing knowledge so that people can make informed decisions. Now, she and the rest of her family are passing on that knowledge to the next generations.
“The covenant will mean that, for our children and all of the generations to come, this important patch of habitat that we care about so deeply is protected,” says Jen. “We know that there will be support and motivation and drive to look after it into the future.”
If you’ve enjoyed reading the Martins story about their property in the Strathbogie Ranges, you may also be interested to hear Moyha and John’s experience fighting climate change through wetland conservation. You can also read more about Jen and her work as a scientist here.
