Jewel of the Otways
The property adjoins Melba Gully National Park and contains spectacular examples of mature Otway Ranges vegetation and a section of Melba Gully Creek which is a tributary of the Johanna River. Wet Forest quickly descends into a deep gully that contains high quality remnant Cool Temperate Rainforest, which is classified as endangered in the Otway Ranges and covers the majority of the property. Floristic and structural diversity within the property is high and habitat niches are abundant including some very large, old growth hollow bearing trees. There is a well-developed canopy of huge Myrtle Beech and Blackwood trees, with the understory dominated by a diverse range of tree ferns of significant size and very high habitat value, epiphytic flora and mosses.
Numerous rare and threatened species have been recorded on the covenant including Grey Goshawks, Otway Black snails, Boobook and Powerful Owls, towering Slender Tree Ferns and even Brush-tailed Phascogale. Trailcams regularly catch swamp wallaby, bandicoots, antechinus, koala, and an abundance of ground dwelling birds, including the delightful and precious Rufous Bristlebird.
The upper roadside section (of approx. one acre) is a flat grassy area which is currently used for private and peaceful off-grid camping. There are two small garden style sheds and one larger storage shed with a rainwater tank and shower facility attached. One of these photos shows the clearing blanketed in snow in 2016.