Summary
The company has been through a less hectic period over the last few months following the conclusion of
the purchase of further Tothills property, and the transfer of the Talyala property title last year. These acquisitions significantly increased the land holdings of Bushland Conservation and the properties have now been absorbed into the management of the company.
The very dry summer is clearly impacting the vegetation, particularly at Rockleigh with the recent plantings. Watering of the 2024 plantings at Rockleigh has helped but it does highlight the challenges and costs of restoring native vegetation.
A successful AGM was held at the company’s Kangaroo Island property last October providing members
with a good opportunity to visit this wonderful bush property and coastline.
Bushland Conservation is supportive of people wishing to visit its properties for conservation purposes and in the last few months has had visits to Rockleigh from groups including BirdsSA and Friends of Private Bushland (FoPB) and to the Tothills by Faith Lutheran College.
2025 AGM
The 2025 Annual General Meeting, to be held on the company’s Rockleigh property in October, will be an
opportunity to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Bushland Conservation. This is indeed a major milestone
for the company. It is a testament to the founders’ vision and the ongoing efforts of members to grow and
maintain its properties for conservation.
Property News
Rockleigh
Rockleigh continues to be the main focus of work for managing the company’s properties. In addition to the substantial re-planting projects, there is the ongoing work on mowing and weed control, the native grasses nursery, seed collection, watering, track and fence maintenance, pest animal control, the bird watering point etc. Thank you to the Rockleigh management group and volunteers for their efforts in continuing to maintain this property so well.
After some good conditions and encouraging planting programmes in 2021 and 2022, the realities of vari-
able weather caught up with us in 2023 and 2024. The combination of frosts and dry conditions has signif-
icantly reduced the plant survival rates in 2023 and 2024, despite efforts of our volunteers and watering.
Some useful lessons have been gained and will be applied to future planting programmes.
2025 Planting Programmes
NVHA Grant Re-vegetation Project
The company has committed to putting in 3500 plants inside the exclosure in 2025. The timing of this work will depend on when the rains start but the plan is to get the plants in as early as possible. This will allow them to strengthen up prior to any potential frosts, which caused significant loses in 2023 and 2024.Once again we will be looking for volunteers to help out with this substantial planting programme.
More details will be provided once we have a clearer understanding of when the rains will arrive
Biodiversity Links Project Monarto-Tungkillo
The company will again be working with Second Nature Conservancy (SNC) in support of this biodiversity
linking project. Funding is from a grant obtained by SNC. Bushland Conservation will provide volunteer
support to put in the 1000 plants.
Pest Animal Control
Deer are a significant destructive pest at Rockleigh (and the Tothills) and deer control is a substantial ex-
pense for the company as landholders are responsible for removal of deer. Bushland Conservation continues to apply for grant funding to help control deer at Rockleigh through the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board but without success. This is in contrast to the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board which is very supportive of the company’s efforts in the Tothills. Hopefully we will be successful in the current grant round. The company will continue its activities to eradicate deer at Rockleigh and will consider how best to manage this ongoing basis if grant funding is not available.
Tothill Ranges
Pest Animal Control
Bushland Conservation has again agreed to participate in an aerial shooting programme in 2025 to be un-
dertaken and paid for by NPWS. The company also continues to engage a professional shooter for pest
animal control and the benefits of maintaining both approaches were clearly demonstrated last year.
Despite excellent conditions and a blanket thermal imaging coverage of the Tothills Ranges during the aerial shoot in 2024 there was a complete absence of deer. We knew from our camera traps that there were deer in the general area but they had moved on by the time of the aerial programme. Deer were subsequently picked up by the camera traps and our professional shooter was able to respond quickly, culling two deer. The company will continue to monitor and control deer activity in the Tothills.
New Reptile Species Records
Andrew Wurst’s persistence with his “tile project” to research reptiles continues to deliver results with the
discovery of a new species for the Tothills property, a Blind Snake (Anilios bicolour). Getting closer to the
elusive worm lizard! He also recorded a Sand Goanna (Varanus gouldii) on camera which is another exciting new reptile species for the property.
New Tothill Property Plan Update
The board has been investigating the opportunity to obtain and sell Significant Economic Benefit (SEB)
credits, linked to the company’s commitment to place the new blocks under Heritage Agreement. Detailed
discussions were held with a potential buyer but unfortunately these didn’t progress to an agreement. One
of the challenges is that the bushland purchased by the company is already of high conservation value with minimal scope for environment improvement to provide an economy benefit. It is somewhat ironic that the offset process appears to disadvantage the preservation of high quality natural bushland in perpetuity in favour of costly re-vegetation of degraded land. The board will continue to consider options that may benefit its commitment to preserve this new bushland in perpetuity.
Kangaroo Island
Bushland Conservation continues to support the feral cat eradication programme providing access to trap-
ping locations on its property, including two Felixer cat traps. The elimination of cats from the Dudley
Peninsula would be a major step forward for conservation and hopefully this programme will be able to continue to a successful conclusion.
Talyala
Fortunately this property is largely self managed under the watchful eyes of the White family
