Trust For Nature

Wanderers Plain

Wanderers Plain grassland supports a number of threatened fauna such as the Plains-wanderer, Fat-tailed Dunnart, Tessellated Gecko, Curl Snake and the Little-button Quail, and at 1,895 hectares, it is Trust for Nature's second largest property.

   

Purchased in May 2010, with funding support from the Australian Government and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria), Wanderers Plain is of significant conservation value. Grassy plains once covered an area of 730,000 hectares over the north of the State but now less than five per cent of that area remains in an undisturbed condition. These grassland plains are prime areas for agriculture and stock grazing and have been cleared at a rate of 1,000 hectares per year since 2000. Through this land purchase, Trust for Nature has helped to conserve this threatened ecological system and those species which call it home.

Photo by: Mick Lumb

Korrak Korrak Grassland

This 246 hectare property just south-west of Kerang forms part of the Victorian Riverina.

Trust for Nature purchased the property in 2000. The property has only ever been lightly grazed and contains a good example of the region's grassland communities.

The property features a number of rare or threatened plants as well as numerous fauna species identified as threatened. These include Fat-tailed Dunnart; a number of declining woodland birds such as Brown Treecreeper and Hooded Robin; the critically endangered Hooded Scaly-foot and the vulnerable Curl Snake.

Photo by Eris O'Brien

Glassons Grassland

Trust for Nature purchased this 170 hectare grassland at Terrick Terrick East, west of Rochester, with the assistance of the Natural Heritage Trust's National Reserve System program.

This property is significant because it has been lightly grazed in a region that is now largely cleared and intensively managed for agriculture.

It supports a number of threatened flora and fauna species and is considered to be one of the most important for the conservation of the endemic Plains Wanderer.

It is less than 10km from Terrick Terrick National Park and forms part of a network of grassland remnants in the area.

The grassland is regarded as floristically outstanding. Significant species identified include Maireana and two Swainsona species. The grassland constitutes habitat for the endangered Plains Wanderer and the vulnerable Brolga. It is likely that a variety of other birds also use this property.

Photo by Eris O'Brien

Kinypanial Grasslands

The Kinypanial Grasslands consists of two properties totalling 210 hectares which are situated within a few kilometres of each other.

The Kinypanial Grasslands are north-west of Bendigo near the Loddon River.

Trust for Nature purchased the properties with the assistance of the Natural Heritage Trust's National Reserve System program. The Native Plants Preservation Society also assisted Trust for Nature to purchase the first property, while The RE Ross Trust assisted with the purchase of the second property.

Both properties are rare examples of grasslands in a region that has been widely grazed and cultivated for grain production. These paddocks have only ever been lightly grazed and consequently many rare or threatened plants have been recorded.

The grasslands are dominated by wallaby grasses and Spear Grass, with a diverse ground cover of native herbs, Saltbush, lillies and daisies, along with scattered Grey Box and Buloke.