Harbury
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Trust for Nature received this 21.5 hectare property as a donation in 1977.
The property, east of Melbourne near Gembrook, is steeply sloping with dry forest on the slopes and lush fern gullies.
Three permanent creeks flow through the property and provide an important sanctuary for species in an area which has been radically altered by subdivision and urbanisation.
Treeferns, ferns and mosses dominate the gullies with Blackwood, Manna Gum and other eucalypts present. The slopes are well vegetated with shrubs and grasses.
The property is likely to support Bobuck, echidnas, Yellow-bellied Glider, Greater Glider, Sugar Glider, bats, Swamp Rat, Antechinus, Bush Rat and a variety of birds.
The property is managed by the Friends of Harbury with the support of Trust for Nature.
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Uambi
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Melbourne's Harper family generously donated this four hectare Heathmont property to Trust for Nature in 1988.
The property is a rare remnant within suburbia and is remarkably intact with a good diversity of species.
More than 187 plant species have been recorded and include diverse orchids and ground species.
The vegetation type is Mealy Stringybark Woodland and the mix of eucalypts is quite unusual.
Red Stringybark, normally associated with dry steep slopes, is found here along with Messmates which is a species normally found in moist foothill forests. The property suppots a good range of bird species.
Trust for Nature is grateful for the Harper family's ongoing support to manage this unique property.
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Wanderslore
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Trust for Nature received this 8.5 hectare Launching Place property as a donation in 1987.
Located in the Yarra Valley, east of Melbourne, this property is an oasis of bushland in an area now subdivided into small blocks.
Three main vegetation communities have been identified, which are in good condition.
Along the creeks, wattles, ferns and grasses are present with towering Manna Gum, Messmate and Narrow-leaf Peppermint found along the tops of gullies.
The rest of the property contains an open forest with Red Stringybark, Broad-leaf Peppermint and Long-leaf Box. The property has a good range of fungi.
Some small mammals may still remain but foxes, cats and dogs are likely to have reduced the population significantly.
The property supports a good range of birds and insects.
The Friends of Wanderslore manage this property with the support of Trust for Nature.
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Willis Nature Park
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Trust for Nature received part of this property as a land donation in 1986, which it consolidated with a land purchase of neighbouring lots in 1994.
The 50 hectare property is in Smiths Gully, north-east of Melbourne.
The property is large compared to other holdings in the area, now on average about eight hectares.
It was lightly grazed by cattle until the mid-1980s and is now re-generating. The remnant vegetation is in good condition and is an important addition to other bushland areas in the district.
Vegetation includes Long-leaf Box and Red Stringybark. Manna Gum grows along the drainage lines and tea-tree, wattles and grasses are common.
Wildlife includes wallabies, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, echidnas, Brush-tail Possum and Ringtail Possum. The property supports a range of woodland birds.
The property is managed by the Lyle Willis Nature Park Committee of Management with the support of Trust for Nature.
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Photos by: Chris Lindorff
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Bungalook Conservation Reserve
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This six hectare property is located at Kilsyth, an eastern suburb of Melbourne.
Trust for Nature purchased the property in 1990 with the help of the Montrose Environment Group and a public appeal.
The area has high-conservation value, mainly due to high species diversity and an unusual range of plants.
Seventy-two regionally-significant plant species have been identified. The property is dominated by a Swamp Gum Woodland community with Blackwood, Swamp Paperbark and Prickly Tea-tree.
Also present is a Silver-leaf Stringybark community, where the trees reach up to 20 metres tall and the shrub layer is not as thick as the Swamp Gum Woodland.
Over 60 birds, five reptiles, five mammals and four amphibians have been recorded at the site. It is managed by the Montrose Environment Group with the support of Trust for Nature.
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Dexter's Bush
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This one hectare property is located in Heathmont, an eastern suburb of Melbourne.
It was gifted to Trust for Nature in 1988 and the title transfered ownership to us in 1989. It is a significant example of remnant vegetation in an area that has now been extensively subdivided into residential allotments.
The main tree species are Silver-leafed Stringybark and Cherry Ballart. A wide variety of orchids, sedges and grasses make up the understorey.
For an urban block, this property has an excellent variety of bird species, butterflies and other insects. Snakes and possums are also present.
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Dunmoochin
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Trust for Nature acquired this six hectare property on the northern outskirts of Melbourne in 1989 through a land donation and purchase of two other lots.
Trust for Nature manages the two areas as one property. Dunmoochin adjoins another property protected by a Trust for Nature conservation covenant and forms an important habitat corridor with neighbouring properties.
Two plants of national significance, one plant considered of State significant and 83 regionally-siginificant species have been recorded here.
The remnant vegetation is Box-Stringybark Woodland with little shrub layer present. The ground layer is grassy with a good orchid presence. The area supports 20 mammal species.
Dunmoochin is managed by a resident manager with the support of Trust for Nature.
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Photo by: Laura Russo
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Eltham Copper Butterfly Reserve
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Trust for Nature purchased this small, one hectare property in Eltham after running a public appeal, with financial assistance from the former Shire of Eltham (now Nillumbik Shire Council) and the State Government.
The property is one of the most significant areas for the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly. An estimated 300 to 500 larvae of the butterfly have been recorded here.
The property is sparsley covered by eucalypts including Red Stringybark, Long-leaf Box and Candlebark. The vegetation is naturally quite open and conducive to the low flying activity of the butterfly.
Apart from the butterfly populations, a number of skinks and frogs have been identified on site.
The property is also likely to be home to ringtail and brushtail possums, echidnas, bats and sugar gliders. A variety of birds have been observed here.
The property is managed by Nillumbik Shire Council with the support of Trust for Nature.
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