Five years of work has transformed a Taralga district property into a welcoming place for wombats and other wildlife.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Dianna and Warwick Bisset bought ‘Rocklily’ near Wombeyan Caves 15 years ago but in 2012 retired there and turned their attention to conservation.
The holding, nestled in a valley and set against the Greater Blue Mountains National Park, is now a sanctuary. The couple had noticed the poor health and injuries of wildlife in the area and wanted to help.
They began successfully treating wombats affected by mange and have since helped landowners across Australia reduce and treat mange-ridden wombats on their properties.
Both are licensed carers through Wildlife Rescue South Coast, and have used their experience to run a rescue and soft release program for wildlife with fractures, barbed wire injuries, stress dermatitis and road injuries.
At ‘Rocklily,’ wombats are housed in ‘wombatoriums’ made from recycled roller doors, and the various macropods roam in enclosures until they are strong enough to be released back into the wild.
Between them, Mr and Mrs Bisset have rescued and treated countless animals in need and provided a safe habitat for a wide array of species.
But it took a great deal of work.
The couple cleared piles of rubbish, kilometres of fencing and barbed wire and restored eroded and weed-infested areas on the land. They have repopulated the dams with native yabbies, replanted native vegetation and altered the land with contour rips and dams to restore the topsoil.
“It's simple things that we do here and hopefully we encourage others to care for their land,” Mrs Bisset said.
Gradually, wildlife populations began to thrive. Brush-tailed rock wallabies, bare-nosed wombats, wallaroos and wedge-tailed eagles all became more abundant, especially after professional predator control measures were implemented.
The Bissets said they linked up with the Wildlife Land Trust (WLT) because it shared their values and allowed them to protect their land on their own terms.
WLT involves 492 landholders and almost 60,000 hectares across. It is free and open to any landholder who cares about the environment, according to a spokeswoman.
Like other members, the Bissets use the network to connect with other wildlife rescuers and educate communities about the importance of habitat protection.
“The benefits of belonging to the Wildlife Land Trust are seeing other like-minded properties around Australia, and it's a great way to start to show that you care for the environment,” the Bissets said.
“There is access to various grants and programs as well.”
The couple have some 36 animals in care and in the process of release. Plenty of restoration and improvement is still needed around the property.
If you would like to help or require more information, visit www.wildlifelandtrust.org.au or email wlt@hsi.org.au.
