| HEY THERE NATURE LOVERS!Here's the latest scoop from our corner of the Clarence Valley. Sit back, grab a cuppa, and let's dive into what's been happening lately at Banyula in our ongoing mission to preserve and protect our precious environment. | |  | This year's NCC Picnic for Nature turned out to be another delightful event for the Clarence Valley. It was heartening to witness over 60 local conservationists and nature lovers having a great time, soaking in the beauty of nature and relishing the day's activities.
Throughout the event, there was a buzz of networking, as people engaged in lively conversations and shared their love for the environment. John Edwards’ Flora Walk and Talk was a huge success (as always), offering great insight into the wonderful world of Australian native trees along Ironbark Circuit.
The musical performances by Column 8 Conspiracy Theorists and Gumbaynggirr artists; Manduway and Kobi, provided entertainment and cultural enrichment further enhancing the overall experience of the day. It was a wonderful gathering that not only celebrated nature but also fostered a sense of community and appreciation for the land and its diverse cultures | | SPECIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The Brush-tailed Phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) is a nocturnal marsupial that looks like an Aussie version of a squirrel, but a lot smaller. With its cute furry body and, you guessed it, a bushy tail, this little critter is known for its acrobatic skills, zipping around trees in search of insects and small prey to fuel their high-energy lifestyle - this one, seen using Banyula as its personal playground!
Sadly, these critters face threats from habitat loss, fires and feral animals such as cats and foxes. So, it’s awesome to see these threatened animals thriving at Banyula. |
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| | WEED UPDATE
Did you know that Banyula has its very own weed team? Every week, this dedicated group of Weed Warriors set out in the gators to tackle Lantana; our most common weed, and are always on the lookout for Camphor Laurel and Groundsel bush as well.
So far, 73% of Banyula’s 1150 acres has been covered by our weed team (green & orange), or by the Clarence Environment Centres weed team over the years (brown).
It gives us so much satisfaction to see this map turning green over time and we appreciate the effort our dedicated Weed Team and others put in to enhance Banyula’s natural habitat. |
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| | BATS AT BANYULA
A few months ago we were sent AudioMoth bat detectors which we installed on the property which recorded the echolocation signals of bats as they passed by it at night. We are chuffed to see that the Bats in Backyards citizen Science program run by our friends at Save our Species has since identified 9 species of insectivorous bats at Banyula!
All Insect-eating bats are crucial for natural pest control but populations are fast declining due to habitat loss caused by human activities. This impacts their ability to control agricultural pests and disease-carrying insects such as those pesky mosquitoes and other annoying insects.
Species detected are: Austronomus australis White-striped Free-tailed Bat, Chalinolobus gouldii Gould's Wattled Bat Miniopterus australis Little Bent-winged Bat (Vulnerable) Miniopterus orianae Large Bent-winged Bat (Vulnerable) Nyctophilus sp. Long-eared Bat species Ozimops ridei Ride's Free-tailed Bat Rhinolophus megaphyllus Eastern Horseshoe Bat Scotorepens sp. Parnaby's Broad-nosed Bat Vespadelus troughtoni / Vespadelus vulturnus / Vespadelus pumilus Eastern Cave Bat / Little Forest Bat / Eastern Forest Bat
|  | | LARGE FOREST OWL PROJECT
Our friends at The Nature Conservation Council (NCC) have been working hard to help large forest owls thrive in our landscape, focusing much of their attention on the Vulnerable Barking Owl as they are in drastic decline across NSW, but still found in our area.
Last month, Banyula became the drop point for 200 nest boxes for this project, where they will be distributed over properties that have signed up to help these wonderful nocturnal creatures. The aim is install these boxes to encourage more habitat opportunities to allow the key prey species for the owl to thrive, mainly gliders and possums.
For our neighbours in the Pillar Valley - the NCC are still looking for more properties to come on board. So, if you have some large trees and keen to help out, please fill out the EOI here. |
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| | THE RISE OF THE SUPER BILBY
Did you hear the recent ‘Conversation with Richard Fidler’ on the ABC about what others are doing to help save our endangered species - such as the Bilby? Catherine and her colleagues have been working tirelessly for decades developing feral free enclosures and strategies to protect and reintroduce native animals back into the wild.
It’s a fascinating listen which will give you an insight into why we need to build these fences, and reminds us that we are all learning and doing our best in the race against cats, foxes and climate change. | | | NCC BASELINE SURVEY REPORT
Remember when the Nature Conservation Council undertook a baseline study of Banyula last winter and discovered the adorable Eastern Chestnut Mouse (Pseudomys gracilicaudatus)? Well, the report is back and it’s great to learn that the small mammal fauna at Banyula, particularly inside the sanctuary, appeared to be in a healthy intact state. | ‘The presence of a sizable population of Eastern Chestnut Mouse (Pseudomys gracilicaudatus) is of regional significance as there are very few records of this species in the lower Clarence Valley’ |
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| ‘Despite the impacts associated with cattle grazing, logging and uncontrolled fire in the past, the area is recovering well. The study area, inside, and outside of the enclosure contains diverse floristic and structural vegetation communities providing a range of food and other habitat sources for small mammals across time and space. Most sites had fallen logs available throughout the trapping area which provide cover and nest sites for small mammals, which is rich in terms of diversity’, according to this most recent survey.
‘Only two small mammalian species which could be present were not detected; Coastal Planigale (Planigale maculata) and New Holland Mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae), both of which are hard to trap in general, but we hope to locate them in subsequent surveys’. Kevin Taylor - Ecologist, NSW Nature Conservation Council.
| | BIRDERS AT BANYULA
It's always lovely hosting nature lovers at Banyula and last month, the Clarence Birders revisited the property and surprisingly, managed to spot 8 new bird species, bringing their total to 69! Among the sightings were the Painted Button-quail (female) which was a great discovery, and the group were pleased to witness the threatened Varied Sitellas gathering nesting materials.
We thank the Clarence Birders again, who have helped us add a few more feathers to the cap of our already diverse avian catalogue, now totalling 89! |
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| | SENTIS’ VISITS BANYULA
Last week, the Sentis team paid a visit to Banyula for an open day to celebrate their hard work and team achievements. The day was fun and informative as the team explored and participated in activities organised to showcase the conservation efforts and natural beauty of the reserve.
The excursion provided an insightful glimpse into the sanctuary's initiatives, allowing them to interact closely with the Banyula team, helping to increase diversity by scattering local lillypilly seeds, and learning about the diverse flora and fauna thriving within the area.
It was an enriching experience that fostered a deeper appreciation for what we are creating at Banyula and the importance of preserving such environments for future generations. |
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| | EMU UPDATE
Despite Dad and his seven chicks recently moving on, sightings of our cherished Emus persist on neighbouring wildlife properties, especially following the recent citizen science survey conducted by the SOS Emu Squad in October.
The preliminary survey results for the Lower Clarence population indicate 21 adults, 1 juvenile, and 20 chicks, a count nearly identical to the figures from 2016. Lia Hooper, Threatened Species Officer, emphasises, 'We know that there can be success in a good nesting season, however the long term survival of chicks is extremely low and we now need to focus efforts on increasing the survival rates of chicks to assist with getting them to a size where they are less prone to threats such as predation.'
Their intermittent presence continues to fascinate us, our neighbours and local conservationists, affirming the importance of these lands as a sanctuary for this endangered Coastal Emu population. |  | As we persist in our efforts to safeguard the Coastal Emu at Banyula, the sight of new growth on some of the Emus' preferred bush foods, recently planted inside the enclosure to try and supplement existing vegetation with the help of the Yaegl Indigenous Rangers, fills us with much joy! |
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