Stuart & Karyn Mitchell are the owners of Emerald Sanctuary, a property situated in Mareeba, approximately 30km southwest of Cairns, Queensland. The property adjoins Dinden West Forest Reserve and is closeby to Dinden National Park. Emerald Sanctuary is currently used as a pre-release site for agile wallabies, whiptail wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos and wallaroos. Owners Stuart and Karyn intend to use the property for rehabilitation and release of other species including birds.
Emerald Sanctuary spans 33 hectares and is comprised of a hilly savannah bush block with a seasonal creek. The property also has three seasonal creeks and a small waterfall. Native plant species on the property include Eucalyptus, Grevillea and native grasses.
The property provides habitat for a range of species including whiptail wallabies (Notamacropus parryi), brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), white tail rats (Uromys caudimaculatus) northern spotted quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) bandicoots, dingoes (Canis dingo) lesser sooty owls (Tyto multipunctate), curlews, lace monitors (Varanus varius), carpet pythons (Morelia spilota), tree snakes (Dendrelaphis punctulatus), whip snakes (Demansia sp.), keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii), green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea), dainty frogs (Litoria gracilenta), white-lipped tree frogs (Litoria infrafrenata), northern laughing tree frogs (Litoria rothii), bumpy rocket frogs (Litoria inermis), desert tree frogs (Litoria rubella), striped marsh frogs (Limnodynastes peronii) and ruddy tree frogs (Litoria pyrina). Endangered northern bettongs (Bettongia tropica) have also been sighted a short distance away from the property.
