Jana Cattanach and David Thrum are the owners of Plum Gorgeous Rainforest Retreat, a property located approximately 10km south-west of Noosa Heads. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary which contributes to important bushland and is part of a corridor linking to the Maroochy River catchment. It is Jana, Hannah and David’s intent to continue to utilise the property for the benefit of the local environment, having already significantly minimised the risk of weed invasion, pest animals and soil erosion.
Plum Gorgeous Rainforest Retreat covers 5 hectares of tall open forest featuring high value rainforest understory, mid-story and canopy. Vegetation varies between tall open forest with (wet sclerophyll) vine forest understories, to woodland and shrubby open forest with fringing streams and narrow gullies in high rainfall areas. Flora includes a variety of primary and secondary koala fodder trees, rose gums (Eucalyptus grandis), tallowwoods (E. microcorys), red mahoganies (E. resinifera), swamp mahoganies (E. robusta), forest red gums (E. tereticornis), pink bloodwoods (Corymbia intermedia), broad-leaved paperbarks (Melaleuca quinquenervia), willow bottlebrushes (Melaleuca salicina), Queensland brush boxes (Lophostemon confertus), Old World climbing ferns (Lygodium microphyllum), swamp boxes (Lophostemon suaveolens), cabbage tree palms (Livistona australis), corkwoods (Endiandra sieberi), malabar melastomes (Melastoma malabathricum), umbrella cheese trees (Glochidion sumatranum), and euodias (Melicope elleryana).
A recent study identified 59 species of birds on the property, and a corridor along the creek has a range of avian, terrestrial and aquatic fauna. This includes a variety of amphibians, such as wallum froglets (Crinia tinnula). Other regularly sighted inhabitants include brushtail (Trichosurus vulpecula) and ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) possums, northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus), sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor), lace monitors (Varanus varius), eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii), crayfish (Euastacus spp.), native stingless bees (Trigona carbonaria) and, seasonally, grey-headed (Pteropus poliocephalus) and spectacled (P. conspicillatus) flying foxes. Located on the fringe of known koala habitat, koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are occasionally seen and heard.
