Danielle McCormick and Mark Sanders are the owners of a property located approximately 45km west of Caloundra. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary used for wildlife rehabilitation, recreation and tourism, and it is Danielle and Mark’s intent to continue in their efforts to improve the property by removing invasive weeds and attempting to control land erosion. Revegetation in areas for increased connectivity is also a key objective, as is restricting cattle access from neighbouring properties. They have registered to become a release site for WILVOS, and hope to eventually establish accommodation for wildlife enthusiasts. The property is additionally registered with Land for Wildlife through the Sunshine Coast Council.
The sanctuary covers 13 hectares of mixed bush and rainforest partially bordering the Stanley River, with farmland adjoining one border and other private residences on others. The majority of the property features species such as flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis), tallowood (Eucalyptus microcorys), brush box (Lophostemon confertus), bloodwood (Corymbia opaca), and blue gum, while approximately half the riparian region is classified as endangered ‘complex notophyll vine forest’ featuring weeping lillypilly (Waterhousea floribunda), pepperberry, three veined laurel (Cryptocarya triplinervis), white booyong (Argyrodendron trifoliolatum), and sandpaper figs (Ficus coronata), among others. The remainder of the riparian zone is largely consistent with tall open forest with a vine forest understorey.
Wildlife species for which the sanctuary is known to provide habitat include various wallabies, short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), kingfishers, Richmond birdwing butterflies (Ornithoptera richmondia), pink underwing moths (Phyllodes imperialis smithersi), koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), glossy-black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami), cascade tree frogs (Litoria pearsoniana), giant barred frogs (Mixophyes iteratus), tusked frogs (Adelotus brevis), satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus), Wompoo fruit doves (Ptilinopus magnificus), and a variety of other birdlife and species yet to be identified.
