Wildlife Land Trust / Sanctuaries / NSW / Gellenwend

Alan and Glenys Wallbridge are the owners of Gellenwend, a property located in Grafton, approximately 70km northwest of Coffs Harbour, NSW. The property neighbours WLT refuge Cluain Meala Sanctuary, and is utilized as a residence, cattle farm and wildlife-friendly sanctuary. Alan and Glenys intend to continue using the property to run their cattle enterprise whilst revegetating the area with native plants for wildlife.

The property covers approximately 185 hectares of mixed woodlands and grasslands. Deep Creek runs through the property, providing habitat and water for wildlife. Vegetation largely consists of native grasses and eucalypts such as red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and grey ironbarks (Eucalyptus paniculata). Smaller bushes including wattles (Acacia spp.) grow along the creek line, providing habitat for native birds.

A wide range of wildlife is present on the property including koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus), short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), rufous bettongs (Aepyprymnus rufescens), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), red-necked wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) and brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa). A variety of reptiles are also present including eastern brown (Pseudonaja textilis) and red-bellied black (Pseudechis porphyriacus) snakes, eastern bearded (Pogona barbata) and water (Intellagama lesueurii) dragons and carpet pythons (Morelia spilota).

The property also provides habitat for a vast array of birdlife including spotted (Pardalotus punctatus) and striated (Pardalotus striatus) pardalotes, double-barred (Taeniopygia bichenovii) and zebra (Taeniopygia guttata) finches, rufous whistlers (Pachycephala rufiventris), pheasant coucals (Centropus phasianinus), square-tailed kites (Lophoictinia isura) and wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax). Glossy (Calyptorhynchus lathami), red-tailed (Calyptorhynchus banksii) and yellow-tailed (Calyptorhynchus funereus) black cockatoos are also found on the property.