Gordon Markwart is the owner of a property located approximately 20km east of Moss Vale. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary and a residence. It is Gordon’s intent for the property to continue in these purposes while promoting the growth of native vegetation and limiting that of non-native species.
The property covers 0.23 hectares with approximately half the block consisting of remnant temperate rainforest known as the Yarrawa Brush, which is unique in Australia. Most of the 2,500 hectares of original Yarrawa Brush were cleared in the 19th century for agricultural purposes. Small patches remain in places that were unsuitable for farming or where the rainforest was preserved by property owners. Vegetation includes sassafras (Doryphora sassafras), lilly pillies (Syzygium spp.), kangaroo apples (Solanum laciniatum), and tree ferns (Cyathea australis).
Wildlife known to inhabit the sanctuary include bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus), highland copperhead snakes (Austrelaps ramsayi), blue-tongued lizards (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides), crimson rosellas (Platycercus elegans), satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) and a variety of parrots, doves and pigeons.
