Robert Macpherson and Sarah Walker are the owners of Lauriston Wildlife Sanctuary a property situated in Lauriston west of Kyneton, Victoria. Lauriston Wildlife Sanctuary is currently used for agriculture, being an olive farm with 600 olive trees, four dams and four empty paddocks ready to be regenerated. The owners’ future intentions are to rewild and revegetate the property at its boundary with the Coliban River and for a significant area upwards and to revegetate with native trees and bushes creating additional habitat. Owners Robert and Sarah are also trained wildlife rehabilitators and belong to the Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network. They intend to provide a safe space for soft release back into the wild, as the property is adjacent to Lauriston Bushland and Malmsbury Reservoir. They hope Lauriston Wildlife Sanctuary will offer a space to release following rehabilitation, wildlife rescued that can’t be released in its original territory (such as a wombat they rescued from a factory).
Lauriston Wildlife Sanctuary spans 5 hectares across mostly grassland and olive trees. The property provides habitat for a range of species including eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), cockatoos (Cacatua sp.), corellas (Cacatua sp.), magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), crows (Corvus sp.) wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) and there is also evidence of wombats (Vombatus ursinus).
