Lynlee and Eric Tozer are the owners of a property situated in Smiths Gully, approximately 30km west of Healesville, Victoria. The property is a residence and dedicated wildlife sanctuary, protected in-perpetuity by a covenant under Trust for Nature. Lynlee and Eric wish to preserve the land for conservation purposes, with the goal of ultimately bequeathing the land to Bush Heritage or selling the property to a conservation-minded buyers.
The property covers 8.05 hectares on a south-west facing slope with two drainage lines. The lower slope of the spur houses a dwelling and shed. Over the past 200 years, the property has been used for orchards, dwellings and gold mining. Despite its various uses and associated clearing, the native vegetation has regenerated extremely well, and most areas display a high diversity of species.
Vegetation is largely classified as Herb Rich Foothill Forest and Valley Grassy Forest, with remnants of Damp Forest within the two drainage lines and a small patch of Grassy Dry Forest on the north-western extent of the property. The block houses a plethora of locally and regionally significant flora species including the critically endangered round-leaf Pomaderris (Pomaderris vacciniifolia).
A wide range of wildlife is present on the property including brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa tapoatafa), southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) and likely common dunnarts (Sminthopsis murina).
Birdlife is abundant, featuring approximately 40 native species including powerful owls (Ninox strenua), barking owls (Ninox connivens), Bassian thrushes (Zoothera lunulata), painted button quails (Turnix varius) and gang-gang cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum).
