The perfect weekend getaway for couples, Wildside Sanctuary is set in the stunning woodlands of Mountain Lagoon, near Bilpin, New South Wales. Stay in The Bower, a spacious eco cottage with a private spa, sunlit deck and firepit.
Book a private birding or wildlife tour with a local expert to learn about the incredible species on this sanctuary and how they thrive in their woodland habitats. You’ll get the chance to spot gang-gang cockatoos, gliders, wallabies, wombats and nocturnal birds in their natural habitat.
To get even more involved, volunteer to help expert ecologists with the tracking and monitoring of local koalas or head to one of Mountains for Wildlife’s community events on wildlife and conservation.
Wildside Sanctuary’s owners, Sarah Thompson and John Gilmore, have a vision to build a vibrant landscape teeming with a diversity of native species, supported by resilient and balanced ecosystems. By staying here, you’ll support their programs to protect threatened species and their disappearing habitats.
Sarah and John plan to establish a wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation site on the land. The owners intend to construct feral predator-proof fencing on the property to facilitate the reintroduction of threatened species such as bandicoots, bettongs, rock wallabies and parma wallabies. In the future, the property may become a site for community education and conservation efforts. The property is registered with Land For Wildlife.
Sarah is an experienced veterinarian, and both Sarah and John are registered wildlife rehabilitators. They are also members the Hawkesbury Nepean Landcare Group, Hawkesbury Environment Network, Mountains for Wildlife, Blue Mountains Koala Project, UWS Platypus Project and Odonata Sanctuary Academy Program.
Wildside Sanctuary spans 6 hectares of undulating land bordering Wollemi National Park. The property is comprised of well-established eucalypt and turpentine woodland, with Angophora, Xanthorrhoea and banksias on exposed slopes. The land grades steeply into Cora Creek, which houses waterfalls and gullies lined with native ferns.
A wide range of wildlife is present including koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) and sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps). Birdlife is abundant, and includes superb lyrebirds, powerful owls (Ninox strenua), yellow-tailed black cockatoos (Zanda funerea), king parrots (Alisterus scapularis), eastern (Platycercus eximius) and crimson (P. elegans) rosellas, satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus), Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), pied currawongs (Strepera graculina), native pigeons and ducks.
Learn more at www.wildsidesanctuary.com.au
Contact the owner
This sanctuary has been listed by Sarah Thompson and John Gilmore who can be contacted by phone on 61418408769 or hellopossums@wildsidesanctuary.com.au
