Gregory and Rachael Andrews are the owners of Wombat Ridge, a property situated in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary for a wide range of native species. Gregory and Rachael wish to preserve the natural values of the property, and intend to secure permanent protection in the form of a covenant in the future.
Wombat Ridge covers approximately 50 hectares and is situated close to a neighbouring Conservation Area, providing some remnant habitat connectivity. The property consists of a combination of Brittle Gum – Scribbly Gum shrubby tall dry open forest and Black She-oak – Silvertop Ash tall shrubby dry sclerophyll open forest. Approximately 99% of the property is comprised of eucalypt woodland dominated by silvertop ash (Eucalyptus sieberi), Blue-leaved Stringybark (E. agglomerata), Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha), scribbly gums (E. rossii) and brittle gums (E. mannifera), as well as several stands of black she-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). The owners have eradicated all weeds on the property.
The property is home to a wide array of native species including bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus), short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), red-necked (Macropus rufogriseus) and swamp (Wallabia bicolor) wallabies, grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) and Rosenberg’s monitors (Varanus rosenbergi).
Over 40 bird species are also present including swift parrots (Lathamus discolor), brown treecreepers (Climacteris picumnus), boobook owls (Ninox boobook), gang-gang cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum), olive whistlers (Pachycephala olivacea), flame robins (Petroica phoenicea) and a family of bowerbirds. The stands of she-oaks may potentially provide very good habitat for glossy black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami) but so far no sightings have been confirmed.
