Homes become wildlife reserves

Anne-Marie Dineen feeds her charges.

Submitted

A WILDLIFE refuge west of Woolooga, established by Anne-Marie Dineen and her husband Joe Schick, is one of 31 properties now protected through agreements between private landholders and the State Government.

Climate change and sustainability minister Kate Jones said the latest 31 graziers and other property owners across Queensland had signed nature refuge agreements, which now meant more than 750,000 hectares, were protected under the Nature Refuge Program.

Under the agreements landholders undertake natural habitat conservation programs on their properties and maintain them.

For Mrs Dineen, a wildlife carer who specialises in the rehabilitation of kangaroos and wallabies, it is a way to protect and preserve the biodiversity of her land.

“It enables the land to be protected for future generations,” she said.

“And you learn a great deal about your land from the people who come out and assess it.”

Wide Bay Burnett nature refuge officer David Field said the 94ha property was well worth protecting, particularly because of its diversity of native fauna such as black striped wallaby, koalas, lung fish, squirrel, sugar and greater gliders, powerful owl, platypus and glossy black cockatoos.

The nature refuge program is a voluntary agreement between a landholder and the Queensland Government that acknowledges a commitment to preserve land while allowing compatible and sustainable land uses to continue.

David said the program is an important component of conservation because it complements the existing national park estate, which at around 6 per cent of the state can only capture a certain amount of vegetation diversity.

“Anne-Marie's property has good connectivity to Oakview State Forest and links via riparian connectivity - it's not an island,” Mr Field said.

In other words, nature refuges “join the dots” between existing national parks providing wildlife corridors which help give native species a better chance of survival.

The new refuges announced this week, include Alyxia refuge at Boreen Point, Balgowlah refuge and Curramore Sanctuary at Connondale, Fiona's Retreat, south-west of Gayndah, Glen-Ewin, south of Taabinga, Resolute refuge, south-east of Nanango, Weyba refuge and Yurol refuge, Tewantin.

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