Savernake Station

03/06/2025

We could see a slight pink haze of this week's aurora. The camera picked it up a little better.

03/06/2025

The native grasses are protecting the topsoil but there's not much for the stock. So handfeeding saltbush to last year's Merino lambs provides roughage.

28/05/2025

07/05/2025

There is ample evidence of wombats in the forest, but rarely do we see one. Using the thermoscope is probably the only method of an actual sighting.

07/05/2025

An hour of bird watching in the forest: very few birds, lots of bridal-veil creeper...!!

07/05/2025

There's more to see, everywhere you look....

07/05/2025

There's always more to see and learn in the bush. We concentrated on tracks and scats one day. The boys soon picked up the differences.

07/05/2025

The continuing dry is finishing up the pastures. Starting to hand feed out some saltbush. Three lads a great help!

07/05/2025

Surprised by a beautiful and unusual rainbow cloud this evening. Amazing creation.

27/04/2025

🦜🐈‍⬛ Important story about the need to keep cats at home to protect wildlife in today’s Daily Telegraph.

15 local councils in NSW have joined the Invasive Species Council in calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns & Local Govt Minister Ron Hoenig MP to change the law to allow councils to introduce rules to stop pet cats roaming and killing wildlife.

NSW and WA are the only states with laws that stop Local Councils bringing in cat containment rules for responsible pet ownership. It’s time for change.

There's still time to make a submission to the NSW Government inquiry into this issue - link in the comments.

Here’s an extract from today's story:

Council’s Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre is ­inundated with cats and kittens all year round,” a council spokesperson said. “We need to address the problem of cats breeding uncontrollably and filling up our shelters

“Council is asking for the Companion Animals Act to be updated to prevent cats from being allowed to roam outside their owner’s property.

“We want to be on the right side of history to preserve Australia’s wildlife and improve the welfare of all animals.”

Invasive Species Council Advocacy Director Jack Gough said a “culture shift” needed to occur around how cats were treated.

“Cats are out killing millions of our native wildlife every day,” Mr Gough said.

“An amendment to the act would allow all councils to bring in and enforce cat containment laws and require all cats to be desexed by four months of age.

“This needs to be accompanied with support to enforce these changes.

“People want action, councils want action. Right now there are no rules about cat containment, it’s a free for all, cats can roam and no one can do anything about it.”

He said changes to the Companion Animal Act would be a “major success”, and cats who were kept indoors lived about 10 years longer than those allowed to roam outside.

“(These changes to the act would be) a win-win for wildlife and pet owners.”

23/04/2025

The continuing warm dry weather seems to suppress the native fauna. However we've had a couple of nice sightings this week, with the younger generation and their sharp eyes.

10/04/2025

After a very subdued and disappointing day of completing the autumn bird surveys, with very few species observed, we had a lovely highlight at dusk. Late this afternoon, Alex brought home a photo of an unusual plant, in the bush along the creek. We were out there within half an hour, and were stunned to find a healthy and expanding patch of Eremophila longifolia. This is only the second naturally occurring site on the whole property. It provides nectar for our suite of honeyeaters. Appropriately, it is significant within aboriginal use, which fits the cultural features of this area such as middens and scar trees. The BoM forecast of a warm winter is a concern for both flora and fauna, and our livelihoods on the land.