The Big Scrub of the Byron Hinterland was cleared in one of man’s more thoughtless agricultural developments. Sadly the land was not as suitable for dairy farming as first thought and many farms were abandoned, to be overrun by the introduced Camphor Laurel tree. If only eighty or ninety percent of the Big Scrub had been cleared we would have a magnificent sub-tropical rainforest of immense scientific and tourist value. But on it went, stopping after 99 per cent had gone, and then only because of strident protest. Now, dedicated owners are working to restore the original rainforest.
The regeneration site we survey last week was an amalgamation of several farms in an ambitious project to restore the bush, and use regenerative farming techniques while researching novel pest control techniques.
The site includes several grassy hillsides with an active raptor population. Seven species were sighted including the Collared Sparrowhawk seen here. The interaction of owls breeding on the property with these raptors to achieve rodent control is one of the areas under study.
The same Collared Sparrowhawk.
This nest box has been commandeered by a pair of Galahs. This bird was patiently “sweeping, disinfecting and making fragrant” inside the box with a sprig of eucalypt leaves.
A pretty bird in a rural scene, hopefully not the next pest to be dealt with.