An emergence of orchids - a gift of revegetation
Living up close to the natural beauty of native scrub was an opportunity Luke and Sonya Medhurst couldn’t pass up. The Lenswood landholders purchased approximately 83 acres around three and half years ago, immediately fencing cattle out of 30 acres of native scrubland to begin their conservation journey.
After witnessing the destruction to dam walls and native vegetation caused by the cattle, which were included in the land sale, Luke and Sonya decided to remove them from the property entirely and focus their efforts on cut flowers and revegetating the former grazing land.
“We’ve got 12 acres used for a cut flower plantation, where we’ve planted new production plants along with incorporating native shrubs amongst the rows to increase biodiversity and bird habitat,” said Luke.
“The formerly cleared land that was used for grazing has been planted out with 500 indigenous plants from Trees for Life. Our hope is to connect the bushland to the cleared land to reinstate flight corridors for smaller birdlife.”
Pest management has included blackberry and gorse removal, with a goal of being weed-free by 2030.
“We plan to remove all the weeds on the property, with the short-term goal being the mechanical removal of the more established plants over the next three years,” said Luke.
“With appropriate management, hopefully we’ll have everything under control by 2030.”
A camera trap set up by the Medhursts has captured an array of native wildlife including antechinus, echidnas, and owlet nightjars. It has also captured feral rabbits, foxes and deer. The couple’s long-term focus includes installing a pest-proof fence.
While Luke acknowledged the overwhelm that can creep in when facing the various challenges of regenerating a property, he said both he and Sonya focus on the small, positive changes they’ve witnessed.
“We’ve already noticed the regrowth of native plants, including many native orchids. They’re increasing, along with bird numbers and species.
“It’s really exciting to see.”
