Irene Hayward is the owner of Rainbow Glen, a property situated in Kangaroo Creek, approximately 55km northwest of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The property is a residence and agricultural enterprise as well as a wildlife-friendly refuge, and it is Irene’s intent to downsize her beef cattle operation in 2019 in order to facilitate the creation of a wildlife sanctuary on the property.
The property spans approximately 63.16 hectares, with 15 hectares cleared for livestock. The remainder of the property is dominated by eucalypt forest and native grassland on sandstone escarpments. The property is also fronted by Kangaroo Creek which provides riparian habitat as well as an important water source for native species.
Vegetation consists largely of tallow wood (Eucalyptus microcorys), apple box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana), wattle (Acacia spp.), grass trees (Xanthorrhoea spp.), native grass species and rainforest species which occur in the riparian zone.
Wildlife known to inhabit the property includes swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor), rock wallabies (Petrogale spp.), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and microbats. Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) have been seen in the creek prior to 2001 and spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) have been seen prior to 2010.
Reptiles such as lace monitors (Varanus varius), bluetongue lizards (Tiliqua scincoides), red-bellied black snakes (Pseudechis porphyriacus), eastern brown snakes (Pseudonaja textilis), geckos and pythons are also present, as well as a range of birdlife.
