Wildlife Land Trust / Sanctuaries / NSW / Oakleigh

Una Mae Farley is the owner of Oakleigh, a property situated in Stroud, approximately 75km north of Newcastle, New South Wales. The property is managed by Nicole McGregor as a residence, farm and sanctuary for farm animals as well as wildlife. It is Nicole and Una’s intent to develop wildlife corridors to line the property; completely restore the creeks and riverbanks with native vegetation; and remove invasive plants from the area. Although the property now provides refuge for both domestic animals and wildlife, in the long term Nicole and Una wish to dedicate the property solely to preserving wildlife and their habitat.

Oakleigh covers approximately 20 hectares on gently undulating grassland as well as a small wooded hill. The property features two semi-permanent creeks and has frontage onto the Karuah River. Vegetation is dominated by eucalypt woodland, with riparian species present around the creeks and riverbank.

A range of native wildlife is present including brushtail (Trichosurus vulpecula) and ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) possums, swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) and various microbats. A variety of birdlife is also present including tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) and white-bellied sea eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster).