Harry Johnson and Christine Longland are the owners of Kilkishen, a property situated in Iluka, approximately 100km north of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The property is a residence, recreational area and wildlife sanctuary, and it is the owners’ intent to maintain it as such. Harry and Christine are in the process of regenerating the block with native plant species whilst educating people about sustainable land usage and waste minimization.
The property covers approximately 0.14 hectares of flat land and is situated close to the Iluka World Heritage Rainforest within Bundjalung National Park. The owners have established three small frog ponds and several nestboxes to provide habitat for wildlife.
Vegetation on the property consists of mature native trees including acacia and bottlebrushes (Callistemon spp.). The remainder of the property is densely planted with small trees including grevilleas, lilly-pilly (Syzygium smithii), paperbark (Melaleuca spp.), hop-bush (Dodonaea viscosa) and tea trees. Flax lilies (Dianella spp.) and midgen berry (Austromyrtus dulcis) provide extensive groundcover, and a wide range of smaller rainforest species are also present including native violet (Viola banksii), Brisbane (Proiphys cunninghamii) and river lilies(Crinum pedunculatum), eucalyptus, elk horn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum) and bird’s-nest ferns (Asplenium nidus). Several fruit and vegetable plants are also maintained on the property.
A wide range of wildlife is present including possums, blue-tongued lizards (Tiliqua scincoides) and carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) as well as various skinks, bees, spiders, butterflies and ants. A small fossorial species (possibly an echidna or bandicoot) may also be present. The property additionally provides habitat for over 30 native bird species including eastern rosellas (Platycercus elegans), which utilize the nestboxes. Black-faced cuckoo-shrikes (Coracina novaehollandiae), quails and grey fantails (Rhipidura albiscapa) have also recently been spotted.
