The Thorondor Family Trust is the owner of Nature’s Wonderland, a property located approximately 20km north of Esk, Queensland. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary and home, and it is the Thorondor Family Trust’s intention to continue with plantings and the restructuring of the local environment to further enhance the sanctuary, and to encourage and support the growing populations of wildlife residents on Nature’s Wonderland.
The sanctuary covers 16 hectares which, aside from 2 hectares of native bush, has been previously cleared for farming, with the Thorondor Family Trust having revegetated a considerable area with plantings throughout the last 10 years. Dominant vegetation species include various eucalypts and grasses.
There are 3 dams on the property, ranging from very large to very small, one of which is in the bush area and is a quiet haven for wildlife, being set at least 500 metres back from the road. There is a natural waterway running through the front section of the property that contains water for most of the year, drying out in the winter months. The area surrounding this waterway is very marshy in the wet season.
Examples of wildlife species known to be found on the property include eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus), numerous moths, butterflies and other insects, various frogs including green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea), reptiles such as geckos, snakes and water dragons (Physignathus lesueurii).
A wide range of bird species are also present including Apostlebirds (Struthidea cinerea), rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus), wood ducks (Chenonetta jubata), rosellas, parrots, sulphur-crested (Cacatua galerita) and red-tailed black (Calyptorhynchus banksii) cockatoos , magpies (Cracticus tibicen), ravens (Corvus coronoides), wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax), hawks, falcons, pigeons, various doves, black swans (Cygnus atratus), royal spoonbills (Platalea regia) and the occasional pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus).
