Jan and Richard Kay are the owners of Kambuth, a property located north-east of Mannum, South Australia. The property is a dedicated wildlife sanctuary which was formerly cleared and used for cropping in the years following World War II. Jan and Richard purchased the property in 2008 and, in 2009, expanded the property by purchasing the ‘Top Block.’ It is Jan and Richard’s intent to continue developing the garden around the house and regenerating the Mallee Woodland on the Top Block.
Kambuth covers 60 hectares of flat limestone under very shallow soil leading to a sharp slope at the edge of the limestone. The property has views over the Murray River and Lake Carlet and a rabbit fence. Vegetation consists of mostly Mallee woodland with some open grassland and includes many mallee species (Eucalyptus spp.), wattles (Acacia spp.), bluebushes (Maireana spp.), saltbushes (Rhagodia spp.), and native grasses (Austrostipa spp.).
Wildlife species known to inhabit the sanctuary include western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus melanops), short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), goannas (Varanus spp.), shingleback lizards (Tiliqua rugosa), scorpions (Cercophonius squama), eastern brown (Pseudonaja textilis) and red-bellied black (Pseudechis porphyriacus) snakes as well as various geckos and spiders. Jan and Richard have also created a list of the birdlife present on the property.
