Wildlife Land Trust / Sanctuaries / NSW / Alexander’s Refuge

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Alexander Dudley is the owner of a property situated in Coolatai, approximately 250km northwest of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The property is a residence and dedicated wildlife sanctuary, and it is Alexander’s intention to maintain the property as such whilst working to exclude cattle and feral species from the area in order to improve the existing natural values.

The property spans approximately 0.51 hectares of derived grasslands interspersed with broad-leaved red ironbarks (Eucalyptus fibrosa) and Blakely’s red gums (Eucalyptus blakelyi) growing on black soil. The property is adjacent to a travelling stock reserve (which is occasionally heavily grazed) and is situated on the boundary of the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions.

A vast array of native fauna species are present on or around the property including short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), common wallaroos (Macropus robustus), red-necked (Macropus rufogriseus) and swamp (Wallabia bicolor) wallabies, narrow-nosed planigales (Planigale tenuirostris), grey-headed (Pteropus poliocephalus) and little red (Pteropus scapulatus) flying-foxes and yellow-bellied sheathtail bats (Saccolaimus flaviventris).

A wide range of reptiles are also present including red-naped (Furina diadema) and spotted black (Pseudechis guttatus) snakes, tussock rainbow skinks (Carlia vivax), Burn’s (Amphibolurus burnsi) and eastern bearded (Pogona barbata) dragons, robust velvet geckos (Nebulifera robusta) and Burton’s legless lizards (Lialis burtonis), as well as a variety of frog species including Peron’s tree frogs (Litoria peroni) and ornate burrowing frogs (Platyplectrum ornatum).

A vast array of birdlife has been spotted on the property including whistling kites (Haliastur sphenurus), Australian kestrels (Falco cenchroides), red-winged parrots (Apromictus erythropterus), pale-headed rosellas (Platycercus adscitus), eastern koels (Eudynamys orientalis), masked owls (Tyto novaehollandiae), spotted (Pardelotus punctatus) and striated (Pardelotus striatus) pardalotes, white-plumed (Lichenostomus penicillatus) and brown (Lichmera indistincta) honeyeaters, apostlebirds (Struthidea cinerea) and many more.