A small but enthusiastic group gathered at the gates of “Chepstowe” to take up Neville’s generous offer to showcase his property’s environmental highlights. “Chepstowe” is an 800-hectare working farm where environmental management is a major focus.Our first stop was a grassland area that had not been stocked for over twenty years. We compared several management approaches – areas scraped and reseeded with native grassland species, others regularly burned to suppress introduced grasses, and sections where little restoration had been done. The regularly burned areas were particularly impressive, supporting many native species returning in strong numbers and demonstrating that patient, dedicated management can achieve real restoration success.
After a pleasant lunch at the Stockyard Creek Community Hall, we visited Lake Goldsmith. Although the receding water limited the amount of birdlife, we agreed that the site deserved a return visit under better conditions.
Personal highlights included trying to distinguish between the Golden Moth-orchid (Diuris chryseopsis) and the Golden Cowslip (Diuris behrii), both recorded at “Chepstowe” – a challenge that deepened my appreciation of their beauty. Another memorable moment came from lifting the strategically placed tiles on the grassland and finding a surprising number of Little Whip Snakes (Suta flagellum).
The group was very appreciative of Neville’s time, knowledge and passion, and his clear commitment to environmental management and restoration made the excursion both informative and inspiring.
ABN 23 918 778 150
Incorporation No A0044963D