Krurr-Rak Conservation Reserve
KRURR – RAK CONSERVATION RESERVE
We took ownership of the 335-acre property, Krurr – Rak Conservation Reserve in February 2018, our focus was to continue to protect the Southern Red-Tailed Cockatoos and Gang Gang Cockatoos which are both currently endangered. A main source of food for the Cockatoos is the Desert Stringy Barks and Bulokes which we are also ensuring are protected on the reserve.
We had been in the process of looking for a larger property that bordered on a national park. We decided to look around the area where we knew the Southern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos inhabit. After missing out on a couple of larger properties, the Real Estate Agent mentioned a property at Clear Lake. (We were thinking ...Where?). After working out it was still in Victoria and although it wasn't as big as we would have liked, we decided to check it out anyway. Upon viewing the property, we were greeted with the magnificence of Banksias, both Desert and Sliver and also Scarlet Bottlebrush which were all in flower. We absolutely love these flowers and were in awe of the view. As we were about to leave a large flock of Gang Gang Cockatoos landed in the trees near us and a Shingleback was sitting at the front gate.
We were very keen at this stage so decided to contact the current owners of the property to find out what conservation work had already been completed. They informed us that they had planted lots of Native trees, shrubs and flowers and also assured us that the Southern Red-Tailed Cockatoos enjoy feeding at the property and that we would most definitely have them there. So, keeping in mind the work that had already taken place as well as the fact the Red Tails feed on the Stringy Bark and Buloaks plus the fact the 8700 Hectares of Jilpanger Conservation Reserve boarders on the property, it was all a plus for us!
Our first camp over, had us thinking of a name, we didn't want it to be “The Block 2” (which really has stuck with the first property, haha) After putting our heads together and lots of brainstorming we came up with Krurr-rak Conservation Reserve. Krurr-rak is the distress call of the Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos and knowing that the Southern breed is listed as endangered thought it would be very appropriate.
Krurr-rak Conservation Reserve has a trust for nature covenant in place and we have been lucky enough to carry on the 'Catchment Management Authority (C.M.A) Habitat Tender' to be able to continue to carry out conservation work. Covenants are an agreement between the landholder and Trust for Nature that conserves the natural features of a site by protecting it from subdivision, clearing or inappropriate development.
Unfortunately, the owners at the time also mentioned, prior to 2003 before they purchased the property it was a local hoon hang out, resulting in lots of old car bodies, car parts and rubbish being dumped on the property. They had completed a significant amount of rubbish removable, but it was a big process. In 2018 when we took over, we continued to remove trailer loads of rubbish, almost every visit. In July 2023 we found another large pile of rubbish, along with three car parts.
Lots of work has also been done to try to eradicate the weeds continuing to grow on the property, mammals to date Red Neck Wallabies, Eastern Pygmy Possums, Western Grey Kangaroos, Common Ringtail Possums, Echidnas, Feather Tailed Gliders and Southern Brown Bandicoot.
Size: 335 acres Birds: 91 Mammals: 11
Reptiles: 15 Amphibians: 11
