The biggest concern now is that another fire will impact the site before natural regeneration takes place. Bushfire is the greatest threat currently facing the environment, and must be avoided if at all possible. In my opinion, we stand to lose it all if we don’t, so this is where our country wide focus needs to be.
In November 2019, the Liberation Trail bushfire decimated the Nymboida area, destroying more than 50 homes. The environmental damage was enormous, made worse by what is arguably the worst drought in the close to 200 years of white occupation of the area. That prolonged drought, combined with record high temperatures and heatwaves, saw moisture content of vegetation at such low levels that living trees were reduced to charcoal.
While the potential introduction of some form of traceability has merit, we must point out that goats are rapid breeders, and within two years of a goat escaping or being released into the wild, there could be 2 generations of untraceable animals creating havoc in the wild. Frankly, we believe the risk to the environment from any goat-keeping exercise is just too great, and something that needs extremely strict controls!
We found the endangered shrub Grevillea masonii, Caladenia fuscata, or Dusky Fingers orchid, a Black She-oak, Allocasuarina litoralis with a mass of freshly chewed cones, a sure sign of the endangered Glossy-black Cockatoo, a spectacular flowering Boronia chartacea and the biggest cane toad ever!