Land for Wildlife member David Rolfe tells the story of his 2 hectare block in Virginia-

In 1992 this was an undeveloped block of 2 hectares with a surprising range of habitats; a very rocky ridge with low savannah, a steep slope over a tumble of rocks, a sheltered area beneath the rocks and a wet season lagoon with a variety of melaleucas.

It adjoins two largely uncleared bocks, one is 2 hectares, another is 11 hectares, and both of which include the lagoon area as well.

Most of the block is uncleared. With some difficulty a part of the block on the ridge was cleared for the house, a shed and enough of a landscaped area to see the snakes coming across the lawn! Sadly, some of the original species (snakes, goannas and quolls) have disappeared because of cane toads, and development of course. There was also a lot of feral grasses which had to be eliminated, but this also meant that finches lost a source of food, and they are now not common.

However, there are plenty of wallabies and bandicoots, and a great variety of honeyeaters and fruit eating birds. Scrub fowls have also set up a mound at the edge of the garden and owls frequent the rainforest trees. There are a variety of flycatchers and varied trillers regularly visit. Seasonal visitors are the Emerald Ground Pigeon and the Torres Strait Pigeon. In the wet season swamp Rajah Sheldrake ducks and grebes nest and raise young.

Some areas have been planted with rainforest and native fruit trees, and these are now nearly mature. As far as possible native plants from the NT or north Australia are used for planting. There is a shade house used for propagation and for vegetables and fruit trees such a bananas and paw paws.

Two small ponds have been established and a bog. Another small bog is to be completed.

Some future plantings will involve understory plants, grasses to attract finches and plants to sustain and develop habitat for butterflies and moths. Ongoing maintenance includes the removal of invasive trees that threaten to overrun the original vegetation or with other adverse effects: Black Wattle, Cassia, Alphitonia, Neem tree and Curry tree.

David signed up to Land for Wildlife in 2013