experience the wildlife

The Free range chook tractors - Australian Pure Breed Australorps (2 boys and 5 girls)

Two of our other 'introduced critters',
'Jack', formally known as 'Jacque Rousselle'
and 'Chloe' the chook rounder-upper Kelpie

Thoreau's is a Registered 'Land for Wildlife' property. It is situated in a gully with gently inclined North and South facing slopes. A 30 m wide plateau is nestled between them, with a creek, running the length of the property, sitting alongside. This spring fed creek ran with fresh clean water up until 15 years ago, before the drought hit and the once well stocked underground aquifer was sucked up to water local farming livestock and gardens. The creek was originally created by extensive Gold Mining, and at around 3 m deep, is a testament to the massive degradation created by this activity. Just under 150 years ago, no creek existed and the plateau was a magnificent Herb Rich Woodland. Interestingly, Henry David Thoreau, wrote a telling article on the Australian Gold Rush way back in 1854, it was called 'A Life Without Principle', and you can read it here......

To combat the erosion that continues to this day, large
re-vegetation areas are required. Here, 150 Native Trees and Shrubs have been planted in a 20 m wide, Rabbit proofed corridor that is still accessible to Kangaroos, birds and many other forms of Wildlife. These protected Wildlife Corridors that link with other bushland, will eventually run on both sides of the property, providing safe passage for local Fauna and an area where the Native Flora can re-generate naturally. The old log in the centre of the picture provides desperately needed habitat for many Native animals.

Yes, we live in tin sheds! Why? You can read more about it on the Simply Living page.

A regular daily occurrence at Thoreau's Talbot. A 'Mob' of Large Eastern Grey Kangaroos visit most mornings and afternoons. They come here because of the plentiful grass, safety from shooting and lack of livestock competition for food.

Here at 'Thoreau's - Talbot', we are working towards a simple, honest, eco-balanced existence. Situated in the Gold Rush ravaged Central Victorian Old Goldfields, this ten acre property is slowly being transformed, through hard physical work and much time, into a sanctuary for the many threatened and endangered native flora and fauna that grow and live in the local area. Balancing this with the growing of our daily food, is proving to be one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences we have ever had. We hope you can join us! Here's a little more about Thoreau's Talbot.

At Thoreau's Talbot, we believe strongly that balancing our own food needs with that of the Ecology, is a fundamental fact if we want to see a rich abundance of Native Wildlife. Small scale Local food production that is based on diversity instead of mono-cropping, is the only way to achieve these two aims. After three years of hard yakka and much experimenting with many a permaculture principle, the land is now beginning to provide all of the veggies that we and our guests, eat throughout the year. A number of fruit trees were planted in 2009 and our two year old potted citrus trees, that are eventually destined for the open soil, have just started to produce some excellent quantities of fruit .

Without a doubt, the most rewarding result is that this has been achieved with a huge increase in the number of Native animals and insects visiting the property in comparison to just a few years ago. From tiny skinks, to their larger brothers and sisters, to Echidna's, Wedged Tailed Eagles, Brown Kites, Kangaroos and laughing Kookaburra's, the transformation has and continues to be, amazing! The slower but steady growth of Native Grasses, Eucalypts and Wattles, helped along with some re-vegetation, will no doubt bring even more animal delights in years to come.

If you can come and visit more than once, you'll certainly be sharing in a very special experience.

Kangaroos have however adapted very well to the imbalances caused by Human Food Production, and in many parts in Australia are considered to be in 'plague' proportions. Many, many other native animals have simply not fared well. Below is a short list of Native Fauna in the Talbot area that is:

Near threatened : May be Considered threatened by extinction in the near future.

Vulnerable : Faces a high risk of extinction in the medium term

Endangered : Faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future

*Barking Owl* *Endangered*	*Grey Goshawk* *Vulnerable*	*Spotted Harrier* *Near Threatened*	*Square Tailed Kite* *Vulnerable*	*White Bellied Eagle* *Vulnerable*	*Australian Shoveler* *Vulnerable*
*Blue Billed Duck* *Endangered*	*Freckled Duck* *Endangered*	*Hardhead Duck* *Vulnerable*	*Musk Duck* *Vulnerable*	*Australian Bittern* *Endangered*	*Great Egret* *Vulnerable*
*Intermediate Egret* *Vulnerable*	*Nankeen Night Herron* *Near Threatened*	*Inland Dotterell* *Near Threatened*	*Brown Treecreeper* *Near Threatened*	*Diamond Dove* *Near Threatened*	*Black Eared Cuckoo* *Near Threatened*
*Black Falcon* *Vulnerable*	*Brolga* *Vulnerable*	*Whiskered Tern* *Near Threatened*	*Black Chinned Honeyeater* *Near Threatened*	*Painted Honeyeater* *Vulnerable*	*Crested Bellbird* *Near Threatened*
*Speckled Warbler* *Vulnerable*	*Diamond Firetail* *Vulnerable*	*Hooded Robin* Near Threatened	*Pied Cormorant* Near Threatened	*Swift Parrot* Endangered	*Bailons Crake* *Vulnerable*
*Painted Snipe* *Vulnerable*	*Lathams Snipe* *Vulnerable*	*Pectoral Sandpiper* *Near Threatened*	*Wood Sandpiper* *Vulnerable*	*Powerful Owl* *Vulnerable*	*Glossy Ibis* *Near Threatened*
*Royal Spoonbill* *Vulnerable*	*Little Button Quail* Near Threatened	*Growling Grass Frog* Endangered	*Brown Toadlet* *Endangered*	*Mountain Galaxias* Endangered	*Brush Tailed Phascogale* *Vulnerable*

This list is just one of the reasons why we ask our guests to visit us by Bicycle.

You'll find a few more as you read through the Thoreau's Talbot site.

On a bicycle, you get to see many things you simply wouldn't in your car, and you never know, you might just be lucky enough to see some of these beautiful animals before they disappear forever, like this majestic Tawny- Frog Mouth, hit by a truck just outside of Clunes.

An abundant supply of Lemons and Limes are just waiting to be cooked in one of Kris's sensational vegetarian dishes!