Just 20 minutes from our home is a beautiful nature reserve that is back to its former glory after bushfires devastated the area almost 10 years ago. Tidbinbilla holds a special place in my heart—I did my work experience there as a teen and spent a lot of time visiting the reserve back when I was still dreaming of becoming a park ranger.
I have such wonderful memories of the time I spent there, not least of all experiencing all of the beautiful and unique wildlife that inhabited the area. Sadly, ninety percent of the animals lost their lives in the fires, but today the population is flourishing once more.
Tidbinbilla is a safe place for wildlife, with feral and pest species excluded from the sanctuary. Some native animals that have been rehabilitated at my workplace will find themselves released at the reserve, giving them the best chance of a long and happy life. Usually it is wombats that find their new home there (after being in our care for up to two years), but our most recent release was this very unique little guy.
Today was The Bean’s first visit to Tidbinbilla and it definitely won’t be the last (although, the temperature today was bordering on being too hot to be traipsing around the bush). We had a picnic and spent some time at the playground before heading to the sanctuary to see what we could find. We saw lots of cockatoos, ravens and kangaroos, a pair of pelicans, a brolga and all manner of other waterbirds, a water dragon, lots of turtles, and I even caught a glimpse of a shy platypus.
We now have an annual park pass tucked in our glove box so we have no excuse for not taking The Bean out to experience the beautiful Australian bush, though perhaps on a slightly cooler day next time …
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