Tasmanian devils in top form ahead of Barrington release

BY ALEXANDRA REES

Conservation organisation Aussie Ark has recently conducted health checks of their Tasmanian Devils born and bred at the Barrington Tops.

Carried out by expert staff, the checks ensure the animals are in the best health ahead of their release into the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Aussie Ark curator Kelly Davis says the process is essential.

"We want to give all the devils a really good look over," she said. "We weigh them to make sure they are within a healthy weight range.

"Going out into our sanctuary we wouldn't want them to be underweight or in any way at a disadvantage, we also check for any little injuries and things like that."

Ms Davis says the prime focus is to guarantee a successful breeding season and this year's release into the sanctuary will help boost the devil population from last year. 

"We have done a release of Tasmanian devils into our 400 hectare sanctuary before last year and they've  bred successfully," she said.

"The upcoming breeding season that'll start early next year, the individuals that we're releasing are going to boost the genetic diversity of that population and some of the ones we have confirmed to be born in the sanctuary last year will be old enough to breed."

Image credit: Aussie Ark.

Potoroos to be Released in the Barrington Tops

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Thirty long-nosed Potoroos are set to be released into a Barrington wildlife sanctuary this week. 

One of the lesser-known Australian marsupial species, the Potoroo is one of the smallest and oldest relatives of the kangaroo, and has remained relatively unchanged for around 10 million years. 

Since opening their Hunter sanctuary in 2020, Aussie Ark have worked to enclose 400 hectares of native habitat, removing feral predators to provide a safe refuge for the animals. 

Aussie Ark Curator Kelly Davis, said the organisation is committed to reviving the species in the Hunter. 

"Since European settlement, foxes and cats have been a massive issue for them, causing a real decline in their numbers. So, when we made the transition to Aussie Ark, they were one of the species we wanted to bring onboard," Ms Davis said. 

"They were found in the Barrington Tops historically and you still get the odd one or two that's hanging on, but they've had a really big population decline and they're a really important species."

 
"Having an insurance population of Potoroos that we've built up over the last five years, the idea behind that is that we are returning those animals to where they have been lost," she said. 

Referred to by the team as "ecosystem engineers", it's hoped the Potoroo will also have a positive impact on Barrington's environment. 

"They're really vital. They're actually fungivores, so they're eating mushrooms and other fungus and basically in doing that, they're turning over the soil and spreading those fungal spores, which in turn, helps to break down the leaf litter and reduces the fuel in the bush," Ms Davis said. 

"We're talking about an animal that really only gets to about a kilo, and in the numbers that they should have and have historically had, they do play a role in reducing the severity of bushfires." 

The critters are expected to be released in the coming days, following final health checks. 

Ms Davis said "It's crazy to think something so small has such a big impact."

Image: Aussie Ark

Barrington devils wake up to dusting of snow

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Tasmanian devils in the Barrington Tops have woken up to a dusting of snow.

Aussie Ark rangers spotted the animals in the winter wonderland on Wednesday morning.

It's estimated around 20 to 30cm of snow fell across the Tops, which sit around 1,350 metres above sea level.

Rangers say both the endangered devils and the eastern quolls homed at the conservation site are likely to love the weather.

Joey survives cold in morning miracle in Barrington Tops

BY JAKSON BERTOLI

Aussie Ark Rangers were treated to a surprise appearance from a three-month-old joey this morning.

Ranger Kelly Davis found the young kangaroo, affectionately named Stanley, in the cold while on her early morning rounds.

The joey was rushed back to Ark HQ to warm up and be checked for injuries.

Fortunately, Stanley was more than okay after being warmed up and given a bottle.

He will be looked after for the next six months before joining the conservation program.

Travellers urged to take care as snow possible at Barrington Tops

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Authorities are reminding the public to be prepared, with strong winds and possibly snow forecast across the Barrington Tops for the next three days.

Access from Gloucester is currently closed, due to an unstable road in the Barrington Tops State Forest, which was damaged during rain in March last year.

Hunter Valley Police District Chief Inspector Guy Guiana says travellers need to take care.

“While access to the Barrington Tops from Scone is currently available, the unsealed road section is steep, narrow and winding, and ice and snow can make driving here extremely dangerous, even for 4WDs," he said.

“With strong winds, there is also potential for trees and branches to fall, posing a direct risk to visitors, and possibly blocking access into and out of the area.”

Mobile phone reception can be spotty, so visitors are also being urged to check conditions and road closures ahead of time.

Conditions could change rapidly, including rain, snow, strong winds, and sub-zero temperatures.

New hopes to bring Barrington broad-toothed rat back from the brink

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A critically-endangered animal in the Hunter has been given new hope, after rangers found a small family in the wild.

Rangers with the organisation located a group of six rats in a remote part of the Barrington Tops.

The Barrington broad-toothed rat is on the brink of extinction, but Aussie Ark is optimistic the discovery is a chance to turn those odds around.

Aussie Ark's Deputy Managing Director Liz Gabriel says we shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

"Although it's a rat, it's absolutely beautiful," Ms Gabriel said.

"It's a habitat specialist, so it's only found in a unique part of the alpine swamps of the Barrington region.

"Saving it is critical to the environment that it lives in, and until recently, they've been extremely elusive."

The species is under pressure from feral pests like foxes and cats, as well as bushfires and the impact of climate change.

It's understood, the population has been in decline for years, and only hundreds remain in the wild.

Ms Gabriel says the organisation is looking forward to saving the rat.

"The team are just overwhelmed and so excited to be able to make a difference for another species," Ms Gabriel said.

"These founding animals will form the beginning of a insurance population that will grow and in partnership with the NSW Government, will then return back into the wild environment from which they come from.

"This is a critical step in saving this species from extinction."

Image credit: Aussie Ark.

Police Investigate Fatal Crash Near Stroud

 BY IAN CROUCH

A report is being prepared for the Coroner after a man died in a head-on smash near the Barrington Tops National Park.

A truck and a Nissan X-Trail SUV collided on the Bucketts Way at Stroud Road just before 1.00pm on Wednesday.

The 63-year-old driver of the SUV died at the scene and the 31-year-old truck driver was taken to Manning Base Hospital for mandatory testing.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact Crime Stoppers.

Barrington Tops Road Closure A Snag for Snow Chasers

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Snow chasers could have their dreams dashed this winter, with a major road closure at Gloucester blocking access to the Barrington Tops.

Barrington Tops Forest Road was shut for structural damage suffered in the March floods earlier this year, and there's concern the road could collapse at any moment.

Accomodation Gloucester owner Trudy Schultz said the road is likely to remain out of action for the whole season.

"We are going to have quite a lot of snow this weekend, I would say," Ms Schultz said.

"You can access the snow via Gloucester Tops, because apparently it's going to be snowing down to six hundred metres, but please don't access the Barrington Tops via Gloucester side and don't try and take backroads because you're going put people's lives at risk." 

While local businesses are usually preparing for peak tourism season, Ms Schultz said accommodation properties like hers are coming in under capacity.

Ms Schultz said the Forestry Corporation needs to sort the road out sooner rather than later.

"We've been through a drought, where Gloucester ran put of water, we were trucking in water," Ms Schultz said.

"We've had the bushfires, we've had major flood back in March and now we have a road that can't access the Barrington Tops."

"I know it's going to take a lot to do, but instead of just talking about it, we really need to start, because it's going to effect the whole Gloucester district, right down to Stroud, the whole area."

Image credit: https://barringtoncoast.com.au/

Snow Chasers Advised To Give The Barringtons A Miss

 BY IAN CROUCH

Snow chasers are being advised to give the Barrington Tops a miss this winter due to poor road conditions.

The Forestry Commission says the Barrington Tops Forest Road, which is the main access point from the coast, remains closed after major structural damage was sustained during the March floods.

Work is under way to repair the road but it's not expected to be finished before next winter.

Forestry says other roads in the area just can't cope with the volume of traffic.

If you're looking an alternative, areas to the north such as Nundle, Walcha and Guyra are expecting good snow falls this week.

 

Snow Chasers Urged To Stay Away From Barrington Tops Picture portnews.com.au

First Baby Quolls Born in the Barrington Tops in 60 Years

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The birth of 13 Eastern quoll joeys in the Barrington Tops - the first born in the region in 60 years - has given wildlife restoration efforts new hope in bringing the endangered species back from the brink.

A population of 28 quolls was initially reintroduced to the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary by Aussie Ark in 2020.

The nocturnal marsupials went extinct in the wild across Australia in 1963 because of invasive predators such as foxes and feral cats.

More than 100 joeys have been born as part of Aussie Ark's breeding program across the country.

Aussie Ark Ranger Max Jackson says the quolls are thriving in the wild and have even been spotting sunbaking.

“The birth of these lucky 13 joeys, proves that the Eastern quolls are healthy enough to raise young in the wild, without any intervention from us, which is our ultimate goal," Mr Jackson said.

"Hopefully, this is the beginning of a robust and thriving population of Eastern quolls in the Barrington Tops.”

Chris Hemsworth Ventures to Barrington Tops, to Return Tassie Devils to Mainland Australia For First Time in 3,000 Years

BY ISABEL EVERETT 

WildArk Ambassador, Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky have ventured to the Barrington Tops to release Tasmanian devils back into the wild on mainland Australia for the first time in 3,000 years. 

Aussie Ark, Global Wildlife Conservation and WildArk have collaborated to released the animals, including Lenny and Lisa, into a 400-hectare wildlife sanctuary on Barrington Tops. 

Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth Release Tasmanian Devils in the wild at Barrington Tops

Tasmanian Devil Lisa

Tasmanian Devil Lenny

“In 100 years, we are going to be looking back at this day as the day that set in motion the ecological restoration of an entire country,” said Tim Faulkner, president of Aussie Ark.

 “Not only is this the reintroduction of one of Australia’s beloved animals, but of an animal that will engineer the entire environment around it, restoring and rebalancing our forest ecology after centuries of devastation from introduced foxes and cats and other invasive predators."

"Because of this reintroduction and all of the hard work leading up to it, someday we will see Tasmanian devils living throughout the great eastern forests as they did 3,000 years ago.”

 
Tasmanian devils vanished entirely from mainland Australia in large part because they were outcompeted by introduced dingoes, which hunt in packs. 

Dingoes never made it to Tasmania, but across the island state, a transmissible, painful and fatal disease called Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD)—the only known contagious cancer—decimated up to 90 percent of the wild population of Tasmanian devils.

Just 25,000 devils are left in the wild of Tasmania today, with Australia having world’s worst mammal extinction rate.

 

For the last decade, the Aussie Ark team has been building an insurance population of Tasmanian devils all leading up to the reintroduction, which took place on September 10. 

Twenty-six total devils now call the wild of mainland Australia home.

Devil Joey 

 

Devils Shortly After Release 

“Without Aussie Ark’s incredible work and perseverance over all of these years, the recent devil reintroduction would not have been possible and instead of looking forward to the recovery of the species, we would be watching the devil slip into extinction,” said Don Church, president of Global Wildlife Conservation. 

“This is an incredible example of how to rewild our planet, bringing back the natural systems to the benefit of all life on Earth.”
 

Tasmanian Devil Jackson

Eastern Quolls Return to Barrington Tops For First Time in 60 Years

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Twenty-eight eastern quolls have been released into the Barrington Tops Wildlife Sanctuary, marking their first return to the area in over 60 years, as part of conservation efforts by organisation Aussie Ark. 

Through a breeding program Aussie Ark has successfully bred the vulnerable species to almost 90 individuals, a number that grows with every season.

“Our ultimate goal is to bolster the Eastern quoll species’ population and rewild the Barrington Tops. The release of these 28 individuals is a massive step in the right direction, ”Aussie Ark’s President Tim Faulkner says. 

Eastern quolls have been largely extinct on mainland Australia and from the Barrington Tops, since the 1960s due to habitat fragmentation and predation from feral foxes, cats and domestic dogs, and for many years were only widespread in Tasmania. 

Over the years they have been re-introduced into fenced wild sanctuaries, like Aussie Ark’s, which provides refuge and a healthy habitat, removed of feral predators.

These ideal conditions allow the species to thrive and therefore breed effectively. 

Last year, the organisation’s breeding record was broken with the birth of 51 quoll joeys. 

First Tassie Devil Joeys Born in Breeding Program This Year, As Snow Falls On Barrington Tops

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Pouch checks have revealed 26 new Tasmanian Devil joeys have been born so far this year, as part of Aussie Ark's breeding program at the Barrington Tops, just in time for the first snow fall of the year.

The devil joeys are reportedly strong and healthy despite the cold weather in the region, with Aussie Ark hoping to to beat last year's number of 69 joeys.

Aussie Ark President Tim Faulkner says the process of checking pouches for devil joeys is one of the most exciting parts of the year.

“Each year, pouch checking is such a special and thrilling process and this year being paired with the first snowfall for the season made it extra special," said Mr Faulkner.

"We are extremely lucky to be able to witness first-hand the circle of life of the Tasmanian devils and the growth of these joeys – now crucial members of their species' insurance population.”

Pouch checking doesn't just help the organisation estimate how many joeys they can expect in the 2020 breeding season - keepers can also assess the health of both mother devils and their young.

Mr Faulkner says staff cannot wait to watch the next generation of Tasmanian devils grow up.

"Our team is working tirelessly every day to make sure Tasmanian devils do not go extinct – extinction is not an option!" said Mr Faulkner.

"It is encouraging to see that every breeding season is bigger than the last and it’s looking positive to be another stellar year!”

Conversation organisation Aussie Ark currently have the most successful captive breeding program for the endangered animals on the Australian mainland.

All Images Credited to Aussie Ark

Keeper Kelly and Max

Tasmanian Devil Joeys

Image credit: Aussie Ark

 Tasmanian Devil Joeys

Tasmanian Devil Joey

Barrington Tops

Police Issue Warning After Barrington Tops Rescue

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are again urging snow chasers to be prepared after two four-wheel-drives became stuck on the Barrington Tops.

The two vehicles, which were travelling together, became bogged after a day trip to see the snow.

One of the occupants called triple oh just after 7.30pm on Sunday saying they had no food, no warm clothes and no water.

Neither vehicle was fitted with a winch, so they were forced to wait around 4 hours before help arrived.

Both vehicles were pulled out of trouble and were able to make their way back down the Tops.

Snow is again forecast today.

Snow On The Barrington Tops As Hunter Braces For Wild Weather

BY IAN CROUCH

Frigid temperatures and rain have combined to produce snow showers on the Barrington Tops overnight.

Reports suggest a couple of centimetres has fallen, with more snow expected to fall above 800 metres today and above 1500 metres tomorrow.

Elsewhere, the mercury has plunged across the Hunter.

While it's 7-point-6 degrees at Williamtown,  the wind chill is making it feel like minus point 4.

Further north, there are reports of snow falls at Walcha north west of Tamworth and Armidale, where the temperature is point 2 of a degree at the airport, but it feels like minus 7-point-5.

A Severe Weather warning is current for the Hunter, with potentially destructive winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour expected later this morning or early afternoon in Newcastle.

Snow Is Falling On The Barrington Tops Pictures: Justin Lawrence