Sanctuary

An Oasis for Native Wildlife

Trowunna consists of five different habitats that help to accommodate for all types of fauna that occur naturally and pass through the region. The animals you see on display are there for one of several reasons: they are part of a breeding program; they are being rehabilitated for soft release; or they are unable to be released back into the wild and are given quality of life. This natural environment acts as a defence life cover for animals. Here, they are protected and given a home they can adapt to. They are also one with nature and kept away from the dangers of the outside world. We do not trap animals from the wild.

The amphibian habitat is located in the wetlands at the top of the park and consists of a series of waterways that eventually lead to our lake, greeting lucky visitors with their beautiful concerto. Of Tasmania's eleven frog species our amphibian habitat is home to five different species including the Eastern Banjo (Pobblebonk) Frog, Brown Tree Frog, Common Froglet, Spotted Marsh Frog, and Tasmanian Froglet.

The lake provides for an array of water fowl, ducks, geese and swans, while giving visitors a brilliant view of Quamby Bluff and Mother Cummings on the Great Western Tiers. Alpine grasslands provide for our free ranging kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, birdlife, and reptiles, whereas our shrubland is a natural haven for smaller macropods, such as paddymelons, potoroos, and bettongs, with bracken fern providing cover from predators.

The riparian forest is home to our Forester Kangaroos, Bennetts Wallabies, an Paddymelons, giving you the opportunity to see these wonderful macropods in their natural habitat. With natural ground cover and den sites for our free ranging wombats, you will feel like you are one with nature amongst the trees. Be sure to keep your eyes out for flicking ears, as this is the best way to spot them as they blend into the bark and ground cover.

Outside the park perimeter we have over 10 hectares of untouched bush land which acts as a wildlife corridor. This enables our animal friends a safe space to rest or to make their home. The area is falls under the Land for Wildlife program. For more activites around Mole Creek visit http://www.molecreek.info/.

Rescue and release

Trowunna is committed to caring for injured and orphaned wildlife. The park becomes a release site for many of these animals through a process called 'soft release'. Releasing straight into the wild, known as 'hard release', often does not work because the animal has lost some of it's wild instinct. Soft release is where we care for the animal at the park and after a while, let it roam freely around while we monitor their progress. Release into the wild after this process is much more successful.

Some of our rescued and released animals include:

Some animals will never be able to be released into the wild. These animals find sanctuary at Trowunna. As you walk around the park, you will find some of the bird enclosures empty. This is because these birds are able to come and go as they please. If the animals are with us for their whole life, we give them the best possible quality of life we can.

Animal Tales

Over our 30 years of operation we have had many residents, and each of our orphaned and rescued animals have their own unique story.

As you enter the park you will see a display with She-oak Skinks inside. These guys were rescued when their mum was run over by a car, leaving them orphaned. Fourteen brothers and sisters were kept together and cared for until they we big enough to be separated. Now these wondrous creatures can be seen imitating snakes by tucking their legs beside their body and flicking their tongues in a snake like manner. Unfortunately this form of behavioural camouflage is useless against kookaburras, who will take a snake from time to time.

Then there is the story of our wedge-tail eagles, who have been with us for 25 years, but you will have to come and join in on one of our free public tours for that amazing story.