Tilligerry Habitat Reserve

Tilligerry Habitat Reserve & Environment Centre

Eco-tourism, passive recreation and education.

 Situated on the south-western shore of Port Stephens, the Tilligerry Peninsula is just 2 1/2 hours from Sydney and 45 minutes from Newcastle and Nelson Bay. 

The Tilligerry Habitat is a tranquil, 9 hectare  Reserve bordered by a variety of park lands and the picturesque foreshore of Tanilba Bay.  Its diverse flora and fauna make it an excellent place to observe and study nature.

The network of scenic paths and boardwalks, over mostly flat terrain, make it accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages. Much of the area is wheelchair friendly. The Reserve includes forests, heath and wetlands and is home a variety of fauna including; koalas, a range of birds and seven species of frogs.

Other features of the Reserve include a straw-bale building that is our Environmental Centre. It contains an Arts and Crafts Gallery and has space for audio/visual presentations and small functions. It has a large deck looking out across the reserve where filtered water views of the bay may be seen through the swamp mahogany forest. Next door to the Environmental Centre is our Native Plant Nursery where visitors can buy native plants and learn about native plant propagation, rehabilitation of sand-mined land and plant rescue activities.

Tilligerry Habitat Centre

HISTORY

Tilligerry Habitat State Reserve Trust was gazetted in 1996, Tilligerry Habitat Association Inc. being the trustees. The site (9.6Ha) was mined for rutile and other heavy minerals 1965-68 and then abandoned without

rehabilitation only seeding with Rhodes grass.  From 1996, poor regrowth and serious erosion have been tackled by a rehabilitation and maintenance programme.  Together with the adjacent coastal strip, it is now possible to experience a sample of the rich biodiversity of the Tilligerry on footpaths through bush, dune, freshwater streams and koala habitat swamp mahogany forest by the sea.

Tilligerry Habitat Association Inc (THA) was created in 1995 to rehabilitate and care for the land.  It is a not-for- profit, community, voluntary association with a triple bottom line of conservation, social and economic responsibilities.

ENVIRONMENT CENTRE

The Centre provides facilities to run the organisation with an airy meeting room, office, horticulture room and

workshop. Many features of ‘environmentally sensitive building’ are demonstrated in this award winning building which is a single storey, load-bearing straw bale construction (well insulated walls using a renewable, low intrinsic energy material) lying on an east-west axis.  Visual impact is minimised by the low building line, natural colourings (evening sun on water and trees) and landscaping with local native plants.

The meeting room not only provides facilities for members and visitors but also features displays such as nature, history and art of the Tilligerry.  Art, craft and books are available for sale. 

NATIVE NURSERY

A Nursery provides facilities for volunteers to raise local native plants to rehabilitate the Habitat and sell to wholesalers and the public.  A seed raising house, shade house, open benches and a watering system are used in the production of tube stock from seeds and cuttings.   Many plants have also come from several plant rescue programmes in conjunction with Port Stephens Council before bushland is destroyed by development.  Large, slow growing plants of commercial and replanting potential such as Macrozamias (Burrawang),   Xanthorrhoeas (Grass Trees) and Doryanthes (Gymea lilies) are transferred and potted for stabilisation before sale.  Low growing and ground cover plants have also been successfully rescued, over 3,000 last year, before planting on site or selling. 

Voluntary organisation
 

Financially, totally independent, THA relies on huge voluntary contributions of time and expertise from members and community work programmes to provide services, generate and sell products as well as raising grants from government, corporations and other philanthropic sources.  All have been essential contributors.

The Centre and environs are used to develop interests and friendships both in structured groups and informal

gatherings.  Accessibility is provided for the mobility challenged.

Tilligerry Habitat Association is a non-profit, community association with objectives of education, conservation and job creation. It is aiming to be a centre of excellence. The Tilligerry Habitat Tours & Activity Centre have Advanced Accreditation for the National Eco Tourism Accreditation Program.

 The following areas are a sample of some of the projects that have been undertaken or are currently underway:

• Boardwalk construction
• Interpretive map creation
• Koala condition monitoring
• Monitoring the flora and fauna of the Tilligerry Peninsula (especially frogs, birds and orchids)
• Coordinating volunteer efforts

The association was formed in 1993 and looks after an area of just under 15 hectares on the foreshores of Port Stephens between Tanilba and Mallabula. Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into projects in the Tilligerry habitat; it is an amazing local community venture.

The site is being restored after the damage caused by mineral extraction some 30 years ago. 

It has a large diversity of fauna and flora, with delightful existing and evolving sectors coming into play. Throughout the project, ownership by the community of the Tilligerry habitat has been central to the goals of the association.

The Straw Bale House consists of bales placed between two timber plates, held together by strands of wire that are tightened to give the top plate a level sufficient to allow for the placement of the roofing timbers. Bird wire was spread over the walls externally and internally, and then cement plastered with an earthen red ochre. The effect is quite outstanding. The wall is the width of a straw bale. The construction is cool in summer and warm in winter and has become the venue for other projects on the Tilligerry Habitat and peninsula.

http://tilligerryhabitat.wordpress.com/recent-events/

http://lemontreepassage.nsw.au/