The 95Ha ecosanctuary was pest predator fencing was completed in June 2021.  With the area fully encircled by fencing,trapping of pests and predators became paramount, especially wallaby (introduced into the Hunter Hills from Tasmania in the mid 1800's) and have since become a major issue.  Wallaby breed and if left unchecked, numbers increase in a short space of time.  They browse relentlessly on emerging regenerating native plants and trees.  Despite regular shooting to control numbers, by March of 2023it was alarming to see how many wallaby were in the ecosanctuary and sighted regularly during daytime by walkers and mountain bike riders on the tracks.  Also, the evidence of numerous "wallaby tracks" through the grass, well worn tracks on earth banks and footprints meant that urgent and effective measures needed to be taken.  The Trust has liaised closely with Environment Canterbury(E-CAN) since the concept of an ecosanctuary evolved several years ago. Discussion on wallaby control with the Trust and E-CAN led to E-CAN providing support and siginifanct funding, enabling  the Trust to consult with professional contractors in order to deal once and for all with the wallaby problem.   

Operation

In the Winter of 2023, Contracting was tasked to conduct an aerial toxic poison operation to primarily target wallabies, as well as other mammalian pests. The operation began with an aerial prefeed on June 8th 2023, where 300kg of cereal prefeed pellets were distributed aerially.  On July 26th 2023, the toxic application was dropped, involving both aerial and ground-based methods. 250kg was dispersed aerially from a helicopter, while 50kg was manually spread along the sanctuary's perimeter to avoid overspilling the boundary and to ensure adequate coverage on the grass verges, which were among the wallaby's preferred food sources within the sanctuary.   The Ecosanctuary gates were locked the day before the bait was applied and re-opened in August following checks.

At the start of October, Contractors conducted a night of Thermal UAV (Drone) assisted ground hunting followed by another shorter night of ground hunting using Thermal Imaging equipment.  Further checks using Thermal Assisted UAV surveillance and installed trail cameras continued through October and November.   

Summary

There has been no further signs or sightings of wallaby since end of November 2023, some 9 months now, and we have concluded that the Point Bush Ecosanctuary is now wallaby-free!    A fantastic feat!   We have already seen regeneration of native plants establishing growth untouched by browsing wallaby which will in the long run allow native plants and trees to emerge through the gorse cover on the hillside and once growth surpasses gorse height, creates an overhead canopy blocking the light and supresses the gorse!   A resounding thank you to Glent Brentworth, Kennedy Lange, Jason Hawker (Environment Canterbury) personnel who

provided so much support and funding to the Trust to enable this project to be undertaken.   

Further Planting

With wallaby eradicated, we resumed the native tree plantings (delayed last winter) and commenced planting in July 2024.

The aim is to plant out a further 15,000 native trees and plants to complement the 13,000 planted out in 2022. 

We used re-purposed vineguards and canes as plant protectors (very useful) and many volunteers lent a hand to the task of

covering new plantings on the hill top.   The survival rate is most encouraging given the 450m hill ridge gets a battering from

winds and chilled air temperature.  The plantings happening now are on the lower section of hillside and more protected area

By the end of September,  new plantings will cover some 3.5  Ha of ecosanctuary.

NB:   E-CAN and MPI continue with their intensive wallaby management control programme to limit the spread into Otago, Mackenzie Country.  South Canterbury is designated as the wallaby Containment area and now borderd by a new wallaby deterent fence (50Klm in length) installed from Benmore to Tekapo plus there are numerous roadsigns placed at strategic highways for anyone spotting wallaby to REPORT it.  New initiatives are being trialled including...Undercover wallabies" a potential pest control..dubbed "Judas wallabies" with some 10 wallabies captured by conservation staff, fitted with a GPS collar (tracking device) and released back to the wild to effectively "dob" in the location of their mates, allowing hunters to track and shoot rogue wallabies that have spread from Canterbury into Otago.  An inovative way to track wallabies in difficult terrain.   Check out www.reportwallabies.nz

Photos to be included (helicopter dropping bait + views over Waimate)

sent through on separate email
--
ngā mihi,