They are elusive, considered Australia's most genetically unique bird and critically endangered — but one Torrumbarry dairy farm happens to have an unusually high number of them.
Andrew and Judy McGillivray have long used a 323 ha section of their farm to ‘holiday’ their dairy cows in winter before calving and agist young cattle.
It turns out the gradual grazing and ‘hands-off’ approach to the back paddock was maintaining an ideal grassland habitat for the plains-wanderer.
“I've know they were there for years, but it was only when we got to know the people who are involved with preserving them that we really took notice,” Mr McGillivray said.
“We farm the land the way we want and it just happens to be the right way to help them.”
Plains-wanderers like grass 5-8 cm in height — any longer and they can't see predators coming.
“The gurus tell me we've got a lot here,” Mr McGillivray said.
“They put up song meters and record their calls at night, and they reckon we happen to have one of the most significant locations in Australia.”
The critically endangered bird has been described as the ‘flag ship’ for native grassland conservation and has its own breeding programs at the Werribee Open Range and Taronga zoos.
The McGillivrays have carved precious time out of their 24/7 dairying schedules to visit the Werribee facility where birds from their own farm now live.
“We provided three to four birds, they are named and everything after people in the family,” Mr McGillivray said.
“We went down there to see them and their chicks. Eventually some of those chicks will be released back onto the farm.”
Down the road Mr McGillivray's cousin Bill has set aside part of his dairy farm as a plains-wanderer area.
His brother has also gotten involved and educated himself on the birds that hide on his property.
The farmers are all part of the Northern Plains Conservation Group, which includes 10 to 13 more local farmers, including George Peace who has set aside 26 ha of native grassland on his property.
The grassland has never been ploughed and carries the name ‘George's Grassland’ alongside giant ‘no shooting’ signs.
Other farmers, Faye and Andrew Bail, help nearby Terrick Terrick National Park replicate the successful conditions on the park's native grassland with their own livestock.
For more information on helping the plains-wanderer in the Loddon, Gannawarra and Campaspe shire areas reach out to the Northern Plains Conservation Management Network.
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