The Nature of Wombat Bend

When you holiday at Wombat Bend you’ll be sharing the 5 acres of wildlife habitat with a great many other guests – the majority of whom live on or near the billabong (Wiradjuri ‘bilabang’).

Hundreds of birds and native animals call Wombat Bend home and when you visit you’ll have the opportunity to see and hear whoever is ‘in residence’ at that time. Our bush birds live here year round and will enthral you with their antics and confidence. Other species arrive seasonally and you’ll only see them if your dates coincide. Waterfowl and waders are permanent residents and will engage your attention at all hours of the day.

Whether or not you consider yourself a bird lover, you’ll find yourself reaching for the binoculars (you’ll find some in the cottage) as the shady trees & shrubbery surrounding the billabong house many of our songsters, and during nesting season we can point out to you where to look to see the young.

Most of our native animals are nocturnal and come out to play between dusk and dawn; wombats trundle purposefully through the property, ringtail and brushtail possums scamper from tree to tree on their way somewhere, and if you glimpse a tiny square of fur soaring through the night sky, you’ll know you’ve just met one of our sugar gliders.

The sounds of the bush at night are wonderful if you’re unfamiliar with them: the crickets and cicadas and frogs in summer, and the glorious warbling of magpies in winter on a clear moonlit night are unforgettable. We have a spotlight that picks out these delightful characters so let us know if you’re keen to do a bit of night spotting. We’re always happy to help you meet the wildlife during your stay.

When you come to stay you’ll find areas of Wombat Bend have been planted with selected species of small eucalypts, acacias and a range of banksias, callistemons, grevilleas and hakeas, under trial for future horticultural use.

Along the edge of the billabong, rushes and reeds (mainly Juncus ingens and Triglochin procera) provide specialised habitat for nesting and feeding for many waterbirds, particularly coots and moorhens.

A densely planted island in the billabong provides safe habitat for a number of birds, particularly breeding moorhens and coots. Woodland walks around the billabong offer varied bird habitat, with a number of shady spots for a bit of time out.

Whatever time of year you visit, let yourself be absorbed by the natural world at Wombat Bend and feel your soul start to slowly recharge, as the gentle rhythm of life by the billabong washes over you.

** Photography Acknowledgement: Selected images throughout the site courtesy of: John Murray; Joy Ruffeski; Barbara Wall.