Meaning “echidna” in the Ngunnawal LANGUAGE
Echidna are found throughout this beautiful 2050-acre property along with a number of rare and endangered species, including Lindleys spider-orchids, Mount Arthur burrowing crayfish, Tasmanian devils, Eastern barred bandicoots and Spotted-tailed quoll.
The critically-endangered Lindley spider-orchid is particularly special: the species now exists in extremely low numbers (10 – 50) in just three populations across Tasmania, one being here at Burugun. All species are deciduous and die back after flowering to small subterranean tubers. When in bloom, the orchids have large flowers with long, tapered segments. They are mostly pollinated by male thynnine wasps that attempt to mate with the labellum because the scents produced by the flowers mimic female wasps pheromones!
The vulnerable Mount Arthur Burrowing Crayfish is also unique in that it lives in solitary ‘burrows’ (often of considerable depths with characteristic chimneys of pelleted soil above ground) where there is good water run-off.
They are solitary creatures that only exit their burrows to feed and/or mate in late Winter.
LATEST NEWS
Burugun is our latest wildlife land bank purchase. Our priority is to protect the extremely rare and vulnerable species endemic to the reserve, as well as support a carbon sequestration scheme linked to the reserve.