Demonstration Site Summary: Natural Capital protection

Overview

Updated April 2026

Carolyn Dowley purchased her property near York in 2024, securing the demonstration grant after just three months. The arable paddocks are leased back to the previous owners for canola cropping and grazing, and Carolyn is focusing on protecting and regenerating the remnant wandoo and marri woodland.

The demonstration involves protecting on-farm natural capital through excluding stock with fencing and planting local provenance species.

Carolyn has established monitoring sites, installed stock-exclusion fencing and fire-access gates, carried out baseline botanical surveys, natural capital condition scoring and planted seedlings all within a month.

Watering, monitoring, weed control and infill planting continued throughout 2025 with plans for future controlled burning being investigated with local rangers.

Key findings so far…

• Natural regeneration appearing in previously bare understory – in the absence of grazing, species like Lechenaultia biloba and various orchids emerged from the existing seedbank.
• During drought periods, manual watering and “slow-release” drippers (made from milk bottles) were essential. A dedicated ground-level drinking station successfully stopped wildlife from damaging plant sleeves to reach condensation.
• Camera traps, ecological surveys, eDNA, and sightings confirmed a diverse range of inhabitants, including echidnas, brushtail possums, robin red-breasts, black cockatoos and frogs.
• Community support: WNRM, co-investment, neighbours, family involvement.
• 200 endemic seedlings planted to stabilise slopes and reduce salinity.
• Purchased tubestock had a high mortality rate (only 6 of 20 survived the first summer), whereas self-sown plants proved significantly more resilient to heat and drought. Seedlings protected by tree guards/sleeves (both plastic and biodegradable cardboard) survived better.
• Growing understanding of species provenance and micro-habitat needs.
• Transitioning to collecting own seed to ensure better adaptation to the specific soil and climate.

See more:

• Demonstration Site Blog: Wandoo Woodland Restoration, York
• Media Release: Reducing risk and growing the local knowledge that drives regeneration