Tucked into the rocky hilltops near Bathurst, North Jack supports one of NSW’s most vulnerable plants, the granite zieria (Zieria obcordata), an endangered shrub that exists almost entirely within this single landscape.
With more than 80 per cent of the known population of granite zieria found on North Jack, the property has become a focal point for conservation efforts: the species suffering from decades of land clearing and grazing pressure and making this site one of the last strongholds for its survival.
North Jack’s ecological value doesn’t end there. The property also provides habitat for koalas and the elusive spotted-tailed quoll, offering a rare combination of biodiversity in a region where native vegetation has been heavily cleared.
Recognising its value, our ecologists acted quickly when North Jack came on the market, purchasing the property through our Revolving Fund and adding a conservation area to it, to be enhanced through philanthropic donation.
Grazing enclosures will be built around the existing granite zieria to keep out goats, kangaroos, and other herbivores, giving the plants the chance to flower and seed more successfully, while researchers from the University of Sydney are trialling innovative techniques like “odour misinformation” to make the highly palatable plant less appealing to herbivores.
Following initial conservation work, North Jack will be resold with more than 200 hectares of granite zieria habitat and other critical ecosystems protected in perpetuity, for the immediate owners and future owners.
Revolving Fund and Investment Assessment Manager Chris Perceval said he was excited when North Jack came on the market.
“We acted quickly to secure it, and the landholder was pleased to see it protected,” Chris said.
“From a conservation perspective, there’s a lot happening here, and this purchase ensures it will remain protected for generations to come,” he said.
Chris said the story of North Jack was a reminder that protecting biodiversity often comes down to safeguarding just a few critical places.
“In this case, one hilltop property may hold the key to the survival of an entire species and the future of a thriving ecosystem,” he said.
Click here for more information about our revolving fund.