Conundrum Australia Restoration Project

About our Conundrum Restoration Project in Victoria, Australia

Ecological Vegetation Class: EVC 22 Grassy Dry Forest |
EVC 47 Valley Grassy Forest

Bioregion: Central Victorian Uplands

This 43-hectare project is located in hilly terrain near the village of Bonnie Doon, 168km north-east of Melbourne. Originally cleared for sheep grazing, it's now mainly open, cleared land. The property sits close to the saddle of a hilltop in a steeply undulating landscape ranging from 480-650 meters above sea level.

A few small tributaries originate on the property, including two spring-fed gullies, forming part of the headwaters of Woolshed Creek. Woolshed Creek flows into an arm of Lake Eildon, which lies 3km to the north-east.

Site Objective

Carbon Sequestration: 5,690 tCO2 40 years

Methodology: Registration and validation of this ARR project is under VERRA's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS program)

This project aims to:

• Enhance biodiversity
• Protect threatened species
• Improve catchment area for Woolshed Creek, running into Lake Eildon
• Contribute to regional conservation efforts
• Create connectivity to adjacent parks (eg. Maittongoon Bushland Reserve) to foster landscape resilience and prevent species extinctions.

The project will also provide additional, biodiverse, and lasting carbon storage in the newly planted woodland trees and shrubs, as well as in the soil.

An on-title conservation agreement with Trust for Nature.Opens in a new tab. ensures in-perpetuity conservation management and protection of the biodiversity across the property.

About the Restoration

Extensive pest animal and weed control took place to prepare the site for planting.

The majority of Conundrum was restored in the 2024 Planting Season using a direct planting method. Quite a workout, given the steep slopes!

The remaining 10 hectares will be completed in the 2025 Planting Season. A total of 12 species are being planted on the site.

This project is funded by the Victorian Government’s $77 million BushBank Program and Land Life. The BushBank program is restoring more than 20,000 hectares of land across Victoria to create healthy wildlife habitat and capture carbon. Land Life's restoration partner Cassinia Environmental is the lead delivery partner for BushBank.

Biodiversity gains

This may be one of our smaller restoration projects, but it is expected to achieve fantastic biodiversity wins.

Excitingly, the property is home to the endangered Gang Gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum) and a diverse range of woodland birds. Powerful Owls, listed as a threatened species in Victoria under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (classified as vulnerable), also hunt here.

By restoring Conundrum, we're creating a buffer with the adjoining Maintongoon Bushland Reserve and reestablishing a vital ecosystem and habitat for flora and fauna, including a feeding and breeding habitat for Gang Gang Cockatoos and Powerful Owls. It's a long end game, as suitable nesting hollows can take 80 years to form.

Did you know? Cockatoos play a vital role in songlines, Dreaming stories, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge across Aboriginal communities. These stories express the deep connections between Country, the movement of people, animals, plants, and celestial systems, and serve as guides for seasonal changes, rainfall, and the management of fire and water, with this knowledge entrusted to those with cultural responsibility and kinship to the birds.