Grazed and cleared
Stocker’s Bottom isn’t like the other ecosystems you’ll tour.
Once a grassy woodland and seasonal wetland, the area was first used for agricultural grazing, and then cleared and planted with introduced grasses to replace the over-grazed native grasses.
Today it’s a large, open expanse with drainage channels running through its centre.
Restoring an ecosystem
One consequence of this land clearing is the soil’s alteration from predominantly fungal to bacterial systems, which impedes the establishment of more sensitive native species.
In addition, while Stocker’s Bottom features large old black gum (Eucalyptus ovata) and cabbage gum (lutha) (Eucalyptus pauciflora), distributed across the uncleared grasslands, this community has no children, as overgrazing and damage from deer antlers has consistently prevented saplings establishing as future canopy. If left unaddressed, the remnant open woodland will age into an eerie field of skeletons. This is an unacceptable outcome.
As we begin to plan the restoration of Stocker’s Bottom, regenerating the soil is a priority, as is creating habitat for small native mammals.
Long-nosed potoroo
The long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) is one mammal we hope to encourage to return to this area.
Potoroo play a critical role in the ecosystem, using their highly developed sense of smell to forage for and spread fungi species that lack their own mechanisms for spore dispersal. In doing this, they enable new fungi to form symbiotic relationships with tree and shrub roots, which in turn, enables the exchange of minerals and nutrients for carbon and boosts water absorption.
Adapting and surviving
Despite the stress this ecosystem is under, species have adapted and survived.
Wombats (prupilathina) (Vombatus ursinus) use the drainage channels like highways. Flame robins (puwina) (Petroica phoenicea) perch on our experimental leaky weir structures. And our microphone audio recorders have picked up the sounds of four species of bats (layrina).
Swanning around
Meanwhile, in nearby Stocker’s Dam, a pair of black swans (kaylarunya) (Cygnus atratus) have built a nest and hatched cygnets. In the spring of 2023, we spotted five fluffy, white younglings in the dam. One was riding on mum’s back, one on dad’s, and three were kicking in the water.
There is also a pair of Australian shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) in the area.
Both of these species mate for life.
Explore by ecosystem
The Quoin boasts numerous ecosystems — from grassy woodland to dolerite escarpment — each unique in appearance, species makeup and functional role in the broader web of life.
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