Conservation at Seven Hills Estate
From the moment we began walking the steeper, forested parts of Seven Hills Estate, it was clear this land held stories far older than us. Sub-tropical rainforest gullies. Tall open eucalypt forests. Seasonal waterways. These were never areas to be managed for production, but places to be protected, restored, and allowed to recover.
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Conservation at Seven Hills Estate is not a side project. It is a long-term commitment to safeguarding habitat, strengthening ecological corridors, and giving threatened species the best possible chance of survival — a commitment formally recognised through our participation in the Land for Wildlife program and the establishment of a permanently protected Nature Refuge.
Land for Wildlife
We joined the Land for Wildlife program in September 2022. Soon after, we walked the property with a Conservation Partnerships Officer from Sunshine Coast Council. Within the first half hour, two critically endangered native plant species were identified on the farm: native guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) and scrub turpentine (Rhodamnia rubescens).
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Both species have been severely impacted across southeast Queensland by myrtle rust. Finding living specimens on our land was not just rare – it was hopeful. These plants represent remnant populations that have persisted where disturbance has been low and diversity remains high.
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The assessment also confirmed that the property sits on the edge of one of the largest remaining connected forest systems in southeast Queensland, linking the Conondale and D’Aguilar ranges. Protecting land in this position strengthens wildlife corridors well beyond our boundary fences.
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Wildlife Habitat
We have observed glossy black cockatoos on the property, a threatened species that depends on forest she-oaks for food. Koalas are known to move through the area, supported by blue gums and tallowwoods. Forested gullies and streams provide habitat for threatened frog species including the giant barred frog and Fleay’s barred frog.
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Large hollow-bearing trees support powerful owls, sooty owls, masked owls, and many other forest-dependent species. Protecting these mature trees is one of the most effective conservation actions we can take.
Restoration in Practice
With support through Land for Wildlife, we have secured multiple grants to rehabilitate one of our two sub-tropical rainforest gullies. This work has included fencing rainforest and waterways to exclude cattle, deer, and pigs, reducing erosion along stream banks, and assisting natural regeneration rather than large-scale planting.
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The approach is simple: remove pressure, support recovery, and let the forest respond. Regeneration is now occurring naturally as soil, light, and moisture conditions improve. This work remains ongoing and is measured in decades rather than seasons.
Native Planting and Partnerships
Land for Wildlife members can apply annually for up to 250 native tube-stock trees. We have taken advantage of this twice and have been awarded a third allocation. These trees will be planted in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast to celebrate International Day of Forests on 20 March.
The Seven Hills Nature Refuge
Recognising the ecological value of the property, we applied under Queensland’s voluntary conservation agreements to establish a Nature Refuge. This has now been formally granted. Around 250 acres of Seven Hills Estate are permanently protected for conservation — in perpetuity, including under future ownership. This land adjoins Conondale National Park, strengthening regional habitat connectivity.
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Within the refuge, we plan to develop a low-impact network of walking tracks that allow people to experience the landscape without compromising its integrity.
A Long View
Conservation is rarely dramatic. It is careful. Incremental. Often invisible. But over time, it compounds. At Seven Hills Estate, our role is not to control these ecosystems, but to give them space, protection, and time.
This work will never truly be finished — and that is exactly as it should be.