Beta
The legacy of the Denne family
Bruny Island
The story of the forty-spot has always been about it being a very rare bird in Tasmania, but really it wasn't until some early work was done on Bruny Island by John Wynowski, that the importance of the three pardalote species - particularly on North Bruny Island - was identified.
This ignitited my boss, Peter Brown in state government, to do a very comprehensive survey of the forty-spotted pardalote across Tasmania.
It was Peter who identified the importance of Bruny Island as a habitat for forty-spots. Peter identified Dennes Hill as being the largest intact breeding colony for the forty-spotted pardalote, in its entire distribution. Thus, he identified the area that was most important to protect.
Dennes Hill is pivotal to the pardalote story. Not only was it the first location that was identified for protection, but it's the story of how it became a nature reserve.
That story hinges on the landholders, Ross Denne and Josephine Bottomley, the Denne family. They lived below the hill, at the property called Lauriston. They owned a large parcel of land, including Dennes Hill, and Ross would always say he loved Dennes Hill.
He ran sheep, and he would come up and light small fires, keep it very weed-free and do small burnings. He just loved being up on the top of the hill. You have fantastic views down into Bull Bay and it was his connection.
When Ross and Jo Denne were approached about the importance of this area for the pardalote, they began a journey which was to last many years. In partnership with the state government, the Denne family donated this large parcel of land. The government bought the lower area so that the Denne family were compensated in some in some way financially.
Then, they declared the whole of Dennes Hill, which is 95 hectares, as a nature reserve specifically for the species. To my knowledge that was the first such declaration to be made for a threatened species in Tasmania.
A bit like Ross and Jo, I see this place on Bruny Island as my little heartland. It's always important and when I'm working on Bruny, I have to come here.
Not only is it a site where I've got five monitoring sites for the pardalote, but I've been coming here for so long now. I just feel connected to Ross and Jo, and it's very much a story of legacy. It's a story of how people can leave a legacy that goes beyond their life.
Ross and Joe were beautiful people, both now long gone, but a very hardworking farming family that had the very best intention for nature. And the fact that they donated a large portion of this Nature reserve for the pardalote has seen a legacy that's lived on well beyond their passing.
It shows that everybody can have an impact, everybody can do something. It doesn't have to be a donation of money. It can be in any shape or form, but you can leave a legacy that means you've done good. That you've done good for Nature.
I always remember them here. I bring guided walks here during the Bruny Island Bird Festival. This hill is as much their story, as it is the pardalote's story. It's that connection of story.
The pardalote is a really tough bird to find up here on the hill. Often when I'm bringing birdos up here or groups of people during the bird festival, I have a bead of sweat because I think "oh, I really have to show them the pardalote."
But I've never had anyone on my walk or tour not be exhilarated by the story of the Denne family. It really doesn't matter whether they see the bird or not, because this story is a simple but genuine reflection on people's capacity to do something.
In fact, at the last bird festival someone was so genuinely moved, they sang a song on the top of Dennes Hill. It was so moving and wonderful that they let out that expression.
This is an example of a species' fate depending on private land. Really, half of this species distribution, apart from Maria Island National Park, is pretty much on Bruny Island. We are totally reliant on the goodwill of landholders to look after this bird.
Dr Sally Bryant
The story of the forty-spot has always been about it being a very rare bird in Tasmania, but really it wasn't until some early work was done on Bruny Island by John Wynowski, that the importance of the three pardalote species - particularly on North Bruny Island - was identified.
This ignitited my boss, Peter Brown in state government, to do a very comprehensive survey of the forty-spotted pardalote across Tasmania.
It was Peter who identified the importance of Bruny Island as a habitat for forty-spots. Peter identified Dennes Hill as being the largest intact breeding colony for the forty-spotted pardalote, in its entire distribution. Thus, he identified the area that was most important to protect.
Dennes Hill is pivotal to the pardalote story. Not only was it the first location that was identified for protection, but it's the story of how it became a nature reserve.
That story hinges on the landholders, Ross Denne and Josephine Bottomley, the Denne family. They lived below the hill, at the property called Lauriston. They owned a large parcel of land, including Dennes Hill, and Ross would always say he loved Dennes Hill.
He ran sheep, and he would come up and light small fires, keep it very weed-free and do small burnings. He just loved being up on the top of the hill. You have fantastic views down into Bull Bay and it was his connection.
When Ross and Jo Denne were approached about the importance of this area for the pardalote, they began a journey which was to last many years. In partnership with the state government, the Denne family donated this large parcel of land. The government bought the lower area so that the Denne family were compensated in some in some way financially.
Then, they declared the whole of Dennes Hill, which is 95 hectares, as a nature reserve specifically for the species. To my knowledge that was the first such declaration to be made for a threatened species in Tasmania.
A bit like Ross and Jo, I see this place on Bruny Island as my little heartland. It's always important and when I'm working on Bruny, I have to come here.
Not only is it a site where I've got five monitoring sites for the pardalote, but I've been coming here for so long now. I just feel connected to Ross and Jo, and it's very much a story of legacy. It's a story of how people can leave a legacy that goes beyond their life.
Ross and Joe were beautiful people, both now long gone, but a very hardworking farming family that had the very best intention for nature. And the fact that they donated a large portion of this Nature reserve for the pardalote has seen a legacy that's lived on well beyond their passing.
It shows that everybody can have an impact, everybody can do something. It doesn't have to be a donation of money. It can be in any shape or form, but you can leave a legacy that means you've done good. That you've done good for Nature.
I always remember them here. I bring guided walks here during the Bruny Island Bird Festival. This hill is as much their story, as it is the pardalote's story. It's that connection of story.
The pardalote is a really tough bird to find up here on the hill. Often when I'm bringing birdos up here or groups of people during the bird festival, I have a bead of sweat because I think "oh, I really have to show them the pardalote."
But I've never had anyone on my walk or tour not be exhilarated by the story of the Denne family. It really doesn't matter whether they see the bird or not, because this story is a simple but genuine reflection on people's capacity to do something.
In fact, at the last bird festival someone was so genuinely moved, they sang a song on the top of Dennes Hill. It was so moving and wonderful that they let out that expression.
This is an example of a species' fate depending on private land. Really, half of this species distribution, apart from Maria Island National Park, is pretty much on Bruny Island. We are totally reliant on the goodwill of landholders to look after this bird.
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