TIVERTON
FARM
A case study in farming and conservartion
Tiverton Farm Safe Haven is a large-scale conservation and regenerative agriculture project located near Dundonnell in Victoria’s Western District.
Covering approximately 1,000 hectares, the property operates as a working sheep farm while also serving as a protected sanctuary for threatened native wildlife.
Odonata Advisory services
Working merino sheep farm
Odonata delivers strategic advice and implementation services for threatened species recovery. This includes threat reduction, species reintroduction, genetic recovery and population management, supported by world-leading recovery models.
Threatened species recovery
The sanctuary supports species such as the Eastern Barred Bandicoot and the Eastern Quoll, both of which have faced severe population declines or extinction on mainland Australia. Reintroduction programs at Tiverton aim to rebuild sustainable populations and improve genetic diversity.
Predator-proof fence
A defining feature of Tiverton is its predator-proof fencing, designed to exclude invasive species such as foxes and cats. This creates a safe environment for the reintroduction and breeding of endangered animals.
Offsets
Odonata provides options to help balance population growth with conservation through biodiversity-sensitive urban design principles. We provide practical applications for valuing existing biodiversity, and work with landscape architects and urban designers to embed nature as a core component of the urban landscape – benefiting communities and protecting flora and fauna.
Regenerative farming practices
Tiverton is also innovative in combining conservation with regenerative farming practices. The presence of native animals, particularly bandicoots, contributes to soil health through natural digging and foraging behaviours, which enhances nutrient cycling and pasture quality. This integration demonstrates how biodiversity restoration can coexist with productive agriculture, even improving outcomes such as wool production.
Tiverton Farm Sanctuary represents a pioneering model of land management in Australia. By merging wildlife conservation, scientific reintroduction programs, and sustainable farming, it highlights a practical approach to addressing biodiversity loss while maintaining agricultural productivity.
1 | Thriving wetlands restoration programs
Tilt Renewables approached Odonata when designing a program to protect fragile brolga populations in western Victoria. Odonata has overseen habitat restoration of four critical wetlands which support brolga breeding. Odonata’s ecologists continue to monitor and manage the wetlands, which has delivered far greater biodiversity outcomes beyond the regulatory requirements.
Odonata Advisory’s collaborative approach demonstrated that well-designed projects can deliver better conservation and community outcomes – without additional cost – while supporting Australia’s essential transition to renewable energy.
2 | Unlocking nature repair potential on private property
Odonata Advisory worked closely with private landholders of a degraded 400ha property in West Gippsland, Victoria. Throughout the consultation period, Odonata Advisory explored the nature repair potential at the site, by layering biodiversity outcomes and financial returns for maximum impact.
A plan has been mapped, supporting native species revegetation to encourage endemic fauna back to the area, with the long view of exploring the viability of a threatened species safe haven once habitat has been restored.
Odonata Advisory profits are reinvested to save species
Without advisory services income, Odonata would not be advancing its mission to save species at the scale and pace we have been able to achieve. We have our clients to thank for that.
✓ Odonata is leading the most successful semi-wild breeding program of the southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby (just 50 remain in the wild).
✓ Worked tirelessly with others to downlist the eastern barred bandicoot from extinct in the wild to endangered, with 80% of the remaining population in Odonata’s care across our safe havens.
✓ Work is underway to secure 9 core threatened species to prevent imminent extinction.
Photography by Annette Ruzicka, Pete James.