Capillosa is a 1400 ha property of Wandoo Woodland and Mallee Shrubland, situated about 12 km north of Westonia, in the eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia. About 240 ha has been cleared and is currently leased for cropping. A further 90 ha was cleared in the 1980s. Part of this was allowed to regenerate immediately (we call this the Regen Area) and part was cropped for a year or two and then allowed to regenerate (we call this the Park). Several large granite outcrops support a rich lithic flora.

Capillosa abuts Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve on its southern boundary and Nature Reserve A30430 on its north eastern boundary.This gives a combined area of about 2100 ha of continuous bushland.

After purchasing Capillosa (formerly Taddy Creek) from the National Trust in 2003, we placed a Voluntary Conservation Covenant on the title of the property with the assistance of the National Trust and the Department of Conservation and Land Management, WA. The property is also registered with the Land for Wildlife Scheme, run by the Department of Conservation and Land Management. The intention of the covenant is that the virgin bush on Capillosa will never be cleared.

Bushland

The  woodland areas contain
Wheatbelt Wandoo Eucalyptus capillosa (right)
Gimlet E. salubris (below)
Salmon Gum E. salmonophloia
Silver Mallee E. crucis crucis (declared rare) (right below)
York Gum E. loxophloia

Wandoo woodland at Camp Creek

Gimlet woodland at Top Paddock

Eucalyptus crucis at Sandford Rocks

The bushland also has large areas of high diversity mallee shrubland containing a variety of mallee species, including E. leptopoda, E. eremophila and E. burracoppinensis, with an understorey of acacias, orchids, hakeas, grevilleas, verticordias, dampieras, persoonias, goodenias etc.,
some of which are P3 species (poorly known taxa).

Eucalyptus burracoppinensis on Taddy Road

Goodenia incana in the Park

Verticordia picta, V. chrysantha, Mirbelia spinosa and
Dampiera sp. in the Park

Birds

To date, 88 species of birds have been recorded on the property.
We are hoping to make a special study of the

Cuckoos
Blue-breasted Fairy-wrens
Shy Heathwrens
Redthroats
Malleefowl
Southern Scrub-robins
Red-capped Robins
Willie Wagtails
Black-faced Woodswallows
Western Yellow Robins......

(if we live long enough)

Shy Heathwren Hylacola cauta born in the Regen Area
August 2004

Harry's mound on 13.10.2004

(no, its not a rock - you'll have to guess)

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