Wren McLean
Many curious minds have pondered the purpose of the rice paddy-like waterbodies that scallop the contour lines out into the Ewingsdale coastal plain that can be viewed from St Helena Road. This privately-owned 30ha constructed wetland’s primary purpose is to provide habitat for rare and endangered birds. The majesty of these birds, and indeed the greater natural world, inspired a deep passion in the late Tony Maxwell, who whole-heartedly applied himself to do all he could to provide for them. Tony Maxwell set his mind on re-wilding what once would have been a flooded melaleuca wetland.
Humble, wise, and generous Tony set his mind on re-wilding what once would have been a flooded melaleuca wetland. The initial brief for the Seapeace wetland project, which back in 2016 was a low-lying cattle pasture, was to create habitat for the black-necked stork. Surface water was retained on site to drown pasture grasses and a diversity of wetland flora were reintroduced.