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Physical Description

Wirrimbirra Sanctuary covers is an area of about 95 ha. Located about halfway between the Bargo River Crossing and the village of Bargo on the Hume Highway 100 km south of Sydney. Wirrimbirra preserves a part of the original 'Bargo Brush' which was of considerable historical importance in the problems which faced the settlement of the Argyle or Southern Tablelands during the early half of the 1800s.

The Sanctuary contains rich and diverse plantings of native plants in formalised gardens, which were developed to provide areas of representative native plans for education and research purposes. Within the 43 established gardens, there are over 1800 native plants representing a resource base for the study of native flora.

The Administration Area contains all the buildings, including two rangers’ cottages, an office and bookshop, a display area and amenities. A native plant nursery provides plants for the property and for sale.

Within the Sanctuary there is the capacity to accommodate groups of up to 44 people in 5 bunk style cabins in the Environmental Studies Centre. (An Introduction to Wirrimbirra Sanctuary, 1991)

Modifications

2008: upgrading of pathways, services on site (National Trust 2008, 11).

History

Land on which the Sanctuary is situated was acquired in a number of ways. In 1962, a Sydney Accountant, Carmen Coleman, discovered this interesting area of remnant bush where Europeans at Bargo made the first sightings of koala and lyrebird. Carmen Coleman donated the parcel of land at Bargo to the Stead Foundation, which was established in 1963 to perpetuate the memory of David Stead who was a pioneer of nature conservation in Australia. The National Trust began its association with the Stead Foundation and the Sanctuary in 1963.

Wirrimbirra is an intact remnant example of Bargo Bush, which once covered an extensive area south of Sydney.

Part of Wirrimbirra is freehold, which is now owned by the National Trust, and the balance is Crown Land with the National Trust 'trustee for the conservation and study of flora and fauna'. The Stead Foundation gave the freehold land to the Trust together with buildings and improvements in 1965, and at the same time arranged for the Crown leases to be transferred to the Trust. The Sanctuary was further extended in 1975. In 1989 the National Trust purchased a narrow strip of land on the southern boundary to improve fire protection for the Field Studies Centre which had been opened in 1971.

Wirrimbirra Native Plant Nursery is registered as a Nursery under the NSW Horticultural Stock and Nursery Act, and a white waratah has its varietal name registered as 'Wirrimbirra White' and is the
National Variety Register in Canberra.

The Sanctuary contains rich and diverse plantings of native plants in formalised gardens, which were developed to provide areas of representative native plans for education and research purposes. Within the 43 established gardens, there are over 1800 native plants representing a resource base for the study of native flora.

The Field Studies Centre has proved to be the most popular part of the Sanctuary and is recognised as a leading institution in environmental education, both locally and overseas.(Greenup, Conservation and Business Plan for Wirrimbirra Sanctuary Oct 1992)

Internet links

Webpage	Source
Wirrimbirra Sanctuary	Accommodation Homepage
Wirrimbirra Sanctuary	Attraction Homepage
Wirrimbirra Sanctuary	Tourism NSW
Wirrimbirra Sanctuary	Tourism NSW

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