Environmental Rehabilitation

We are passionate about our natural environment and are actively regenerating native flora across our 2-hectare property — not just for future generations, but also for our guests to enjoy.

Half of our property is a designated Land for Wildlife corridor, supporting biodiversity through habitat connectivity. This area connects to Blackall Range and Kondalilla National Parks, making it part of a wider conservation effort.

The lower half of our property is formally recognised as Land for Wildlife (LFW) — a protected zone that plays a vital role in supporting local flora and fauna by connecting larger habitat areas through essential wildlife corridors. Lovestone Cottages lies on the edge of a core habitat zone, contributing to the long-term preservation of Queensland’s rich biodiversity.

Our property is also part of Regional Ecosystem 12.8.3, known as Complex Notophyll Vine Forest, which typically grows on basalt-rich igneous rock. A distinctive geological feature of the land is a basalt escarpment — ranging from 3 to 10 metres high — which separates the upper hectare, where our cottages are located, from the protected LFW area below.

In a Land for Wildlife assessment by Sunshine Coast Council, the rainforest on our property was noted for its strong structural diversity, from canopy trees to understorey. This complex environment provides ideal conditions for a wide range of native species, including:

• Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (vulnerable)
• Pink Underwing Moth (endangered)
• Various hollow-dependent fauna likely to inhabit older trees

We invite our guests to participate in our Tree Planting Program — a unique way to connect with the land, support biodiversity, and even offset carbon emissions.

• Over 3,000 native trees planted
  That’s an average of 2.84 trees per guest over 7 years
• All plants are sourced from Barung Landcare Nursery
• We also run an on-site endemic plant propagation program

This hands-on experience leaves a lasting memory — and a living legacy.

The initial and major on ground removal of mature weed took three years and involved a few teams of experienced contractors with large machinery. In our current maintenance phase and to enable us to keep up with the overall property maintenance we seek the assistance of expert on ground bush regenerators, who proactively use the Bradley Method to help us regenerate the land which encourages native plants to naturally establish themselves. To date we have successfully managed to remove:
Running bamboo -successfully removed and with no regrowth

• One hundred and twenty tonnes of clumping bamboo – removed and with no regrowth
• Ten tonnes of kahili ginger removed – but still managing to control due to many surrounding properties that have them on property
• Removed hundreds of established trees
• Chinese Elm, Camphor Laurels, Glossy Leaf
• Privet and Himalayan Ash – these have either been removed and mulched or poisoned in situ
  Planted of over three thousand local species over the property

Re-introducing biodiversity and encouraging sustainability through the following initiatives

• Since 2018 we have planted over 3,000 endemic plant species over the property
• Installed ten nesting boxes for bats, possums and owls
• Installed four native bee hives
• Installed of eight watering stations across the property
• Installed six ponds water for amphibians
• Installed five high water/feeding stations
• Installed habitats for snakes and lizards
• Installed 10 nesting boxes for bats, possums and owls
• Installed four native bee hives
• Installed eight watering stations across the property
• We have also stopped the practice of feeding wildlife and focus on planting endemic species as a food source for wildlife.
• We also undertake seed collection on site and propagate these for future plantings.

Sustainability Efforts

We lead by example through small, thoughtful actions that reduce our impact on the environment — and we hope our guests feel inspired to take some of these ideas home.

Recycling & Waste

Recycling bins are provided in all cottages. Materials are sorted and processed via Containers 4 Change, and all cardboard is reused in our gardens. We work with suppliers who prioritise recycled materials.

Composting

Each cottage has a compost bin, supported by a worm farm and multiple compost systems. Food scraps and garden waste are composted and returned to the land.

Reducing Landfill

Our goal is to recycle or reuse as much as possible on-site, keeping waste out of landfill and supporting a circular system.