A gentleman who has returned from Albury, informs us that the inhabitants of Woodonga have been startled out of a week's growth, at least, by the supposed presence, in their immediate vicinity, of two or three of those Mrs Harris's of zoology - Bunyips!
The gentleman to whom we refer, and whose veracity is beyond all question, says that he himself has visited the waterholes in which these monsters are said to have located themselves; and, whether they are bunyips or no, certain is that most inhuman sounds, some-what resembling the 'bellowing of bulls','but' more hollow,' are heard to issue from the water.
These sounds can be heard at the distance of a mile. We cannot for one moment suppose that the gentleman from whom we derived this information is hoaxing us; we are, therefore, quite as curious as the alarmed Woodonga people to have the mystery cleared up.'
Modern scientists have speculated that the mystery of the Bunyip might have originated from people seeing seals in the Murray river, which was common up until the many dams and weirs where put it in.
Additionally along the banks of the Murray and it's various billabongs and lagoons can be found the majestic barking owls who have a blood curdling cry. Old pictures of Bunyips betray them as odd combinations of many animals, and perhaps bunyips are an amalgamation of many, rather than a single creature.
We acknowledge the first peoples of the land the Waveroo. Out of respect to the traditional owners of the region, who's story and culture is all but lost, we have refrained from producing an image or logo with a Bunyip, as it is still today a spiritual figure with significance for many Aboriginal peoples along the great Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers.
The four realms of Bunyip Hollow
Bunyip hollow was once one block, but with development has been split into into four distinct blocks, split by a train line and train station, freeway and a public road used by cars, bike trail riders, pedestrians and stock.
We call them the 4 realms, as each has it’s own unique wonder, magic and environment.
Click on the 4 realms below to learn more about each.
The Billabong
Unlike other waterways in the region, this beautiful billabong hasn’t been abused by cattle, stock or pollution. We are preserving it for all the wild life which includes, Swans, Wrens, Pelicans, Ducks etc. We hope to one day have a bird-hide and viewing deck.
Described by one highly respected environmental scientist as ‘the best waterway I have ever seen’.
Recent bird surveys have identified nesting birds, including vulnerable and endangered species.
Under the red gums that were here hundreds of years before white man, this is were our rare Australian breed sheep are free to roam around under the watchful protective eyes of our first Maremma dog.
In the middle of this block is a seasonal lagoon that under our conservation is returning to health. One half of the hollow is fenced off from our sheep and there we are growing edible plants, native produce and restoration native trees.
The seasonal calls of birds or the Pobblebonk frog are a common sound. An endangered Powerful Owl has been seen nesting here. We sometimes host events under the trees, where people can forget they are only minutes from town.
PS: This is where the bunyip lives down here. You can well believe it when it’s foggy and dark.
This busy area houses most of our activities. It is where the native produce is grown, our nascent vineyard, and truffiere, our herb and vegetable gardens, olive grove, and other special plants are to be found.
This is also the home of our marvellous pigs, our delightful Jersey cows, where our chickens, geese, guinea fowl live, and where our other wonderful Maremma guardian dogs look after them all.
For generations this was a dairy, and we hope to continue the tradition by building our farmhouse and farmgate here, for the next journey of Bunyip Hollow.
This conservation area is filled with trees and fallen trees, and is habitat for frogs and bird life.
Unfortunately it is a prime spot for rubbish dumping, and requires regular clean-out by us to keep it healthy
We are gradually replacing invasive species with native ones. Originally we intended to remove all the invasive and replace with native seedlings, our progress slowed as we realised how many birds were using the invasive species to breed and live in, and to do it all at once would potentially destroy their habitat, including breeding grounds for vulnerable and endangered species. So we need to gradually replace instead.
'Local' means found within 50 km of Albury Wodonga
- Alpine Baeckea
- Alpine Pepper
- Apple Dumplings
- Australian Caraway
- Barbed Wire/Ginger Grass
- Bardi Bush/Wattle
- Beach Bean
- Berry Saltbush
- Blue Bell
- Blue Bell Creeper
- Bower Spinach
- Broad Leaf Peppermint
- Bush Passionfruit
- Cherry Ballat
- Christmas Bush
- Coffee Berry
- Coral Pea/Native Sarsparilla
- Currant Bush
- Elderberry - Panax
- Elderberry - White
- Gum - Lemon Scented
- Gum - Manna
- Indian Bay Leaf
- Karrajong/Flame Tree
- Lily - Black Anther Flax
- Lily - Blue Flax
- Lily - Bulbine
- Lily - Chocolate
- Lily - Nodding Chocolate
- Lily - Small Vanilla
- Mangasteen
- Milkmaids
- Mint - Dwarf Bush
- Mint - River
- Mint - Slender
- Mint bush - Alpine
- Mountain Pepper
- Myrtle - Cinnamon
- Myrtle - Twiggy
- Native Carrot
- Native Currant
- Native Flax
- Native Grape
- Native Lemon Grass
- Native Parsnip
- Native Pennyroyal
- Native Plum/Native Grape
- Native Sage Mint Bush/Cut Leaf
- Native violet
- Native Weeping Cherry
- Nippan
- Oondooroo
- Pale Pink Lilly Pilly
- Passion Berry
- Pear Tree
- Pigface (Modestrus and Rossii)
- Pigweed
- Plumbush/Northern Sandlewood
- Quandong (Red)
- Quena
- Salt Bush - Ruby
- Saltbush - Old Man
- Small Leaf Goosefoot
- Spinny Headed Mat-rush
- Sweet Apple
- Tanami Apple
- Thyme - Native (Rotundafolia)
- Thyme - Native/Grey Everlasting
- Yam Daisy (Lanceolata and Scapigera)
Not found within 50 km of Albury/Wodonga but native to Australia
- Atherton Oak/Bush Almond
- Atherton Raspberry
- Beach Bean
- Black Apple
- Black Plum
- Blood Lime
- Bloodroot
- Blue Bell
- Blue Bell Creeper
- Blue Marble Tree/Blue Quandong
- Bolwarra/Native Guava
- Bopple Nut
- Broad Leaf Paperbark
- Brush Cherry/Creek Lilly Pilly
- Brush Pepper Bush
- Bunya Nut
- Burdekin Plum
- Bush Banana/Marsdenia
- Bush Cucumber
- Bush Orange
- Bush Passionfruit
- Bush Tomato/Desert Raisin/Kutjera
- Cedar Bay Cherry/Beach Cherry
- Cherry Tree
- Coolamon
- Corduroy Tamarind
- Cotton Tree
- Crabapple
- Creek Sandpaper Fig
- Creeping Strawberry Pine
- Davidson Plum (NSW)
- Davidson Plum (QLD)
- Dessert Lime
- Dorrigo Pepper
- Finger Lime (coloured)
- Finger Lime (Green)
- Flame Tree
- Giant Pepper Vine
- Grey Persimmon/Black Ebony
- Gum - Cider
- Holy Basil
- Illawarra Plum
- Indian Bay Leaf
- Kakadu Plum
- Kangaroo Island Cranberry
- Koda
- Lemon Aspen
- Lemon Plectanthrus
- Lemon Scented Tea Tree
- Lemon Wardee/Tangy Ironbark
- Lily - Pale Vanilla
- Lily-of-the-valley Tree
- Magenta Cherry
- Mangasteen
- Midgen/Native Blueberry
- Milkmaids
- Mint - Forest
- Mint Bush - Cut Leaf
- Mint Bush - Scarlet
- Mint Bush - Spiked
- Molucca Berryy
- Mountain Plum Pine
- Muntries
- Myrtle - Aniseed
- Myrtle - Lemon
- Myrtle - Lemon Scented
- Myrtle - Rose
- Myrtle - Scaly
- Myrtle - Thyme Honey
- Myrtle - Twiggy
- Narrow Leaf Papperbark
- Narrow Leaf Peppermint
- Native Almond
- Native Basil
- Native Elderberry
- Native Ginger
- Native Guava
- Native Nutmeg
- Native Parsnip
- Native Passionfruit
- Native Raspberry
- Native Sage
- Native Sarsparilla
- Native Sweet Potato
- Nippan
- Northern Tamarind
- Olida/Strawerry Gum/Forrestberry
- Oondooroo
- Pale Pink Lilly Pilly
- Passion Berry
- Peanut Tree
- Pear Tree
- Pothos Vine
- Queensland Bottle Tree
- Rainforest Spinach
- Red Apple
- Red Leafed Elm
- Riberry/Cherry Alder/Small leaf Lilly Pilly
- Rock Samphire
- Rose Satinash
- Rough Shell Macadamia
- Round Lime
- Sacred Lotus
- Sandlewood
- Sandpaper Fig
- Saw Sedge
- Saw Tooth Parsley
- Sea Celery
- Sea Parsley
- Sea Spinach
- Seablite
- Shiny-Leaf Stining Tree
- Silky Grass
- Silky Heads
- Silver Aspen
- Small Leaf Lillypilly
- Small Leaf Tamarind
- Smooth Shell Macadamia
- Sunrise Lime
- Tanami Apple
- Three-leaf Water Vine
- Walking Stick Palm
- Warrigal Greens
- White Apple
- White Aspen
- Wild Rosella
- Yellow Mangosteen
- Zig-zag Vine
- White Truffle Oaks
- Olives
- Various cider apple trees
- Bhudda's Hand
- Red Mulberry trees
- Cactus
- Bamboo
Cyan
It was initially Cyan's passion with wine, good food and native produce that led to Bunyip Hollow being started.
He is passionate about the role native produce can play in our kitchen and gardens, and loves quality unusual food and wine.
Wine making is something that Cyan made a name for himself in W.A. in the 90′s wining over 40 various awards and trophies both nationally and internationally. Coming from a highly regarded wine making family. He helped pioneer new varieties such as Viognier and new wine regions there.
As a passionate wine writer and lecture on alternative wine grape varieties he knows ‘the unusual’. At Bunyip Hollow he is taking his craft even further, reviving old artisan wine making techniques such as underground fermentation, ‘orange wines’ and long long extended maceration.
Cyan spends a LOT of time researching plants, feed, cultivation and doesn't hesitate to try what he learns to constantly improve what we do.
Martin
I love eating and drinking. Quality and flavour are important, and I have tried a wide range of cuisines and there is always something to learn about and experience. I have become passionate about ethical and sustainable farming.
North-East Victoria is a wonderful food bowl for Australia, and should be celebrated, we are very lucky with what we have. Because of that, we try and grow all the weird and wonderful, yummy things we can't easily find.I've studied organics, and am a confessed tech-geek, and a bit of a nerd. I actually like the back-office stuff, and don't mind deciphering legislation, but I believe it should all be about making things work well, and enabling people and communities.
It's rewarding to get my hands dirty working on the farm, and it's challenging hard work too. I love watching our animals and plants grow and flourish, and the surprises make it interesting. In our time here I have met some wonderful people.
