Maughan Nature Reserve Est 1956

 

Catherine Maughan ©2021

When Avon Location 20759 was advertised in the Government Gazette 19 August 1955 as open for selection Mr TA Maughan, a local honorary fauna warden, immediately wrote to the Chief Warden of Fauna suggesting that the land be made a flora and fauna sanctuary. The Chief Warden notified the Department of Lands and Surveys that he was requesting an immediate survey as “very little of the land at present reserved contains habitat suitable for the preservation of mallee hen.”

While the Fauna Warden, Mr GC Jeffrey, was carrying out his survey, the Merredin Road Board Meeting was in progress and members voted unanimously in their support for Loc 20759 to be made a sanctuary. The road board members noted that there had been only one applicant to take up the location and he “had already sufficient land for his needs.”

Loc 20759 was vested in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife on 24 February 1956 as TA Maughan Reserve No 24367. A full wildlife survey was carried out by the renowned ornithologist and conservationist Dr DL Serventy (BSc PhD), Arnold Maughan and Department staff. The survey found the soil to be predominantly sandy loam with patches of clay interspersed with granitic sands and some patches of laterite. It was noted that wood cutters had previously been through the area and the reserve was broken up by old carting tracks.

Catherine Maughan ©2021

The upper story was dominated by Eucalypts including York Gums, Wandoo, Giant Mallee and Ironbark Mallee. Shrubs consisted of hakea, grevillea, melaleuca, she-oaks, bottlebrush, cypress pine, quandong, sandalwood and box poison. Birds observed in the reserve included crested bell-bird, red-tipped diamond bird, brown headed honey eater, white browed babbler, western shrike thrush and brown thornbill. When we visited in May 2021 we saw echidna scratchings of termite mounds and Peter Last said he has sighted the rare and elusive mallee hen on occasion.  

In 1961 Arnold Maughan wrote to the Department and suggested that Reserve 24367 be made ‘A’ class as he expected that considerable pressure would be brought upon the Government to release the reserve in the near future as Mr Gigney, who farmed adjacent to the reserve, wanted to expand his farm. While the reserve was not upgraded it has survived.

In 1976 there was a suggestion that the reserve be renamed but this was not recommended by the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Staff. The Supervising Wildlife Officer said that he was associated with the late Mr Maughan and knew of “his endeavours to have made this beautiful land a reserve for flora and fauna.”

Location: 20km south of Merredin
Size: 816 hectares (2000 acres)

Acknowledgement: thanks to Peter Last for taking us through the reserve and to Christine Harper, Parks and Wildlife, for providing copies of Department correspondence.

 
Catherine Maughan ©2021