"It's my land. Who would I be if I did not try to make it better?"  ~ from the movie 'Kingdom Of Heaven'

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Once again, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we reside on and that we come together on - the Pibelmen (Southwest Region) people. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this sacred place and this amazing region.

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2026 Update...

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A wadi is a channel or waterway that remains dry except in the rainy season. The name felt right: most of our horses are wild born rescues as well as registered Walers, whose ancestors have a proud and tragic military history in Egypt and the Middle East, and my husband’s family name is Waddington.

Of our 95 acres, about 55 acres are pasture and around 5 acres hold the houses, cottage, gardens and farm infrastructure. The balance is bushland and creek line — and we like to keep it that way.

The original homestead is more than 70 years old and was built in stages — not much is level! Today it is clean, cosy short-term accommodation. Our new house was completed in 2019 for us and an elderly relative who is sadly no longer with us.

Wadi Farm has two old-growth karris, including one listed on the National Register of Big Trees, along with several old-growth marris (red gums). Much of the remaining bush is regrowth, some about a century old, because most of the property had previously been cleared — largely by hand.

Since moving here in 2005, and with the help of my wonderful mum, we have planted many more trees. Raceways and paddocks are linked by fodder-tree plantings that create wildlife corridors while giving horses places to browse and birds places to feed and breed. Plantings include eucalypts, oaks, mulberries and more karris, chosen to soften frost, shelter pasture and fragile soils, and improve habitat.

The creek line is fenced and left largely undisturbed. Horses are excluded from it and from most remnant bush. A soak rises on Wadi Farm and continues downstream, feeding two tributaries that flow into Nannup Brook. Protecting this waterway is one of our most important responsibilities.

Our trees include karri, marri, jarrah, snottygobble, wattles, banksias, figs, mulberries, oaks and many other eucalypts. We remove dead or damaged trees only where they pose a risk, clear storm debris and maintain safe firebreaks. We are also members of our local bush fire brigade. Otherwise, we encourage the bush to flourish.
 
Our fences have higher bottom wires so kangaroos and emus can pass underneath more safely, without injuring themselves or damaging the fences. We no longer have major kangaroo, emu or rabbit pressure. Balanced pastures help, and the horses tend to keep larger visitors moving through. We still see a lot of kangaroos but they tend to graze and move on. Rabbits have also declined over the years, assisted by natural disease cycles.

Feral pigs and deer occur in bushland around the greater Nannup area but rarely trouble us. Foxes and feral cats also use the creek line. Australia’s feral-animal problem is complex; in our view, management needs to be more humane, intelligent and ecologically informed.

Native animals seen here — permanently or seasonally — include western grey kangaroos, emus, quendas (southern brown bandicoots), quokkas (there is a colony between here and Manjimup), and mardos.

Our birdlife includes red-tailed black cockatoos, black ducks, shelducks, wood ducks, black swans, ravens, magpies, magpie-larks, grebes, heron, egrets, splendid fairy-wrens, red-backed fairy-wrens, red-eared firetail finches, fantails, willie wagtails, golden whistlers, tawny frogmouths, Sparrowhawks, Brown Hawks and other raptors. Eastern kookaburras are also present, although they were introduced to Western Australia.

We share the farm with reptiles — including venomous tiger snakes and dugites — as well as fungi, spiders and about five kinds of breeding frogs whose night chorus is wonderful. A pair of wedge-tailed eagles hunts over the valley.

These days we manage Wadi Farm using regenerative agricultural principles. We continue planting trees and do not routinely fertilise paddocks. We soil-test, replace only what is lacking through trace elements or organic fertilisers, and use chemicals only very occasionally in selected areas around the home. We rotationally graze stock, and slash rather than poison weeds and ‘problem’ plants (which disappear as the soil rebalances). Weeds are an important part of land regeneration in many areas.

We are not certified organic. In a high bushfire-risk area, responsible care means balancing habitat protection with practical safety. We clear storm damage, keep bush areas as open and safe as possible, and maintain both a fire management plan and an evacuation plan. For about four months each year, fire risk requires particular vigilance. Our horses, pets, wildlife and neighbours all depend on considered and practical preparation.

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I have compiled a collage of our property photos below. Feel free to click on and 'heart like' your favourite photos. These are all my photos and include just a few of the animals and birds that share this special place with us. The photo of the Quokka shows an adult female who we found injured but was handed to a Wildlife Carer and survived. She came from the colony living between Nannup and Manjimup. There are around 7 subspecies of Quokka in Australia, including the ones living on Rottnest Island. 

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FYI our old growth Karri is estimated to be between 300 - 400 years old. 'He' is approximately 60 metres high and 8.75 metres in circumference, a metre up from the base. If you love trees, you might like to plan a visit and come and hug it sometime! 

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Art therapy/Painting/Digital Photography/Bird & Wildlife watching retreats are available on request. Organise a few friends and come and spend a day! Head to our Contact Us page for more info/quotes/discuss your needs.

 

You can also visit Wadi Farm (by appointment), for free. We invite you to come and share our peaceful space.

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