Saturday 30 November 2019

Donkey Adventures

By Chris R. 


With the summer weather comes strong easterly winds, which hit the Valley hard each night. The wind brings with it characteristic heat waves and sometimes, damage. 

Last night, the gusting breeze took down an elderly jarrah tree from a neighbouring property. A portion of the donkey fence went down with it, and two of the three curious equines which call the south paddock home decided to take an adventure before sunrise. 


Heading north along the brook line, Victoria and Albert left behind a very confused Spud, who returned to the feed shelter, looking for someone to tell of their disappearance. 

A knock on the door from a neighbouring orchardist confirmed that the donkey duo were in search of apples (or so we believe).  

With halters and lucerne in hand, it wasn’t long until the pair were back home, telling Spud of their early morning escapades. Chainsaws buzzed in the background, freeing the fence of its leafy burden and providing some tasty fodder for the goats and possums for the day.

We are appreciative of our helpful neighbour and pleased to have the curious donks home safely!

Sanctuary Sounds

By Chris R.


On a beautiful mild October Saturday afternoon, we were joined by the delightful Cherry Chapman for ‘Sanctuary Sounds’ – a sound meditation in the Valley.  

Held in the northern paddocks, the incredible tones of singing bowls, chimes, drums and bells were accompanied by bird song and the occasional moo and baa, while attendees blissed out in the fresh country air.  


Following the meditation, herbal tea and delicious cruelty free treats were served as the sun dipped behind the forest to end the amazing afternoon session of relaxation.


Thank you Cherry – a wonderful time was had by all!

Friday 29 November 2019

Lotterywest Grant – Accessible Volunteer and Visitor Ablution Block and Emergency Generator

By Chris R.


This year we were excited to be successful Lotterywest Grant recipients! Our request had included a volunteer and visitor ablution block and emergency generator to supply power to the Sanctuary during outages.


The ablution block provides an accessible facility for the Sanctuary visitors and volunteers and includes a toilet, sink and shower. Arriving in September, we were very appreciative of Neil Gill Trucking and Hiab for volunteering their time and truck to safely deliver the building to the Valley. It was no small feat, with Neil and his partner skillfully guiding their way through the tree-lined driveway and placing the cargo perfectly into position! 


The emergency generator is a critical addition to the property, especially during summer, given the Sanctuary water supply is dependent on electricity. This generator will ensure we can operate all our water pumps and defend the property from fire if needed.  It also means a guaranteed supply of fresh water to troughs and ponds is available during outages, which will be a huge help in the summer months in keeping our animal residents happy and healthy.



Thank you Lotterywest for your support!  To see some of the great work assisted by Lotterywest, be sure to check out http://dreamstate.lotterywest.wa.gov.au


Wednesday 13 November 2019

Pizza in the Paddock 2019

By Chris R.


On the 5th of October we held our second Pizza in the Paddock in the Valley. It was a beautiful spring evening and people rolled in early to take advantage of the cool twilight for a Sanctuary Tour and pizza picnic. With tickets selling out earlier in the week, there was a fantastic turn out. 

 

 

The stalls were a hive of activity as attendees perused the delicious pizza menu and extensive bake sale. Both children and adults enjoyed having their faces painted, while others explored the paddocks, meeting many of the Sanctuary’s animal residents.




A special thanks go to our major sponsors who helped make the event such a success – Chew No Moo, for their amazing pizza bases, Quokka Cakes for a huge selection of gorgeous cupcakes, Noshing for gourmet vegan cheese and 8 Slice Productions for the provision of the pizza oven.

 

 

We would also like to thank our volunteer team and everyone who came along to support this important spring fundraiser. We hope you had as much fun as we did!