This fourth instalment of Jord’s annual Bush Heritage weekend involved 19 of us flying to its 60,000 hectare Carnarvon Reserve in central Queensland. Nestled in behind the renowned Carvarvon National Park, a four hour drive southwest of Emerald, the property was purchased by Bush Heritage back in 2001. At that time it was in a seriously dilapidated state. The absence of livestock over the past 18 years has allowed the native blue grass to rebound in abundance.

Jord’s task over the weekend was hard yakka. We muscled our way through sheets of granite, using just crowbars and sweat, to instal traps that allow scientists to monitor the presence of mammals and reptiles. In particular, we were seeking Planigals, the smallest but by most accounts the fiercest of Australia’s marsupials.

Hydraulic backhoe’s are usually engaged to do this work. However, Jord’s reputation for hard work on past weekends was our undoing. The Reserve Manager selected a particularly remote location, where vehicle access was impossible. One of the toughest holes was dug by Chris, Sarah, Adi, Simon, Luke and Hammad. You can see the smashed granite, extracted so unwillingly by mother earth, piled up trophy-like before them.