We had tentatively been thinking about the Devonport area for our 'retirement' home in northern Tasmania (amongst other options). As 2006 drew towards its close we sent an email to the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. The Dorothy Reeves Reserve (now Rubicon Sanctuary) sounded intriguing, but it was a year early for us. Our thinking about retirement activities was to help out on nature reserves owned by others, not owned by us!

To cut a long story short, we bought the Reserve, with encouragement from past friends in Tasmania, who live under the delusion that we are well qualified as future owners. The Reserve consists of open woodland and several treeless basins that become shallow swamps in wet conditions. The Sanctuary is home to about 35-40 species of orchids, one of which is only known from this property. To general amusement, the site is also important for preserving the north coast burrowing crayfish.

P