rose gums

environmental care

Buildings
The reception & treehouses at Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat are all built on previously degraded areas. No tree was removed during the building process. All treehouses blend into the environment and are positioned to take advantage of the cooler aspects in summer. The roofs are fully insulated and being pole homes little disturbance is made to the contour of the land so rainwater flows naturally.

Reforestation
Over 20,000 trees have been planted since 1995. There is a notable difference in the bird life appearing where once was weed such as lantana & tobacco bush. The management is ongoing with further weed eradication programs and rainforest trees being replanted.

Power
We use 240 volts mains electricity to operate the lights and appliances.Gas powers the hot water services and the gas cook tops. The hot water service is a quick recovery system and requires approximately 15 minutes to heat up again. For heating there is a slow combustion fireplace. We supplement the firewood with scantling used in railway containers. This wood is normally dumped when the containers are emptied.

Water
Water is pumped from 92 metres under the ground off the granite.This gives us clean, sweet spring water all year round. The bore taps into a spring which trickles out of the ground where the soil types change from basalt to metamorphic.

Waste
Our domestic waste is taken to the Malanda transfer station run by the Eacham Shire Council. Presently they recycle glass and only soft plastics as in milk bottles. Dry and wet waste is then buried. All food scraps and waste paper are kept at Rose Gums for disposal. A composting system is under way. The treehouses have septics systems for the toilets. These are carefully monitored.The closest creeks are over 700 metres away from the trenches. Vegetable-based soaps are provided.

Fire
Fire extinguishers are located outside the front door & fire blankets are in the kitchens.

Wildlife Feeding
We do not put up feeding stations at the treehouses. Apart from interfering with the animal’s natural foraging behaviour for food,the feeding stations could cause a hygiene problem.