Tricketts Arch Biodiversity Credits

The ISX and the Dykes family are seeking investors in 2153 biodiversity credits at a price of $6000 each. (Biobanking Agreement, No. 33) Ecodiversity credits are saleable investments and are certified through the NSW Deparment of Environment and Heritage. The Tricketts Arch biodiversity credits are detailed below. Investors that may be interested in purchasing biodiversity credits include long term financial investors seeking to make a gain on their investment, property and commercial developers seeking to offset land clearing or commercial development obligations, philanthropists and environmental supporters of native vegetation in Australia.

The ISX will do its utmost to promote the sale of the Dykes family biodiversity credits. It is, over the  fifteen year life of the ISX, the most exciting financial vehicle for Aborginal landholders, with a genuine and increasing investment value, supported by the NSW State government. It also creates an option which plays to the strengths of this continents custodians over 60,000 years. Biodiversity credits and biobanking are a potentially revolutionary way for funds to flow back to remote and regional Australia and particularly to Aboriginal communities. Once the investment funds are received a twenty year long program for caring for the biodiversity of the mapped area begins with the capacity for employment and eco-tourism income.

There is of course a lot of work to be done to make bio-banking a game changer for Aboriginal Australia -but the Dykes family are the precursors for others. Currently only NSW offers biodiversity credits and the biobanking option. Those who have gained from the sale of biodiversity credits thus far have until now largely been in the greater Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong region where developers have needed to purchase biodiversity credits for development applications and commercial developments. Aboriginal communities and property owners in regional and remote areas will also need assistance in developing their biobanking applications and certification. But the future is here and as the world swells from more and more population pressures there is more and more need for carers of native vegetation to be supported and for long term plans for the protection of conservation areas like Tricketts Arch. We urge all supporters of the ISX to carefully evaluate the Tricketts Arch biodiversity credit investment opportunity. 

Genuine investors will be invited for a personal tour of the Tricketts Arch property and will be provided with a first hand view of the ecological, karst, Aboriginal and mining heritage values of the property that are to be protected by the family. For those wanting to receive a presentation by the family, this can also be arranged.  Please download the 94 page Tricketts Arch Prospectus at this link.

Tricketts Arch is located approx. 50 km southeast of Oberon by driving along the Shooter Hill Road; Mount Werong  Road  and  Jaunter  Road.   The  property  is  in  the  south-eastern  corner  of  the  Oberon  –  Gurnang Plateau surrounded by farmlands, pine plantations and National Park.   To the east are the Kanangra Boyd National Park, Wildness Area and Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.  South and west are cleared farming lands, to the north is private property with native vegetation and NSW State Forest pine plantations. The property fronts the Tuglow River and has three  creeks traversing it: Slys Creek, Chimney Creek and Arch Creek.

Tenure Details:

Tricketts Arch property is owned by Peter and Sharon Ruby Dykes Lot 15 DP 661990 Lot 1 DP 1152451

Ecosystem Credits Available:

Species Credits Available:

Based on current information and surveys (2011) the BioBanking Site contains two-thirds of the  known population of the rare orchid Buttercup Doubletail (Diuris aequalis).

Other Ecological Values:

The following animals listed as Vulnerable on Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 have been recorded on the BioBanking Site:

Zoological Name                                                 Common Name
Ninox strenua                                                      Powerful Owl
Calocephalon fimbriatum                                    Gang Gang Cockatoo Miniopterus 
schreibersii oceanensis                                       Eastern Bentwing Bat Myotis macropus                     
                                                                             Large-footed Myotis

The  BioBanking  Site  has  been  identified  as  having  potential  habitat  for  the  following  animal  listed  as Endangered on Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995.

Zoological Name                                                 Common Name
Petrogale penicillata                                            Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies

The  BioBanking  Site  has  been  identified  as  having  potential  habitat  for  the  following  
animals  listed  as Vulnerable on Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995.

Zoological Name                                                 Common Name
Chalinolobus dwyeri                                            Large-eared Pied Bat
Dasyurus maculatus                                            Spotted-tailed Quoll
Cercartetus nanus                                               Eastern Pygmy Possum

The BioBanking Site contains significant riparian habitat along the Tuglow River, as well as its  tributaries; Slys Creek, Chimney Creek and Arch Creek.  The river and creeks are spring-fed  permanent watercourses providing high quality fresh water into the Kowmung River Catchment as well 
as being important habitat for Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).

The  biobank  site  contains  a  locally  significant  waterfall  on  Chimney  Creek  known  locally  as  “Chimney Creek Cascades”.

The BioBanking Site vegetation community “Ribbon Gum - Snow Gum grassy forest on damp flats, eastern South  Eastern  Highland”  (OEH  Biometric  No  HN572)  forms  part  of  the  “Snow  Gum  -  Mountain  Gum tussock grass-herb forest of the South Eastern Highlands” which has recently been 
listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1999.

The following plants listed as ROTAP plants have been recorded on the BioBanking Site

Botanical Name             Common Name                           No of Individuals
Discaria pubescens         Australian anchor Plant                    3

Aboriginal Cultural Values

The BioBanking Site has been identified by members from the Gundungurra and Wiradjuri Peoples as an area with high cultural heritage values and contains numerous items of high Aboriginal cultural significance to  the  Gundungurra  and  Wiradjuri  Peoples,  including  artefact  scatters,  scarred  trees,  stone  arrangements, ochre sites, ceremonial areas and camp sites, acknowledged as  Aboriginal objects and/or Aboriginal places as defined by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.  Our family has prepared in consultation with the traditional  owners  a  Tricketts  Arch   Aboriginal  Cultural  Heritage  Management  Plan  to  help  protect  and conserve the property’s Aboriginal cultural values.

Karst Values:
The BioBanking Site has been identified by members of the Australian Speleological Federation Inc.  (ASF) as containing a nationally significant karst environment including extensive cave systems, cave decorations (speleothems), cave adapted fauna, cave sediments, fossils, surface solutional 
features and a limestone bridge known as “Tricketts Arch” which is an extremely rare karst feature  (only a few are known to exist in NSW from  the  almost  6000  known  features).    Our  family  has  prepared  in  consultation  with  the  Australian Speleological Federation Inc. a Tricketts 
Arch Karst Heritage Management Plan to help protect and conserve the property’s karst values.

Pioneer Mining Heritage Values:
The BioBanking Site has been identified by members of the local community as containing areas and items of historical significance, including the old Tuglow Copper mine and associated workings and constructed stone water-races on Arch Creek.  Our family has prepared a Tricketts Arch Mining Heritage Management Plan to help protect and conserve the property’s mining heritage values.