Page Twenty-Eight 
THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST 
May 9, 1950. 
REPORT ON LIBERATION OF LOWANS 
ON THISTLE ISLAND 
This project was first planned more than 
two years ago, when three members of Ade- 
laide Bush Walkers, accompanied by Mr. 
John Mitchell, of the staff of the South 
Australian Museum, visited Thistle Island on 
a collecting trip. It was soon obvious that 
the place would be an ideal sanctuary for 
Mallee-fowl or Iowan (Leipoa ocellata). 
Upon referring the matter to Mr. C. Wade, 
the owner of the island, we found that he 
was most enthusiastic. He had already de- 
clared the island a bird sanctuary. 
We then found that there were many ob- 
stacles to be surmounted, the chief one being 
that of rapid transport. It was obvious that 
it was too big a task for Adelaide Bush 
Walkers to handle, so the collaboration of the 
Field Naturalists’ Section of the Royal Society 
was sought. This was readily obtained, 
and Adelaide Bush Walkers hereby place on 
record their appreciation and their very sin- 
cere thanks. 
Even so, a year had to be lost owing to 
the impossibility of making suitable trans- 
port arrangements, in spite of the efforts made 
by your hon. secretary, Mr. R. Praite. This 
year the matter was again taken up, and 
through Mr. A. S. Crawford, of Port Lin- 
coln, Mr. George Bird, owner of the cutter 
“Iris,” was engaged to stand by ready for 
a trip. Mr. Lothian, your chairman, ob- 
tained permission to transport the birds. 
Mr. Praite picked up the low 7 ans with his 
car on March 26, and delivered them at the 
home of the writer. Next morning the 
writer boarded the plane with them; Mr. 
Crawford met the plane at Port Lincoln with 
his car, provided transport to the jetty, and 
the cutter got under way at once. Unfor- 
tunately, a head wind and heavy seas were 
encountered during the 27-mile trip across 
to the island, with the result that it was not 
reached until after dark. The birds, which 
had stood the trip well, were liberated at 
the spot previously chosen at dawn next 
morning. 
The writer remained on the island until 
the Friday, and during that time another 
survey of its 22 square miles was made. This 
revealed that it was even better for a Iowan 
sanctuary than had been thought; everything 
which these birds need is there in abundance. 
A very pleasant surprise was the discovery 
that the curlew, nearly exterminated by the 
tox on big areas of the mainland, is aston- 
ishingly plentiful on the island. At night 
their calls indicated that they must be there 
in hundreds, if not thousands. Inquiries 
revealed that they are just as numerous on 
the nearby Taylor’s Island and in Sir Joseph 
Bank’s Group to the northward. 
The domestic cats gone wild which used 
to frequent the island have now been exter- 
minated, save for one or two possible sur- 
vivors on the northern end, and all the birds 
are very tame. Wild pigeons come to drink 
within a few yards of an observer, and scrub 
wrens enter the kitchen in search of food, 
hopping fearlessly around the feet of the 
people in the room. 
It is hoped that this collaboration between 
Adelaide Bush Walkers and the Field Natu- 
ralists can be continued with good results in 
conservation matters, while members of 
A.B.W. are firmly convinced that by making 
use of these fox and rabbit-free islands for 
bird sanctuaries, plus a little self-help, lies 
our best hope of saving rare and harmless 
birds from extinction. 
Out of pocket expenses were £11/10/-, of 
which the Adelaide Bush Walkers paid £2/2/- 
and the Field Naturalists’ Section £9/8/-. 
The Wade family will keep a constant 
watch on the area in which the birds w r ere 
liberated and report if they are seen at any 
time. Finally, it is placed on record that 
it is difficult to see how the programme could 
have been arranged and carried out without 
the assistance of Mr. A. S. Crawford, of 
Port Lincoln. 
H. A. LINDSAY, 
President, Adelaide Bush Walkers. 
April 11, 1950. 
Note . — The F.N.S. acknowledge with ap- 
preciation the time given gratuitously by Mr. 
Lindsay and other Bush Walkers in securing 
the Iowan chickens, arranging transport and 
transporting them safely. — Editor. 
