The 
South Australian Naturalist. 
VOL/V'Iir~ ADELAIDE, MAY, 1 926. ^ No. 3, 
EXCURSION TO Mr. BELLCHAMBERS’ SANCTUARY, 
HUMBUG SCRUB, ON APRIL 26th, 1926. 
A large party of members journeyed by charabanc and motors 
to Mr. T. P. Bellchambers’ sanctuary for native fauna in the rug- 
ged fastnesses of Humbug Scrub. Bowling along the bitumen 
paved North road, smooth as a billiard table, the vehicles turned 
at the finger post in the direction of Onetree Hill, and entered an 
undulating park-like country hemmed in by wooded crests. Many 
stately trees of the yellow gum {Eucalyptus leucoxylon) clamber- 
ed up the tall slopes, while hardy red gums {Eucalyptus rostrata) 
favoured the winding valleys and the occasional moister flats. 
Through the misty veil that shrouded the hills enchanting glimpses 
were caught of distant blue ranges bathed in the soft sunlight or 
anon hidden in fleeting shadow. 
The Home Surroundings. 
Mr. Bellchambers’ homestead is reached by a rough bush 
track purposely left in almost its natural condition to discourage 
the influx of the merely curious. It is situated not far from 
the abandoned shafts of the Lady Alice gold mine, which has been 
worked on and off for more than SO years, and near the Govern- 
ment dam, which holds a considerable store of water throughout 
the summer, and has proved valuable to Mr. Bellchambers’ bene- 
ficent work. The wall is, however, crumbling, and the ardent 
naturalist has devoted much time and labour to maintaining it in 
a state of repair. The different wild creatures are enclosed in 
large paddocks wlrenetted to prevent their wandering to their 
destruction at the hands of so-called sportsmen. Otherwise they 
are allowed to live under conditions approaching as near as poss- 
ible those of their natural haunts. Near the house a large emu 
paraded, giving vent occasionally to its booming cry, and baffling 
the praiseworthy efforts to “snap” her, probably because she had 
not completed her toilette before the arrival of the inquisitive 
party. On the other side several innocent looking kangaroos- 
paused in their midday meals to take stock of those strange citv 
folk. 
