SUSTAINABILITY
A place worth protecting
Swan River Sanctuary was created to share a landscape we love, while helping restore and protect it. From the energy that powers the lodge to the way we graze cattle, protect the waterway and share the landscape with our guests, we are continually learning to work more closely with nature.
RAINWATER
Water from the sky
Our lodge water is harvested from rainfall, making careful use of this natural resource is part of everyday life at Swan River Sanctuary
OFF-GRID
Powered by the sun
Swan River Sanctuary operates completely off-grid, with solar generation and battery storage supplying approximately 95% of the lodge’s electricity requirements
REGENERATIVE
A working farm
Riversdale remains a productive cattle farm, managed using regenerative grazing and natural-sequence farming principles
Living off-grid without compromising on comfort
We chose to invest in an independent off-grid system rather than installing power poles across the landscape, but we also believe sustainability shouldn’t require guests to sacrifice comfort. Recently, we doubled both our solar and battery capacity as part of our ongoing investment in renewable-energy infrastructure.
Today our system includes:
44
Solar Panels
15kw
Solar Gen Capacity
30kwh
Battery Storage
95%
Energy
Supplied by Solar
A farm that works with the landscape
Riversdale is a working cattle farm, but we manage it a little differently. Our cattle move as one herd through 19 paddocks, grazing for short periods before moving on and giving the land time to rest and recover.
We use regenerative and natural-sequence farming principles to work with the natural rhythms of the landscape, including the way water moves through it.
We don't plough our grazing land or use synthetic fertilisers or sprays across the grazing system.
Protecting our River of Life
We call the Swan River our River of Life. It is part of almost everything guests experience here: plunging after the sauna, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching, floating, watching the light change across the water or joining us for a River Safari. But it is also an important ecological corridor. The Swan and associated waterways provide habitat for fish before flowing into our neighbouring wetlands, the internationally significant Moulting Lagoon. Birdlife is one of the great pleasures of staying at Swan River Sanctuary. White-bellied sea eagles, black swans, cormorants, herons, egrets, black cockatoos and swamp harriers are among the species regularly observed around the river and wider landscape. That makes protecting what happens upstream on Riversdale particularly important.
On the farm we
● fence cattle out of the river and associated waterways, helping protect banks and water quality.
● maintain fenced wildlife corridors connecting the river environment with remnant native forest.
● protect approximately 200 acres of remnant black peppermint forest under conservation covenant.
● manage the surrounding farmland with the understanding that what happens here has consequences downstream.
While you are here
A few simple ways to enjoy the sanctuary
Use water thoughtfully, our water is collected from rainfall, so a little care goes a long way.
Give wildlife some space Enjoy our birds and native animals quietly and let them go about their day.
Remember, it’s a working farm. Please leave gates as you find them and only approach livestock if you’re on a tour with Mat.
Take time to notice Grab the binoculars, launch a kayak or paddleboard, sit beside the river and see what turns up.
“Sustainability here isn't about going without. It's simply about enjoying this place while taking good care of it.”
Mat Routley - owner Swan River Sanctuary