PETER Hammond and Nirbeeja Saraswati lost everything to the January bushfires, but are determined to help nature make everything right again.
The Kangaroo Island residents are members of landcare group Eco Action KI and are front and centre in the quest to restore native animal habitats.
Eco Action KI is one of two groups on the island which have received grants for regeneration efforts through the WIRES/LAL Bushfire Recovery Grants Scheme.
The group received a grant of $19,978 through the WIRES/ Landcare joint initiative.
Like a nuclear warzone
Peter said in addition to losing their house, their 104 hectare property was totally decimated by the fires.
"It looked like the area had been hit by a nuclear bomb," he said.
"We had been evacuated and driving back for the first time was just horrible."
"There were dead animals everywhere. I think it will stay with me forever."
Regeneration efforts
Eco Action KI is aiming to restore the habitat for the Glossy Black cockatoo, after large numbers of the island's sheoak trees were decimated by the fires.
Another key priority is the re-vegetation of acacia verticillata which makes up an important food source for the species.
Providing new habitats for the Dunnart, Southern Brown Bandicoot and Rosenberg's goanna and installing sensor cameras and drift nets to monitor wildlife populations are also key priorities.
A little help from their friends
Peter and Nirbeeja are currently living in a demountable pod on their property, which was donated by the South Australian government and Minderoo Foundation.
Reconstruction of their shed is already underway and the couple plans to rebuild their house when they decide on a suitable location.
"We've had an enormous amount of help on a human level. So many donations, including our pod," Peter said.
"We're not alone, most of our friends on this part of the island lost their homes too."
Signs of life
Peter said despite the devastation caused by the bushfires, there were already signs of recovery.
"We've got a couple of creeks on our property that are spring fed and the amount of regeneration we've seen in the area is just beautiful," he said.
He said stringy barks, sugar gums and mattee ash trees were all making a strong comeback.
"The yaccas are all in flower again, which is great for honey eating birds, small mammals and insects."
He said 75 bird species had been recorded on the property prior to the fires and 42 had been spotted since.
At least one dunnart and several bush rats had also been caught on camera since January.
Another successful bid
Kangaroo Island Conservation Landowners Association (KICLA) also received a grant for its ongoing regeneration work.
The Association includes about 50 landowners across the island.
It will use the funds to focus on weed control, seed collection, habitat restoration and a series of habitat conservation workshops.
For more information about the grants program, click here.