Ludovic Blackwood Memorial Sanctuary
The Ludovic Blackwood Memorial Sanctuary was kindly bequeathed to The National Trust of New South Wales in 1961 by George Blackwood and his sister Miss G E Blackwood. The land was previously attached to the family’s property and was gifted to the Trust for its conservation and protection in memory of the donors’ father, Ludovic Blackwood.
The site comprises of 1.4 ha of land. Although small, it is of great natural and cultural significance. The reserve represents a rare and valuable remnant of shale flora once common in northern Sydney. It provides precious green and open space in a busy urban environment and also offers a much needed habitat and sanctuary for wildlife, especially birds. The reserve also features a significant pocket of Blue Gum High Forest vegetation. Preservation is essential as this vegetation has been reduced to only a fraction of its original distribution due to pressures from logging and development. It has been listed as an Endangered Ecological Community, under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.
The sanctuary also contains the remnants of a convict road and the remains of saw pits, of local historical significance.
The Ludovic Blackwood Memorial Sanctuary was the site where the National Trust first became involved in the development of the Bradley method for regeneration of bushland. In 1976, a five year pilot scheme for bush regeneration was instigated by The National Trust through Toni May and established by Joan Bradley; one of two sisters (Joan and Eileen) credited with pioneering Sydney’s Bush Regeneration schemes. This led to the development of National Trust bush management education programs and establishment of the Trust’s Bushland Management Division whose role was to restore bushland for bushland owners such as Councils. Volunteers and professionals alike gained invaluable training, knowledge and 
skills in bushland conservation and regeneration techniques at the sanctuary under expert supervision .
The reserve continues to provide opportunities for education, limited passive recreation and for conservation of significant bushland within the metropolitan region.
Today, the sanctuary stands as a shining example of the success of The National Trust in conserving urban bushland through the creation of a public awareness campaignof the intrinsic value of natural areas and developing bushland regeneration methodologies.
The National Trust is a charity. The income required to look after and maintain this property and the many others you can look up here on our website comes largely from membership and donation. Please help us care for these properties on behalf of future generations. JOIN NOW and experience the benefits of membership.
A volunteer Bushcare group meets at the site twice monthly, a trained supervisor is on hand to guide bush regeneration activities for approximatley 3 hours. Morning tea is provided. If you would like more information please contact the National Trust Bushland Management Division on
(02) 9258 0123. Click here for more information
