Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary buys back platypus habitat in Lake Cumbungi

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary’s new owners have bought back the neighbouring lake, part of the original platypus habitat, years after it was sold.

• Warrawong reopened this year after closure in 2013

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary’s new owners have bought back the neighbouring lake, part of the original platypus habitat, which includes three underwater observatories.

On Wednesday co-owner David Cobbold said he was thrilled to announce the purchase of Lake Cumbungi.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary owners have bought back the neighbouring lake, part of the original platypus habitat called Lake Cumbungi.

“When we first bought Warrawong, we realised the lake was such an integral part of the property, especially with regards to habitat for platypus, it was something we really wanted to get back,” he said.

“To finally have the lake is just incredible, we can really put the ecosystem back together now.”

While a loan from the Commonwealth Bank funded the actual purchase of the 14 acre property, money raised through a recent GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign helped cover the $48,000 bill for stamp duty and fees.

An aerial view of Lake Cumbungi, which neighbours Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary.

At its peak, the Sanctuary’s landholding grew to 85 acres spread across nine land titles, but financial troubles forced the sale of all but one, the original dairy that Dr John Wamsley bought in 1969.

Plans to restore the Sanctuary to its former glory and achieve Wamsley’s vision for a platypus research facility and breeding centre will involve a new registered charity, the Warrawong Sanctuary Foundation.

Dr John Wamsley, who bought the original Warrawong site in 1969, holding a Platypus.