peacockcreek.net
Peacock Creek Native Tree Project
Welcome to our site. We invite you to explore the various sections on our website to learn more about the Peacock Creek Native Tree Project and how you can be involved in heritage reforestation and habitat preservation.
Sponsor a Native Tree
Help us enhance the natural beauty of Peacock Creek while creating a lasting legacy. Your sponsorship supports the planting and care of native timber species at our Rubyvale and Peacock Creek Road /Bonalbo property, contributing to carbon capture and habitat preservation for generations to come. Each Sponsored Tree features a commemorative marker and serves as a living tribute to our shared environment.
From Ballina With Love – Up Up and Away captures the vivid recollections of former General Manager Gary Faulks, spanning his local government career and oversea missions. This enlightening read explores Ballina’s aviation history and personal stories from Papua New Guinea to Tuvalu. Featuring over 100 photographs, the book serves as a vital reference for the region’s evolution since 1973.
In memory of John Faulks Sr 1800–1894 and wife Mary 1805–1864
John Faulks enlisted in the 17th Foot Regiment and served in India and Ireland. He came to Australia with his wife and with the Regiment in 1830. When the Regiment was recalled they stayed and settled in the Shoalhaven area, where John served as a policeman before buying land. John and Mary are both buried in the privately owned Milton Methodist Church cemetery.
Tree maze at Peacock Creek
Tree 14 and 15 planted to remember James Sinclair 1842-1909 son of Samuel and Rebecca who married Jane Ryder in 1867
Maze trees 8 and 9 planted in memory of Samuel Sinclair 1804-1863 who married Rebecca Dunbar 1819-1900 in 1840 in County Galway Ireland before both coming to Australia as bounty immigrants in 1841. Later buying land near Jamberoo. Samuel is buried near Jamberoo and Rebecca is buried at Sandridge Cemetery Molly Mook NSW.
Family Tribute Trees
The Peacock Creek Native Tree Project honors the Faulks family lineage through dedicated reforestation. Each tribute tree represents a branch of our history, providing vital habitat and preserving the heritage of the Bonalbo region for future generations to explore.
Grass Tree for Sarah Claydon 1829–1876
Sarah Claydon was the daughter of John and Mary Faulks and she devoted her short life to the sick and dying of the Milton District and became a loved and legendary figure, riding side-saddle in all weathers to where the needs were greatest. Sarah is buried at the Methodist Cemetery in Milton alongside her parents. The Sarah Claydon Aged Care Centre at Milton was named to remember her welfare work in the District all those years ago.
Spotted Gum for William & Harriett Faulks
We pay tribute to William and Harriett Faulks, who were pivotal pioneers within the South Coast community. Famous for supplying FFF brand butter to urban markets, their legacy is preserved by this sturdy spotted gum. Their final resting place is at Mollymook Cemetery.
Mitchell Johnson views tree 66 within the maze 5th January 2022
Bottlebrush for Henry Thomas & Rachael Faulks
Henry Thomas and Rachael relocated to the North Coast in 1919, pouring their spirits into agricultural life. This flowering bottlebrush stands as a living testament to their hard work and devotion. Buried together at Methodist (Uniting) Church Section East Ballina.
Rubyvale Property
Our historic Rubyvale estate forms the heart of our conservation work. This wild landscape, steeped in regional history, offers a perfect setting to celebrate family legacies by planting native timber destined to thrive and endure for many generations.
412 Peacock Creek Road is the site for Peacock Creek Private Cemetery. Approved by Kyogle Council in 2013 (DA 2013/12) the cemetery is designed for both above ground and in ground graves. The cemetery was consecrated by Rev Pablo Nunez on 11th September, 2024. The cemetery is administered and maintained by Peacock Creek Private Cemetery Maintenance Trust. (Trustee Faulks Holdings Pty Ltd ACN 002 686 713) Refer Australian Cemeteries Index Cemetery ID 6584
Bonalbo Colliery
The historic colliery site stands as a sentinel of local heritage, now undergoing a green transformation.
New growth paths bridge the gap between Bonalbo's industrial past and a sustainable, native future.
Image from book entitled Bonalbo A Pictorial History of Bonalbo compiled by M.A. Ralston for West of the Range Historical Society
Trees clean the air, cool our climate, protect soil and waterways, and provide vital habitat for native birds and animals.
Another industry of importance in the Bonalbo and wider region is the dairy industry which has been providing dairy products like milk, butter and cheese. Mechanised cream production using cream separators assisted the many family dairies to provide cream to Norco butter factories since the early 1900s. Reaching a peak in mid-century, deregulation and consolidation meant the end of many smaller operators and beef production for meat became and remains a dominant industry today.
Mechanised cream separators, like the one pictured above, were essential tools for family dairy farms in Bonalbo, enabling them to supply high-quality cream to the local Norco factories for decades.
The Peacock Creek Restoration
Deeply rooted in the Bonalbo heritage, our reforestation initiative revitalizes the local ecosystem. By planting native species across the rural landscape, we create an enduring environmental impact that honors the property’s storied past and safeguards its future flora.
