Passel Estate is situated in the heart of the world renowned Margaret River wine region. Its gentle sloping vineyards are surrounded by spectacular granite outcrop and pristine bushland comprising jarrah, red gum, peppermint and ancient grass trees. Sea breezes from the Indian Ocean nearby provide calming relief in the summer months. This special location not only produces some of the region’s finest wine grapes, but has also been chosen to provide sanctuary to the endangered Western Ringtail Possum.

Following the Margaret River bushfires of 2011, the owners of Passel Estate provided refuge to a family (or Passel) of Western Ringtail Possums that had been displaced by the fires. The possums quickly adapted to their new surrounds and the sanctuary provided by the giant peppermint trees, (Agonis flexuosa). The original possum boxes that assisted in their release can be spotted throughout the property.

The owners have since installed two soft-release enclosures alongside the creekline, to enable the successful rehabilitation of more Western Ringtail Possums at the estate, working alongside local conservation groups and guided by the code of practice for wildlife rehabilitation in Western Australia. The soft-release enclosures enable the young possums to adjust safely to life in the sanctuary before being fully released.

The possum in the photo is Amy, one of the third generation of Western Ringtail Possums released at Passel Estate, and the first female to go through our soft release programme.