Boomajaril is a private rainforest property in the North West of Tasmania. It is just an ordinary house with ordinary residents, however, they have extraordinary guests. Wild Tasmanian Devils and Quolls come for Dinner, sometimes lunch and even on occasions breakfast.

The property is owned by my parents and is 155 acres of cool temperate rainforest located in the mountains 600 metres above sea level. Beautiful summer days and snow in winter, amazing scenery and nature at it's best. We are totally self sufficient, supplying our own electricity and water. It's nearest human neighbours are 1km away. It is a little slice of heaven, a santuary where humans and animals live in harmony. Yeah okay that all sounds a little too perfect, a little overly romantic. I have to admit it is all TRUE.

What makes Boomajaril so special is the relationship the residents have with the wild Tasmanian Devils and quolls in the area. The devils and quolls are totally wild and free, they are not fenced in or restricted in any way, however they choose to interact with the residents. They sleep on the verandah in front of the door, have conversations through the door, respond to their name, they knock on the door when they believe it time for a snack in which they take the food directly from the hand. I have even had a Devil curl up at my feet and go to sleep.

It's like Boomajaril is the local Devil fast food take out joint. You know just drop in, say hi, pick up a quick snack to give them the energy to go hunting that night. They say that devils are solitary animals and very rarely congregate in the one place unless they are feeding on a carcass. Well these experts haven't visited Boomajaril. While the verandah maybe the fast food joint, under the house well that's the Full Moon Devil Saloon. The fighting and brawling reminds me at times of a drunken brawl and it is deafening and sometimes very amusing. There is sometimes up to 10 devils under the house at one time.

Each Devil has it own personality, some are dominant and aggressive where others are more timid and sensitive, however there is a soft and vulnerable side to all of them. Devils, after they get their chicken wing from the door, go straight under the house where they are usually ambushed by another more dominant devil who takes it from them. It is not unusual for that same devil to immediately come back on the verandah with a sad look on it's face as if to say "mum he stole my chicken wing" of course he would get another one and you guessed it he would go under the house again to have it taken again. Devils are quite intelligent animals and do learn - some are just a little slow in doing so.

Look out the atrium window of the house and in the past you would see a plague of wallabies mowing our lawn. Now you look out the window and you can see up to 15 devils lying on the lawn or chasing each other. I have to say it is better then any TV show.

The boomajaril residents can walk freely amongst the devils without them feeling threatened. It is purely a relationship of trust and respect. Boomajaril is not a wildlife park or similar. It is just a private property and it is not open to the public, only by special invitation are people able to experience the devils at Boomajaril. Our first and foremost concern is for the devils and we want to limit the amount of human contact.

While we do feed the Tasmanian Devils on our property, It started out as a necessity as there was no food in the area due to poisoning of wallabies and possums on neighbouring plantation properties to protect new seedling from being eaten. We only feed the Devils and quolls small amounts of chicken to sustain then and prevent them from becoming dependant on us. The Devils, particulary now in late 2007, have more food as the wallaby and possum populations are beginning to stabilise. We check all Devil scats on and near our property to make sure they are still scavenging for food and maintaining their normal diet. All scats are filled with fur and bones indicating that they are not relying on us in any way.

By feeding the Devils on our property we knew that we would have to put up with the smell and constant noise of Devils being around the house. We were fully prepared for that as well as the constant mischief and disappearing items.

We strongly urge that you keep Devils wild and in their natural surrounding. Don't encourage them onto your property by feeding them as if you do you will pretty much have Devils around your house for life. Particularly if they den under your house. Unless you are prepared for the noise etc, you may begin to view the Devil as a pest. That is something we will never call our Devils for us the interest will never fade and we miss them when they are not around.

I visit my parents and the Boomajaril property every Christmas and occasionally visit at other times of the year. I'm always there to see the new pups coming to Boomajaril. For the rest of the year I am kept up-to-date with the devils antics. The stories and what I experienced and witnessed were so touching and at times funny. I knew that we had something special and unique here and with the devil in such crises with the Facial Tumour Disease. While we initially wanted to keep this place a secret. I knew that a documentary and a website would help introduce people to the real Tasmanian Devil and realise that they are not the evil and vicious animal that many over time have been lead to believe and that human and devils can exist together. Saving the Tasmanian Devil is a driving force, they have given us so much joy and now we want to give back.

Story by Debbie Thoy