Bushcare NewsWinter 2012

The Waverley Bushcare Inc. Newsletter

If you are interested in Bushcare activities or would like to write an article for the newsletter, please contact Waverley Council’s Bushcare Coordinator.

CONTACT Deborah Law PHONE 9386 7915 (9am–5pm Mon–Fri) EMAIL bushcare@waverley.nsw.gov.au

Welcome to the mid-winter edition of Bushcare News.

I am back on deck and ready for action after a recent break to the Ningaloo reef. Swimming with the whale sharks there was awe inspiring and I highly recommend it to all of you. Heading up the Batavia coast, looking for a place to park the campervan for the night, I stumbled across Eurardy Station, a property purchased by Bush Heritage in 2005. A look around revealed large expanses of York gum woodland, and sneaky bird watching stations nestled throughout the scrub and shrubland. With over 500 plant species, the wildflower show here attracts nature lovers from around the world. Eurardy conserves over 30,000 hectares of the Southwest Botanical Province,

an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot. Although my stay was brief, it was a great reminder of the important work being done by Bush Heritage Australia.

http://www.bushheritage.org.au/reserve_eurardy

Back in Bondi, with winter solstice behind us, there is the promise of longer, crisp and clean wintery days – perfect for a solid Bushcare volunteer session!

Sue Stevens had a great day representing Waverley Bushcare at the Bondi the Beautiful Fair on Sunday 01 July. Sue spoke with lots of local people interested in our plants and wildlife and handed out free local native plants.

Hello All!

Bush Regeneration at Nielsen ParkDid anyone see the interview with the Nielson Park Bushcare group on Gardening Australia recently? Costa chats with Paul Ibbertson, National Parks Ranger and some of the volunteers. It’s short and sweet and definitely worth a look. It is great to see what our coastal neighbours are up to.

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/video/ Episode 14. Bringing Back the Bush (4:58) 30/06/2012

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/tv/gardeningaus/prog_streams/bringbackbush_ep14_2012.mp4

Thanks also to Glen Stevens for sending in some snap shots of ferns and fungus growing on the Bronte Gully Bushcare Site. Your enthusiasm for the Bronte Gully is inspiring – see Glen’s comments on page 3.

Kind regards Deborah Law

Tamarama Bushcare Group is 13 years old!The Tamarama Bushcare Group celebrated its thirteenth birthday!Thank you to Tony for your supervision and efforts over the years and to our chief volunteers Lina and Anthony.Congratulations to Lina for completing your Bush Regeneration course and gaining employment in the field. Our little remnant is in good hands!

Bauera rubioides is one of my favourite plants, with delicate angled branches and flowers. It is fairly common throughout Sydney’s bushland and some wonderful specimens exist including those at the Tamarama bushland remnant. The River Rose puts on an impressive floral display through Spring and Summer.

Cape Ivy, Delairea odorata. Also known as Senecio mikanioides, Cape Ivy is naturalised in coastal parts of NSW and grows rapidly to blanket and smother surrounding vegetation.

The plants of WaverleyName Bauera rubioidesFamily CUNONIACEAEDistributioN Common along the eastern coast from Sydney to TasmaniaCommoN Name River RoseForm Small shrub, with a varying form depending on site conditions. Flourishes in

areas with consistent moisture.leaves & stems

Small leaves, appearing as whorls of 6 around the slightly hairy stems

Flowers BRIGHT PINK, 12-18mm wide, usually with 8 petals and numerous yellow stamens. Appear bell-shaped from above.

uses A wide range of horticultural uses, preferring situations with regular moisture, well drained soils and full sunlight to part shade.

DiD you kNow?

The meaning of the name: Bauera = after the brothers Franz and Ferdinand Bauer, botanical artists who painted Australian species. Franz was employed by Joseph Banks, and Franz joined Mathew Flinders’ 1801-03 circumnavigation of Australia. Rubioides = from the Latin word meaning ruby like

Name Delairea odorataFamily AsteraceaeoriGiN South AfricaHabit A climbing and trailing perennial, non-woody vine that smothers vegetation

to heights of 10m. Stems break easily.leaves Ivy or star shaped with 5-7 lobes, fleshy, glossy green above, silvery below,

often with a purple tinge.Flowers Strongly scented on warm days, yellow and daisy-like in dense clusters

lacking ray florets (petals). Autumn-Spring.Fruit Small, reddish-brown with a ‘parachute’ of fine hairs (pappus). A mature

plant can produce up to 4000 seeds annually.roots Shallow and fibrous, fragments re-root readily.DisPersal Vegetation and seed is spread by wind, water, animals, humans,

contaminated soil (earthmoving equipment, car tyres etc) and garden refuse dumping.

CoNtrol Hand Dig, Skirting, Foliar spray.

Source: Australian National Botanic Gardens http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp3/bauera-rubioides.htmlRobinson, L. 2003 3rd edn. Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney. Kangaroo Press.

Source: Sydney Weeds Committee Website, http://sydneyweeds.org.au/weed/cape-ivy/

What Weed Is That?

Calling all URRLS Do you own a little piece of paradise out of the city? If so maybe you are an URRL; people who live in the city, owning property out of town, and considered to be very important landholders! They are so important in fact; they have been given their own acronym - URRL, short for Urban Residential Rural Landholders. The overall effect of the land management that occurs on these parcels of land has a significant impact on our catchments.

Angela Maier, the Sydney Metro Regional Landcare Facilitator wants to get to know our Urban Resident Rural Landholders (URRLs). There are a variety of free land management workshops and training opportunities available.

Maybe you know of some or you may be one yourself!

Please get in touch with Angela Maier on (02) 9895 6126 (Mon or Wed) or at landcaresydney@cma.nsw.gov.au

Photo: M.Fagg

The Loombah Cliffs bushland is a collection of five patches of remnant vegetation, growing both on public and private land, in Dover Heights. The largest of these occurs within a road closure which connects Macleay Street to Loombah Road. The bush here can only be seen on the edge of the rocky cliffy face above Macleay Street, and below the fence on Loombah Road.

This patch of bush is important to us because it contains our only threatened plant species, Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis sub sp. Terminalis). The site also has taller trees, with Low Woodland and Forest plant communities present. The protected and inaccessible nature of this site means that the soils here are relatively undisturbed, and native seed has the potential to regenerate.

A small amount of grant funding from the Sydney Weeds Committee has enabled us to commence bush regeneration works. Following advice from Danny Hirschfeld, a silt fence

Diamond Bay in SMHOur Waverley Bushcare volunteer Madeleine Murray was so impressed with her Bushcare experience that she wanted to spread the word. The article is a great representation of the benefits of Bushcare. Members of the Diamond Bay Bushcare Group featured in an article in ‘Spectrum’ in the Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 14 July.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/natural-selection-20120712-21ww2.html

upcoming eventTamaRama PockET PaRk GRouP The fourth planting day for the Tamarama Pocket Park Group will take place in August. Meeting along the stairs, near the Birrel Street entrance to the Park. If you are interested in coming along to a planting group contact me, Deborah Law, Bushcare Coordinator for more information.

When: Saturday august 18th Time: 2pm - 4pm

Around the Bushcare Sites Loombah Cliffs

was installed in the site to slow the flow of surface water reaching the sunshine wattle, which prefers a drier environment. The silt fence should also stop weed seeds moving across the site. Results so far are promising, and I will keep you posted of the progress here.

Bronte Gully Bushcare Group (BGBG) Supervisor updateFunghi, Ferns & Easy WeedingWith all the regular rain we have been experiencing down on the Bronte Guly Bushcare site, the spores of mosses, ferns & funghi have been easily finding one another. Lots of baby ferns are emerging on rocks & logs. Mosses are spreading & the emergence of late Autumn/Early Winter funghi has also been widespread. A good time for funghi photo snaps if that is your thing. There is even funghi growing

on funghi.Source: the common species Hypholoma aurantiaca (previously named Stropharia aurantiaca). Gills at first are grayish then becoming

purplish brown as spores mature. It is common on wood mulch in parks. Spores purple-brown. Poisonous!

The following link provides additional information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leratiomyces_ceres If you fancy yourself as an amateur mycologist, or you would like to know more about the fungi you come across in your bushcare sites, let me know, we may be able to provide a workshop, or get in touch with the Sydney Fungal Studies Group Inc. http://www.sydneyfungalstudies.org.au/workshop2012.htm

A bit of wind damage to report from the storm of early June mainly native tree branches ripped off. Thankfully no Coral Trees came down. Native

plant growth has slowed because of the cooler weather. Our one & only Syzygium australe which flowered in autumn is now setting fruit.

One plant that has not slowed and is making a big come back on our site is Tradscantia albiflora. It is creeping in from the edges and has exploded in pockets on the slope. It would be great to get on top of it before it takes control; with the current moist soil at least it is easy to remove. The yellow flowers of Cape Ivy are out making it easy to spot them and remove their vines. Madeira Vine is still surfacing in areas weeded ten years ago. Apparently the aerial tubers have a life span of fifteen years in the soil. Hope to see you next Bushcare meeting.

cheers Glen Stevens Bronte Gully Bushcare Group Supervisor

RussianЕсли вы не понимаете это сообщение, то, пожалуйста, позвоните в Службу устного и письменного перевода (Trans-lating and Interpreting Services, TIS) по телефону 131 450 и попросите их соединить Вас с муниципалитетом Веверли (Waverley Council) по телефону 9369 8000. Мы ответим на Ваши вопросы через их переводчика.

Bushcare Group locationsHuGH BamFoRD RESERvESecond Saturday of the month 9am–12noon

Meet at the end of the laneway between 46 and 48 Wentworth Street, Dover Heights.

BRoNTE GuLLyEvery second Sunday 10am–1pm

Meet at the Bronte Park end of the gully.

TamaRama GuLLyNote that this group is now only meeting once a month until June. First Sunday of the month 9.30am–12.30pm

Meet at the bus stop on Tamarama Marine Drive (opposite beach).

DiamoND Bay RESERvE (RoSa GuLLy)Third Saturday of the month 9am–12noon

Meet at the end of Diamond Bay Road, Vaucluse.

EaSTERN RESERvEThird Saturday of the month 12noon–3pm

Meet at the end of Lancaster Road, Dover Heights.

Bushcare datesauGuST 2012Sunday 5 9.30am–12.30pm Tamarama GullySaturday 11 9am–12noon Hugh Bamford ReserveSunday 12 10am–1pm Bronte GullySaturday 18 9am–12noon Diamond BaySaturday 18 12noon–3pm Eastern ReserveSunday 26 10am–1pm Bronte Gully

NoTE: Some dates may change, please phone Deborah Law on 9386 7915 (or your Site Supervisor) to confirm.

Don’t forget to visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/things_to_do for a great list of events and happenings in and around Waverley.

National Tree Day 2012 on Sunday 29th July at Hunter Park Bondi was a great success. The weather was fine with a cool breeze, and participants travelled from afar, including from Wahroonga, Quakers Hill, Kingsgrove, North Parramatta and Hurstville.

Twenty-eight participants dug, planted and watered, including the Mayor John Wakefield, Greens Councillor Prue Cancain, some local families with young children, and students from UNSW - including several from the Co-op Scholars Charitable Society. Participants were enthusiastic and hard-working and had all the plants in the ground by midday and then enjoyed a well-earned feast of muffins, slices and fruit.

Plants were planted in three areas of the park; two prepared especially for the day plus some infill planting in a bed of mature banskias.

These plantings of large and small shrubs and grasses and ground covers will greatly increase the diversity of flora species present in Hunter Park as well as improve habitat opportunities for small native insects, birds and animals.

Council’s Parks Mobile Team did a fantastic job of site preparation prior to the day and also transporting plants and equipment to site, helping volunteers planting, and watering in the plants on the day. Thanks to Belinda, Antonio, Tony and Dave. The day would not have run so smoothly without their help and expertise.

Species planted were: Banksia ericifolia 5Darwinia fimbriata 35Monotoca elliptica 15Correa alba 10Melaleuca nodosa 10Dianella congesta 80Lomandra longifolia 45Baeckea imbricata 25Leptospermum squarrosum 5Leptospermum laevigatum 5Phebalium squamulosum 25Micromyrtus ciliata 25Acacia ulicifolia 25Oleraia tomentosa 15Cupaniopsis anacardioides 5Total 330

NaTioNaL TREE Day 2012

Join experienced Bushcarers and those who’ve never tried Bushcare before. Help us to help our native plants thrive.

10am to 1pm Sunday 9 September 2012

Bronte Gully Bushcare Group, Bronte Park, Bronte, 100m west of the playground

Morning Tea provided. Bring a hat, wear sturdy shoes and sunscreen. Tools and gloves will be provided by Council.

RSVP by 05 September, to Deborah Law, Council’s Bushcare Coordinator

on Bushcare@waverley.nsw.gov.au, Phone: 9386 7915