1975 Published by Catll'c- 3VSNTS I ' Monday, 3D
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
O F F. NEWS Q., F.F. NEWS - 4 January 1975 Published by catll'c- 3VSNTS i ' Monday, 3d. February, 7145 pm« ANKUAL GENERAL MEETING. OATLEY FLORA & FAUNA The main business of this meeting is, of course, to elect the CONSERVATION SOCIETY Office bearers for the forthcoming year. Most of the committee Price 5 cants. Registered for posting el 3 Periodical — Category 8. members will be available for re-election (which doesn *t mean ou must elect them) but one office falling vacant is that of Jresident. Paddy Mackenzie took on this job two years ago and yse a very popular choice, but he has now decided it is time someone else took a turn and will not stand for re-election. January 1975 Thank you for the last two years, Paddy. We know it is lack of time and not lack of interest on your part. We are starting this year with an interesting series of articles from Alan Fairley. Oatley Park contains a good representative After the business Zina Oliver will show us slides of Spain and sample of the flora of the Sydney sandstone area and each month Portugal and give an interesting commentary on these countries. he will prepare a list of plants presently in flower. Keep each list until you have a record for the whole year. .Ti -r 'T" Hetty Bertram is recovering after a long sojourn in hospital. JANUARY is a poor month for native flowers as many .,ave JUST She extends her thanks to all who sent cards and messages. We hop finished flowering. However elever species were found. she will bo with us again soon. 1. platysace laneeolata - small white flowers in terminal clusters: widespread, most common flower at this tine, 2. Flannel Flower (Actinotus helianthi) - large whit e wooly Ralph Newboult has sent a letter thanking us for arranging the flowers widespread on dry plateau. tree planting ceremony in memory of his parents and also for 3. False Sarsparilla (Ssilax glyciphylla) - small greenisp;- "being such good friends to my parents when they were alive". white flower arranged in umbels: a very common climbing plant on hillside, eg above baths - black berries and leaves with It waq 1oy r pleasure, Ralph# ] heavy venation. ! \ 4. Fuchsia Heath (Epacris longiflora) - red bell flowers tipped Also our pleasure (albeit of a different kind) is to thank 3ee with white: on lower track around point from baths. and Hans Goldstein for a donation of $25 which arrived while we 5. Trigger Plant (Stylidium graminifolium) - pink flowers on Ion were on our annual recess. It's good to know they are retaining stem: low herb with grasslike foliage. Found near heath, their interest in the Society as we can see by the article i3ee 6. Old Man 3ankeia (3anksia serrata) - ^rey-Rreen flower spikes: sent and which is included in this issue. a cocnon small tree v/ith stiff saw-tooth leaves. Y. Harrow-leaf Geobum; (Persoonia linearis) - small yellow P2&SIDEMT Paddy Mackenzie, 63 Waratah St,, OATKIY 57-2824 flowers: shrub 6-8 ft tall in sheltered positions. SECRETARY Ida Carder, 3ox 52, P.O. MORTDALfi 57-5909 g, Pink Spider Flower (Grevillea sericea) - pink flowers: EDITOR Olive Whaite, 15 Freeman Ave., GATLEY 576459 widespread, common shrub growing to about 5 ft tall. O.F.F. NEWS 2/3 ' January 1975 THE FLORA OF OATLnry PABK-.i^ont, > 9• Lobelia dontata - blue irregular flowers: mnl 1 herb with deeply cut leaves - on roadside of Christensen Ores, near Websters lookout. 10. Match Heads (Comesperma ericinun) - pink terminal flowee: slender erect shrub growing on sheltered slopes overlooking Jew Fish Say. 11. Christinas Bush (Ceratopetaluu gummiferun) - reddish sepals persist and are referred to as flowers, True snail white flowers in Oct./Nov.: growing on sheltered slopes overlooking Jew Fish Bay. CONCENTRATED POPULATION DEMANDS MULTIPLE LAMP USAGE. If I were asked "What is your first inpression of Europe?" I think ray answer would be "People - too many of then". However I would quickly anend this and add "In certain places" because, despite the frightening number of people and the innumerable towns rapidly growing and the ubiquitous autobahns rapidly spreading, one does get an impression of open land - rural country and forests. However, unlike in Australia, all the land is fully utilised and has been for generations. In fact land is being reclaimed wherever possible to try to meet the increased demand# So the question soon arises "Where do all the people go for holidays and recreation?" To the coast of course. But coastlines are limited, many beaches private, and summer is short# To other towns* Europe is full of historically and architecturally interesting towns which are well equipped with sporting facilities and afford holiday opportunities. To the lakes. Every little lake (and ther are many) has its recreational centre and there are the mountains for talking, climbing and skiing. And people walk - along roads, along paths, across private properties and in the woods (most of which are forestry areas). There are not many National Parks as we know than but there are many Nature Protection Areas. In these the owner must not alter the character of the land and the visitor must respect the flora and fauna as well as the property. This "multiplt usage" concept operates in most European countries that we have visited. Both the forests and the Nature Protection Areas (with a few exceptions in breeding season) are open to the people on foot. Good well-indicated tracks lead the people through these areas but no one is allowed to leave the marked trail - and, surprisingly to an Australian, no one does. There are parking lots at the entrances to the tracks and cars must stay on the lote, which at weekends and on holidays are packed to the limit. Tho tracks are alive with holidayers carrying folding chairs or inflatable mattresses and the local equivalent of an Australian cut lunch (barbeques and fires are strictly limited), all heading hopefully for a good spot to picnic and sumbake. addition to those who come by car are the hordes of walkers who travel by the good and frequent public transport to the begining of a track and take another bus or train home from the far end. Tho pressure on those trails is at times frightening. At one place in a National Park in Czechoslovakia we waited 2*r hours in a queue to ride in a chairlift to the top of a mountain to walk down it. At the top there was scarcely sitting room to eat ones lunch and the part of the track down till it reached a spot where there was a choice of trails was like "Pitt Street on Friday". It was unbelieveable.* What can we Australians learn from this? 1. That Australian authorities must do thoir best to let the public use - under strict rule - what open space is available. 2. That they must make haste to acquire and/or obtain access to as much land as possible for public recreation, and 3. That the public must learn to accept restrictions on their freedom when in natural surroundings. They must be prepared to leave their cars and to walk. They must stick to the trails, leave no litter behind, and they must respect plants, animals, and other peoples rights. Is this too much to ask? (from Beatrice Goldstein - in Europe) The above article is a dramatic illustration of the urgent need to reserve as nuch recreational land as we con IICM. As our population increases so will our 2 O F F. NEWS O.F.F. NEWS - 4 - February 1975 Published by CCMING EVENTS MONDAY 24th Feb, 7.45pm OATLEY FLORA & FAUNA Regular meeting at Oatley West Methodist Church Hall on the CONSERVATION SOCIETY corner of Mulga and Gungah Bay Roads, PETER and CAROLE HELvUiN Pries 5 cants. Registered for posting a* s Periodical — Category B. are going to take us walking (armchair style) up KILIMANJARO and MT. KENYA, and into ETHIOPIA. Their travels took them through the animal parks where they found the plants almost mor interesting. The slides are excellent so bring plenty of your friends with you. The Annual General Meeting earlier this month saw few changes made to the Society!. ALAN FAIRLEY was elected president for 1975. Alan has already worked hard and generously for the SATURDAY 1st March. FIELD DAY Society and we are lucky he's managed to fit this job into his already busy schedule. Bus trip to Mr. Edward St. John's bush property at OURJMBAH. He will meet us at the Tall Timbers Hotel, Ourimbah about The financial position is fairly stable at the moment as rising costs have been balanced by rising membershil and donations, so 10.30am and guide us the rest of the way. Fare is $2.50 for we are keeping fees unaltered this year. These are now due and adults and 50cents for children. Meet at Oatley Station and bring a cut or salad lunch. We expect to return by 6.00pm. are:- Adult- $2.00; Two adults in one family - $3.00; Adult Further details from Val Boyan after 5.00pm on 533 1013. Val group - $10.00; Child - 50c; Child group - jS5; Pensioner, would also appreciate getting your bookings in as soon as student over 16 yrs. and corresponding member - 60c. Last year possible. a few people paid in advance. If you are unsure of your own position ring Harry Whaite (who is still treasurer) on 57-6459. SUNDAY 23d Feb. Natioal Parks and Wildlife Foundation D00RKN0CK Ray Knight returned to the committee as vice-president, Win Tonkin became publicity Officer, and David Koffel joined us as an Aim of this body is to raise money to buy land for Natioal additional officer.