Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018

The newsletter of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Fraser Coast Branch

AUTUMN 2018

Wambaliman since 1967 In the language of the Butchulla people, who are custodians of land that includes the Fraser Coast, ‘wambaliman’ means ‘to carry’, and refers to the messages that the Newsletter is communicating.

Editor's Note From where I write I can see a clear blue sky with just a few high clouds; the lengthy wet period that has been so welcomed by plants and WILDLIFE PRESERVATION people alike seems to be behind us. SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND What’s not behind us is the constant struggle to conserve wildlife and associated habitats. known informally as Fortunately, the people who submit articles to WILDLIFE QUEENSLAND this newsletter are among those with some awareness on the issue of conservation. FRASER COAST BRANCH Our President, Audrey, has been observing PO Box 7396 Urangan, 4655 wildlife behaviour for many decades, and gives us an example of that in her article on wildlife President: in her backyard. Audrey Sorensen Both the Activity Report and the EAG Report 4125 6891 [email protected] contain examples of the many activities that Vice President: Branch members are participating in, all of which demonstrate modest gains in the Rodney Jones 0423 812 881 Branch’s stated aims. Secretary: The wonderful Nature Walks continue to pro- Vanessa Elwell-Gavins vide networking and educational opportunities. 0428 624 366 Displays and workshops such as Diane Chris- Assistant Secretary: tensen’s library display and Carol Bussey’s butterfly workshop offer a tremendous opportuni- Bruce Dick ty for the Branch to reach the general public Treasurer: with information on wildlife conservation. Jenni Watts 0400 656 325 Yet another avenue of reaching a wider audi- Assistant Treasurer: ence with our message is through the monthly Bruce Dick newspaper column called Wildlife Matters; now with six articles published. Newsletter WAMBALIMAN And more! Several members attended the Publisher: WPSQ Fraser Coast USC Awards ceremony to congratulate the recipient of the Branch’s Prize of $500 to a first Editor: Rodney Jones year student studying wildlife conservation. 0423 812 881 [email protected] The people involved in making these achieve- Production: Rodney Jones ments possible deserve a pat on the back. We Proofreading: Andrea Van Kampen are always looking for more people to lighten the load by becoming active members. All this, plus the usual interesting and educational articles about local wildlife, await you. Enjoy the read. ● Rodney [email protected] Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 2 NOTICE BOARD Contents AUTUMN 2018 Social gathering for members and friends President’s Report ···································4 Diane 4128 3992 Wildlife Fraser Coast — Activity Report ··· 4–6 Monthly talks on community radio Environmental Advisory Group — Report ...6, 7 Audrey 4125 6891 Nature Walk — Point Vernon ················· 8, 9 Branch meetings held each month Nature Walk — Walligan Rail Trail ········ 9, 10 Venue alternates between Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Frog display at Library ······················· 10, 11 Vanessa 0428 624 366 Bush Regeneration Workshop ············· 11, 12 Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize — Award ···· 12 Nature in the Library talks Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize — Recipient 13 Third Friday of the month at Hervey Butterfly Day at Tinana ··························· 14 Bay library. Sara 4129 5789 or the library 4197 4220 A box for the Coolamon ·························· 15 20 April Community Environment Program ······· 16, 17 Don & Lesley Bradley Wildlife in a suburban backyard ················ 18 Nest relocation of turtles The Birds and the Moths ························· 19 18 May Mangroves — 10 Locals ····················· 20, 21 Yvonne Miles Hazard Reduction Fires ·························· 22 Dugongs 15 June Cleaning up Australia ······························ 23 Tina Raveneau Last page cartoon ··································· 24 Native trees and National Tree Day Contributions Nature Walks We welcome contributions from WPSQ members and supporters. Articles can Saturday 5 May take the form of reports, observations of ‘The Wild’: member John Williams’ nature, anecdotes, quotes, humour etc. property near Gundiah Send contributions to: Peter Duck 0432 250 213 [email protected] Saturday 2 June OR Glenbar National Park The Editor, Wambaliman and Miva State Forest PO Box 7396 URANGAN 4655 Vanessa Elwell-Gavins 0428 624 366 Submissions for the next issue are due by Friday 6 July 2018 Saturday 7 July

Opinions expressed in Wambaliman are not neces- Mt Bauple National Park sarily those endorsed by the Wildlife Preservation Society Queensland, Fraser Coast Branch unless Peter Duck 0432 250 213 specifically attributed to them. 3 President’s Report

Everything we do has consequences. It can be a link in a chain reaction that can have an impact beyond expectation. How do we make choices that sustain the sur- vival of species in a fragile environment? Can people-power influence decisions made at three levels of government, local, state and federal? Can we change the atti- tudes of a self-indulgent society that be- lieves a sea-view is more important than retaining a natural area? Have we lost our connection with nature in our quest for financial security and greed? Are we caught up in the rat-race and blind to the wonder around us? Can we make time to step outside in the rain to find the diamonds in a spider’s web? We cannot appreciate what we haven’t experienced. How blessed are those who have had close encounters with wildlife, be it flora or fauna! Our Nature Walks, our Nature in the Library talks, our Wildlife-friendly Gardens Workshops and other projects, our submissions on various legislation, our provision of a university prize, our monthly newspaper column, and our membership of other conservation groups — hopefully public awareness is increasing due to the efforts of our Branch. Sustainability starts in our own backyards. The Indian mynahs are checking out the trap in my backyard. The feral cat has been trapped. I think I can live without using single-use plastic bags: I’ve been practising for years! And I’m going camping again soon. Care to join me? ● Audrey Sorensen, President

Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast – Activity Report 6 January - 31 March 2018 Walks, Talks, Workshops and other events • Our Nature Walks program kicked off for 2018 in March with a walk from Gatakers Bay through the mangroves at the mouth of Eli Creek, then return via Parraweena Park. This excellent walk was attended by 35 people. • We held two Nature in the Library talks at the Hervey Bay Library in this quarter:  Alan Peebles showed another of his wildlife videos to a packed audience in February.  Don and Lesley Bradley spoke about turtles and satellite tracking in March, also to a large audience. • Diane Christensen mounted a display on frogs at the Hervey Bay Library, during the school holidays, to drum up interest for MRCCC's Find a Frog in February.

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 4 Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast – Activity Report cont. • Quite a few of our members participated in Find a Frog in February, and had great fun learning about the frogs we saw or heard. • Carol Bussey organised a Butterfly Identification and Butterfly Plants afternoon at Tinana State School on Sunday 11 March, with Kelvin Nielsen as the guest speaker. Seventy three people participated in this, including 6 children. Many thanks to organiser, speaker and helpers. • Six of our members spent a morning with seven visiting Gympie Field Naturalists at Arkarra Lagoons and Mungomery Vine Forest. This excellent 'networking opportunity' was organised by Cécile Espigolé. A highlight was the two juvenile magpie geese who accompanied us on foot for half the morning, including down a small track going right through to Chiquita Court, and whose quiet chattering confused some of the bird-watchers when they were trying to identify other bird- calls. Communications • Wambaliman SUMMER 2018 issue was released in January. • President Audrey Sorensen has continued to make excellent use of our 10- minute slot on local community radio FM 107.5, at 10 am on the second Tues- day of each month. • Since the Summer break, Rod Jones and Roland Schuller, two of the inaugural Facebook page administrators, have stepped down. Thanks to them both for their input in establishing the page. The arrival of Peter Duck as one of the administrators, with support from Vicki Perrin, has seen a re-energising of the Branch's Facebook page. Meetings and planning • The Executive met on 4 February. • General meetings were held on 18 February and 18 March at the Halcro St Community Centre. Working Groups, Advisory Groups and other groups • Rodney Jones attended meetings of the FCRC Environmental Advisory Group on 7 February and 4 April. Fund-raising • Peter Duck and Carol Bussey are organising the Bunnings sausage sizzles in 2018 and will be organising the rosters. No sizzling occurred in this quarter, but two sizzles are planned for the next quarter. Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize • Branch representatives attended the presentation on 28 March of the first of three annual prizes awarded by our Branch to a student undertaking Cont. on p. 6

5 Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast – Activity Report cont. studies in Endangered Animals and their Conservation at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The recipient of the inaugural $500 Prize was Ms Zerra Eger- ton. Submissions • We made submissions to two important government inquiries, on:  the Federal Government's draft Strategy for Nature; and  the Queensland Government's draft amendments to the Vegetation Man- agement legislation. ● Vanessa Elwell-Gavins, Secretary

Environmental Advisory Group – Report Summary from Minutes of the meeting on 7 February 2018 Lauren Payler (Manager, Strategic Landuse Planning) provided an update on new staff positions, including a Sustainability Planner. The Offset Policy within the Plan- ning Scheme is being reviewed; Nigel Greenup to provide Policy to EAG members. Council will soon be appointing an Open-space Planning Officer who will assist in identifying potential sites for koala protection. This will also be addressed through development of the Threatened Species Action Plan currently in preparation. Kevin Corcoran (Manager, Media Section) also addressed the meeting and provided an update on media systems, education programs, and the need for Council to provide good news stories. Mike Moller from WBBEC provided an introduction to himself, and advised that he and his group want to work with Council to especially promote the economic value of the environment. David Arthur from WBBEC will be Mike’s proxy. Council News • A recent resolution regarding use of Council’s Environmental Levy has been adopted by Council. This involves a 3 tiered approach; (i) purchase high conservation value land (ii) Installation of appropriate infrastructure in existing Council reserves (iii) LGA wide conservation program (Land for Wildlife). • Council approved expansion of membership of EAG to include representatives from MRCCC and BMRG. Summary from Minutes and Notes taken at the meeting on 4 April 2018 Importantly, Nigel Greenup (Executive Manager, Open Space & Environment) an- nounced that he will be finishing with FCRC on 11 April to take up a position as Man- ager, National Parks, Norfolk Island. Nigel’s participation in the EAG will be genuine- ly missed. We wish him well in his new role. Environmental Technical Officer: The newly appointed Environmental Technical Officer who commences on 30 April will undertake many tasks that came under Ni- gel’s position: Land for Wildlife; Revision of Land Management Plans; Implement Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 6 Environmental Advisory Group – Report cont. policies, e.g. Management of urban lakes; Review of fire management strategy, e.g. ecological burning of reserves; Implementation of flying fox roosts; and, attending and chairing EAG meetings. Threatened Species: Much discussion arose about the DRAFT Threatened Species Action Plan, tabled at the meeting. Responsibility for contents of the Plan rests with the EAG. A meeting between members of the EAG and Premise (who developed the DRAFT Plan) was held on 13 April. It is intended that the Plan be ready to present to Council for ratification within the month. From there, Council will either approve the Plan, decide to open the Plan for public comment, or reject the Plan. WPSQ Prize: Rodney Jones from WPSQ requested that Council contribute to the Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Prize, to be awarded to a deserving University of the Sunshine Coast student who has included the subject Endangered Animals and their Conservation in their Degree course. The prize is currently $500 per year for three years. Cr Lewis to follow up on previous discussion on this matter. Additional EAG members: John Williams (MRCCC) and Emma-Kate Currie (BMRG) were accepted as new additional members of the EAG. As there are now several members of the EAG who are members of more than one group with representation on the EAG, it was decided that the EAG Terms of Reference be amended to include a clause on declaration of possible conflict of interest. Environment Levy: The EAG recommends to Council that an Environment Levy be reinstated in some form, or that a component of the existing Infrastructure Levy be set aside for environmental purposes. The EAG also requested information as to the process for purchasing land under the Environment Levy, and recommended that a spe- cific parcel of land (which will remain confidential) be considered for purchase. Dogs on/off Leash—Migratory Birds: EAG recommended that a presentation be provided to a Council briefing on the impacts of dogs on international waders. The EAG has requested that appropriate signage be installed, and a task force be developed from appropriate sections of Council and community groups to review the current situation. Indian Myna Birds: The EAG has requested additional information from Col Zemek regarding the purchase and use of Indian Myna traps. Col will be asked to provide information to the next meeting of the EAG. Wide Bay Water: Jeanette Harrold advised that the Waste Management Strategy would be open for public consultation. She also advised that concessions will be given to Not for Profit groups for waste dumping. Campaigns in process include If you wouldn’t give it to a mate, don’t donate. The position of Water and Waste Education Officer would be advertised soon. ● Rodney Jones, Environmental Advisory Group Representative

Don’t forget to LIKE us on Facebook @WPSQFraserCoast 7 Nature Walk – Point Vernon circuit Thirty five people attended the Point Vernon circuit walk on 10 March, our first walk for the 2018 year. Twenty members were joined by 15 non-members, and we even had to turn a few people away as numbers had reached capacity. (This highlights the need to book!) The weather was kind; not too hot with a fairly stiff breeze which kept biting things at bay. The walk was leisurely, taking in many points of interest. A focus along the beach was the mangroves, and the group was shown eight species. Mangroves are extremely diverse in every respect, and these eight representatives highlighted that. Avicennia marina (Grey mangrove) has extensive peg-like breathing roots. Rhizophora stylosa (Stilt mangrove) has long The impressive spidery red stilt roots, Aegialitis annulata (Club mangrove) has a thickened trunk at the base.

Fruits too are just as variable and interesting. Unlike most plants, whose seeds germinate in the soil, many mangrove plants have their seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree. Once ger- minated, the seedling grows either within the fruit or out through the fruit to form what is called a propagule (a seedling ready to go). On the return trip, the group walked through Parraweena Park. There are remnants of long- ago plantings, but the retention of a large area of native vegetation and areas of more recent native regeneration mean that local plant species are well represented here. Highlights in the park are the massive tuckeroos, a beautiful mature Moreton Bay Ash, a thicket of cabbage tree palms, good stands of pandanus, a huge fruit laden quinine tree, and tangles of native vines.

Birdos were not disappointed. At the beginning Walk leader, Peter Duck, of the walk there was a frigatebird sighting. Eli talks about the unusual Point has its resident Ospreys. A Brahminy Kite seed of soared overhead, several terns repeatedly dived

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 8 Nature Walk – Point Vernon circuit cont. into the water, and there was a sprinkling of migratory waders feeding on the mudflats. On entering Par- raweena Park, a group was immediately struck by a large variety of bird species in a mature Coastal Cheese Tree. They identified a Spectacled and a Black-faced Monarch, thornbills, silvereyes and fly- catchers. While they were so engrossed, the group further along saw a Forest Kingfisher and a Dollar- bird. We all did a lot of dodging of the Golden Orb Weaver spiders whose golden silk threads stretch across the track. These webs are permanent so we didn’t want to disturb, and anyway, the female is quite large and not the sort of thing you want crawling on you! The usual profusion of butterflies at Parraweena Morning tea break Park did not disappoint either. ● Peter Duck under a shady tree.

Nature Walk – Walligan Rail Trail A group of 43 people (27 members and 16 non- members) gathered at the Piggford Lane end of the new section of the Walligan Rail Trail before 8am on Saturday 7 April, under a clear blue sky after days of light rain which made for rather boggy conditions. Being on an old

railway line, this there-and-back walk was level, very clear, and pretty straight; no risk of getting lost! After passing agricultural land on the eastern side, the track plunged into open eucalypt and melaleuca woodland, and then skirted housing on acreage along Moes Rd. By this stage, the sky had clouded-up and light rain was falling. Two well-constructed bridges over creeks, which had obviously flowed quite

9 Nature Walk – Walligan Rail Trail cont. high only recently, provided us with a birds-eye view of swamp, creek and freshwater wetland vegetation. After crossing Dundowran Rd we reached the site of the old Walligan Station, which is now the site of a picnic shelter in the middle of an open, recently mown area of grass. By now it was raining quite heavily, so the picnic shelter quickly filled with people while the rain last- ed. The Rail Trail finished about 300 m further on, after passing through a good bit of eucalypt forest with some wallum understorey. At the end of this section, it was easy to slither down the old railway embankment into the bush on either side, where you quickly came to beautiful peaceful lagoons along Stockyard Creek. Our birdie walkers observed and recorded some 36 species, while those interested in flora recorded about 116 plants. Weed species were prolific, but largely confined to the dis- turbed areas along the edge of the rail trail itself. Highlights for me included a red- bellied black snake, a trail of hairy, nose-to-tail ‘processionary' caterpillars crossing the trail, and some elegant red fungi. This leisurely walk enabled a free flow of good conversation with old and new friends … Thanks to Council for investing resources in this track. ● Vanessa Elwell-Gavins

Frog display at Library – A real success The Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Branch was fortunate to be able to hold a frog display in the Hervey Bay Library during January and February of this year, to coincide with the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee’s (MRCCC) Find a Frog in Febru- ary campaign. Each event complemented the other. With the weather being hot and steamy, the stage was set for exploration and frog finding. Not only were different habitats created in the display’s glass tanks, e.g. rainforest, wallum, desert, and backyard, but instructions were provided on how to set up your own frog pond. Baby baths do come in handy for this purpose. A few quirky exhibits, including a green tree frog in a letter box and a Frog Prince, added some creative flair to the display. Some people were quite disappointed to discover the cardboard frogs were not real. Continued on p. 11 Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 10 Frog display at Library – A real success cont. Numerous frogs were featured on notice- boards, which included basic facts on frog anato- my and life cycles. With Frogs in your Garden brochures distributed freely and abundantly, I would like to think that the Fraser Coast community was given a com- prehensive exposure to the lives of frogs, the benefits they bring to the environment, and the problems they face in dwindling ecosystems. MRCCC’s campaign reinforced all we wanted to achieve, and judging by the number of entry forms that were picked up by the public as soon as they were printed, we can be assured that we gave the frogs of the Fraser Coast the best possible exposure. It is hoped that frog ponds are springing up in gardens whose owners have now grasped a new and exciting appreciation of frogs. ● Diane Christensen Bush Regeneration Workshop – A cultural shift About 25 people attended a Bush Regenera- tion Workshop organised by the Lower Mary River Land & Catchment Care Group. Spencer Shaw from Brush Turkey Enterprises, Maleny, presented a professional and informative day- long session, and capably handled segments of impromptu discussion on such sensitive topics as the judicious use of herbicides. The workshop opened with the notion that we need a cultural shift in how we think about bush regeneration, and what it takes to be effective, e.g. improve our observation of ecology, care- Spencer Shaw from fully assess the site to determine appropriate Brush Turkey Enterprises, Maleny treatments, monitor progress, follow-up action, etc. Spencer’s aim in bush regen. is to return structure and function to a site, leading to a self-sustaining ecosystem that realistically suits the environmental conditions now. A key focus of Spencer’s approach is working with weeds; acknowledging the ecological function of weeds and recognising that they have a natural obsolescence. Cont.. p. 12 11 Bush Regeneration Workshop – A cultural shift cont. Indeed, weeds have a number of functions in bush regen., e.g. create suitable micro -climates and conditions for germination and success of native plants. Using strategic weed management, such as managing the conditions that favour unwanted weeds or allowing ‘beneficial’ weeds to remain, can achieve desirable bush regen. outcomes. Understanding the biology and positives/negatives of particular weeds is imperative. Some points in summary: • Understand the causes of bushland decline. • Use a range of restoration treatments, and select the most appropriate. • Learn how to identify a range of weeds at a site at seedling stage. • Predict how the bush will respond to a treatment over a 5-10 year period, and how much maintenance will be required to achieve the goal. • Aim to generate ecological profits, not monetary profits. ● Rodney Jones

Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize – USC Award An increasing number of people are becoming anxious about the state of the world, especially the obvious deterio- ration of the natural environment. It’s easy to find articles about species being shunted along the conservation-status scale to a more precipitous level of population; a quick web search on ‘decline of species’ will provide you with more than you can digest. Headlines like ‘Freshwater species populations fall by 80% between 1970 and 2012’ are frequent. But who cares enough to do anything about it! Fortunately a few people on the Fraser Coast do. Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Branch recently signed an agreement with the University of the Sunshine Coast to establish a university prize of $500 for three consecutive years. The Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Prize will be awarded to a deserving first year student who included the subject Endangered Animals and their Conservation in their Degree course at USC Fraser Coast. The Prize recipient for 2018, Sunshine Coast woman Zerra Egerton, had been trav- elling the world for most of her twenties before she took on some volunteer work for an ecological society in Vancouver. While there, she “joined the dots between her passion for wildlife conservation and a career in ecology”. After making that connection, she made haste for home to commence a Degree in Animal Ecology at USC Fraser Coast. As Zerra has been inspired by others to take action on wildlife conservation, you too can be inspired by her story. You don’t necessarily have to travel to Vancouver to start your personal wildlife conservation experience … you can start right here on the Fra- ser Coast! ● Rodney Jones Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 12 Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize – Recipient I had never seriously contemplated going to university until I found out about the Bachelor of Animal Ecology course that the University of the Sunshine Coast offers. After graduating high school on the Sun- shine Coast, I experienced the classic urge to see the world, which I followed to frui- tion. I spent the majority of my twenties living overseas, and as I was approaching my thirtieth birthday I found myself in Van- couver. While I was there, I decided to attempt to abate my ever-increasing anxie- ty over the state of the natural world by engaging in some light volunteer work for a local ecological society. I have always cared deeply about our planet, and yet until then I hadn’t quite connected the dots between that passion and a career in ecology. After making the connection I rushed home to begin my Degree, and now find it Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Prize quite humorous that all my travels lead me recipient Zerra Egerton straight back here. Since beginning my studies I have been inspired by all the incredibly intelligent and com- passionate people I have met that are working so hard to fully understand and protect life as we know it. Not an easy task, yet infinitely rewarding. We have such an immersive experience at university, where we spend a lot of time out in the field developing our skills. As I continue my studies I Professor Greg Hill, Zerra Egerton, and Rodney Jones hope to find my path within the at the USC Awards Presentation event. field of ecology, whatever it may be. I would quite like to research sharks, or maybe bats … I’m definitely glad I don’t have to decide right now. I think the opportunities are almost limitless, and I feel confident that things will work out in the end. ● Zerra Egerton, USC Student, Wildlife Qld Fraser Coast Prize 2018 recipient

13 Butterfly Day at Tinana Kelvin Nielsen of Cooloola Nature, a group dedicated to environmental education, was invited to describe our local butterflies and how to attract them to our gardens. The Butterfly Day was held on 11 March 2018 at Tinana. Wonderful publicity from the local media, especially the Maryborough Herald and ABC Wide Bay radio, gave wide coverage. Over 75 people, including children, attended the session at Tinana State School which has won awards for its sustainability program.

Butterfly Day audience at Tinana State School auditorium. Kelvin and Amelia brought along two very impressive cases of butterflies (approximately 1 m × 1 m) that had been donated to Cooloola Nature. Local groups such as Maryborough Community Garden, Maryborough Garden Club, Woocoo Park CEP, Ruby Rosenfield, and Fraser Coast Propagators took advantage of the day to set up displays of plants and information. Kelvin described the characteristics of our many local butterflies and the main design features of a garden to support butterflies. These design features were later illustrated in a tour of the school grounds.

Jenni & Peter serving George Participants eager to catch & Glennis Gibson from Kelvin’s knowledge Geoglen Nature Reserve Two donated lucky door prizes were drawn. Thanks to Sara Gerdsen and Meredith Cox for organising the catering, and to Jenni and Peter for coming to the rescue. Thanks also to Robyn Yates of Tinana State School for her valuable support. ● Carol Bussey

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 14 A box for the Coolamon In August 2017 the Branch held a celebration at the Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens to commemorate 50 years of the production and publication of our newsletter Wam- baliman, which was first published in July 1967. At the event, Butchulla man Dustyn Currie welcomed us to his Country on behalf of the Butchulla People. As part of his welcome, Dustyn presented the Branch with a coolamon, hand hewn by him from a local stringybark tree, in recognition of the contribution that our Branch has made to the protection of his People’s Country and its wildlife. The Branch is honoured by this gesture. It quickly became apparent that Neil Willson passing the coolamon needed some sort of the coolamon box to Carol Bussey container for long-term protection, and also for presentation at Branch functions. Carol Bussey contacted a person she knew who had some woodworking skills.

When Carol asked Neil Willson if he would make the box, he not only volunteered his labour, and that of his mate Noel Hamilton, but also kindly donated the materials for con- struction of the box. A big thanks to Neil and Noel. But the job didn’t finish there; it was clear that the box required painting, and also that a plaque explaining the acquisition of the coolamon would be helpful for presentation at functions. Rodney Jones put his hand up for the painting job, and a plaque was ordered through a local engraving business. The words on the plaque read: This coolamon was made from a local stringybark tree by Butchulla man Dustyn Currie for presentation to the Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Branch at a celebration in 2017 mark- ing 50 years of the production of their newsletter Wambaliman. The newsletter name is derived from the word ‘wambaliman’, which means ‘to carry’ in the Gubbi Gubbi–Butchulla language. ● Rodney Jones

15 Community Environment Program – Report

The welcome rain has been a real blessing for the region, and the local species have certainly shown their resilience. The natural regeneration across all our CEP sites has been incredible, and the weather has also given our revegetation projects a major growth boost. Even though ‘weeds’ are also enjoying good growing conditions, it’s important to remember that they are just plants, filling a niche that has mostly been created by our own human activities. Hating them is futile, and us to the real aims of ecological restoration. Unlike the Butchulla people, who successfully managed their resources and land sustainably for many thousands of years, we Europeans have excessively cleared and degraded the land, often causing extinction of the local species, and cre- ating conditions that favour introduced species. When plants we have grown in our gardens and farms take off, we blame them, when really we should be looking at what they are showing us, and then using that knowledge to guide our restoration work. Weeds may indicate a lack of shade, changes to site hydrology, nutrient deficiency or even toxicity in the soil. They show us that an ecosystem is not functioning proper- ly, that an edge needs to be closed, that soil needs to be stabilised, or that an area is being over-mown or grazed and compacted. Restoring ecosystems is complex and requires constant reassessment of techniques and strategies. Nature knows what she is doing, and she has an overwhelming desire to live and to nurture new life. Working in Bush Care provides us with a real hands-on connection to this Knowledge. How lucky are we! CEP groups are well underway in 2018 Everyone is commenting on the welcome rains and the growth it brings to the plants. Friends of Arkarra met in February and March for planting and weeding. It was decided to change their regular working bee day to the fourth Saturday of the month. Arkarra is a Council-owned asset featuring a large lagoon and wetlands. It is a beautiful environment with abundant bird and insect life. At present the Swamp Tiger butterflies are enjoying the new growth of their host plant, the Mangrove Vine (Vincetoxicum carnosum). Following the working bees, the group enjoy a coffee and chat at the Arkarra Tea Gardens. At the CEP Nursery, Jenny Robin and her band of volunteers are busy. In the past few months approximately 1,000 trees and shrubs have been dispatched to CEP and Council sites for planting. There is always room for improvement and learning. Re- cently 78 Cocky Apple (Planchonia careya) plants were propagated. This species has proved difficult to germinate in the past. Seeds were extracted from maggot-laden fermenting fruit; a smelly task, but well worth it. The monthly sale morning at the Nursery has been a popular activity with the public, with many newcomers to the area seeking help with identification and growing advice. These monthly sales are a great opportunity for the public to access Jenny’s knowledge of local species. The species available for sale are excess stock, so the range of sale plants varies. Late in January a small team of Fay Smith Bush Care workers carefully dug up a

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 16 Community Environment Program – Report cont. few samples of the small herb Karamat (Hygrophila angustifolia) from around the boardwalk area for propagation. For protection, these specimens were housed in the Nursery where they are thriving and multiplying. These plants are uncommon in the region but flourish in the Fay Smith Wetlands around the boardwalk, which is soon to be replaced; work which could accidently wipe out this species there. The CEP promoted MRCCC’s Find-a-Frog-in February initiative, with many individ- uals and groups sending in their frog reports from across the Fraser Coast region. Experienced frogger and WPSQ member Carol Bussey gave an informative presentation about our local frog species to Nursery volunteers and some interested Bush- wackys members as part of the event. The rain in February certainly helped bring the frogs out!! Kingfisher Lakes Bushwackys met in March, and were impressed with the growth of their revegetation sites and the regrowth in the regeneration sites. The rain has triggered the gorgeous little mauve flowered herb Koala Bells Koala Bells (Artanema fimbriatum) to appear for (Artanema fimbriatum) the first time since the group started at Kingfisher Lakes. working on this site.

This year sees the River Heads Food Forest mark its fourth anniver- sary. From what was a vacant and mulched bit of Council land, full of septic tanks, between the Community Hall and the new Community Garden, Christel and her team have created a A functioning Food Forest sustainable local food bank. This was next to a Community Garden achieved by sharing Christel’s own collection of tropical, perennial edible plants, and made possible under the banner of the CEP. The garden has evolved over the years, from pigeon peas to improve the soil to trees that now need pruning. It is always a pleasure to wander though, nibbling and tasting the unusual flavours and feeling the different textures of the perennial edi- bles. The garden has matured to the extent that it welcomes harvesting and sharing. The Food Forest is open daily to the public. ● Tina Raveneau, CEP Officer 17 Wildlife in a suburban backyard We live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the oceans. Every moment a miracle is happening somewhere. A butterfly emerges from a chrysalis; a baby bird hatches from an egg in a nest constructed by a master- engineer; a legless gill-breathing tadpole changes into a lung-breathing four-legged frog; a white-faced heron trembles the grass with one foot before pulling a small keel- backed snake from the lawn; a golden orb-weaver spins a web so crafted. These are just some of the wonders I have observed in my backyard. But this morning my heart broke to hear the wattle bird’s distress call from the highest points in my garden. In 2002, we were delight- ed to find a pair of wattle birds nesting in vines on our back verandah. For five years they laid four eggs and hatched out four chicks, with usually only two surviving by escaping into the thick shrubbery of the backyard. When the vine had to be removed in 2007, they built a nest in a pot plant in a basket outside the kitchen window on the side verandah. For eleven years they shared my life and I was able to observe them. I noted that it took them two weeks to build a nest originally, two weeks to hatch the eggs and two weeks for the chicks to fledge. They were safe from the ele- ments and the lights did not seem to worry them. In 2015, from January 1st till August 7th, they nested seven times, with the moth- er laying just two eggs each time. Some- times they were still feeding a surviving chick when she laid again. Not many of the chicks survived predation by the butcher birds. Last year the Indian mynahs moved in, and before Easter I had trapped nineteen. But there was one that wouldn’t enter the trap and had probably escaped from a previous trapping as his tail was crooked. Crooked Tail spent the winter in my garden. In the spring of August 2017, he appeared with a mate. Now there are more than thirty coming in to the birdbaths in my garden every day. The wattle birds hadn’t nested since December and now there’s a huge cat living in my backyard. He’s the biggest cat I’ve ever seen. So I’ll need to get a cat trap as well as a mynah trap! I miss the wattle birds asking, “What’s up? What’s up?” and calling, “Look at me. Look at me.” I felt privileged to share their life, with its triumphs and tragedies. I could talk to them and they answered me; they trusted me. Their cosy nest is still in the hanging basket outside my kitchen window. ● Audrey Sorensen

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 18 The Birds and the Moths – Think you know it all? A young bloke from up the road who gives me a hand around the Nature Refuge said to me that he had seen a Hummingbird. I told him there were no Hummingbirds in Australia. He replied that his father had said the same, but more forcefully. He described this creature as being about 30 mm in length and grey-greenish in the evening light, flitting from flower to flower and hovering at each flower. This really puzzled me as he has bush craft and is a keen observer; his hobby is collecting old bottles, and this takes him to some exotic local locations. I suggested it might have been a micro bat, and we got out the books and Google. Clearly what he had seen was much smaller than the common Ruby-throated Hummingbird of North America, the only one I am famil- iar with. A few days later in an evening rain shower there was something like a large insect flitting from flower to flower on the Hoya Vine at the back of our home, and hovering at each flower. My wife Sol managed to get a photo of it, despite the poor light and movement of the subject. Google revealed it to be a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, of which there are several species in Australia. Other people have been fooled by these crea- tures, and have gone to great lengths to establish their identity. Moral of the story: some of us think we know it all, but we don’t. There is so much more to learn from those around us, and by patiently observing Nature. ● Tim Thornton, The Point Nature Refuge Wildlife Matters The aim of this monthly column in the Independent newspaper is to reach those people who would not normally be interested in wildlife. We need people to write articles on topics that they have some expertise in. Guidelines for writing the column are provided. Rod [email protected] or Vanessa [email protected]

19 Mangroves – 10 locals Our Branch ’s Nature Walk at Point Vernon in February had a focus on the mangroves. So, what are mangroves? We talk about them as if they are a related group of plants like the eucalypts or the acacias. While mangroves are related in a sense, it is not by morphology, which is the basis for plant classification. Rather, the relation- ship between mangroves is environmental; that is, where they live and the conditions they tolerate and adapt to. When we say ‘mangrove’ we may be referring to an individual plant or the habitat. In the intertidal zone along rivers, estuaries and bays predominately in the subtrop- ics and tropics, conditions can vary hugely from high tides (and high salinity) to low tides and flooding (low salinity). There is the tidal ebb and flow, there may be wave action, changing nutrient flows from rivers, and soils low in oxygen. In this dynamic environment, which occupies about 20% of Australia’s coastline, trees and shrubs we call mangroves have adapted and thrive. About 40 mangrove species are known to occur in Queensland, with at least 10 in the Point Vernon/Eli Creek area. The Grey Mangrove, Avicennia marina, is Australia’s most widely distributed species, even growing as far south as southern Victoria. It can grow into a classic tree shape, often on the most seaward fringe of the mangroves. Its trunk can become twisted and gnarled. It has radiating shallow lateral roots with protruding pencil-like breathing pneumatophores.

Beautiful form of the Grey Mangrove (Avicennia marina)

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 20 Mangroves – 10 locals cont. The River (Goat’s horn) Mangrove, Aegiceras corniculatum, is generally a shrub in this area. Its leaves exude salt that is clearly visible as crystals, and it has goat’s horn shaped fruit in clusters that follow a banana-smelling cluster of white flowers. The Club Mangrove, Aegialitis annulata, is found growing amongst the rocks at Eli Point. It has heart-shaped leaves and a thickened (club like) trunk base. In water-saturated soils, mangroves must adapt to stay firmly fixed. Stilt (Red, Spi- der) Mangrove, Rhizophora stylosa, has spidery stilt-like prop roots, while Orange Mangrove, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza is buttressed at the base of the trunk with knee roots, and Yellow (Spurred) Mangrove, Ceriops australis, has very prominent flared buttress roots. Also with a buttress at the base of a beautifully mottled trunk is the Cannonball Mangrove, Xylocarpus granatum, which can grow up to 25 metres tall. Its common name comes from the large cannonball shaped fruit (sometimes known as monkey- puzzle nuts). These trees are related to the Red Cedar of the rainforests. If you are really keen to see these amazing trees en masse, head to Beaver Rock boat ramp out of Maryborough with your camera and mossie repellent. We should always be mindful of plants with milky sap, and Milky (Blind-your-eye) Mangrove, Excoecaria agallocha, is especially unforgiving. This medium sized tree has very bright green foliage, and the male and female flowers are on separate plants. It grows on the landward fringe of the mangrove forest. Also on the landward edge is the Black (White flowered) Mangrove, Lumnitzera racemosa. And the tenth mangrove that occurs in the Point Vernon/Eli Creek area is the Myrtle Mangrove, Osbornia octodonta. Related to the eucalypts, the small leaves are aro- matic when crushed. There are lots of ways to explore our mangrove forests, which can often be very quiet and eerie. You can go on foot at low tide or canoe/kayak at high tide. If I lived further north I might be inclined to stick to boardwalks. Among the mangroves of the Fraser Coast you see turtles and rays in the shallow water; to date, no crocs! Need a reference for mangroves? If you want a good, quick and cheap reference for the common mangroves in Queens- land, you can access the Australian Institute of Marine Science’s Field Guide to the Mangroves of Queensland by Catherine Lovelock, online as a pdf. If you are looking for a more detailed reference, go for the University of Queens- land’s Australia's Mangroves: an authoritative guide to Australia’s mangrove plants by Norman C. Duke. You can buy this for about $50 or borrow it from the FCRC library. ● Jenni Watts

21 Do hazard-reduction fires reduce biodiversity? Vegetation structure is critical in providing habitat for many vertebrates and invertebrates. The shrub layer in open forests and woodlands provides crucial habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates for feeding, shelter and nesting resources. Key habitat resources include fallen timber, hollows, bark, litter, mistletoes, canopy cover, shrub cover and ground cover. Many of these habitat features are affected by fire. The Queensland Government provides fire management guidelines for regional ecosystems from an ecological perspective, but are these guidelines and biodiversity conservation considered prior to hazard reduction burns? We know that over 70% of Australia's animal and plant biodiversity consists of insects and other invertebrates, and that they are vital to the functioning of all ecosystems. The ecological sustainability of fauna habitat in fire management is complex, and it is generally assumed that by implementing fire thresholds designed to maintain plant species diversity and vegetation communities, that suitable fauna habitat will also be maintained. There is a growing body of research on the impacts of fire on biodiversity, for in- stance, changing fire regimes are implicated in the contemporary decline of small mammals, riparian species, obligate-seeding plants, and insectivorous and grass- seed eating birds. Ex-CSIRO Scientist Dr Don Sands expresses another case in point; the rare butterfly Satin Blue ( ) survives in heath- lands near Bundaberg, and requires a relatively moderate density of spp. for breeding (often B. on the coast). This butterfly does not feed on B. or the pinnate leaved boronias that occur in the same areas. Thus the modest density of host plants are crucial to the autumn generation, as after hatching from eggs deposited on the Boronia petals, the first to third instar larvae feed first on the ovary of the out-of-season flowers before feeding on leaves. The Satin Blue is still present on Stradbroke Island, but it may have become locally extinct on Fraser Island from too frequent broadscale burnings, and being unable to persist without un -burnt refuges. Management with intention to protect assets can conflict with, and have adverse impacts on, biodiversity. Although biodiversity conservation is often a policy goal, protecting built assets usually takes precedence in fire management implementation. Common management practices might appreciably reduce threats to built assets but could have large negative impacts on biodiversity. Are fire management managers failing to recognise and resolve the conflicting objectives of asset protection and biodiversity preservation, and that these conflicting objectives could lead to substan- tial environmental degradation and species loss? Can the current fuel-reduction strategies be varied (e.g. retain a percentage of unburnt habitat as refuges) in a way to protect overall biodiversity, without jeopardising the strategies to protect life and property? ● Rick Haywood, Bundaberg

Wambaliman AUTUMN 2018 22 Colton Coal Mine – Action The 38 th Annual Bay to Bay Trailable Yacht Race will be held on the 5th and 6th May 2018. This race attracts people from a wide geographic range, e.g. Sydney and Canberra, many of whom have been coming annually for decades. This event is massive. Up to 500 crew for about 140 trailable sailing boats, plus up to 30 spectator craft, take part in the race from Tin Can Bay to the top end of Woody Island, and eventually rally at Urangan Boat Harbour. Many people gather in Tin Can Bay on Friday afternoon and evening, some staying in the area while others move to gather around viewing points adjacent to Urangan Boat Harbour on Sunday from about lunchtime. Promotional text from the Hervey Bay Sailing Club website states that: You will sail in the company of some 140 plus trailable yachts through the largely unspoilt and truly spectacular Great Sandy Marine Park and past and through the Great Sandy Strait Ramsar Wetland Area and the Fraser Island World Heritage Area and past the Great Sandy National Park. The Great Sandy Strait Saviours (GSSS) group is inviting interested parties to come together to hold stalls at prominent places to provide valid information about the potential impacts of heavy metal contaminated discharge from the proposed Colton Coal Mine entering the Mary River to eventually end up in the Great Sandy Strait. Show your interest to participate in this action by contacting: Maureen Riggs (GSSS Coordinator) 0403 474 086 [email protected]

Clean Up Australia Day – ! Although our Branch did not register as a group, many members were out early in the morning of 4 March as part of other registered groups for Clean Up Australia Day. The image shows Peter collecting masses of plastic bottles in a very environmentally sensitive mangrove area. Peter was just in the nick of time: most bottles had deteriorated to the point where they were about to break up into small pieces. With concern that participant numbers are dwindling for the Clean Up Australia event, let’s hope that all of the nearly 700 signatories to the Foreshore Enhancement petition were out cleaning up Point Vernon foreshore seeing as they Peter Duck care so much! cleaning up Australia ● Jenni Watts

River Heads Food Forest. A small, wildlife-friendly sustainable garden that provides food all year round with minimal input. Don’t forget to LIKE them on Facebook @River Heads Food Forest 23 Last Page

Cartoon by Cathy Wilcox, an Australian ‘political’ cartoonist who’s done a lot of brilliant environment-based cartoons for the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne’s The Age newspapers.

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