BUSHCARE BULLETIN BUSHCARE VOLUNTEERS KEEPING IN TOUCH JANUARY 2018- Issue 42

BUSHCARE UPDATE people participated in these promotional events! This was also the year for the inaugural Bushcare Fair which by Kevin Seymour was a huge success. We will give it a break in 2018 Welcome to the New Year! but it will be back bigger and better in 2019. I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Holiday break and Such is the growing reputation of the knowledge and managed to spend quality time with family and loved presentation capacity of the Bushcare Officers that ones. demand for their engaging skills has grown considerably This is a great time of the year to reflect on what in the last couple of years. Their increased interaction has been achieved in the previous 12 months and a with schools and community groups has largely spread busy year it certainly was. Almost 18,000 hours of through word of mouth and these opportunities give us volunteering were undertaken throughout the year and the time to engage the next generation of Bushcarers. 119 new faces joined the movement. Meanwhile, at our home base, the Innovative new programs were instigated including Community Nursery, the horticultural staff and the the Shorebirds project and the Prostanthera propagation volunteers have had one of their busiest densa (Saving Our Species) project. You can read more years by far; they’ve produced a whopping 82,000 on the latter in Dan Clarke’s summary of the project tube-stock for the Shires revegetation projects, both inside this edition of the Bulletin. community and private. On top of that is the production Each year Bushcare organises many events designed to for the successful Street Trees project with about 7000 get people out into the Shire’s natural areas with a view larger pots going out the door! to helping its residents appreciate just how amazing Let’s hope that this year is as successful as the last. these areas are. Last year we held over 70 events from See you out in the bush and please, take care. Bush Whackers to Bird-watching. In total over 1,200 Sadly though, we lost a couple of much loved Bushcarers along the way and they will be missed. A FOCUS ON DAROOK PARK BUSHCARE CALENDAR by Bill Howse January Darook Park is one of the Sutherland Shires’ best kept secrets. This scenic reserve with its small sheltered 18&24 Nursery Propagation beach and kid friendly shallow water overlooks the 31 Nursery Whackers splendid . At both ends of the wide beach are two remnants of February endangered Littoral Rainforest. 3 Native Bee Habitat Workshop -full Two Bushcare groups help manage the Darook Park 10 Introduction to Bush Regeneration bushland (conveniently called north and south), each 14,15&28 Nursery Propagation meeting once a month. Both groups have made great 21 Kayaking – Audley to Swallow progress over the last few years removing the menacing Rock (return) Asparagus Fern while aiming to protect one of the largest Littoral Rainforest patches that remain on the Hacking River. March The group working on the northern end via Darook 3 Nature Walk: Bundeena – Marley Park Road meets on the 4th Sunday of each month 4 Clean up Day at 8:30am and concentrates on annual weeds. The 7 Potter Point Shorebirds southern.group via Nicholson Parade meets on the 3rd 14,15&28 Nursery Propagation Tuesday of each month from 1pm, and slowly removing 14 Spotlighting in the Royal asparagus fern. 21 Spotlighting in the Royal To join Bushcare visit councils web site or contact Bill if 29 Cape Baily Walk already a volunteer. VILLOUS MINT BUSH (PROSTANTHERA DENSA) SAVING OUR SPECIES RECOVERY PROGRAM by Dan Clarke Prostanthera densa, also known by the common name, Villous Mint Bush is a plant which is listed as vulnerable under the former Threatened Species Conservation Act. This species which occurs within Sutherland Shire Local Government Area has recently been prioritised for recovery actions as part of the Saving Our Species Program (SOS). Prostanthera d. will likely be familiar to those members of the Bass and Flinders Point Bushcare group where a few of the last individuals in the Shire persist. Historic records show that it may have had a much wider distribution. There are four known populations of Prostanthera d. in NSW which have been identified by the (SOS) program and site specific management actions have been prepared for each site. Most sites have been mapped and assessed by the volunteers of Australian Plants Society – Sutherland GroupProstanthera This very densa interesting (photo courtesy and Rosemaryhighly valuable Pryor, Senior study Project is Officer, the first holistic and thorough stock-take of the number of plants Communications,in the wild. Conservation Programs, Regional Operations, OEH) Current local populations are those at Bass and Flinders, as well as Marley in the . Surveys have been undertaken since 2015, with data recorded for each plant; location, flowering status, overall size and health. A total of 117 plants have been found at Marley but only 3 have been recorded at Bass and Flinders Point! This highlights the need for management and protection measures in order to ensure the species survival in the longer- term. Weed control, people management and damage from browsing pest fauna species are top of the list of concerns. Planning is underway to account for all populations up and down the coast of NSW in areas including and , as well as possible further populations in local areas such as Garie and . It will be tantalising to ascertain if we can find more than 1000 plants in the wild. Under the (SOS) program, Sutherland Shire Council Community Nursery is currently working with NSW Office of Environment and Heritage to increase genetic viability and propagate the species to establish security populations via donor planting in appropriate habitats. You can read a working draft report of the Saving Our Species project on the Australian Plants Society – Sutherland Group Conservation page of their website at: https://www.austplants.com.au/page-18695

IT’S NICE TO BE POSITIVE by Bushcare Officer: Brad van Luyt

I’d just finished a morning of Bushcare with the group at Martin and Whitton Streets Reserve, Heathcote. “Finished” is a word we rarely use in bush regeneration, unless referring to a packet of biscuits, or mug of tea but on this morning we collectively realised that although we may not have truly finished all that is required at this Bushcare site, we can well and truly believe that we are getting closer and closer to the day when we can say that “we’ve done it!” The Martin and Whitton Streets Reserve group started their bushcare activities just over 25 years ago, firstly, as a 527committee and since then under the umbrella of bushcare; with our old friend Dick Rogers at the helm. Later, the group came under the care of Christine Guthrie. While some early members have moved away (in more ways than one), we still have some original members from those early years with us to this day. Bronwyn and Phil Taverne are two who still work with Bushcare once a month, slowly returning their little patch of bush into some semblance of its original condition. Bushcare activities in the beginning was much like any bushcare site, considerable primary weed treatment, removing the blackberry, lantana, blackberry, privet and then more blackberry. Surprisingly, considering it was once the scourge of the reserve all those years ago we now rarely encounter blackberry at all. Scout Creek which runs through the site, like most creeks in urban areas had become a mere stormwater drain, subject to all manner of erosion issues especially immediately after the initial forests of weeds were removed. Bank stabilisation was a very important component of the activities on the site back then and evidence of those early efforts is still visible to this day. Scattered here and there throughout the site are a matrix of synthetic carpet underlay; methods used in the past to suppress weeds! Similar methods are used today but with more environmentally friendly materials. Great banks of a questionable form of Lomandra longifolia and an equally unusual form of Dianella abound, providing clues that seed provenance was perhaps not viewed as critically as it is today. Still, these plants have done a very good job in keeping the ground covered and the weeds at bay, and provide valuable habitat for the local wildlife. Like many of Sutherland Shire Bushcares’ sites, the Martin and Whitton St Reserve was once used as a local dump. Needless to say weeds haven’t been the only things removed from this site during its history. I don’t know how many tonnes of rubbish were removed over the years but your imagination can probably fill you in. Think “creek-line”, think “unfenced cul-de-sac into bush” combined with an uncaring mindset of “it’s only the bush” and you begin to form an idea of just how much waste our volunteers had to remove in those early days.

2 BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER l Sutherland Shire Council www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au I joined the group as Bushcare Officer in about 2000-2001 (It’s a while back now. I can’t remember exactly) and I have always tried to continue the good work started Dick and continued by Christine. That means supporting our volunteers in their tireless efforts to look after their local bushland. Some days were good ones, knocking over that last big lantana or shifting those few big rocks around to get the creek flowing where we wanted it. Other days were mind-numbing mornings tediously removing seed from expiring Bidens pilosa; a crappy job but an important one and best of all - it has paid off. I am very proud of one particular part of the site where we did just that, targeting the Bidens in all of its forms and stages over many months and now, The former scourge of Martin and Whitton Streets Reserve, though I will never say we have beaten Bidens, I think I can safely Bidens pilosa say that we have it firmly under control. I found only two Bidens pilosa plants this morning where once they were so widespread, they could have been the floral emblem of the site. Rusa Deer have joined dumping and weeds as the triumvirate of threats to this little patch. Evidence of their nefarious activities abounds in the form of deep footprints in the mud, vegetation bashed down and gnawed upon, antler rubbing which de-barks any tree less than 75mm in diameter and piles of little brown pebbly-poos everywhere. I don’t know what to do with these creatures but I’m confident that our Pest Species Unit will be able to help us deal with these big bullies of the bush. Today we covered a lot of territory in our search for weeds throughout the Martin and Whitton St Reserve and we’ve now come to realise that we can win. We can help the bush come back. We have on average four volunteers who help for about three hours a month. Those 12 person-hours have been performed on average ten times a year, give or take a public holiday, for about 25 years. A quarter of a century seems like a long time but our time spent caring for the bush (discounting tea drinking and story-telling) is not much time really when you add it all up. Looking at the bush at the Martin and Whitton St Reserve today it has certainly been time well spent. The Martin and Whitton St Bushcare group at Heathcote meet on the first Saturday of each month from 8.30 until lunchtime. Feel free to join us.

LUCAS HEIGHTS CONSERVATION AREA TRAIL CAMERAS

Here at Bushcare, we are continually amazed by the rich diversity of the plants and animals of the Sutherland Shire especially the hinterland, such as those bushland areas of the Plateau. Lucas Heights Conservation Area is one such area which is surprisingly seldom visited by Bushwalkers, although it is frequented regularly by mountain bike riders. Located adjacent to a considerable wilderness area in Holsworthy Army Range and the northern Illawarra Catchment much of the wildlife is not what you’d normally find in urban bushland. Bushcare Officer, Jason Salmon has been involved in the supervision of volunteers working on the sustainable trails project as part of the developing Mill Creek Mountain Bike Trails network. Throughout the life of this project Bushcare has monitored the use of the trails in order to measure cycle traffic and understand inappropriate usage, such as motor bikes and four-wheeled drives. Thankfully, the cameras show a dramatic decline in illegal usage but what is remarkable, is that the cameras often capture quite unexpected results, with the wilder residents clearly going about their lives, quietly unflustered by the swish of bicycles. The cameras have captured a healthy population of Goannas, Swamp Wallabies, Grey Kangaroos, Bandicoots Echidnas, Antechinus Swamp Wallaby. Just one of the many subjects accidently caught by our trail cameras and increasingly the Australian Brush-turkey. Interestingly, both species of possum, the Ring-tail and Brush-tail which are abundant in the Sutherland urban landscape are relatively uncommon in the Lucas Heights Conservation Area. Deer and Foxes are relatively common but thanks to interagency help from the likes of Crown Lands and the Greater Local Land Services, the populations of these intruders are managed as part of an ongoing Integrated Pest Species Program. www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au Sutherland Shire Council l BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER 3 AUSTRALIAN BRUSH-TURKEYS ARE SICILIAN SEA LAVENDER - ON THE MOVE LIMONIUM HYBLAEUM by Dr John Martin by Erin Fardy A few editions ago we did a little piece in the Bushcare Here in the Sutherland Shire we are lucky enough to Bulletin on Australian Brush-turkeys and with their have some beautiful environments to enjoy. Pest Species expansion into new parts of suburban Sydney, including Officers are keeping their eye out for new and emerging the Shire, it’s a timely moment to look at the possible invasive weed species as part of the weed inspection outcomes of their arrival (or return) into new areas. Dr program. John Martin recently contacted us here at Bushcare One high on our radar is Sicilian Sea Lavender seeking help for one of his doctoral students. John (Limonium hyblaeum) and it is a very real threat to explains: vegetation in saline areas such as beaches, saltmarsh and coastal rocky outcrops. As you can see it has a pretty pink to violet flower. It’s known as a cushion plant and the leaves grow in a rosette. It can grow to form dense mats that smothers all in its path and even grow amongst the roots of Mangroves. It is currently only found in one location in all of NSW which is on the Central Coast. Hi All At the end of last year council’s Pest I’d like to introduce Matthew Hall, a PhD candidate at Species Officer took the the University of Sydney, who has started his research opportunity to travel to Saratoga on the Central Coast, on Australian Brush-turkeys in the Sydney region. We’ve to see this plant in the field and to talk to the weed briefly chatted with some of you over recent months, but officer from Central Coast Council and National Parks not all of you; some of you may not have Brush-turkeys staff that are doing control work and monitoring at the in your area – yet...but they are on the move. site. Many hours have been spent hand removing this invasive plant and monitoring will continue for years Matt’s research aims to learn about the Brush-turkey’s to come. This is definitely one weed we don’t want to behaviour: site-loyalty, population size, foraging, show up in the Shire. roosting and breeding habitat preferences. A key method If you think you’ve seen this plant, please notify will be engaging the community to report sightings council’s Pest Species Officers by sending in a photo of marked birds (wingtags), nest mounds, roosting and the location of where you found it to [email protected]. locations and the birds themselves – as they appear gov.au for positive identification. Earlier detection is the to be spreading across Sydney (see Atlas of Living key with this species. Australia records below*). If you believe you have spotted this plant outside of the Sutherland Shire, Pest Species Officers can help you to This means Matt will be catching birds across the alert the local authorities in that area. Sydney region to allow on-going monitoring. Ethics, If you would like more information regarding Sicilian Sea scientific licence and banding approvals are all in place. Lavender or have any sightings please contact SSC Pest Species Officers on 9524 5672. Matt started in October and we’ve tagged a couple of birds at Taronga and surrounds. More tagging will be conducted and we’ll be in touch to ask you to spread the word to your community. Attached are a couple of info sheets on turkeys and Matt’s research.

More information: https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/ science/the-wingtags-project/brush-turkey

Recent media: https://www.theguardian.com/ Don’t forget our Facebook page. It is a hub to share environment/2017/dec/08/the-brush-turkey-is-an- information, phoographs and video amongst users. Log aussie-battler-and-it-needs-your-help onto Facebook, search ‘Sutherland Shire Bushcare’ and ‘like’ the page.

4 BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER l Sutherland Shire Council www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au NATIVE BIRDS ARE VERY PROTECTIVE PARENTS

by Nathan Clare Each year as spring draws to a close and we enter the summer months, some of our native birds are busy raising their clutch of young. During these few months some species such as Magpies, Noisy Miners and Butcher Birds can display aggressive swooping behaviour and it’s important for us to understand why. These birds are simply driven by good parenting and their efforts should be admired. During spring the birds mate, create nests, lay their eggs and look after their young until they are ready to leave the nest in early mid-summer. During this time, some species will show aggressive behaviour to anything that they deem to be a threat to the survival of their young, including us humans. This sometimes involves swooping. Although this swooping behaviour can be difficult and annoying, it is important to remember that these wonderful native birds are just being protective, loving parents and that the aggressive behaviour is only temporary with most of the aggressive behaviours evaporating after a few weeks. Simple ways to avoid possible harm from swooping birds are, if possible avoid the area, wear a hat and do not disturb or agitate the bird, nest or young. For now though, we will see a significant decrease in this behaviour and if you take the time to look around, you will see and hear many beautiful baby birds throughout the shire. THE FRAY THE Bushcare’s shire partners are still active all year WILDFLOWER GROUP round and continue to host events. All welcome Bushcare has received the sad news volunteers to help run the programs that help protect from Margaret Bradhurst that the Port the shire’s natural areas. For contact details see Hacking Wildflower Group recently below. held its final meeting on Friday 10th November. The group, which has been in operation for thirty-four years has held regular monthly meetings and has been a faithful partner with Sutherland Shire Bushcare for many of those years. The group’s early origins enabled its member, often with young families to undertake regular family bush walks and memorable camping weekends away. Some of the great destinations include Greenpatch, Dunn’s Swamp (Rylstone) and Bonnie Vale in the Royal National Park BUSY BEES The group’s main focus has always been wildflowers; Kamay Botany Bay National Park but throughout the years, interest was expanded Mishy Mckensy 9668 2005 to include fauna, flower arrangement, and the historical aspects of botany. Many guest speakers MENAI WILDFLOWER GROUP have presented at our monthly meetings on such For activities check out our Website and Facebook subjects as conservation, and the flora and fauna of page. the Port Hacking and Georges Rivers. A feature of Website: www.menaiwildflower.austplants.com.au each meeting was the monthly ROYAL NATIONAL PARK (FRIENDS OF THE quiz which kept ROYAL) us on our toes If you are interested in our program please contact and tested our Royal Area office on 9542 0632 or email us on royal. memory of the [email protected] local native The Friends of Royal field-based and meeting flowers. Each activities can be seen on their website, or email year concluded [email protected] with a BBQ in the Royal National AUSTRALIAN PLANTS SOCIETY Park. (SUTHERLAND GROUP) Although this marks the end of an era, the Ralph Cartwright on 02 9548 1074 achievements of the Port Hacking Wildflower Group were many and this aspect should be commended. www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au Sutherland Shire Council l BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER 5 BUSHCARE WORKDAYS Eurabalong Reserve, Burraneer 1.00pm (Bill) 2ND WEDNESDAY Bundeena Res, Bundeena 1.00pm (D) Cabbage Tree Point, Bundeena 9.00am (B) Victory Reserve, Engadine 1:00pm (B) Workdays can be cancelled at Constables Point, Maianbar 9.00am (J) 4TH SUNDAY Green Point Rd Res, Oyster Bay 9.00am (S) short notice. (B) etc after the Yowie Bay Old Baths Reserve 9.00am (Bill) Darook Park, Cronulla 8.30am (Bill) Gooyong Reserve, Bangor 1.00pm (Bill) time denotes the first initial of The Glen Reserve, Bonnet Bay 8:30am (D) the Bushcare Officer responsi- Savilles Creek, Kirrawee 8.30am (J) 3RD WEDNESDAY ble for the group. See page 8 Marina Crescent, 12:30pm (J) Croston Rd, Engadine 9.00am (B) for contact detail. Riverhaven Res., Oyster Bay, 1.00pm (D) Gooyong Riverside Res, Woronora Rutherford Reserve, Burraneer, 1.00pm (Bill) 9.00am (Bill) 1ST SATURDAY 1ST MONDAY ANSTO, Blue Trail, Lucas Heights 12.00pm (J) Dunwell Avenue, Loftus 1.00pm (B) Lucas Heights Conservation Area, 8.00am (J) Brigalow Place, Engadine 9.00am (D) Albert Delardes Reserve, 1.00pm (S) Gunnamatta Park 8.30am (Bill) Taren Point Shorebird, Taren Point 9.00am , Cronulla 8.30am (S) (Bill) 4TH WEDNESDAY Whitton Street, Heathcote 8:30am (B) Columbine Close, Loftus 1:00pm (B) 2ND MONDAY Forest & Corella Roads, Kirrawee 9.00am (B) Newcombe Street, Maianbar 9.00am (J) Sesquicentenary Pk, Heathcote 1.00am (S) Delta St, Sutherland 9.00am (Bill) Wattlebird Reserve, 9:00am (Bill Tea Tree Place, Kirrawee 1.00pm (Bill) Koolangarra Res, Bonnet Bay 8.30am (D Wonga Rd Res., Yowie Bay 1.00pm (Bill) 2ND SATURDAY 3RD MONDAY 1ST THURSDAY Fremantle Place, 8.00am (B) Port Hacking Rd Res., Sylvania 9.00am (D) Golf Course 7.00am (J) Forbes Creek, Woronora 8:30am (Bill) Australia Rd, Barden Ridge 9.00am (Bill) Freya Street, Kareela 8.30am (S) Joseph Banks Native Plant Reserve 9.00am (J) Yarra Vista Court, Yarrawarrah 1.00pm (B) 4TH MONDAY Louden Avenue, Illawong 9.00am (B) Drysdale Place Res., Kareela 1:00pm(Bill) Loftus St, Bundeena 9.00am (Bill) 2ND THURSDAY Tradewinds Pl/Struen Marie, Kareela, Young Street Reserve, Sylvania 9.00am (D) Kareela Golf Course 7.00am (J) 1.00pm (S) 1ST TUESDAY Parc Menai 8.30am (B) 3RD SATURDAY Dunoon Place Reserve, Bangor 9.00.am (Bill) 3RD THURSDAY Burraneer Park, Caringbah 8.30 am (J) Menai Conservation Park, Menai 9.00am (S) Kareela Golf Course 7.00am (J) Corinth Road, Heathcote 8.30am (B) Surrey Place, Kirrawee 1pm (Bill) Eighth Avenue, Loftus 8:30am (B) Hall Drive, Menai 9.00am (S) 2ND TUESDAY Savilles Creek Reserve, Kirrawee 9.00am (J) Alcheringa Reserve, Miranda 1.00pm (S) Beauford Park, Caringbah 1.00pm (J) Lilli Pilli Point Reserve 9am (Bill) 4TH THURSDAY Hungry Point Res, Cronulla 12.30pm (S) Bimbai/Bangaroo, Bangor, 1.00pm (B) alt Kareela Golf Course 7.00am (J) 3RD TUESDAY 4TH SATURDAY 1ST FRIDAY Forest Grove Drive, Menai 9.00am (S) Bottle Creek, Heathcote 8.00am (B) Coonong Creek Reserve, Gymea 8:30am (J) Kareena Park, Caringbah 9:00am (Bill) Akuna Avenue Oval, Bangor 8.30am (S) Ewey Creek, Miranda 8.30am (B) Maandowie Reserve, Loftus 8:30am (Bill) Corea Steet Reserve, Sylvania 1.00pm (S) The Esplanade, Cronulla Point 8.30am (J) Darook Park Sth, Cronulla 1.00pm (Bill) 2ND FRIDAY Gooyong Reserve, Bangor 12.30pm (S) 4TH TUESDAY Ninth Avenue Reserve, Loftus 9.00am (B) Ninth Avenue North, Loftus 1.00pm (B) Crescent Creek, Woronora 1.00pm (Bill) Lilli Pilli Point Reserve 9.00am (S)) 3RD FRIDAY Various reserves, Maianbar 1.30pm (J) Lilli Pilli Pt Baths Res, Lilli Pilli 8.30am (Bill Farrer Place, Oyster Bay 8.00am (B) 1ST WEDNESDAY Kyogle Place, Grays Point 8.30am (J) 1ST SUNDAY Gunnamatta Foreshore, Cronulla 1pm (J) Carina Bay, Como 8:00am (J), Bottle Creek, Heathcote 8.30am (B) Bass & Flinders Point, Cronulla 8.30am (Bill) Windy Point, Cronulla 8.30am (S) 4TH FRIDAY Myra Creek, Loftus 8.30am (B) Bundeena Reserve, Bundeena 9.00am (J) Kiora Road South, Yowie Bay 8:00am (B) Burnum Burnum Sanct., 9.00am (D) Prices Reserve South, Woronora 9.00am (Bill) Shiprock Reserve, Lilli Pilli 9.00am (J) Joseph Banks Native Plant Reserve 9.30am (J) Simpson Rd, Bundeena 11.30am (J) Banksia Res, Engadine 1.00pm (D) Dunwell Avenue Reserve, Loftus 1.00pm (B) John McKinn Park, Cronulla 1.00pm (Bill) Oyster Creek Gully, Jannalli 1:00pm (J) Upper Forbes Creek, Engadine 1:00pm (B) 2ND SUNDAY Caravan Head Res., Oyster Bay 8:30am (B) Fernleigh Road Res, Caringbah 9:00am (Bill) Kareena Park, Caringbah 9.00 (D) Forbes Creek South, Engadine 1:00pm (B) Ingrid Rd/Anitra Reserve, Kareela 1.00pm (D) Kareela Reserve, Kareela 1.00pm (Bill) 3RD SUNDAY Prince Edward Park, Woronora 8:00am (Bill) Hakea Street, Yarrawarrah, 8.30am (B) Honeysuckle Reserve, Jannali 8:30am (J) Paruna Reserve, Como West 9.00am (D) Grays Point Reserve 12.30pm (J) Darook Park - Looking for more volunteers for this beautiful loction, see page 1- contact Bill Howse

6 BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER l Sutherland Shire Council www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au BUSHLAND ACTIVITY BUSHWALKS wildlife that go to work when we go to bed. Be sure to book early as Bookings are essential for all & GUIDED this event fills quickly. BYO torches please and all children under the activites and made on Council’s NATURE age of 16 are to be accompanied website. For any queries WALKS by an adult. Note: National Parks contact Bushcare Mon - Fri on parking fees apply. 9524 5672. GUIDED KAYAK TOUR ON THE NOTE: For events in National HACKING CAPE BAILY COAST WALK Parks their entry fee applies. Audley to Swallow Rock (return) Thursday 29 March, 9am- Wednesday 21 February: 12.30pm NURSERY WHACKERS 9.00am - 12.00pm This spectacular and popular Sutherland Shire Community Join us for a lovely paddle from guided coastal 5 km walk at Nursery, Gymea Audley to Swallow Rock. All Kamay - Botany Bay National Park will take you around sand dunes, Wednesday 31 January: 9am - participants are to be physically fit, and be a confident swimmer to heath lands and hanging swamps. 12.00pm participate in this fantastic event. You’ll see great cliff top views and First there was Backyard Blitz, and the Cape Baily Lighthouse. This then there was Gorilla Gardeners. WATTAMOLLA TO MARLEY time around after major fires in the Now we bring you “Nursery area you will see the value that fire Propagation Stock Makeover” (RETURN) regimes (preferably controlled) can This special event will look to Saturday 3 March: 8:00am- bring to our native vegetation and redesign the Nursery’s Stock Plant 2:00pm natural regeneration at work. Gardens which are used to generate Join us for a nature walk along propagative material including seed the Royal National Park coast with and cuttings for the propagation of noted nature expert Steve Anyon- tube-stock for revegetation projects, Smith. You’ll see lots of birds, learn FREE COURSES AND the street trees program and for about plants and the bush and get WORKSHOPS general sale in the nursery. This fit at the same time. Bring morning INTRODUCTION TO BUSH RE- special, never before held Bushcare tea, lunch and water. Note: event is the perfect excuse to National Parks parking fees apply. GENERATION WORKSHOP get out of the house, meet new Saturday 10 February 8.30am people, learn about the nursery’s POTTER POINT SHOREBIRD – 3pm propagation program and get some TOUR This single day workshop consists exercise. All equipment, gloves and of weed identification & bush morning tea will be provided Thursday 7 March: Kurnell regeneration techniques, perfect Peninsula, 8.30am -12.00pm for anyone interested in Bushcare CLEAN-UP AUSTRALIA DAY Gary Dunnett, Senior Natural whether you volunteer or not.. The Sunday 3 March Heritage Officer, Office of morning session is at council’s Bushcare will operate its normal Environment and Heritage will nursery, 345 The Boulevarde, sites on this day with its normal lead this walk from Potter Point to Gymea with a field trip in the activity and we will take a few extra Boat Harbour on Cape Solander afternoon. Wear sturdy shoes or empty bags for rubbish. We are to observe the shorebirds of boots, long-sleeved shirt and long not expecting to register any of our the Kurnell Peninsula. Several trousers for the afternoon session. sites under Clean-up Australia but migratory shorebirds will be Morning tea will be provided if you wish to join in at a registered changing into their breeding Clean-up Australia site check their plumage prior to their departure for web page to find one close to you. the Arctic Circle to breed. The walk If you would like to participate is about 3 km return over a mix of in bushcare on that day, check beach, rock platform and sandy our listing on page 6 for the sites track. Telescopes and binoculars operating on the 1st Sunday of will be available for viewing the the month, if your new to that site birds at their high tide roost. check with the Bushcare Officer for the meeting location. SPOT LIGHTING IN THE ROYAL TO BOOK GO TO: www. Wednesday 14 March: Bushcare’s Introduction to Bush 7.30pm – 9:00pm Regeneration is a great way to learn sutherlandshire.nsw.gov. about techniques and trends in Wednesday 21 March: Bushland Management au AND SEARCH FOR 7:30pm – 9:00pm BUSHCARE EVENTS What goes bump in the night? Come along and help spot the www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au Sutherland Shire Council l BUSHCARE NEWSLETTER 7 BAUERA RUBIOIDES (THE RIVER DOG ROSE) FAMILY BAUERACEAE by Lloyd Hedges During the warmer months, the River Dog Rose is one of the floral delights of bushwalking in the Sutherland Shire for when you spot the delicate pink blooms along the gullies it’s usually situated by the creek, next to a cool, shady pool, perfect or a dip. Found throughout the Sydney area, Bauera rubioides is also often seen in damp spots without apparent surface water, such as the lower edges of heaths where it can, at times grow to 2 metres and become a dense, tangled shrub, thick enough to make passage difficult. The flowers are usually pink but occasionally can be white, comprised of 4-10 petals forming a shallow cup around numerous yellow-tipped stamens. Apart from the flowers, the other distinctive feature of this plant is the whorled leaves. Horizontally Bauera rubioides photo courtesy P. Sparks opposed, the whorl is comprised of 2 leaves each with three acute toothed leaflets at 5-15mm long and 2-3mm wide. They do not fall off or change colour but remain for the life of the stem. Flowering occurs mainly Spring to Summer but flowers can appear throughout the year. The much smaller, Bauera microphylla is also in the area and may be mistaken for rubioides. Apart from the fact the flowers are white and a lot smaller microphylla is a low <300mm weakly trailing plant and is almost always found in areas of wet heath. The name Bauera comes from the Bauer brothers, botanical artists who assisted explorers during the establishment of the Sydney colony. BUSHCARE CONTACT JONATHAN BILL 0434 327 755 0414 193 709 DETAILS [email protected] (Sat-Wed) BRADLEY [email protected] PHONE 0414 193 710 SABRINA 9524 5672 and follow the prompts (Wed-Sun) 0414 193 873 FAX [email protected] (Tues, Wed, Sat) 9526 6610 JASON [email protected] EMAIL 0414 193 874 KEVIN [email protected] (Wed-Sun) 0414 194 824 WEB [email protected] [email protected] www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au DAYNA 0414 193 712 (Sun-Mon) [email protected]

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POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA

Bushcare Bulletin: January 2018

If undelivered please return to: Sutherland Shire Council Bushcare Locked Bag 17, Sutherland NSW 1499