2015-2021 Restoration of Tunbridge Gully
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CASE STUDY 040 PROJECT TIMELINE (DETAILED) Flora, Vegetation Studies – Proposed Weed and River and Tunbridge Gully Project area which found 2015-2021 Botanical Assessment of Hotham River Project was Juncus acutus was invading the project area. 2015 undertaken by Mattiske Consulting Pty Ltd of the Hotham Stage 1 weed control was conducted March - April 2017 Species planted include: REGIONAL GOALS across the Tunbridge Gully Project area. Eucalyptus patens – Swan River Blackbutt Boddington District High School (BDHS) students grew Eucalyptus rudis – Flooded Gum P People seedlings for the July 2016 planting event. Eucalyptus wandoo – White Gum 2016 Melaleuca rhaphiophylla – Swamp Paperbark Total amount of seedlings planted: 350 B Melaleuca cuticularis – Saltwater Paperbark Biophysical Total number of volunteers: 24 Spraying for Juncus acutus – Glyphosate 360 (frog Hakea undulata – Baby leafed hakea friendly) and Wetter. All areas of the Hotham River and Hakea lissocarpha – Honey Bush Tunbridge Gully project were sprayed. Juncus pallidus – Pale rush Juncus pauciflorus – Loose Flower Rush Total amount of seedlings planted: 520 Juncus subsecundus – Finger rush Total number of volunteers - 66 2017 Melaleuca incana – Grey honey myrtle Species planted include: Melaleuca rhaphiophylla – Swamp paperbark Allocasuarina humilis – Dwarf Sheoak One monitoring transect established in May 2017 Calothamnus quadrifidus – One Sided Bottlebrush Photo monitoring points established Casuarina obesa – Swamp Sheoak Spraying for Juncus acutus – Glyphosate 360 (frog Seed supply: friendly) and Wetter. Note: private property closest to Bolboschoenus caldwellii – Marsh Club rush dam not sprayed due to access issues. A cool burn Carex appressa WA – Tall Sedge was conducted throughout the area in April 2018 by Chorizandra enodis – Black Bristlerush Restoration of Tunbridge Gully the members from the Boddington Shire local volunteer Ficinia nodosa – Knotted Club Rush Restoration of Tunbridge Gully is a collaborative community The removal of invasive weeds and restoration of the area 2018 brigades to reduce the head mass of Juncus acutus. Gahnia trifida – Coast Saw sedge project to improve the health of Tunbridge Gully and the aims to improve the overall health of the waterway which Juncus subsecundus – Finger Rush Total amount of seedlings planted: 9,500 Hotham River in Boddington. The project was to enable in turn leads to environmental, cultural and recreational Microlaena stipoides – Weeping Grass Total number of volunteers: 131 the removal of the invasive weed Juncus acutus, which benefits. Engagement with the Boddington community, threatens the biodiversity and ecology of Tunbridge Gully including the local school through planting events has and the Hotham River and restore the creekline with local led to increased awareness of invasive weeds, increased Spraying for Juncus acutus – Glyphosate 360 (frog Casuarina obesa – Swamp Sheoak native plant species and improving the amenity of the area. cultural awareness and the importance of the waterways friendly) SOA and Wetter (two private properties at the Eucalyptus patens – Swan river Blackbutt within the Peel-Harvey catchment. commencement of the Gully were not sprayed) Eucalyptus rudis – Flooded gum Tunbridge Gully is a tributary of the Hotham River one Hakea undulata – Baby leafed hakea of the two major rivers within the Hotham-Williams Total amount of seedlings planted: 5,588 Juncus pallidus – Pale rush subcatchment of the Peel-Harvey Catchment. Total number of volunteers - 111 Juncus subsecundus – Finger rush Species planted include: Kennedia coccinea – Coral creeper FUNDING PROGRAM LOCATION 2019 Allocasuarina humilis – Dwarf Sheoak Kennedia prostrata – Running postman South32 Worsley Alumina Slightly south of the Boddington Town Site, bordering Acacia microbotrya – Manna wattle Kunzea recurva – Mauve kunzea either side of the Bannister/ Marradong Road PHCC PROGRAM Anigozanthos manglesii – Red & green kangaroo paw Melaleuca incana – Grey honey myrtle Hotham-Williams STAKEHOLDERS Atriplex semibaccata – Creeping Saltbush Melaleuca rhaphiophylla – Swamp paperbark South32 Worsley Alumina, Boddington District High Callistemon phoeniceus – Lesser bottle brush Melaleuca viminea – Mohan PHCC PROJECT School, Friends of the Reserves – Boddington (Inc), Calothamnus quadrifidus – Crimson net bush Restoration of Tunbridge Gully Shire of Boddington, Newmont Australia FUNDING Spraying for Juncus acutus – Glyphosate 360 (frog Casuarina obesa – Swamp Sheoak BENEFICIARIES friendly) SOA and Wetter. Note: one private property Eucalyptus patens – Swan river Blackbutt South32 Worsley Alumina $158,006 Hotham-Williams community, Tunbridge Gully & Hotham closest to dam not sprayed due to access issues. Eucalyptus rudis – Flooded gum IN KIND River, Boddington Community Hakea undulata – Wavy leafed hakea Total amount of seedlings planted: 6,352 Boddington District High School, Friends of the Reserves PROJECT MANAGER Juncus pallidus – Pale rush Total number of volunteers - 83 – Boddington (Inc), Shire of Boddington, Newmont Mel Durack Juncus subsecundus – Finger rush Australia Species planted include: Kennedia coccinea – Coral creeper STEERING COMMITTEE 2020 REGIONAL COVERAGE Acacia microbotrya – Manna wattle Kennedia prostrata – Running postman Hotham-Williams Steering Committee - Darralyn Ebsary, Anigozanthos manglesii – Red & green kangaroo paw Kunzea recurva – Mauve kunzea Hotham-Williams Eliza Dowling, Claire Reid Atriplex semibaccata – Creeping saltbush Melaleuca incana – Grey honey myrtle Callistemon phoeniceus – Lesser bottle brush Melaleuca rhaphiophylla – Swamp paperbark Calothamnus quadrifidus – Crimson net bush Melaleuca viminea – Mohan PROJECT TIMELINE Spraying for Juncus acutus Stage 1 weed control Cool burn conducted Spraying for Juncus acutus Seedlings planted: 350 Seedlings planted: 9,500 Seedlings planted: 6,352 Volunteers: 24 Volunteers: 131 Volunteers: 83 2016 2018 2020 BURNING SPRAYING 2015 2017 2019 Flora, Vegetation Studies Spraying for Juncus acutus Spraying for Juncus acutus found Juncus acutus was Seedlings planted: 520 Seedlings planted: 5,588 invading the project area Volunteers: 66 Volunteers: 111 KEY OUTCOMES COLLABORATION • To improve the biodiversity and ecological Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, South 32 Worsley function of Tunbridge Gully and Hotham River Alumina, Boddington District High School, Friends of by removing invasive weeds and planting native the Reserves - Boddington (Inc.), Newmont Australia vegetation. and Shire of Boddington. • Increase cross cultural knowledge through LINKS TO OTHER PROJECTS engagement with local Noongar community. Hotham-Williams Rivers & Tributaries’ Natural Resource Management and Conservation Project (PHCC & • Provide education and training opportunities for Newmont Boddington partnership). long term site works and maintenance. REFERENCES • Improve aesthetics and recreational opportunities. FloraBase – Juncus acutus L. Spiny Rush https:// MONITORING PLANTING • Establish demonstration site. florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1175 Managing Weeds in the Bushland – Sharp Rush FUTURE ACTIVITIES Juncus acutus Juncus acutus – Urban Nature Department of PHCC plans to continue restoration activities at iconic Tunbridge Gully commences at the base of Environment and Conservation, Swan Region local areas such as Tunbridge Gully as identified in the the Boddington water supply dam (adjacent to recent Hotham-Williams River Action Plan. www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/ Newmarket Road) and flows through Blue Gum Park, conservation-management/off-road-conservation/ along Hakea Road, to the east of the Boddington VOLUNTEERS urban-nature/brochures/sharp_rush_juncus_acutus_ Pool and into the Hotham River. 80% of this area Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, South32 Worsley managing_weeds_in_bushland.pdf was heavily infested with Juncus acutus (Sharp Alumina, Boddington District High School, Friends of Rush). the Reserves - Boddington (Inc.), Newmont Australia Sharp rush is an erect robust tussock-forming and Shire of Boddington perennial herb to 1.5m height. It has numerous PUBLIC AWARENESS unbranched cylindrical flowering stems (culms) 2 to Juncus acutus (Spiny Rush) is known to hybridise with 5 mm in diameter that are glabrous, rigid, slightly the native Juncus kraussii, which has a marginally furrowed and filled with continuous pitch. Similar greater salinity tolerance. It has the potential to in appearance, leaves are blue-green, numerous displace Juncus kraussii, particularly in areas that and emerge from the base of the plant giving it received regular freshwater input. (FloraBase – the its hemispherical shape. A distinguishing feature Western Australian Flora database). is the stiff, sharply pointed, leaves and bracts that terminate in a tip that is painful to touch. (Managing Weeds in Bushland – Urban Nature Department of Environment and Conservation)..