Worth rescuing Project Site Monday, 12 November 2012 COMMUNITY UPDATE Brisbane City Council has classified the creek bank here as ‘endangered ecosystem’. Gallery Corramulling Park School Road and dry rainforest exist on both sides of the creek, mostly on the northern bank. There are Waterhousea Creek Lillypilly excellent patches of established Lomandra spp. Streblus on the water’s edge. Enoggera Creek On the northern high bank the natural Neolitsea remnant is relatively dense with locally-native Cocos Palms saveourwaterwaysnow species including Red Kamala, Native Quince, Chinese Elms Macaranga, Black Bean, Foambark and Peanut Project area Tree. Significant locally-native trees include NRMA Insurance funds Enoggera creek rescue some young but tall Blue Quandong, planted in previous restoration efforts. Mixed nativePayne trees Road On 31 May 2012 Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) learned its application for a bush A good mix of native trees on the southern bank care site rescue at Corramulling Park The Gap includes Deep Yellowwood, Native Tamarind, Endangered gallery and dry had been successful. NRMA Insurance’s 2012 several eucalyptus species, Hoop Pine and Project area includesrainforest both banks exists on both sides of from the bridge to 90m upstream. Community Grants program awarded SOWN several large native figs. Unfortunately many Glen Road the creek, mostly on the northern $10,000. Chinese Elms and weedy vines are also present. bank. Open areas, especially near the bridge, are badly infested with The aim of the project at Corramulling Park is to Open areas on both banks are badly infested Rubber Tree with Singapore Daisy, Panic Grass, Glycine, Singapore Daisy, Panic Grass, rescue critically-endangered ecosystems now rare weedy sedges and Ruellia. glycine, weedy sedges and Ruellia. along urban creeks. Rescue projects like this one allow SOWN to “This is a great This stretch of Enoggera Creek is known to link quality established restorations like those opportunity support both lungfish and platypus. It contains near Yoorala Street upstream, saved by Athol to recognise remnant gallery rainforest and dry rainforest on Brown, Vera Moffet and their groups – and and celebrate both sides of the creek, with some large remnant native trees. Bob Whiteman’s restoration across the bridge years of hard downstream towards Walton Bridge Reserve. work put in by The project will involve volunteers and local This area has a history of community bush care Celebrating the work of volunteers local residents bush regeneration contractors in on-ground work and locals can take pride in continuing this SOWN values the work of volunteers who saving our preparing the site for public working bees and legacy of restoration. Further upstream from the have worked on sections of creek bank then creeks. Thanks plantings. project area is a platypus viewing station and moved on or ‘retired’ from active bush care. Just rock-lined walking paths beside the creek. The to NRMA upstream the creek has been restored by Vera Interpretive signage will include history and Flat Rock area is one of the most picturesque Insurance we and Fred Moffett. The upkeep of these sites is an environment with smart phone barcodes linking creeksides in The Gap. can rescue this important tribute to the work gone before and a to further details on the SOWN web site. vital stretch key strategy in rejuvenating local groups. SOWN hopes this project will lead to further CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 funding to restore the remaining two thirds of of creek for the creek along Corramulling Park. the plants and animals natural to this area – ABOVE: Clockwise from top left: Flat rock, platypus viewing station, Payne Road bank, and make it a Local Bushcare Groups Creek Ranger Shelley Dunlop and SOWN Director Robert Whyte. Photos: Sarah-Jane Abbott SOWN groups in the area include: place we all can share.” • Elgata Street to Enoggera Reservoir, no group Robert Whyte leader at present. Is your property a weed jungle? Director, Save Our • Elgata Street to Flat Rock. Group leaders Waterways Now (SOWN) Stella Field 0412 335 289, Chris Ramsey Fighting a losing battle against Lantana? Getting 0439208303. strangled by Cat’s Claw Creeper or smothered by • School Road to Illowra Street, Bob Whiteman, Home: 33006585 mob Madeira Vine? Weed trees out of control? 0411846585 HELP IS AT HAND! Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) have • Riaweena Street, Leona Reif, 0408 886 313 partnered with local environmental consultants Creek Rescue and • Nicholas Park, no group leader at present Catchment Care (CRACC) to tackle the tough jobs in Brisbane’s west. • Walton Bridge Reserve, Robert Whyte, 0409 Enoggera catchment experts at affordable 055 325 rates! Create a bush-friendly natural RIGHT: Some weed species at • Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Corramulling Park. Clockwise garden and enjoy visits from local wildlife. from top left Tobacco Plant, Network (BRAIN) Glenella St Fish Creek, Coral Tree, Giant Devil’s Fig, Marina Novak 0431 664 714. Umbrella Sedge Photos: Robert Whyte If you would like to get involved call Brisbane 2 Eton Street, Toowong 4066 QLD City Council 3403 8888 and ask to speak to a 07 3335 4000 leave a message and we’ll call you back. Habitat Brisbane Officer or a Creek Ranger. [email protected] Mobile: 0411 526 330 Want to know more? Call 0423 763 361 or email [email protected]

Corramulling Park bush care site rescue Corramulling Park bush care site rescue 4 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Biodiversity survey: native remnant areas healthier The benefit of site rescues like this one is the ability to build on previous efforts and Before starting work on the Pegs, Panic Grass, Umbrella specimens would no doubt have “Weed tree improve them with modern, sustainable clearing, weeding, revegetation sedge, Billygoat Weed and been found in the canopy. This timber can techniques. Among the major advances and restoration of the site, local others. This sample yielded 84 remnant area yielded 100 insects successfully trialled by SOWN in recent environmental consultants insects in 11 distinct groups and in 16 distinct groups and 78 be a useful years has been the use of coir logs, jute mesh Creek Rescue and Catchment 32 spiders in 8 groups. spiders in 24 distinct groups. resource… and jute mat for difficult areas. Care (CRACC) undertook a firewood for The second sample was an Abundance in the natural terrestrial biodiversity survey. adjacent stand of remnant energy efficient As always, weeding is a big part of the plan. remnant was roughly double Areas of Panic Grass, Devil’s Fig, Chinese Two adjacent 5 metre by 5 vegetation, including a the abundance in the weedy potbelly stoves Elm, Singapore Daisy and Glycine will be metre areas were sampled for Waterhousea, Peanut Tree, area. Diversity was also greater, or hardwood treated. insects and spiders. These groups Native Quince and others. It had by about 2-3 times. These furniture and of invertebrates are widely around 3 to 4 times the number results suggest the presence Infill plantings will increase biodiversity. craft items.” recognised as being useful for of plant species as the weedy area of locally-native plant species, Rock-swale-planting combinations will comparing areas of differing sampled. There were also many with the structural complexity manage overland flow. Large weed tree vegetation types. weeds in the remnant, notably also normally found in natural removal will stop their spread downstream ABOVE: High northern bank of the first section near School Road Bridge. Ochna and Cocos Palm. remnants, results in more and sustainable use of weed tree timber will The first sample was in the abundance and diversity create value either as on-site mulch, fuel most weedy area, with only one Only the understorey of the of terrestrial invertebrates, for steam-powered generators, firewood for overhanging branch of a native remnant was sampled, even Progress indicating better ecosystem energy-efficient potbelly stoves or hardwood The section of Corramulling Park chosen for the project tree, a Waterhousea. The rest though the height of this quadrat was around 5 metres. Many more health. Full details online at furniture and craft items. starts at the School Road Bridge and extends 90 metres was Glycine, Lantana, Cobblers www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au upstream. A total of 89 plant species were recorded, 42 being Botanical survey: good and bad locally native plant species and 47 introduced weeds. Locally native species Introduced weeds The weeds have a narrow lead. Remnant rainforest A Fig Ficus sp. Alexandra Palm Archontopheonix on the upper banks includes several large native Black Bean Castanospermum australe alexandrae Waterhousea, Macaranga, Native Quince, Peanut Tree Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon Arrowhead Syngonium podophyllum and a large White Bollygum Neolitsea dealbata. Blue Quandong Elaeocarpus gandis Asparagus Fern Asparagus falcatus Brushbox Lophostemon confertus Billygoat Weed Ageratum houstonianum A large Whalebone Tree Streblus brunonianus was a Cheese Tree Glochidion ferdinandi Brazilian Cherry Eugenia uniflora happy find as its fruit is food for native birds including Cockspur Thorn Maclura cochinchinensis Broad-leaved Pepper Tree Schinus Common Bracken Pteridium esculentum terebrinthifolius Lewin’s Honeyeater and the Rose-Crowned Fruit Dove. Crow’s Ash Flindersia australis Camphor Laurel Cinnamomum camphora Deep Yellowwood Rhodosphaera Castor Oil Plant Ricinis communis In open areas there are infestations of weedy vines like rhodanthema Chinese Elm Celtis sinensis Singapore Daisy and Ruellia but no serious problems Flooded Gum Eucalyptus grandis Climbing Asparagus Fern Asparagus with Madeira or Cats Claw Creeper. One large patch of Foambark Jagera pseudorhus africanus Velcro Vine has entwined itself around flowering native Giant Maidenhair Adiantum formosum Cobblers Pegs Bidens pilosa Green Matrush Lomandra hystrix Cocos Palm Syagrus romanzoffiana raspberry canes – this will be a tricky removal job. Native Quince Guioa semiglauca Coral Tree Erythrina speciosa Hoop Pine Araucaria cunninghamii Corky Passion-vine Passiflora suberosa Weed trees are scattered throughout the area including Macaranga Macaranga tanarius Easter Cassia Senna pendula var. glabra Camphor Laurels, Chinese Elms, Devil’s Figs, Wild Monkey Rope Parsonsia straminea Elephant Grass Pennisetum purpureum ABOVE: Anne Jones, Tobacco and several large Cocos Palms. Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla Giant Devil’s Fig Solanum chrysotrichum member of Save Our Murrogun Cryptocarya microneura Glossy Nightshade Solanum americanum Waterways Now (SOWN) The rescue project Native Frangipani Hymenosporum flavum Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria elegans with some samples of Contractors are being engaged to clear some BELOW: The first section from School Road Bridge, looking upstream. Native Grape Cissus antarctica Glycine Neonotonia wightii Camphor Laurel wood at Native Tamarind Diploglottis australis Happy Plant Dracaena fragrans the Maleny Wood Expo. of the difficult areas of small trees, weedy Peanut Tree Sterculia quadrifida Inkweed Rivina humilus vines and ground covers. This will prepare Pepperberry Cryptocarya obovata Jacaranda Jacaranda mimosifolia the site for planting. Pink Bloodwood Corymbia intermedia Lantana Lantana camara Queensland Blue Gum Eucalyptus Madeira Vine Anredera cordifolia In early 2013 local residents will be invited tereticornis Mile-a-minute Ipomea cairica to a community working bee with NRMA Raspberry Rubus moluccana Mock Orange Murraya paniculata Red Kamala Mallotus philippensis Morning Glory Ipomea indica volunteers to restore the site by planting and River She Oak Casuarina cunninghamiana Mother-in-Law’s-Tongue Sansevieria mulching. Sandpaper Fig Ficus coronata trifasciata Sarsparilla Vine Smilax australis Mulberry Morus nigra On the lower banks, dense plantings of Scrambling Lily Geitonoplesium cymosum Ochna Ochna serrulata Lomandra and other locally-native plants Small-leaf Fig Ficus obliqua Panic Grass Megathyrsus maximus will help suppress the growth of weeds. Smell-of-the-Bush Mallotus claoxyloides Polkadot Plant Hypoestes phyllostachya Spotted Gum Corymbia citriodora Purple Succulent Callisia fragrans A mix of native shrubs and trees will be Swamp Box Lophostemon suaveolens Rubber Tree Ficus elastica planted along the upper and mid banks to Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys Ruellia Ruellia tweediana Weeping Lillypilly Syzigium floridbundum Singapore Daisy Sphagneticola trilobata stabilise them and provide shade, food and ABOVE: From top, Jumping Whalebone Tree Streblus brunonianus Small Leaf Privet Ligustrum sinense Spider, Northern Green shelter for native animals. White Bolly-gum Neolitsea dealbata Thickhead Crassocephalum crepidioides Jumping Spider, Beautiful White Fig Ficus virens Umbrella Sedge Cyperus involucratus Bush Cockrach on Coral Tree Umbrella Tree Schefflera actinophylla flowers, Slender Lynx Spider PROJECT Consultation with Letter from Councillor Geraldine Knapp, with project Community working bee with NRMA Insurance and Velcro Vine Desmodium uncinatum on a daisy, Caterpillar of the Habitat Brisbane, Creek information – this is the document you are reading now. local volunteers – a major planting event. Weeping Fig Ficus benjamina Evening Brown Butterfly, Elm TIMELINE Rangers, approval for Beetle, Black Ant. Signage and web site commemorating the project, Wild Tobacco Solanum mauritianum works. Contract work – site preparation, removal of small woody weeds, aggressive vines and rubbish. the site and volunteers. Yellow Oleander Cascabela thevetia LEFT: From top, Waterhousea, Wild Star Apple Chrysophyllum oliviforme Black Bean, Blue Quandong, 2012: SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2013: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY Yellow Asparagus Fern Asparagus River Red Gum, Native aethiopicus Raspbery.

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