South East JULY 2017 Volume 11 Number 3 Newsletter of the Land for Wildlife Program ISSN 1835-3851

CONTENTS 1 Native Snails: A litmus test for healthy ecosystems

2 Editorial and Contacts

3 Fauna Vignettes • Nocturnal Surprises • Who Done It? 4-5 Property Profile Two large native snails of SEQ are Fraser’s Banded Snail (main) and the Giant Panda Snail (inset). Re-creating Habitat for Threatened Species in just Native Snails: Seven Years 6-7 Ecosystem Profile A litmus test for Dry of South East healthy ecosystems Queensland ith the recent winter rains it has been land snails is that they are hermaphrodites, 8-9 Practicalities Wa good time to observe one group of meaning that they have both female and male How Old is That Tree? poorly-known invertebrates, land snails. With reproductive organs and can choose which 10 Weed Profile rainfall, snails emerge from their places of gender they want to be when they mate. hibernation underneath leaf litter and logs to The role of landholders in look for food. Most native land snails eat fungi Like many invertebrates, native land snails can protecting flora and fauna from and micro-algae, but some are carnivorous be used as indicators of environmental health. high-risk invasive species and eat other snails. In contrast, the common If there is an abundance and diversity of native introduced European Garden Snail eats snails, then the habitat is likely to be in good 11 Property Profile and is considered an agricultural pest. condition. Land snails play an important role Remembering When We Drank in decomposition of material and they ’s largest snail, the Giant Panda Snail, Water from the Creeks probably help disperse fungal spores. Many can be found amongst leaf litter, especially animals eat snails, and even in death, snail 12 Earth Science fallen palm fronds, in subtropical rainforests shells are an important source of calcium for Fossils of South East Queensland throughout South East Queensland (SEQ). Its other animals. So next time you are outside shell can grow to 9 cm wide. on a rainy night, take the time to look around 13 Book Reviews Despite having eyes on the ends of their and appreciate our native land snails – there 14-15 Tribute upward-facing long tentacles, snails have are over 1500 species in eastern Australia in all The Passing of a Local Legend poor vision and can detect light from dark, different shapes and colours. but not much more. What they lack in sight, 16 Philosophy with Phil they make up for in teeth, of which they have For more information about land snails visit thousands. Their teeth are microscopic and are the website Facts About Snails compiled Seed Collecting used for cutting up food. They move around by Australia’s leading expert on land snails on their muscular flat foot. To avoid damage and Curator of Molluscs at the Queensland to their soft foot and to create adhesion Museum, Dr John Stanisic. Published by Healthy Land and Water through with the surface they are moving over, snails funding from the Australian Government’s Article by Deborah Metters with thanks National Landcare Programme continuously secrete slime, creating snail trails. to Facts About Snails. Photos by Deborah An interesting fact about most Australian Metters (main) and Ross Coupland (inset). Looking to Buy or Sell a Land for Wildlife Property?  Looking for a High-Resolution Map of your editorial Property? VISIT www.lfwseq.org.au

n March this year, the Australian and financial costs to look after these IGovernment released its latest (2016) animals and ecosystems, but they also Land for Wildlife Officers State of the Environment (SOE) Report. derive enjoyment and pride from making a South East Queensland These reports are produced every five difference. Researchers say that in addition years and showcase how our natural to good relationships, a key pillar of human City Council environment is faring. It is available online happiness is our ability to contribute All enquiries, 3403 8888 and is worth a read. The site also offers meaningfully to something bigger than Amanda Maggs Fflur Collier an interactive map of Australia showing ourselves. Protecting something from Cody Hochen Peter Hayes various layers of environmental data that extinction is a pretty big contribution, I Susan Nolan Tony Mlynarik can be turned on or off. I found this map think. Catherine Madden below quite telling. It shows the number of plants, animals and ecosystems listed under So if you want a national perspective on Commonwealth environmental legislation environmental issues, the SEO Report is a Lexie Webster, 5582 8344 as threatened. You can see that the south- good place to start. Saul Hondow, 5582 8022 east Queensland / northern NSW bioregion From national to local, this newsletter Scott Sumner, 5582 8896 jumps out, unfortunately, as one of the encourages and celebrates Land for Wildlife Todd Burrows, 5582 9128 leaders (red areas). members who are restoring ecosystems Ipswich City Council and learning about nature. It encourages Nick Swanson, 3810 6026 readers to install fauna monitoring cameras (you can often borrow one from your Regional Council Land for Wildlife Officer – just ask them), Martin Bennett, 5462 0376 or to look closely at sedimentary rocks for

fossils. It offers readers a starting point to Council determine the age of native trees – this is Peter Copping, 3412 5321 based on recent research and an impressive Regional Council 75 year monitoring program. It shows that De-Anne Attard, 0438 910 715 plantings only seven years old can support Nicole Byrne, 0419 700 213 one of SEQ’s rarest birds, the Black-breasted Wendy Heath, 3883 5636 Button-quail. And it shows that it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can still make a Noosa Council difference, even at 99 years of age. Kylie Gordon, 5329 6500

What this map doesn’t show is the number I hope you enjoy this edition, and as always, Council of people working to manage and protect I welcome your feedback and contributions. Maree Manby, 3820 1106 these threatened species. Surely, the SEQ would have to be a leader in this Regional Council category too. As evidenced by the last few Keith McCosh, 5540 5436 editions of this newsletter, Land for Wildlife Deborah Metters Land for Wildlife Regional members are managing and protecting Darren McPherson, 5424 4000 endangered animals and ecosystems. Coordinator These landholders often incur personal Healthy Land and Water Sunshine Coast Council Alan Wynn, 5439 6477 Danielle Outram, 5475 7339 Landholder Registrations, Land for Wildlife SEQ - 1/6/2017 Dave Burrows, 5475 7345 Marc Russell, 5475 7345 Registered Working Towards Total Area under Nick Clancy, 5439 6433 Total Area Retained Properties Registration Restoration Stephanie Reif, 5475 7395 3262 879 60,700 ha 6,840 ha Qld Murray-Darling Region , Crows Nest and Forward all contributions to: Print run - 4745 western Back copies from 2007 - 2016 Qld Murray-Darling Committee, The Editor available for download from 4637 6228 Land for Wildlife Newsletter www.lfwseq.org.au Healthy Land and Water Back copies from 1998 - 2006 Burnett Mary Region PO Box 13204 available upon request to the Editor. George Street QLD 4003 , Fraser Coast, 07 3177 9100 ISSN 1835-3851 North & , [email protected] Land for Wildlife is a voluntary program that and encourages and assists landholders to provide habitat for wildlife on their properties. Burnett Mary Regional Group, 4181 2999

lfwseq.org.au Land for Wildlife South East Queensland is a quarterly facebook.com/lfwseq publication distributed free of charge to members of the Land for Wildlife program in South East Queensland.

2 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 CONGRATULATIONS! Contributors on this page have each won a copy of Australian Wildlife After Dark, a stunning book showcasing Australia’s fauna vignettes nocturnal wildlife. Thanks for entering our competition. Enjoy! Nocturnal Surprises

wenty years ago, this property had only the night time photos, several with young. One very important find was a fox caught Tthree trees and grass. Now, plenty of The brushies had seemed to be absent roaming around near a poultry pen. trees, less grass, and a plethora of native from the area for years, and this recent Without the camera we would have been wildlife. comeback coincided with a decrease oblivious to the presence of this pest in domestic dog ownership among species. We had little knowledge of the extent neighbours. of nocturnal fauna on our property until These finds are a positive reflection of purchasing an infrared motion-sensing Possums weren’t the only species picked the hard work that has been put into wildlife camera. We had seen evidence and up by the motion sensors; bandicoots, regenerating this property, which brought had our suspicions about the nightlife, but antechinus and wallabies. To our about an abundance of diversity to the once the camera was set up, surprises were amazement a Sugar Glider made an once bare plot. abundant. appearance, climbing down a tree and Kai Wood-Willems scratching through the leaf litter. In the first week, several Bobucks (Short- Land for Wildlife member eared Brushtail Possums) were captured in Ocean View, Moreton Bay

It is difficult to ascertain whether the Who Done It? phascogale was eaten on the ground, or whether these remains were eaten in the y property is between Woodford canopy and then dropped to the ground. and Kilcoy in the foothills of the M We suspect that it was plucked, opened and Conondale Ranges, Bellthorpe section. eaten on the ground. Loose (plucked) fur One morning I found the remains of a around the skeleton would confirm this. phascogale with its distinctive tail as Both owls and goshawks can carefully pick pictured. The noteworthy feature of this small scraps of meat from bones, leaving a find was that the head was missing and clean, but still articulated skeleton, as shown the skin had been turned inside out like in your photo. Goshawks are generally a discarded sock. The skeleton was intact diurnal (day-time) birds, but they can fly and the skin had been rolled back neatly. Editor’s Reply: Thank you Michelle for this and hunt at dusk and dawn when nocturnal puzzle. It has intrigued Land for Wildlife The question is, who had done this? mammals (ie. phascogales and gliders) are Officers and Queensland Museum staff. active. The remains were on the ground below In summary, we cannot tell for certain what several large eucalypts in fairly open forest So, it could have been a Brown or Grey animal killed and ate this phascogale and on a ridge top. Several days later the pelt Goshawk or a Collared Sparrowhawk that the Sugar Gliders, but we can narrow it down of a Sugar Glider was found in the same caught and ate this phascogale. Listen out to probably an owl or goshawk, or both. location and then another morning, the tail for the calls of owls and goshawks. of a Sugar Glider was found. Both the Tyto owls (Sooty and Masked Owls) If this happens again, the Queensland and the Ninox owls (Barking and Powerful I am hoping that someone can tell Museum would welcome the remains as a Owls) hunt phascogales and Sugar Gliders. me what creature would kill and eat a specimen - please keep it frozen with a note Owls often eat the heads of their prey whole phascogale so neatly, and if the same stating when and where it was collected and and regurgitate the indigestible bones and creature also could have killed the gliders. drop it into the museum when convenient. fur. Also, owls often bite off the tails of gliders Michelle Ledwith before they consume the rest of the animal. Thanks to the Queensland Museum Land for Wildlife member So this would explain both the missing head Discovery Centre for their advice. Do any Mary Smokes Creek, Somerset of the phascogale and the glider tails. readers have anything further to add?

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 3 property profile Re-creating Habitat for Threatened Species in just Seven Years

n August 2000 an enthusiastic, but regeneration, it now met the program’s Judi’s property! One was under a lantana Inervous, new Land for Wildlife Officer criteria. It was a well-deserved Land for shrub in a regenerating dry went on her first solo Land for Wildlife Wildlife sign; not everyone works so hard patch. The other was in a revegetation area visit out to Belli Park, between Eumundi to get their Land for Wildlife sign! established just seven years ago with a and Kenilworth on the Sunshine Coast Council grant. But getting her sign didn’t slow Judi down. hinterland. When Council’s annual seedling incentive The Black-breasted Button-quail is an There I met Judi who a few years before scheme was introduced in 2005, Judi endearing, shy, ground-dwelling bird that had bought a mostly cleared 6.4 hectare accessed it almost every year augmenting is listed as Vulnerable under state and property where the previous landowner her own plant purchases. Grants were also federal legislation. Black-breasted Button- had run some cattle and lit a fire every used to plant larger areas in stages with a quails are only known from 14 different other year to clean up the grass. This hadn’t mix of rainforest and open forest plants. populations in Queensland with the worried a small patch of eucalypts on the In 2013, Judi expressed an interest in largest population at Yarraman-Blackbutt property too much, but had disadvantaged finding out more about Council’s Voluntary estimated roughly to be comprised of the dry rainforest species, which were Conservation Agreement (VCA) program. about 2000 adults. They prefer to live in dry mostly confined to two protected gullies. In 2015, she decided to go ahead with rainforests and vine scrubs. Unfortunately, There was not enough vegetation to sign a Conservation Covenant and VCA with these ecosystems have been extensively the property up to full Land for Wildlife Council, protecting the natural values of cleared and modified, hence why registration so her property was put on as the property. population numbers are quite low. Working Towards Registration. While Judi’s property still has a number of Like all quails, Black-breasted Button-quails Over the next few years Judi moved to weeds, her investment into the property’s forage on the ground scratching in the the property permanently, built her house natural values have been significant. Her leaf litter for invertebrates and seeds. Their and established gardens. Inspired by her property sits in an emerging corridor preferred habitat contains thick leaf-litter parent’s efforts at revegetating the family linking Mapleton Forest Reserve to West 3-10 cm deep. Black-breasted Button- farm in Victoria, she set about planting Cooroy State Forest. quails and the similar-looking species, thousands of rainforest and open forest Did I mention Judi has a very bad back Painted Button-quails, create ‘platelets’ on trees. With the cattle off the property and after working as a nurse for many years? I the ground through ‘pivot-feeding’. They fire excluded from the rainforest, there have never seen someone control weeds pivot in a circle on one leg scratching away was also good natural regeneration to so well with a shovel without bending. the leaf-litter with their other leg. This assist Judi’s efforts. A number of weeds scratching creates distinctive round gaps also decided that they liked the property Undertaking a fauna survey for Council, in the leaf-litter about the size of a small including Lantana, Groundsel, Easter local birder Rob Kernot spotted some dinner plate, called ‘platelets’. Cassia, Elephant Grass and Broad-leaf distinctive round clearings in the leaf Paspalum. litter in late 2015. Thinking that they The revegetation area on Judi’s property could be button-quail feeding ‘platelets’, has a mix of rainforest and eucalypt species In 2003 that same Land for Wildlife Officer Rob suggested putting out some fauna planted and now has a thick leaf litter layer (now not so nervous but hopefully still cameras to see if it was the elusive Black- developing. All trees still have very low enthusiastic) registered Judi’s property in breasted Button-quail. To our delight, branches giving cover down low. Until it Land for Wildlife as, with all her planting, in May last year we got images of Black- had been planted this area had been tall weeding and encouraging of natural breasted Button-quail on two cameras on grass slashed each year to reduce the fire

4 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 Judi’s property 1958 Not everyone works so hard to get their Land for Wildlife sign

Aerial Photograph Sequence In 1958, the property is mostly cleared with only a few trees present along the creek and in the gullies including Bunya Pines. In 2003, existing vegetation in the gullies and along the creek have been buffered by plantings Judi has undertaken. The property was registered with Land for Wildlife this year. In 2016, the larger revegetation projects are maturing. These areas are where Black- 2003 breasted Button-quail have been recorded.

risk. Now it is supporting a threatened bird species that depends on thick leaf-litter!

Lantana and other weeds adjoining or within dry rainforests provide additional habitat for Black-breasted Button-quails giving dense low cover and good leaf litter for foraging. Management actions at Judi’s now include removing the weeds slowly and in stages so that quail habitat is not disturbed too much. Dry rainforest patches will continue to be encouraged to regenerate naturally. Pest animal control will also be considered as foxes and cats have been recorded in the same areas as the quails.

Being able to assist Judi further through Council’s VCA Annual On-ground Works program and knowing that she has provided habitat for a threatened species is very rewarding. Seeing such significant changes on Land for Wildlife properties makes the 2016 tedium of being stuck in the office doing administration not so bad. It’s been a pleasure and privilege to be Judi’s Land for Wildlife Officer over the last 17 years and I am looking forward to searching through the images from the next fauna cameras for more Black-breasted Button-quail. Reference & Further Reading Curtis LK, Dennis AJ, McDonald KR, Kyne PM & Debus SJS (editors), 2012. Queensland’s Threatened Animals. CSIRO Publishing.

Article by Stephanie Reif Land for Wildlife Officer Sunshine Coast Council

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 5 Dry rainforests of Mt Berryman. Photo by Paul Grimshaw.

ecosystem profile Dry Rainforests of South East Queensland

o most people, the mention of the extreme these vegetation communities times past, dry rainforests were cleared for Tword rainforest conjures up visions of sometimes grade into what is known as grazing and other types of agricultural use lush green tall vegetation festooned with semi-evergreen vine thicket, or SEVT for in the mistaken belief that the soils, that epiphytes (orchids mosses and ferns), short. they were occurring on, were more fertile numerous vines, palms and ferns. In South and nutritious than the soils supporting East Queensland (SEQ) in places such A feature of some dry rainforests is that other drier types of surrounding vegetation as Lamington, Springbrook, Tamborine many of their tree species have the such as eucalypt forests and woodlands. In and Mt Glorious these types of luxuriant capacity to shed most or all of their leaves most situations this was untrue as once the rainforests are commonly encountered. as a strategy to survive long periods of dry rainforests were cleared and utilised, drought (this is where the term semi- for whatever agricultural activity was Boonah District including slopes of Mt French and Moogerah Peaks However there are other rainforests that evergreen is derived from). Compared to needed, the fertility was quickly depleted. are not as lush and tropical-looking as wetter types of rainforest in higher rainfall This is because the fertility and nutrients these types, one type in particular is areas the dominant canopy height of dry were stored in the top few centimetres ‘dry rainforest’. Though not as moist as rainforest is considerably lower. of soil and ground litter, while the dry other types of rainforests, dry rainforests rainforest still existed. can easily be distinguished from other In most cases dry rainforest has a lower surrounding vegetation such as open canopy layer plus an upper layer of While some of the tree, shrub and vine eucalypt forests and woodlands, due to emergent trees rising above the canopy. species occurring in dry rainforests are their dark green colour and the tight, The lower canopy usually consists of confined only to dry rainforests (e.g. compact crown seen from a distance. 10-30 tree species and the upper layer Narrow-leaved Bottle Tree, Brachychiton consists of scattered taller trees. Common rupestris; Leopard Ash, Flindersia collina; Dry rainforest is a term used to describe emergent trees include Hoop Pine, Small-leaved Scrub Ironbark, Bridelia vegetation, where rainfall is low because Lacebark (Brachychiton discolor), Rusty Fig leichhardtii) many other species also occur of topographic conditions (sometimes (Ficus rubiginosa) and Crows Ash (Flindersia in other moister rainforest ecosystems referred to as rain-shadow). Other terms australis). (e.g. White Cedar, Melia azedarach; Guioa, used to describe variants of dry rainforests Due to past clearing, dry rainforest ; Hairy Birdseye, Alectryon are dry vine forest, dry vine scrub, tomentosa). These species that occur in softwood scrub, Brigalow scrub, bottletree remnants are considerably diminished and the remaining patches are still under both dry and wet rainforests often occur as scrub, Hoop Pine scrub and microphyll pioneers (early successional) plants in the (small-leaved) vine forest. At the drier further threat from vegetation clearing, grazing, wildfires and weed invasion. In moister rainforest types.

Dry rainforests often have lots of vines Dry rainforests in SEQ often occur in small patches with lots of edges, resulting in and can be difficult to walk through. more fires and weeds, making the rainforest patch smaller and less resilient.

6 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 Dry Rainforests of SEQ

Mt Stanley State Forest

East State Forest

Jimna State Forest Deer Reserve National Park

Yarraman State Forest Western slopes of the D’Aguilar Range Benarkin State Forest

Eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range from Cooyar to Crows Nest, Pine Mountain & including the Worlds End Pocket, Ipswich Minden and Marburg Ranges, and Rosewood Scrubs Opossum Creek, Springfield

Redwood Park, Toowoomba Bahr’s Scrub, Beenleigh

Dwyer’s Scrub Conservation Upper Ormeau and Wolffdene, Park, Fordsdale Darlington Range

Berlin Scrub, Mt Berryman Veresdale Scrubs, Beaudesert

Flinders Peak, Ipswich Mt Chinghee National Park

Boonah District including slopes of Mt French and Moogerah Peaks

Climate change is likely to increasingly Coral Berry and Privet. Weedy grasses affect our moister rainforest types in SEQ include Green Panic, Guinea Grass, Rhodes with many of the moisture dependent Grass and Broad-leaved Paspalum. plants becoming stressed during long Introduced grasses are a major threat dry periods and possibly facing local to dry rainforests as the grasses grow extinctions. This is where many species of quickly and produce huge amounts of dry tolerant plants found in dry rainforests biomass. When dry, this biomass is highly will be most likely to replace them and flammable. If these grasses become help the less drought resistant rainforests established on the edges of dry rainforests, to continue to survive. when a fire comes through, the fire will kill Once established, many dry rainforest many fire-sensitive rainforest plants. Fire plants are more likely to cope with will also cause the dry rainforest to contract lowering annual rainfall and warmer in size, getting smaller and smaller until it temperatures as a result of climate change. is no-longer a functioning ecosystem. It is therefore suggested that the many Introduced grasses can also find their way plant species found in dry rainforest be deep into a dry rainforest patch. This often considered for regeneration projects, or Dry Rainforest Factsheets occurs during drought conditions when in rainforest areas where loss of moisture stock is allowed to enter the dry rainforest Several excellent factsheets are available dependant species is already occurring. areas for shelter. Drought causes many on the dry rainforests of SEQ. Download Equally, it is extremely important to rainforest trees to drop their leaves making them from www.lfwseq.org.au or ask continue to protect, manage and maintain the canopy more open. During these dry your Land for Wildlife Officer for a copy. the integrity of all remnants of dry periods the grass seeds contained in the Revelling in the Dry introduces the rainforests. Dry rainforests contain a good stock droppings, are able to germinate, common plants, animals and weeds number of threatened and uncommon and the grasses become established, found in dry rainforests. It offers land plant species and a large percentage of thrive and eventually cure off leaving a management recommendations the Regional Ecosystems, in which they highly combustible fuel load within the including 10 Restoration Tips. are represented, are listed as Endangered rainforests. In such scenarios, fires can In addition, there are 8 factsheets for dry under Queensland legislation. encroach deep within the dry rainforest rainforest Regional Ecosystems (REs): reducing the health of the ecosystem. Some of the greatest threats to our SEQ RE 12.12.13 RE 12.11.13 dry rainforests currently are introduced If you are lucky enough to have dry RE 12.11.11 RE 12.9-10.16 weeds, wildfires, grazing and a lack of rainforest on your property, please do what RE 12.8.21 RE 12.9-10.15 funding streams for active conservation you can to protect it from wildfires and RE 12.8.13 RE 12.5.13 management. Some of the worst weed introduced grasses. threats include vines such as Madeira Vine, Check your Land for Wildlife property assessment form about the RE on your Cat’s Claw Vine, Climbing Asparagus and Article by Paul Grimshaw property, or ask your Land for Wildlife Glycine. Weedy shrubs and trees include Land for Wildlife member Officer. Lantana, Chinese Celtis, Tree Pear, Ochna, Mt Crosby, Brisbane

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 7 practicalities How Old is That Tree?

ave you ever paused to wonder how Hold the trees on your property are? Soon after purchasing my own property As a society we place significant value on 100 I remember marvelling at some of the trees and guessed that they may have pre- year old buildings, and yet we have trees in our dated European settlement, but it was just landscape that are much, much older than this. that….a guess.

The thought of ‘owning’ something that using growth models based on increments and reduced competition compared to a old didn’t sit comfortably with me, rather in tree diameter growth measured over native forest. I felt a sense of responsibility to be a good time. custodian. But the question of just how old As you would expect, this research found these trees were remained in the back of A recent scientific paper (Ngugi et. al., that some species grow faster when mind. 2015) published in the Journal of Forestry they occur in an area with higher annual Research drew on an impressive historical rainfall (e.g. Grey Ironbark, Eucalyptus In the Australian bush the vast majority dataset to develop growth models that can siderophloia; Small-fruited Grey Gum, of seedlings die before reaching maturity be used to calculate the age of some trees E. propinqua; Queensland Blue Gum, with many only lasting a few years. For (mainly commercial timber species). E. tereticornis; White Mahogany, E. those that do survive their growth rate acmenoides and Brushbox, Lophostemon is influenced by many factors including The data included DBH (diameter at breast confertus. Bucking this trend were individual species attributes, climate, height) measurements collected for 75 Blackbutt (E. pilularis), Flooded Gum (E. water availability, geology, soil, root stress, years (1936-2011) on over 86,000 trees grandis), Narrow-leaved Ironbark (E. crebra) drought, competition, disturbances and (155 species) in more than 640 permanent and Poplar Box (E. populnea), which didn’t other factors such as disease. forest plots in South East Queensland. This reach their maximum growth rates in the allowed the authors to study trends in So how can you determine the age highest rainfall zones. Brown Bloodwood incremental growth rates in tree species (C. trachyphloia) maintained relatively of a tree? Most people will be familiar across sites that receive similar annual with the idea of counting growth rings constant growth rates across all rainfall rainfall. The findings of this study are zones. (dendrochronology). A tree grows a little considered consistent with other studies each year and in doing so it lays down a using tree core samples and carbon dating. They also found that growth rates vary growth ring. A wide ring represents a wet during the life of a tree, but across all year, and some ring variations can even be They found that stem diameter increments rainfall zones most species go through correlated with major events like droughts for species growing naturally in forests their highest rate of growth between 20 or wildfires. However this method is not of subtropical Queensland ranged from and 60 cm DBH. As a tree gets older its considered reliable in the forests of Eastern 0.01 to 0.5 cm per year, with a mean DBH growth rate slows and the authors warn Australia and besides, it’s not much use if growth increment of 0.25 cm/yr. that age estimates for large trees (>80 cm the tree you want to age is still standing. Using this figure it would take a tree 120 DBH) should be used cautiously because Knowing the disturbance history of a years to reach the size (girth) of your they had a limited representation in the site can help to age a tree. By looking at average power pole (300 mm). This is dataset. Additionally, many older trees historical aerial photos that show cleared slow compared to similar native species have bole deformities and/or swelling in areas which are now vegetated, the date of grown in plantations which can have DBH the base of the tree (given the unfortunate the photo will provide an insight into the increments of 1-5 cm/yr. This faster growth name of ‘butt swell’). Such deformities can age of the re-growth. Other tree ageing rate for planted trees is presumably due to increase the margin of error when relying methods include radiocarbon dating and the application of horticultural practices on DBH to calculate age.

8 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 Table: Predicted age (years) of tree species based on diameter at breast height (DBH) measurements and rainfall zones in SEQ. These figures have been calculated using How to Measure DBH growth models in Ngugi et. al., 2015. Measure the circumference of the Diameter at breast height (DBH), centimetres tree trunk 1.4 metres above the ground. Divide the circumference 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 170 180 by π (3.14) to calculate the DBH. Blackbutt (E. pilularis) 49 60 70 82 99 124 166 251 509 1048 1600 mm rainfall expectancy of many veteran trees in our landscape. Reducing the fuel around old Spotted Gum trees where they are at risk of wildfire is (C. citriodora) 67 129 205 380 1724 one way you can help prolong their life. 800 mm rainfall Other things you can do are to prevent Spotted Gum soil compaction around the root zone by (C. citriodora) 58 82 105 138 195 331 1046 excluding stock and vehicles. Plan ahead 1200 mm rainfall to avoid future conflicts by not placing infrastructure close to large trees. Pink Bloodwood (C. intermedia) 73 139 234 532 As a society we place significant historical 1200 mm rainfall value on 100 year old buildings, some are placed on a heritage register and Pink Bloodwood protected, and yet we have trees in our (C. intermedia) 83 103 131 179 281 644 (Predicted landscape that are much, much older than 1600 mm rainfall Age in Years) this. These trees provide a valuable cultural Broad-leaved Ironbark link to the past. Despite this, in most areas (E. fibrosa) 43 84 159 608 of Queensland individual old trees are not 1200 mm rainfall afforded any protection.

Broad-leaved Ironbark As the urban fringes in SEQ continue to (E. fibrosa) 32 74 120 203 461 bulge, many of these old trees are deemed 1600 mm rainfall hazardous and removed. By having a deeper appreciation of the age of the trees Narrow-leaved around us, maybe we can learn to afford Ironbark (E. crebra) 94 211 281 327 360 384 551 them the custodianship they will need to 800 mm rainfall keep standing well into the future. Tallowood References & Further Reading (E. microcorys) 73 79 108 180 588 1600 mm rainfall Brack C & Brookhouse M (2017) Where the old things are: Australia’s most ancient trees. The Conversation, ABC News, 19 April. For these larger trees radiocarbon dating old. Tallowood (E. microcorys) begins Gibbons P & Lindenmayer D (2002) Tree of core samples provides a more accurate developing hollows at approximately 170- Hollows and Wildlife Conservation in Australia. CSIRO Publishing. measure of age. A large Brushbox at 200 years and Scribbly Gum (E. racemosa) has been dated at 200-235 years. Large hollows in these Koch A, Driscoll D, Kirkpatrick J (2008) using this method and was determined to species form after approximately 250 Estimating the accuracy of tree ageing be 1500 years old. While trees of this age and 300 years respectively. To put this methods in mature Eucalyptus obliqua are no longer common in the landscape, into perspective if you plant a Tallowood forest, Tasmania. Australian Forestry, 71 (2). numerous other tree species of similar age today (and assuming it survives) it will not Ngugi MR, Doley D, Cant M & Botkin DB are still standing in SEQ. provide a nesting hollow until about 2267! (2015) Growth rates of Eucalyptus and other Australian native tree species derived So why don’t we see more old trees? Well Some Land for Wildlife members will be from seven decades of growth monitoring. firstly, because most of them have been the current custodians of trees that are Journal of Forestry Research, 26 (4). felled since European settlement, and centuries, if not millennia, old. Knowing the Turner J (1984) Radiocarbon dating of secondly, many young trees die when age of a tree gives us an insight into the wood and charcoal in an Australian forest they germinate in a location where there’s time scales of some ecological processes. ecosystem. Australian Forestry, 47 (2). insufficient light, moisture or nutrients Rarely have very old trees simply lasted Veteran Tree Group Australia, www. to sustain them into maturity. They may by chance, they require a degree of luck, veterantreegroup.blogspot.com.au simply be eaten or succumb to disease, protection and importantly they require Wormington K & Lamb D (1999) Tree hollow fungal attack, drought, fire, floods or wind. good custodians. development in wet and dry sclerophyll Most Land for Wildlife members would Today high intensity wildfires are a threat eucalypt forest in south-east Queensland. know that tree hollows provide crucial to many old trees. Habitat trees often have Australian Forestry 62 (4). habitat for wildlife and that older trees a hollow trunk and once alight these ‘pipes’ are more likely to have hollows. Research act as a chimney and will often burn until Article by Nick Clancy conducted in SEQ by Wormington & Lamb the tree falls. Land for Wildlife Officer (1999) found that Blackbutt generally Sunshine Coast Council doesn’t produce hollows suitable for The regular use of low intensity fire by use by fauna until it is over 165 years Traditional Owners extended the life

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 9 Finger-like flowers on a male plant.

Header images: Mexican Bean Tree (Cecropia peltata) photos taken by City of Green topside and white underside of leaf. A dying tree after herbicide treatment. Gold Coast Pest Management Officers.

Be careful not to confuse Mexican Bean Tree with weed profile the look-a-like weed, Rice- The role of landholders in protecting flora paper Plant (Tetrapanax and fauna from high-risk invasive species papyriferus) shown left. e often think of our Land for Wildlife Mexican Bean Tree prefers wetter habitats, Wmembers as bush regenerators, such as riparian zones and rainforests. It the tree is male or female. working tirelessly to reduce our is tall with hollow multi-stemmed trunks environmental weeds and restore our and very large paw-paw like leaves, the For those of you wondering how on native habitat, but how often do we underneath of which are covered in tiny Earth you’re meant to keep up with every consider them as biosecurity agents? white hairs. emerging weed and what your obligations are under the Biosecurity Act, don’t worry; Yet that’s exactly what some of our Mexican Bean Trees are dioecious (have your Conservation Partnerships Officers members are; particularly when they’re at separate male and female plants) and can can help with that. It’s one of the reasons the forefront of identifying and controlling be distinguished by their flowers. Female we encourage you to seek regular property emerging, legislated pests that would flowers have a distinctive cluster of 2-6 revisits from your local officer. otherwise remain undetected. yellow finger-like spikes, while the males have 15-25 ‘fingers’. The fruit is tiny and Whilst the process for detecting and This has certainly been the case on the each plant is capable of producing millions controlling restricted invasive plants might Gold Coast with the Mexican Bean Tree of seed per plant (argh!), allowing them the seem daunting, please remember, we’re (Cecropia peltata and C. palmata). Pest potential to become highly invasive. all in this game for the same reason – we Management Officers detected the first want to protect our native wildlife. As Mexican Bean Tree on the Gold Coast in Only two of the 20 specimens found on landholders you have the opportunity 2012 and provided advice on its habit and the Gold Coast have been saplings, which to stop weeds before they establish identification to Conservation Partnerships are thought to have spread from nearby (remember, one year’s seed, seven years’ (Land for Wildlife) Officers. Since then, sources by frugivorous (fruit-eating) birds weed!). a further 19 trees have been detected or bats. in the city, all on private property with If you think you have a Mexican Bean Tree The Mexican Bean Tree is considered 40% of these identified by Conservation please report it to Biosecurity Queensland a ‘restricted invasive plant’ under Partnerships Officers. This highlights both and remember, your Conservation Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014. This Act the value of regular visits by Conservation Partnerships Officers are here to support requires everyone to report sightings of Partnerships Officers and the important you, so always feel welcome to contact us. this weed to Biosecurity Queensland (ph. role private landholders, particularly Land 13 25 23) within 24 hours and plants must for Wildlife members, play in protecting our References & Further Reading not be kept, moved or sold. native wildlife from highly invasive species. www.daf.qld.gov.au Each time Conservation Partnerships www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/environment/ So how did the Mexican Bean Tree end up Officers detected Mexican Bean Trees, mexican-bean-tree-13508.html here, what does it look like and what do on-site visits with a Pest Management you do if you find one? The Mexican Bean Suburban and Environmental Weeds of and Biosecurity Queensland Officer Tree is from Central and south-east Queensland app. were conducted to confirm the tree’s and the . It made its debut in identification and, then later, implement Queensland via a private plant collector in control activities. Please don’t kill a tree Article by Lexie Webster Mission Beach. Since then, it’s been found before its identification is confirmed as it Supervising Conservation in gardens in , Sunshine prevents officers from identifying whether Officer Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. City of Gold Coast

10 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 Aerial view over Rathburnie with the in the foreground and Lions Camp Duckadang on the far right. property profile

Remembering When We Drank Water from the Creeks

few years ago I had the opportunity Ato visit one of the largest privately- Rathburnie adopts a system of wet season owned Land for Wildlife properties in SEQ, the Rathburnie Estate Nature Refuge. spelling across six paddocks It is administered by Valmai Burnett in accordance with her late husband’s bequest It wasn’t until the river fell again that the When Graham purchased Rathburnie to the World Wildlife Fund Australia for the devastation was evident. Massive Blue in 1932, he researched local Aboriginal “demonstration, education and research Gums, hundreds of years old, which used campsites, such as the nearby Lions Camp into sustainable environmental/economic to house were stripped from the Duckadang at the junction of Avoca Creek farming practices.” Valmai has lived at river. Phone lines were washed away and and the Brisbane River and ensured that Rathburnie, overlooking the Brisbane River, radio provided the only weather reports. buildings were also built on high ledges, above flood levels, just as Aboriginal for the past 65 years. The management of Rathburnie by Valmai campsites would have been. She is sharp, witty and passionate about and her late husband, Graham, has been sustainable land management that mixes influenced greatly by science, in particular Valmai has read widely about Australia’s conservation with primary production. the CSIRO Ecograze project. This project land management history and shared found that if alternative paddocks are stories from early European settlers who Although a million people would see the spelled (i.e. cattle removed) in the wet described this country as open woodland Brisbane River weekly, I think only a small season for three months to let native with widely-spaced large trees, and where portion would ever visit its headwaters in grasses grow and set seed, the carrying tall grasses reached the horses’ bellies. the “Valley of the Lakes” above Wivenhoe capacity of the land can be increased by European farming methods were originally Dam. It is here where Valmai lives at the up to 80%. As part of its commitment to productive due to the rich soil biota and junction of Cooyar and Avoca Creeks where sustainable land management, and in line humus (carbon) content, which had been the “bright waters meet” at Avocavale, as in with research findings, Rathburnie adopts built up under Aboriginal custodianship the Vale of Avoca in Ireland. a system of wet season spelling across six over millennia. paddocks, each 300 acres in size, and each In the January 2011 floods, Valmai saw the offering access to water. However, these fertile soils were quickly Brisbane River rise to normal flood levels, depleted and now landholders need when at midnight on the 10th of January, a Research has also shown that cattle only to better manage shallow, ancient soils “steering wind” and an abnormal column need 16% of their diet as protein, the rest underlaid with salt and highly variable of rising cold air started dumping huge can be roughage from tall native perennial rainfall. quantities of rain, which lasted about an grasses. Therefore, Rathburnie grows hour. A wall of water came roaring down and harvests lucerne on the river flats to Valmai recounts how Rathburnie was once the gullies and the sound of the river in the provide a protein supplement for cattle, a real Garden of Eden where she would dark was “absolutely frightening”. The river and native grasses are allowed to grow tall drink from the creek while listening to the rose five metres above 1974 flood levels. to provide the roughage ruminants need. tinkling of the Scarlet Honeyeaters. She hopes that one day Australians will enrich this land while being able to derive a sustainable income from it.

Article by Deborah Metters Land for Wildlife Regional Coordinator Healthy Land and Water Photos by Valmai Burnett.

This massive Blue Gum was uprooted during the 2011 floods and now lies in a paddock below the bridge at Brisbane River crossing number 4.

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 11 earth science Fossils of South East Queensland

Fossilised imprint of a broad, strap- like plant leaf, possibly Nilssonia taeniopteroides, a cycad.

Fossilised imprint of a round leaf with lots of fine veins, possibly from a ginko-type plant. All photos taken from fossils found in early Jurassic Ripley Road Sandstone on a Land for Wildlife property, Bellbird Park, Ipswich. Photos by Deborah Metters and Keith McCosh. A fossilised knot of timber, possibly from an ancestor of the Hoop Pine. he rocks we see today both sustain us activity created the that now Tand show us a glimpse into the past. forms the Kangaroo Point cliffs. Old rocks tell a story of life on Earth. South The Gondwana supercontinent East Queensland (SEQ) is relatively young, Triassic fauna included early dinosaurs progressively got smaller as India and about 300 million years old, in comparison (theropods), early crocodiles (thecodonts), left. Eventually South America to the rest of Australia. For example, some early amphibians (temnospondyls), early and Australia left, leaving Antarctica all rocks in the , Western Australia, are mammal-like creatures (dicynodonts), alone and stuck at the South Pole. The a staggering 3.5 billion years old - some of lungfish, and rather familiar-looking Cretaceous ended 66 MYA with a rather the oldest rocks found on Earth – and the insects. Triassic flora included the first large bang - the Chixulub Meteor impact Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. appearance of conifers (Araucariaceae), near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, seed ferns (dicroidium), ginkoes, horsetails which caused the extinction of 65% of all Stories are found in the fossils left in (equisetales) and ferns. life on Earth. The dinosaurs went extinct the rocks. Fossils can only be found and a whole began - the After the Triassic came the Jurassic, the in sedimentary rocks. These rocks are Cenozoic Era or the ‘Age of Mammals’. products of erosion that form layers at the ‘Age of Dinosaurs’. The Clarence Moreton bottom of a lake or ocean, and gradually Basin finally filled up with plenty of plant During the Cenozoic Era, Australia started cement together to form rock. These fossils fossils and petrified wood. There are a its steady march northwards into the form markers in the various rock layers and few animal fossils but sadly no signs of tropics. We got hotter and drier and help tell stories of life on Earth and the dinosaurs, although a sauropod was found developed our own peculiar fauna and movement of . Of course, no one near Injune in Walloon Coal Measures. flora. A few small basins in SEQ (Redbank place has the whole story, so little pieces There were certainly dinosaurs here in SEQ, Plains, Geebung, Beaudesert and Murgon) must be collected from all over the world. but so far, none have been found that died collected a range of ‘modern’ fossil species. SEQ has some from the Triassic, Jurassic and fell into the right sort of mud, to create Limestone areas from other parts of and the Cenozoic. The rest of Queensland fossils. A small basin around Sandgate has Queensland (Riversleigh and Mt Etna) has a lot more from different ages. revealed fossils from the Jurassic period. have revealed a great array of fossil species collected around this time, about 20 MYA, Jurassic fauna included dinosaurs – Fossils can be made up of actual remains and it is definitely worth visiting these sites sauropods, theropods, and ornithipods, (bones, teeth, hard bits, etc), impressions, if you are interested in fossils or geological freshwater plesiosaurs, amphibians, and and traces (such as tracks, burrows and history. A trip to Winton and Richmond is fish. Jurassic flora was dominated by even scats (yes - fossilised poo)). Bones can a must for fossil lovers too with a few big conifers as well as cycads, horsetails, seed be preserved in rocks as original material or dinosaurs being uncovered in these areas. in an altered form, where silica replaces the ferns and ferns (including tree ferns). Back in SEQ, you may wish to find some original material, molecule by molecule, The Jurassic ended about 145 MYA sedimentary rock and start digging - called ‘silicification’. Petrified wood is without much fanfare in Gondwana, carefully. Or perhaps just contemplate actually ‘silicified’ wood. Sometimes this except for the start of a series of inland the vast amount of time (along with the silica can produce beautiful colours when it seas across . This magical evolution of life) that has been forms ‘opal’, under special conditions. was the Cretaceous Period (144-66 MYA), used to create your little patch on Earth. A a monumental time for the evolution In SEQ, the Triassic Period (~252-201 great reference is the Queensland Museum of flowering plants and the shameless million years ago – MYA) was the most book, In Search of Ancient Queensland manipulation of insects for the purpose important. The Triassic created most of the (reviewed on facing page). sandstones that underlie much of SEQ. The of pollination. Plants used insects for Clarence Moreton Basin (Roma-Ipswich- cross-pollination between different Grafton) was a vast swampy valley with individuals to keep the gene pool fit and Article by Keith McCosh thick vegetation and early dinosaurs. Lots healthy and capable of change under Land for Wildlife Officer of coal formed as the basin began to fill up, changing conditions. A small basin around Scenic Rim Regional Council especially around Ipswich. Some volcanic Maryborough collected coal and fossils around this time.

12 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 book & app reviews In Search of Ancient Queensland By Dr Alex Cook and Dr Andrew Rozefelds

his book is a great reference for and provides much of the material for this TQueenslanders. It details the fossil book. Some materials, especially dinosaur record found in Queensland along with fossils, are held in museums in inland the geological events that shaped our Queensland, especially as a result of recent and our State over the last 250 dinosaur finds around Winton, Richmond million years. and Eromanga. These finds have created great excitement in Queensland fossil Rich in photographs, diagrams and maps, circles. the book is a very captivating read for an ecologist. There is nothing else quite like I sometimes find fossils on Land for Wildlife it and must surely be the standard for properties and this adds a great deal of geological interpretation of Queensland. colour to our connectedness to the land. The ancient story is there to see, along with A potentially dry and dusty topic comes the modern story - and they are linked. alive in this book with excellent artistic I am lucky enough to have Triassic plant impressions of plants, animals and fossils on my own property - so I can feel environments long gone. It contains 270 the ancient story of life in the Clarence Published by Queensland Museum, 2014 pages of top-class photography, held Moreton Basin, on the outer edge of Paperback, colour photos, 280 pages together with easily readable text. Every Gondwana, somewhere down near the Price: $39.95 page has a new story, with many sirens Antarctic Circle, well before the rise of the Available from select bookstores and the calling - I had to stop myself from racing dinosaurs. Australian Age of Dinosaurs website. outside and digging in the dirt. I thoroughly enjoyed In Search of Ancient Review by Keith McCosh The Queensland Museum collection of Queensland. Get yourself a copy. Start fossils is obviously quite comprehensive digging.

GroNATIVE App By

recently attended the launch of the free IGroNATIVE app, which is designed to help landholders in South East Queensland choose native species for their garden.

Users can base their species search on their suburb, garden style preference, the structure they’re trying to create (e.g. trees, epiphytes, sedges etc.) and the biodiversity benefits they’d like their garden to provide (e.g. lizard habitat, food for bees, fruit- restoring their habitat). In some instances, bushland) I think it’s a good thing. It is free eating birds etc.). the app recommends species that may not to download so why not check it out and Fact sheets with bright pictures and basic be appropriate to the area. make up your own mind. info are available for each of the 400 As such, I advise users to only refer to the mentioned species and users can create app as a guide for planting in their garden. a species list as they go, to keep track of A joint initiative of the Talk to your Land for Wildlife Officer about the ones they’re keen on. The app also , Natura a species’ appropriateness for planting provides suggestions on nurseries local Pacific and Griffith University. in habitat / bushland areas. If you are to the user’s location, although this by no Version 1.2, released May 2017 concerned about a plant spreading from mean guarantees stock will be available. Size: 118 MB your garden to the bushland, again, chat Price: Free One of the main criticisms of the app is that with an expert first. it doesn’t drill down to vegetation type/ Available to download from If this app helps keeps the likes of Regional Ecosystem level (which is what Google Play or iTunes. Jacarandas, African Tulips and Murraya out Council Officers would ordinarily advise Review by Lexie Webster of people’s gardens (and ultimately our Land for Wildlife members to look at when

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 13 tribute The Passing of a Local Legend

Graeme admiring the decades of restoration of his bit of paradise in Brookfield.

t was sad to hear that late last year, one Some of my favourite memories Iof Brisbane City Council’s original Land for Wildlife members, Graeme Wilson had of Graeme’s property are walking passed away. through the forest and hearing the Graeme was a stalwart in the Brookfield non-stop calls from birds. area, building his house on his 7 hectare block on Savages Road 62 years ago. His professional and life experiences sharing his knowledge of the environment into a refuge for an assortment of fauna, throughout his 99 years could fill a novel, and local and exotic flora. This outstanding particularly birds. Surrounded mostly contribution to the community led to but it was his passion for the environment by cattle grazing and mown paddocks, Graeme being awarded the Brisbane City through the restoration of his property and Graeme’s property was a beacon for local Council Senior Citizen Australia Day Award his thousands of volunteer hours with the wildlife. in 2013. Moggill Creek Catchment Group (MCCG) Some of my favourite memories of that I knew him best for. Graeme’s passion for the restoration and Graeme’s property are walking through the overall protection of his property You could say that Graeme was before the remnant open eucalypt forest, and no resulted in him signing the second ever his time. His knowledge and passion of matter what time of day hearing the non- Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) the environment started some 50 years stop calls from birds flittering around in the in Brisbane in November 1996. Somewhat ago, before most of Australia’s leading canopy of the large eucalypts. fittingly it was Graeme’s 20th anniversary environmentalists had even left school. in the program only a few days before he Hillsides were controlled of Lantana This passion was no doubt bought on by passed away, also coinciding with the 20th and allowed to regenerate and, when his childhood experience on the family anniversary of the MCCG. necessary, replaced with a variety of farm, his study of botany, his love for eucalypt and hardy dry rainforest species. nature and the beauty of the bush. Rather Even before signing the agreement, Natural regeneration was encouraged, than a broad-scale weed control approach, Graeme’s passion resulted in huge and those that escaped the wrath of Graeme was an advocate for working amounts of effort put into the assisted ever-present deer, flourished throughout with nature, relying largely on natural regeneration and supplementary planting these areas, with a huge variety of species regeneration and working with the weeds of large portions of his property, which had establishing. to achieve a natural habitat. been extensively cleared for cropping in the early 19th century. Fortunately a small Down towards Wonga Creek, the soil His knowledge in local flora and corridor of Large-leaved Spotted Gum and moisture was more inclined to the ecosystems made Graeme the go to person (Corymbia henryi) woodland through the planting of rainforest species. A permanent for any local plant identification. This centre of the property escaped cultivation. sink hole was revegetated with figs and made him a great candidate to become Weeds were kept under control in the other rainforest species some 20 years the nursery manager with the MCCG, a remnant area and it is a highlight of the ago. Today, a 20 metre high Moreton position he took up for almost 16 years. property today. Bay Fig can be seen from Savages Road, He was also a long standing editor of the Graeme’s enthusiasm rubbed off on his showcasing the great work that both catchment group’s quarterly newsletter, youngest son, Andrew, and over the Graeme and Andrew have put into the amazingly up until 99 years of age, often last 20 years they turned the property property.

14 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 Graeme’s property 1946 2016

This 1946 imagery of Graeme’s property highlights the extent of After 62 years of rehabilitation, Graeme’s property now clearing before he purchased the property in 1954. Fortunately provides refuge for an abundance of local wildlife. the patch of Corymbia henryi through the centre of the property was kept and no doubt assisted with the natural regeneration that took place over the following decades.

With the better soil, nutrients and moisture small trees. Thanks to CCA funding, the came the weeds. Climbing Asparagus in area is now vastly improved, with the particular started to take over the edges wall of Climbing Asparagus gone. With and move into the forest. However, with the help of some well-timed rain, natural the bad came a positive discovery. As far regeneration is complementing the back as 2010, Graeme and Andrew noted planted shrubs and trees, which are now that the curtains of Climbing Asparagus starting to poke their heads out of the tree were not as thick and green as usual. guards. Plants looked to be thinning out, turning a yellow colour at the end of the vines and This is only a scratch on the surface of in some cases die-back was present. After what Graeme achieved in his lifetime. a bit of research and correspondence with His outstanding contribution to the someone in the food asparagus industry, environment on his VCA property and this thinning sounded much like a fungus/ through the MCCG can’t be understated. rust that is the scourge on the industry. His legacy will live on through the These symptoms where accelerated in hundreds of thousands of trees he passed recent wet years. Although not officially on as nursery manager of the MCCG. As proven, the damage was very noticeable stated in his nomination for a BCC Australia and was definitely having an effect on the Day Award in 2013: vigour of some vines. “Graeme’s contribution would be Unfortunately Climbing Asparagus, one of worth significant recognition and Top image: Graeme sharing his wealth of the most invasive weeds in Queensland, accolades whatever his age. That knowledge with members of the Moggill continued to grow, particularly on the he continues so outstandingly at Creek Catchment Group. edges of the forest. This is when Graeme the age of 95 years is astonishing, and Andrew applied to Brisbane City such that he is a role model for Middle: One of Graeme’s favourite Council for a Community Conservation people of any age. He is a legend.” plants were figs. He encouraged their Assistance (CCA) project, to control the planting throughout the landscape worst patches and plant local native and propagation at the Moggill Creek species in areas that had been dominated Catchment nursery. Here, Graeme admires by asparagus vine. This was no mean Article by Cody Hochen a large Ficus superba in Brookfield. feat as the huge infestation of Climbing Land for Wildlife Officer Lower: This stunning Hoop Pine was one Asparagus had degraded the soils, and Brisbane City Council of Graeme’s first plantings, 65 years ago. smothered and killed native shrubs and

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017 15 Philosophy with Phil Seed Collecting get asked regularly about collecting seeds are winged seeds, fleshy seeds, ones with or full, but before it splits open. I have two Ito grow native plants. I think I regularly hard seed coats and ones that ‘explode’ to large Flindersia australis on my driveway, disappoint people with my answers! throw the seed away from the parent (e.g. and I stopped about ten times to check Handsome Flat-pea, Platylobium formosum). them before the pods finally opened. If There are whole books written about seeds. one pod has just opened, chances are the Murray Ralph has a good one, Growing Some seeds have very long germination others are about to. So grab one, put it in a Australian Native Plants from Seed. Nan and times. Some such as Crow’s Apple (Owenia container and see what it does. Hugh Nicholson, as well as producing their venosa) - are still sitting in potting mix after great books on rainforest plants, have some 20 years! Please remember that nature Next is to not rob the tree! You should never good notes worth reading - look in the back does not care about 10 or 20 years. This is get so excited that you strip the tree of all its of Australian Rainforest Plants Volume 5. nothing to her. fruits. Leave some for nature and the birds. These will give you an insight into the huge Try taking a small amount from a few trees. variety of seeds from our native plants. So, I would suggest a couple of things. You get better diversity this way.

The problem with going ‘seed collecting’ is First, have a good look at one fruit/seed. Another thing to consider is that many that often it turns into a fishing/hunting trip, Peel the flesh off and find the kernel. You plants develop fruit over long periods to and if you don’t come back with a trophy, may need to use your secateurs to cut the maximise the chance of germination. So you have failed. Nature is an evolving, living fruit. If in doubt, bring one or two seeds/ you have to observe. And then ‘graze’ over a thing. I often have to visit a tree or trees 3 or fruits in to show someone that may know long period to gather some seeds, just like 4 times until the fruit is ripe. If it is not ripe, if they are ready. Many seeds are inside the birds do. then picking the fruit deprives the whole capsules of some sort. With casuarinas and ecosystem of the fruits including the birds, eucalypts you have to get the fruit/capsule Please don’t pick unripe fruit, but do marsupials, insects and us! before it opens and disperses its seeds. observe - it’s fun and you learn so much. Again take just a couple and put them in a With so much variety in seeds it is hard to container and observe. Phil Moran generalise about when to harvest. There are Flindersias are a real test. Their beautiful Land for Wildlife member large seeds that germinate easily (e.g. Black Cooran, Sunshine Coast Bean, Castanospermum australe) through seed pods open on the tree and spills their Manager, Noosa and to minute seeds from eucalypts. There seeds to be distributed by the wind. So you have to get the seed pod when it is ripe Districts Landcare

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland is proudly supported by:

Land for Wildlife South East Queensland Opinions expressed by contributors to the Land Printed on EcoStar Silk 100% post-consumer newsletter is published by Healthy Land and for Wildlife South East Queensland newsletter recycled paper, FSC certified, chlorine-free Water through funding from the Australian are not necessarily those of the Land for Wildlife process and made carbon neutral. Printed by Government’s National Landcare Programme. program nor any of the supporting agencies. Greenridge Press, Toowoomba using vegetable based inks.

16 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland July 2017