STEP Matters

Number 116, November 2002

In this Issue Christmas Barbecue Young Scientist Diary Dates ...... 1 We will celebrate the end of a Helen Wortham Christmas Barbecue ...... 1 successful year with a barbecue To encourage and reward Successful Grant Application ... 1 on the grass behind Leuna research and education on Young Scientist ...... 1 Avenue, Wahroonga. Access is environmental issues, STEP has Birds in Backyards ...... 2 from the end of The Broadway. aligned with Intel Young Credit Card Payments...... 2 Scientist and each year we President’s Report 2001–02 .... 2 Neroli and Harry Lock will donate a prize of $200 for the Wanted — Committee provide a gas barbecue and hot best environmental project. Members! ...... 3 water from 4.30 pm on Sunday Wild Rivers Walk ...... 4 15 December. Bring your own On Friday 18 October, Michelle Australian Bush Heritage Fund 4 food and drinks. Leishman presented Gregory To those members who cannot Howe from Fort Street High be there, the committee would School with STEP’s prize for like to thank you for your Best Environmental Project at a STEP Committee continuing membership and ceremony at the Powerhouse Museum. Gregory conducted a President wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. survey entitled Feral Fish: Is the Michelle Leishman Plague Minnow in the Myall Treasurer River System? Thérèse Carew Successful Grant The competition is organised by Secretary Application the Science Teachers' Neryle Sheldon Helen Wortham Association of Newsletter Editor Incorporated and is open to Bruno Krockenberger STEP recently applied to students from kindergarten to Ku-ring-gai Council for funding year 12. Publicity under their 2002 Financial Jenny Schwarz Assistance Program. This is the Web, Membership, Publications first time that we’ve applied for a Helen Wortham grant under this scheme and we Committee Members were delighted to be successful. Neroli Lock Helen Wortham was presented John Martyn with a cheque for $1000 from the Tony Morrison Mayor, Councillor Ian Cross at Project Officer the Council meeting on Tuesday Kate Read 5 November.

We would like to thank Ku-ring-gai Council for their financial support. The money will go towards maintaining our web Diary Dates site and producing the enclosed 15 Dec Christmas barbecue flyer to raise awareness of the issues involved in building a link road between the F3 and the M2. Gregory Howe

STEP Inc Community-based Environmental Conservation since 1978 PO Box 697, Turramurra, NSW 2074 [email protected] www.step.org.au ABN 55 851 3472 043 Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 116, page 2

Birds in Backyards aggressive birds may not prey President’s Report 2001–02 Jenny Schwarz on them, but they chase and Michelle Leishman harass any small bird that On Monday 7 October, more ventures into their territory and It is with pleasure that I present than 60 people came to STEP’s never give them the chance to the President’s Report for the annual general meeting and to stay and nest. Suggestions as to year to October 2002. It has hear Dr Richard Major talk about how to Miner-proof your garden again been a busy and birds in our backyards. Dr Major have not yet been decided successful year for the is chair of the steering although lower, spiky, thicker committee and members. committee for Birds ’s plantings may help. Project Officer Birds in Backyards project. He presented some of the findings During a lively question session, A major event for STEP has of community bird surveys the dislike of currawongs by been the employment of a carried out in 2000 and 2001. many people became apparent. project officer through the Nature However Dr Major stood up for Conservation Council. Species diversity, with more them, saying they were small birds, was found to be intelligent birds who could hardly Since February, Kate Read has greatest in the outer districts of be blamed for seizing the been employed to work on . For example, only 5% opportunity to have an easier STEP’s campaign on the of northern Sydney gardens had life. Ultimately it is humans that proposed F3–M2 link road. She Willie Wagtails compared to 47% are responsible for the loss of has been very active in of gardens in Western Sydney. small native birds. researching and producing STEP’s Position Paper (which Gardens with more trees and was distributed in July), with mostly native plants had a developing a web page, greater diversity of bird species Credit Card Payments attending meetings, lobbying, with more small birds than Bruno Krockenberger writing press releases and sparsely planted gardens. designing and printing a Surprisingly, the density of the Although credit card payments brochure that will be distributed mid-storey shrub layer did not are a convenient method of next month. seem to make a difference. Dr paying for membership and publications they demand Major was at a loss to explain STEP could not have been this and thought it may have constant and continuous nearly as effective on this issue been due to inaccurate attention in order to satisfy the without Kate, although we still bank’s requirements. This has descriptions of vegetation cover have a long way to go, with road turned the treasurer’s job into a by inexperienced participants in options due to be released in the the study. It may also have been five-day a week task. next month or so before the final that the birds were there but Hugh Roberts, our outgoing consultant’s report by the end of were well hidden. treasurer, selflessly devoted the the year. Earlier work by Dr Major necessary time to this task, and Kate has also been lobbying on we appreciate his dedication. suggested that Pied Currawongs behalf of STEP for the rezoning However, having reviewed the were responsible for much of the of the B2/B3 corridor – the decline in small bird numbers. situation, the committee development of a rezoning concluded that it is application of the abandoned In a study in which plasticine unsustainable and so we have freeway corridor by Planning eggs were placed in artificial decided to abandon the credit NSW has been moving slower nests, the majority of eggs that card payment facility, effective than snail’s pace for the past were disturbed had beak marks from 31 December 2002. three years. STEP regards the matching that of currawongs. rezoning as a matter of urgency. Until the 1950s currawongs were After this date only cash or migratory, only spending the cheques will be accepted. We Stormwater Mitigation Project winter in Sydney. Each spring apologise for any inconvenience they would return to the Blue this may cause. STEP’s major stormwater mitigation project at Fox Valley, Mountains and further west to This decision will be reviewed funded by EPA’s Stormwater breed. But now they are when we publish the Middle permanent residents here, Trust, has been largely Harbour map. To contemplate a completed. A very successful enjoying the berries and pet food reintroduction of credit card that Sydney gardens so Open Day was held on 26 May payment facilities the committee and only some minor water generously provide. would need to be satisfied that a quality testing remains to be suitable person was available Surprisingly, the Community done, along with continuing bush Survey shows that the native and committed to bring the regeneration by the Fox Valley Noisy Miner is most negatively necessary attention to the task. Bushcare group. This has been associated with the absence of a very successful partnership small birds. These noisy and with Lane Cove National Park. Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 116, page 3

Publications • Dr Richard Major (Australian Representation Museum) on birds in our We have reprinted John STEP has been represented on backyards. Martyn’s Field Guide to the Ku-ring-gai Council’s Bushland Bushland of the Upper Lane We also ran three bushwalks Conservation Advisory Committee Cove Valley and continue to sell (STEP Track in April, Cowan (now called the Natural Areas steady numbers of both the Field track in August and Wild Rivers Advisory Committee). We have Guide and map of the Walking walk in September) which were also remained as a member of the Tracks of the Lane Cove Valley. very popular. Union of Lane Cove Valley Conservationists, although we Work is continuing apace by a Finally, we had displays at the have not been able to attend every small band of volunteers under Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Festival, meeting. the guidance of John Martyn to Turramurra Food and Wine Fair map the walking tracks of Middle and Turramurra Library. Finances Harbour. This is an ambitious STEP’s financial position is project which will result in the Newsletters detailed in the Treasurer’s production of two maps, We published five newsletters Report. stretching from Garigal National (numbers 111 to 115) as well as a Park in the north to the bushland monthly contribution in the Sales of the map and Field reserves on the northern side of Ku-ring-gai Observer, thanks to Guide have declined but still Sydney Harbour. At the moment Bruno Krockenberger who contribute substantially to we expect the maps to be ready continues to do a fantastic job as STEP’s finances. Costs of for sale by Christmas 2003. our newsletter editor and KO providing services to members (such as the newsletter and web Submission writer. page) as well as insurance costs We made a submission to the Committee have risen so that membership NSW Joint Select Committee on The committee met monthly to fees no longer cover these Bushfires. deal with the business at hand. costs. Consequently we will be putting forward a resolution to Environmental Education We are very sorry that Hugh the members at this annual STEP has also continued to Roberts has decided to stand general meeting for a fee rise. support environmental education down as treasurer and We believe that membership through the Pam Morse Bequest membership secretary. Hugh fees still remain modest and Fund. This year we awarded has done a marvellous job for six offer good value for money. grants to Turramurra North and years. We have been very The Coming Year Pymble Public Schools to confident that our accounts and support their environmental records have been exceptionally The major issues for STEP in initiatives – planting native trees well looked after during this time. the coming year are likely to be and establishing a worm farm. However we are pleased to the F3–M2 link road proposal and the rezoning of the B2/B3 We are also again supporting welcome Thérèse Carew to the corridor. These have important the Intel Young Scientist committee – she has very kindly implications for traffic and quality Awards, organised by the offered to take over the of life for Ku-ring-gai residents. Science Teachers’ Association treasurer’s position. of New South Wales, through I would like to thank all We will continue to be active in the provision of prize money for committee members of 2001–02 bushland management issues the best environmental project. for their hard work and and environmental education and will strive to be effective Activities enthusiasm, particularly Jenny Schwarz for publicity, Neryle advocates for Ku-ring-gai’s This year’s activities program Sheldon for secretarial work and environment. has been very successful. As Helen Wortham for web page usual, STEP ran a Clean-Up maintenance. Thanks also to Australia site in March. John Burke and Bruno Wanted — Committee Krockenberger who have been We have hosted well-attended Members! very active on our transport sub- talks by: Would you like to help protect committee. • Dr Damian Gore (Department your local environment at a of Physical Geography, We are always looking for new grass roots level? We’re Macquarie University) on the committee members so please currently looking for some new health and sustainability of the think whether you have some committee members. ; spare time that you would like to If you’re interested in joining the • Nicola Mason (NSW National offer to help STEP. committee please write, e-mail Parks and Wildlife Service) on or contact Michelle Leishman on the fox control program in 9489 8972. Sydney’s urban bushland; and Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 116, page 4

Wild Rivers Walk climb out up the Track, WA residents among you may John Martyn a well-constructed trail with be familiar with White Wells, sweeping views across the valley near Mount Gibson, in the south Sunday 29 Sept 2002 bushland. A prearranged car pool Murchison, on the Great The weather forecast was not allowed us to return to Acron Northern Highway past Wubin. good. ‘Showers with a possibility Oval reasonably quickly. The White Wells is just beyond the of thunder and small hail’. Cloud 6 km walk took exactly 4 hours edge of the WA wheat belt with was increasing as about 30 of us including stops and car ferrying. its massive salinity problems. It set out from Acron Oval, St Ives contains most of the typical For more photos see and descended the long hill to vegetation types of its zone, http://www.step.org.au/MAP.htm. The Cascades. Here we first such as gimlet and salmon gum encountered the 'wild river', woodlands, granite breakaways, actually Creek. sand plains, and being WA, Australian Bush Heritage features spectacular seasonal Middle Harbour Creek is one of Fund the more pristine of the larger wildflowers. It is a haven for John Martyn streams draining our North Shore threatened species such as the area. However nobody swims The Australian Bush Heritage ground-nesting mallee fowl. It any more at The Cascades, a Fund was started by Dr Bob has a station homestead and once-popular swimming hole, Brown and friends to purchase other accommodation. due to pollution. It is still a two blocks of land of high White Wells is to be named beautiful spot but increasing conservation value threatened Charles Darwin Reserve through residential and light industrial by woodchipping in the Liffey the involvement of Chris Darwin, development on the Belrose side Valley in northern Tasmania. Charles Darwin's great-great of the catchment has Australian Bush Heritage Fund grandson, who plans to match contaminated the water, and now owns and manages 13 every donation one for one. It swimming is not recommended. properties Australia wide. It is will take $20 a hectare to buy The walk followed the narrow, funded by tax-deductible and manage White Wells. $2000 uneven Middle Harbour Track for donations which are used to will safeguard 100 hectares. 3 km down the left bank of the both purchase then manage the Make a donation of $300 or creek, in it's deep, narrow valley, lands. Recently it bought more and your name will be past rapids, deep, shady pools, Carnarvon Station, a large placed on a commemorative cliffs and through coachwood pastoral lease in Queensland, plaque. There will be a volunteer groves to the brand new stepping and it actively manages this land ranger scheme through which stones crossing at Bungaroo. with the aim of restoring it to its you can help in conservation The rain, hail and thunder stayed natural state by removing feral management of the property. out over the ocean and we animals (pigs, cattle, horses) For further information on the picnicked at the crossing, in and encouraging indigenous Australian Bush Heritage Fund, patchy sunshine, at high tide, fauna and flora. or to make a donation, their watching fish lazily breasting the Australian Bush Heritage Fund is website is www.bushheritage.org tidal currents in the clear water. planning to purchase another or phone freecall 1800 677 101. South-westerly winds kept the large pastoral lease (‘bigger than temperature down for the long Singapore’), this time in WA.

Stepping stones constructed in September 2002 Pools and rapids on Middle Harbour Creek, near the Bungaroo historic site, The Cascades, St Ives Middle Harbour Creek