September 2003 Friends of Warrandyte State Park N e w s l e t t e r Friends of Warrandyte State Park (FOWSP) Inc. P O Box 220 Warrandyte 3113 Introduced Moss Invades Warrandyte By Pat Coupar spread? Bruce has never actually seen the moss n introduced moss is invading the fruiting so he surmises that it is spread Warrandyte bushland. It is an attractive vegetatively possibly by birds. looking moss called Pseudoscleropodium While we are used to treating a variety of purumA or, if you prefer it, Neat Feather-moss troublesome introduced weeds, we have had no which originated in the Northern Hemisphere. experience of dealing with an introduced moss. Local fungi and bryophyte expert, Bruce Bruce has suggested trialling herbicides on the Fuhrer has been aware of its presence here for invader. And that is exactly what the sometime and last month took a group of Manningham City Fowspians out to see the pest moss. The main Council bushland purpose of the afternoon was to inform and managers are doing. educate our group about Pseudoscleropodium purum. They have been conducting trials We met at the Pound Bend Picnic Reserve using a quarter where Bruce gave a brief introduction before we strength Glyphosate headed off along the river track back towards the (RoundUp) on a patch depot. of the introduced It didn’t take very long before we came upon the first patch of the introduced moss growing in moss in the 100 Acres dense shade not far from the track. It was pale Reserve at Park yellowish-green with, as the common name Orchards. suggests, a feathery appearance. It was not unlike It is hoped that as some of the native species to look at, and if you other land managers didn’t know any different you would think that it become aware of the belonged here. problem they will be But Pseudoscleropodium purum is a robust equally as proactive. aggressive moss outcompeting more delicate At the very least a native bryophytes, smothering native ground survey should be covers and inhibiting the germination of carried out to map the occurrence and extent of the potentially serious seedlings, particularly the small annual species invader as well as regular monitoring to like the buttercups (Ranunculus spp.) and determine it’s spread. pennyworts (Hydrocotyle spp.). We tracked the infestation further into the The introduced moss has also been found in bush. According to Bruce, the moss has been the Otways, around Portland and at Cement Creek in the Yarra Ranges National Park. moving at a rapid rate. One patch, he noted, had doubled in size in only two years. How does it Planting at Brushy Creek Wonga Park W hen the W attles are in Bloom By Flora Anderson unday 17th August saw 30 people, all ages, produced an Aboriginal flag which, draped on a gathered for an “Early Spring” Planting tree and backlit in the filtered sunshine, looked which would honour the memory of beautifully impressive. S Glen introduced the guests of honour from the William Barak on the centenary of his death on August 15th 1903 at Coranderrk. Wurundjeri and Barry welcomed us to his It was a lovely, mild day. Everybody quickly ancestor’s country. We were deeply conscious found a job to do as Park staff Andy, Glen, Pat that Barak, the last chief of his tribe, would have and Barry already had all the necessary bits and witnessed decimation of his people through white pieces in place. There were, I think, about 300 man’s diseases, dislocation and loss of their land. plants in boxes, tree guards, diggers, stakes, Mick Woiwod, author and historian felt from mallets, drinking water, orange juice and even a an early age the need to learn the Aboriginal portable loo. The BBQ was standing at attention Story and, in his pleasant style of story telling waiting for lunchtime. gave his reasons for thinking this place at the Unlike poor, neglected, abused Wittons confluence of the Yarra and Brushy Creek was so Reserve, all this area on the riparian zone of important. He believes Barak was born in the Brushy Creek needed was some re-vegetation vicinity. Where two streams meet, Mick told us with middle storey and some sedges. We were the spirits of unborn children hover over the pleased to see good areas of Weeping Grass intact water. and no serious weed invasion. And sitting there with that quiet audience in FOWSP was represented as was Wonga Park that beautiful place, I have to admit to mixed Environment Group. Greening Australia members emotions. Predominantly though, having were there too. Tammy, Norm Hunter’s daughter witnessed all those young Australians lovingly drove right across Melbourne with her little replacing a little of what had been there in daughter Georgia to represent Barak’s family. Barak’s day, a feeling of happiness and hope. Just before lunch Glen gathered everyone together and Mick and Margaret Woiwod No Grants FOWSP has been unsuccessful in its grant applications to the Parks Victoria 2003/2004 Community Grants Program. Two projects we submitted, one was a joint application with RMIT University for developing a ‘Fieldwork Base Camp Research and Visitor Facility’ at the old dairy site at Stane Brae. It was an inspirational project which had great potential for providing facilities for education and research to a wide variety of environmental groups. The other application was for funding the publication of a series of three colour brochures on fungi, mosses and lichens. This was a particular disappointment as the brochures were to complement our very successful wattle, eucalypt and wildflower brochures for which we obtained funding last year from Parks Victoria. However, after discussion, the FOWSP committee has decided to fund the publishing of the brochures ourselves. Local fungi and bryophyte expert Bruce Fuhrer has already put in a considerable time documenting and photographing the fungi, mosses and lichens of Warrandyte and we feel this valuable work must be supported. Apparently Parks Victoria were inundated with applications for grants this year and unfortunately we missed out on both counts. garden. A couple of years ago I planted one or Bush Backyard two of the rare lilies grown from seed at the nursery. While a few seedlings appeared last year, Contributions this month from Sandy Jones and this season has seen a massive germination. I have Pat Coupar. been madly potting up Drawings by Melanie Coupar the smaller ones and direct transplanting Morning Visits the larger ones. Soon my garden will be full By Sandy Jones of Leek Lilies. very morning at about 8.30 to 9.00am I But the Leek Lily head out of the back door (whether the hot is a short-lived plant sun is beating down or it looks like snow) so I don’t know how toE feed my pet rabbit ‘Sweetie’. Once fed, I settle long my Bulbine down on my cushioned seat patting Sweetie and bonanza will last. watch the adventures of our neighbourhood bird Hopefully though, life. next year the young There’s our Bulbines will do what Magpie family, their parents did this Mum, Dad and kids year and produce profuse offspring!! - eyes darting across the lawn for Baby Snatching that next worm or By Pat Coupar (pers. comm next door fat slug. Not far neighbour) behind are the Noisy Miners e have a resident Brush-tail Possum - looking for the it’s the one that chews my newly- small bugs attached Wplanted daisies and Pelargoniums and to the gum trees. also, sometimes, some of my epiphytic orchids. It And who couldn’t comes down from the trees just after dark landing miss the flock of lorrikeets fighting for position with a thump onto our balcony. on the bird feeder to see who can eat the seed Our neighbour, Mark, is also visited regularly first - that’s if the pair of Galahs don’t get in first! by the possum. The other day he told me a Then there is also the morning Cockatoos who remarkable story of an event that took place want to get their breakfast first. recently. The possum, a female, had appeared one Let’s not forget our community family of evening as usual, but this time a baby was Bronzewings. They are there to pick up the left clinging to her back. Suddenly in front of Mark’s over seed, keeping them company are our local eyes, out of nowhere, a large owl (almost pair of Eastern Rosellas. certainly a Powerful Owl) swooped down and It’s a pleasure to watch them each morning. grabbed the baby possum off it’s mother’s back Having been born and bred in Warrandyte I never and flew away with it. take their visits for granted. The poor bereft ‘brushie’ made a few circuits of the garden looking for her lost baby before disappearing back into the trees. Bulbine Bonanza More Snippets Please By Pat Coupar The feedback on this segment has been very he Leek Lily (Bulbine aff. semibarbata) is positive, but it does rely on you, the members, to a rare plant in Warrandyte and of regional keep contributions coming. significance. Unlike it’s more common Don’t forget snippets can be about anything of relativeT Bulbine Lily {Bulbine bulbosa) which interest in the environment and do not necessarily occurs in most areas of the Park, the Leek Lily is have to be about Warrandyte. only found on a few sheltered rockfaces of the Contributions can either be dropped into the Jumping Creek. editor at 143 Brackenbury St, Warrandyte or via However, it is popping up everywhere in my email at [email protected] I also enjoy the company of at least four Letters to the Editor Brush-tail Possums.