The MCCG Management Committee is calling for expressions of interest from MCCG Members for funding support (up to $2000 per property) to carry out bushcare work. This would apply to activities such as weed removal and control, mulching of cleared areas, re-planting with native species etc. on private properties within the catchment.

Consideration will only be given to proposals that significantly enhance native plant biodiversity and improve wildlife habitat. Preference will be given to applications for work that is beyond the resources of the property owners themselves. 

The aim will be to collate bids into one or more larger applications to apply for funding from external sources. Proposals should:

• specify the location and area of the work
• outline the tasks to be carried out
• summarise the benefits to be achieved and 
• provide a detailed budget for materials and labour.

Photographs of the relevant areas should also be provided. The number of native plants and shrubs required should be specified, but there will be no cost since suitable plants will be supplied free of charge by our Native Plant Nursery.

All work must be performed and/or overseen by approved contractors. As a guide the cost of contractor support can be estimated at approximately $75/hr for one person/supervisor and a further $60/hr for additional staff. (These approximate costs include overheads etc.)

Expressions of interest should be submitted via email to the MCCG Secretary via email: [email protected].

The closing date for submissions is Friday 20th September 2019.  

Our 2019 Platypus Survey will be held bright and early  on Sunday 8 September.

Local wildlife photographer Ed Frazer knows there are platypus about, so he’s started early with his own survey!

We’re grateful to Ed for sharing his findings. Take a read! It’s almost guaranteed to make you sign up for the official survey day! Here’s Ed’s report:

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As the annual Platypus Survey is just a few weeks away I decided to check out the two long stretches of Gold Creek along the boundary of our property.

A long time ago these sections were part of the Dart dairy farm and the favourite local swimming and picnic spots.

Nearly every year a platypus is sighted in the first pool. This section starts at the end of Adavale St and goes about 150m into our property.

The next section starts at the gravel bar between the two stretches and finishes at the bridge into the Goldmont estate. Both pools vary from 10m to 20m wide and up to 3m deep.

The second pool has not been surveyed for platypus to date so I thought it was worth a closer look.

My observation of the second pool over 10 days revealed three separate platypus! One large one, probably a male, and two smaller ones. One of the smaller ones (pictured below) has a huge black lump on its tail.

The three platypus have been seen travelling from the first to the second pool over the gravel bar of about 10m.

So far I have only been able to photograph them in very low light, so I have set up three infra-red trail cameras. The first night I got an echidna and a water rat.

Hopefully I will soon get a close-up of the platypus travelling over the gravel bar.

Out of 10 days of observation I have seen one or more platypus each day, with the exception of two days.

With two platypus watchers there will definitely be a good chance of spotting one or more during the survey!

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RSVPs for the survey close 31 August. For more info about the survey and how to be a part of it, please click here.

Most of us are aware that the Richmond birdwing butterfly is listed as a vulnerable species in Queensland.

You may also be aware of a groundbreaking project across South East Queensland to plant “corridors” of the birdwing butterfly vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa and P. Laheyana) to support the butterflies during their immature stages as larvae.

But what about the adult butterflies? How can you attract them into your garden or property?

The Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network has produced a guide of naturally occurring native plants which are attractive to Richmond birdwings. The listing was written by Dr. Don Sands. Please click here to open the guide:  Australian Nectar Plants for Adult RBB

To read more about the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly, please click here.

The MCCG wishes to thank the RBCN for allowing us to share their article.

On Sunday 18th August 2019, MCCG hosted a working bee in Tuckett St. Park, Kenmore Hills for 14 students who are enrolled in Environmental Science or Environmental Engineering (SCIP) courses at QUT.

The event was coordinated by Andrew Wills from Brisbane City Council (BCC) and Mark Creyton from QUT.

It was hosted by MCCG Chairman Jim Pope, ably assisted by Bryan Hacker and Keith Schaeller (a member of the Huntington/Tuckett bushcare group).

The aim was to give the students some practical experience of bush-care work, including weed identification and clearing, use of herbicides (cut and paste) for the removal of woody weeds, planting of natives from tube-stock and basic health and safety considerations.

The group was blessed with good weather and the students learned to identify and remove numerous weed vines including glycine, madeira vine and balloon vine, as well as castor oil plants, wild tobacco trees and small Chinese elms.

They also planted and watered-in approximately 80 native plants supplied by the MCCG Nursery. The event finished with an excellent lunch provided by BCC.

Overall, a good time was had by all and the MCCG hopes to host a similar event next year.

We are putting a callout for anyone who has any information about local Tallowwood trees.

These eucalypts have an important place in our local history and we would like to feature a story about them in our next newsletter.

We’d love to hear from you if:

• You have any info about local Tallowwoods and/or info about their local history 
• You know of any notable Tallowwoods that are suitable for photoing
• You have a Tallowwood floor of know of a building which features this timber.

If you can help, please contact Michelle at [email protected] or by phoning 0400 795 767.  

Come join a member of the Queensland Urban Utilities SAS Laboratory team and Creek Catchment Officer, Anna Bourke, to explore the options for storing your water quality data and how to interpret and make sense of what you have collected.

The August Waterway Health and Assessment Training (WHAT) will get you thinking about your water quality monitoring program and drill down to really clarify the purpose of your program.

This is critical info for anyone interested in monitoring creek health and providing and protecting aquatic habitat!

RSVP’s are due via email by 31 August! Check our Creek Monitoring Calendar for all the details.

 

Keep Australia Beautiful Week is held late August each  year to raise awareness about simple things we can all do to reduce our impact on the environment and encourage action.

This year it runs from 19-25 August.

For more info, head to the Keep Australia Beautiful website.

“Last evening we went up and watched the male Powerful Owl bring a bat to the butchery tree and feed the female and then she flew into the nest hollow and fed the young.”

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The Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) is Australia’s largest owl.

These impressive birds are being seen in suburban locations more often these days and many call our catchment home.

Birding enthusiasts Ian Muirhead and Jim Butler are tracking the behaviour of a particular breeding pair of Powerful Owls. Our opening sentence gives an indication of just how special this experience is.

In their latest Bush Bites article, Ian and Jim share some of their tracking methods and invite you to contribute to the Birdlife Australia Citizen Science Powerful Owl Project.

To read more, please click here.

Could you have a WILD MACADAMIA TREE  on your property?

There are potentially thousands of wild macadamia trees hidden away on private properties or in bushland so Healthy Land and Water, in conjunction with Brisbane City Council, is calling for your help to find them! 

If you know of an old macadamia tree that could be more than 100 years old, they would love to hear from you!

While plantation macadamia trees are abundant in Australia, their once-plentiful wild relatives are under threat, with estimates suggesting 80 per cent of all wild macadamia habitat has been lost since European settlement.

So Healthy Land and Water has launched ‘The Wild Macadamia Hunt’ which is calling on Brisbane residents to find and register macadamia trees. Leaves will be genetically analysed to help determine the best way to conserve the species for the future.

This is a citizen project you can be part of from your home!

For more information visit the Healthy Land and Water website.