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MCCG stall catches everyone’s attention

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Our recent stall at the Kenmore Village drew much attention from shoppers.

The whole display was aimed at people who care about our local environment, including nurturing their own bit of land.

We highlighted some of the benefits of joining the MCCG, including:

  • free locally native plants for own reveg,
  • wonderful quarterly environmentally themed Newsletter,
  • knowledge of events such as Kids Day at the Cottage
  • enjoying participation in working bees on a bushcare site or at our entirely volunteer MCCG Nursery.

A resounding thank you to our PR Officer Dale Borgelt, the many volunteers who helped and to everyone who stopped for a chat! Also to Kenmore Village for their hospitallity.

Here’s some photos taken over the 2 days:

 

CWCN Workshop: Small native mammals

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The Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network (CWCN) is holding a workshop on Saturday 18 May featuring “Small Native Mammals“.

Small mammals, generally described as ‘small, brown and furry’, are often quite difficult to tell apart.

This presentation explores the world of small mammal species found locally. You’ll get to meet a potoroo, a dunnart and various other poorly known and seldom seen marsupials and learn the techniques for identifying animals which are often only seen at night in torch light.

Martin Fingland/Geckoes Wildlife will again enthral his audience with live animals and the sharing of his love for and knowledge of our wonderful native fauna. Find out more in the attached flyer.

The workshop will run from 9am until 12.30 on Saturday 18 May at the CWCN Centre, 47 Hepworth St, Chapel Hill (UBD 178 A11).

This is the eighth workshop in a current series of ten. Registrations are essential. Our workshops tend to be very popular, and we don’t want you to miss out.

CWCN workshops are free. Preference will be given to members of catchment and bushcare groups, Land for Wildlife participants and our local educators. A cuppa is available on arrival and a morning tea will be served.

If you have questions or would like to receive more information, kindly ring Jutta on 0407 583 441 or email [email protected].

A registration form can be found in the flyer. Kindly email your form to [email protected] or post to 47 Hepworth Street, Chapel Hill 4069.

Download the flyer and registration form here: {module_literature,i,198766}

Bringing back the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly – Cody Hochen

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Cody Hochen is a Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Officer with Brisbane City Council.

Earlier in the year we approached Cody for information about the Richmond birdwing butterfly. In spite of his hectic schedule Cody took time out to write the following article for our newsletter.

Paul Wright also allowed us to publish his stunning photo of a male Richmond birdwing.

We extend our thanks to both Cody and Paul for their generosity.

… and we present the following article for your enjoyment!

Bringing back the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly to Brisbane

Author:  Cody Hochen

The plight and recovery of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is well known amongst Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program (WCPP) and Moggill Creek Catchment Group (MCCG) members.

From being a common sight in the streets of Brisbane to becoming locally extinct in just over 100 years, the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly has become a flagship species for recovery in south-east Queensland.

Most MCCG members would know someone who has been involved in some capacity, most notably, Dr Don Sands and Dale Borgelt who have been there from the beginning.

Dr Sands has taught me a lot and has been the driving force behind the recovery and mass planting of Pararistolochia praevenosa (Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Vine) throughout its range. These plantings have led to a marked recovery of existing populations on the southern Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast and its hinterland ranges. Despite similar plantings in Brisbane, Richmond Birdwing Butterflies are yet to recover.

To build on the 30 odd years of work from many enthusiasts, WCPP started a project called ‘Bringing back the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly to Brisbane’ in March of 2017. With over 50% of bushland in Brisbane on private properties, we are in the ideal position to work with some of our 700 WCPP properties throughout Brisbane to help achieve our goal.

With the help of WCPP members, Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network (RBCN), MCCG, Habitat Brisbane Groups and Dr Sands our first goal was to find what vines had been planted and ground truth them.

Over 6 months we located 1100 Pararistolochia praevenosa on private and public land, mostly in the western suburbs of Brisbane. It was interesting to find them spread in a corridor throughout the entire western suburbs all the way from Chelmer to the Gold Creek Reservoir.

Finding these vines allowed us to create a database and in-turn create a mapping platform in Atlas of Living Australia of existing vines. This map also allowed us to identify gaps in the corridor and find suitable properties with the right habitat type in the area to help fill the gap.

Our aim is to have a core site every 2 – 3 kilometres within this corridor.


©  Paul Wright

In the past small populations in Brisbane have relied on one or two isolated sites to survive. This has resulted in “in-breeding depressions” which have led to local extinction. Having vines spread throughout a corridor would allow female butterflies to travel throughout Brisbane without having to rely solely on laying their eggs on one isolated food source to survive.

So far, adding to the vines found, we have planted a further 330 vines on WCPP properties. These have been either to bulk up smaller patches of existing vines or create a new ‘core site’ in a gap in the corridor. Being a specialised vine that likes constant moisture and small doses of sun, it has been a difficult task finding appropriate sites.

After plenty of research and working with property owners to plant the vine we have bought the number of vines to 1430 spread across 52 WCPP properties, 7 Habitat Brisbane sites and 1 Brisbane City Council Reserve in Brisbane.

Our hope is to join up with current and future plantings in other councils both north and south of Brisbane. Discussions are under way to create a similar corridor from Samford, north to existing populations of the butterfly west of Caboolture and also throughout the Logan Council, south to an isolated population in Ormeau.

Like Brisbane, these plantings are to boost numbers as well as add to natural occurring populations and help existing populations of the butterfly move from isolated areas and spread throughout South-east Queensland.

As well as fragmentation and inbreeding, another threat to Richmond Birdwing Butterflies is the introduced exotic vine Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia elegans).

This close relative to Pararistolochia praevenosa, Dutchman’s pipe is deadly to Richmond Birdwing Butterflies, tricking females to lay eggs on them and killing the young larvae. Unfortunately, Dutchman’s pipe is prevalent throughout the western suburbs of Brisbane and grows in similar rainforest/riparian habitat to the Birdwing Vine.

Collecting information on the sites on which Dutchman’s pipe occurs and working with WCPP members to control this invasive vine has been a part of the project.

After a long dry spell, we are waiting for more rain to plant another 100 vines in the western suburbs and to the north and south of Brisbane to help fill in the gaps.

We hope to continue to plant 100 vines a year as well as work with WCPP members to maintain their existing vines and tackle the ghastly Dutchman’s pipe. Maintenance involves fertilising, initial watering and continual watering during dry spells.

We are privileged to be in a position to help build on the 30 years of the recovery of the Richmond Birdwing butterfly in Brisbane. It is positive to be working to a plan and we feel confident that this stunning butterfly will once again call Brisbane home in the near future.


For more information about butterflies in our catchment, please click here.

Return to Bush Bites

Native Plants Market – Saturday 11 May

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There will be a Native Plants Market this Saturday 11 May at Grovely TAFE, via Woking Street Grovely. The market will run from 9am till 3pm and is hosted by Native Plants Queensland.

  • Entry is free and native plants in extensive varieties, popular and unusual, will be available at very low prices. 
  • Expert advice will be available from the growers and members on all aspects of plant selection.
  • Many plants are suitable for suburban gardens and small areas, and some are not available at commercial nurseries. 
  • Sizes from tubes to large pots give a great range of reasonable pricing.
  • There will be free brochures on a range of plant species such as Grevilleas, Wattles, bird and butterfly attracting plants and natives for small gardens or containers.
  • There will be books and information available  as well as light refreshments.

So come and select wonderful Australian native plants for all situations, especially waterwise ones or pond, butterfly food and bush tucker plants!

 Mistletoebird attracted to bottlebrush –© Ed Frazer 


Anzac Tree Daisy – time to spray or slash!

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These days we often describe things as  “EVENTS.”  

Rain events, storm events, flood events – it’s the language of our times.

Well, here’s yet another calamitous event to be aware of: The ANZAC TREE DAISY EVENT ….

Each year around Anzac Day, this exotic and invasive weed explodes into a mass of flowers.  

It’s about to flower RIGHT NOW.

Anzac Tree Daisy (Montanoa hibiscifolia) is a native of Central America. Introduced as a garden plant, today it presents a clear risk to a substantial proportion of our remnant forests. 

It has been identified in at least 20 properties locally and seems to be spreading rapidly.

YOU can help to stop its spread!


To find out how you can help:

Say hello!

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The MCCG is holding an information stand at the Kenmore Village on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 April.

Come and say hello!

If you have questions about environmental issues, plants or wildlife or if you’d like to help protect and nurture our many local areas of natural habitat, here is your opportunity!

The Moggill Creek Catchment is a unique natural asset which is much valued by the local community. It is home to a myriad of native plants, offering essential habitat for an astonishing variety of wildlife and it a restorative and beautifully scenic backdrop to our daily lives.

Our volunteers contribute not only with bushcare restorations, but they operate our nursery, co-ordinate information sessions and social events, manage the Cottage, maintain our social media and website presence and continue to maintain a financially viable, well administered group which is supported by over 500 members.

We have an enormous suite of activities to suit a range of interests.

We’d love you to stop by our stall and have a chat! 

We’ll have sign-up sheets available ($20 for annual membership)

Note: Any members available to help out on the stall for a couple of hours are encouraged to contact Dale Borgelt on [email protected]    

It’s Showtime!!!!

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YES! That wonderful weekend of the year has rolled around again!

IT’S BROOKFIELD SHOW TIME!!!! 

The show runs from Friday 17th till Sunday 19th May at the Brookfield Showground.

PLEASE COME AND VISIT OUR STAND AND ENJOY THE CARNIVAL ATMOSPHERE! 

We’ll have displays about our volunteer bushcare groups and our upcoming Kids Day which will be held this year on Sunday 9 June.

If you can volunteer at the show, please contact Dale    [email protected] 


Click here to see more details about this year’s Brookfield Show. 

If you’re mechanically minded, WE NEED YOU!

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We are seeking a special volunteer!  

We need a Quartermaster/Equipment Supervisor.

The person we’re looking for will have some mechanical skills and knowledge of light machinery such as ride-on mower, brushcutters, posthole diggers/augers, petrol water pumps, trailers etc.

We’re also hoping our Quartermaster will provide much needed advice and assist us with ongoing mechanical maintenance and repairs.

COULD THIS BE YOU?  …. OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW?

If so, please contact our Chairman, Jim Pope by phoning 3374 4181, or you can email Jim at: [email protected]

Hours are negotiable.

Spring in Autumn

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The recent rains have created an unusual situation around the catchment which may be escaping our attention.

It seems many of our local natives have “sprung” into growth, typical of Spring, with new red growth on Eucalypts. Quite a few are flowering, bringing in bees and bee-eaters.

The most unusual flowering is occurring with mangoes, which are currently in heavy flower 5 months earlier than usual!  Mangoes normally flower in August so it is unlikely the fruit will develop as winter approaches.

When winter arrives and if it is a cold one, all of this early new growth may be damaged by the cooler temperatures.

Mangoes in flower in April – ©  Ed Frazer 

These seasonal abnormalities are not isolated to flora. There have been a few birds showing early nesting behaviour as well, although it seems unlikely they will carry it through before the onset of winter.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted that warmer than average days and nights are likely for May to July nationally. It predicts that the chances of being warmer than median are very high (greater than 80%) for large parts of northern and eastern Australia for both days and nights. 

There are reports of environmental changes occurring earlier than usual elsewhere in the world due to changing climate patterns. Here are some other recent examples:

Keep an eye out for abnormalities around you. It may well be that our catchment is not immune to similar changes. 

Image sourced from the BOM website

Habitat Brisbane Orientation Day

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Members, keep Sunday the 26th of May free! It’s the date of Habitat Brisbane’s Orientation Day. This year it is being held at the Brighton Wetlands Bushcare site. 

Registrations open at 8am and the event will run until 2.30pm.  There will be tea and coffee on arrival and morning tea and lunch are also provided.


This event is for new and existing volunteers.  A formal invitation will be sent out in the coming weeks with more details about the day and the RSVP details.  You must RSVP if you wish to come along as this event is catered.
There are some new presenters coming along this year including:

  • Tali and Jono from Bush Tekniq who will be doing a workshop on chemical free bushcare.
  • Spencer Shaw presenting on holistic weed management of bushcare sites.
  • Stacey and Alan from Hollow Log Homes who will run a workshop on nest boxes for wildlife.

There will also be lots of other interesting presentations that will get you up date with all that is happening in Habitat Brisbane so please put this date in your calendar and come along!

Please have a chat to our chairman Jim Pope if you’d like to attend on 3374 4181.