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Forecast temp: 32 degrees

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It has been 32 degrees in Brisbane for over 30 days in a row!

HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THE HEAT? 

WHAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING AROUND YOU?

We’re dedicating our March newsletter to stories about our current heatwave.

Please:  tell us how the heat is affecting you!

Our Newsletter Editor Cathi Lawrence is waiting!  Please send Cathi an email before 10 MARCH at: [email protected]   It does not have to be long!

To get the ball rolling, we’re pleased to share Ed Frazer’s observations about the comings and goings of wildlife on his property during the heat. It’s a great read, accompanied by lovely photos – click here to enjoy!

Scarlet Honeyeater taking a drink

(photo courtesy of Rowena Ricchetti)


 

See also:

A case of mistaken identity

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We recently ran a news item about our Huntington bushcare group.

In the space of a single Sunday morning the team planted around 380 native trees and shrubs in Tuckett Street Park in an area previously dominated by Chinese Elms. 

A wonderful achievement and significant step in habitat restoration!  However …

We also reported sighting a Dutchmans Pipe vine (Aristolochia littoralis syn.A elegans). This exotic vine is a known threat to the Richmond birdwing butterfly, classified as “vulnerable to extinction”. The vine was earmarked for removal but our Chairman and Section 3 Team Leader Jim Pope erred on the side of caution and consulted MCCG Landcare Advisor, Bryan Hacker before taking action.

Just as well he did! Bryan identified the vine as Legnephora moorei (round-leaf vine or big-leaf vine) and definitely NOT Dutchman’s Pipe! Thankfully the native vine remains in place and poses no threat whatsoever to the Richmond birdwing butterfly.

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it may well be to remind us of the wealth of information available within the MCCG.  Bryan has over 20 years of experience in bushland regeneration. He is an accredited member of the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators and offers expert advice and information to the local community.  We have similar experts in fields such as water quality and birdlife and we encourage you to contact the group for advice and information. Contact details are available here. 

Note: we have removed the image from the original item and replaced it here, with the correct identification: Legnephora moorei (round-leaf vine or big-leaf vine) in Tuckett St Park.

 

Volunteers do us proud (again!)

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Another remarkable MCCG achievement !!!

Last Sunday 18 volunteers from Jim Pope’s Section 3 Tuckett St Park bushcare group successfully planted around 380 native trees and shrubs in an area hat was previously dominated by Chinese Elms. Well done team!!!

Much of the area had been prepared by spraying with herbicide and mulch, and our Habitat Brisbane officer, Paul Devine had arranged for many holes to be pre-dug. Thank you Paul!)

A hearty thanks to everyone who pitched in, especially to Janine and Fiona for supplying the morning tea and Peter for providing the drinks!

Jim has promised to try to improve on the timing of the follow-up rain for the next working bee on Sunday 24 February. The rain was excellent for watering in the new plantings but it did rather literally put a dampener on their morning tea!

Here are some photos from the day:

Share your knowledge …

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Volunteering with us is not always about bushcare!

Running a catchment group such as ours requires a multitude of activities and skills.

If you care about our environmental footprint but are unable to join a bushcare group, there may be other ways you can help!

AND WE DO NEED HELP!!!!

We are currently putting out a call for the following volunteer roles:

  • Quarternaster/Equipment Supervisor
  • IT Support Person
  • Photographic Competition Coordinator

Volunteering can be very rewarding and does not take much time.

Please consider joining us. Here’s what you need to know:

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If can’t help right now, maybe you could spread the word on our behalf? 

For more info, please contact our Chairman Jim Pope on: 3374 4181) or email: [email protected]

Moggill District Sport Park opens

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Brisbane City Council has announced an open day to celebrate the opening of the Moggill District Sports Park.

The new park is located at 3660 Moggill Road at Moggill. It will provide district-level sporting facilities for the entire Pullenvale Ward.

It features football and cricket ovals, netball and tennis hard courts, a children’s playground, an amenities building and viewing shelters.

An open day will be held on Saturday 9 February from 9am to 2pm.

For more info, visit the Council Website or call the Council contact centre on 3403 8888.

Mt Coot-tha zipline DA approved

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Brisbane City Council announced that the development application for the controversial Mt Coot-tha Zipline was approved 1 February 2019.

More than 3600 submissions were sent to Council during the assessment process which closed 31 December last year. Despite the approval by Council, many of these are believed to have opposed the development, mainly due to environmental concerns.

Construction of the three-stage zipline is scheduled to start mid 2019, with the 3 stages due for completion in 2020.

It is important to note, however, that Mt Coot-tha lies on trust land. This may prevent approval of its use for commercial purposes. Due to this, the viability of the project is still subject to approval by the State Government. 

Information about the Council’s Zipline plans and opposing community concerns is available at the following websites:

Restoring weedy areas and retaining wildlife

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Embarking upon a restoration doesn’t necessarily mean destroying habitats for local wildlife.

With some simple planning you can carry out your restoration work and retain the resident wildlife as well.

It’s a matter of replacing unwanted plants successively with natives to replicate the existing habitat.

Check out our latest Bush Bites article for some great tips and stunning photos!