Working hard and lots of smiles.

By: Michael Fox

Clairvaux MacKillop Year 10 students have been working with us since stepping up in 2018 to help with preparation of the National Tree Day site.

The students are amazing when it comes to finding insects for me to photograph. A double bonus … weeds cleared and more species to add to our Flora and Fauna research.

The target weed for the event was Corky Passion Vine Passiflora suberos which is currently covered in fruit.

The vine is a vigorous invasive weed with seeds spread by fruit eating birds. Ironically Corky Passion Vine has become our new target weed as it is thriving in now that the other weeds have been cleared. It is important to remove the roots to ensure that we don’t have to do our work all over again.

True to form a sharp eyed student found a new insect for me to research.

So far no confirmed identification it looks very similar to a Shield Bug/Stink Bug. However, this bug is closer to the Horned Coreid Bugs. Both are True Bugs and both are sap sucking insects.

I have submitted my tentative identification Noliphus erythrocephalus Colourful Board-headed Bug to iNaturalist for id confirmation before I add this species to our Flora and Fauna database. Part of my identification process was to check the iNaturalist map of sightings.

Another tentative identification is a female Three-eyed Leaf-rolling Cricket Xiphogryllacris orthoxipha.

I have found this species before however this time I noticed a tail like appendage curved over the abdomen. This oviposter identified the cricket as female and is used to deposits eggs deep into soil.

The two short appendages are cerci which are sensitive to puffs of air and low-frequency vibrations.

I love having our student Bushcarers finding me insects to research. I learn something after every event.

Phil on the job clearing Creeping Lantana

By: Michael Fox

Benno, Phil and I returned our 2017 planting site to clear Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidenses, slow work but very effective in promoting natural regeneration. The weed smothers native grasses and the chemicals in Creeping Lantana suppress regrowth. Chase the creeper along to find the main root, pull the root and discard on the ground: the weed will not reshoot.

Building Habitat Tripod July 2017

We have been focused on maintaining the 2021 National Tree Day site so I took the opportunity check how the 2017 planting is going.

Preparing the planting site required clearing the weeds to leave the ground bare for planting and included building Habitat Tripods to create safe habitat for small forest birds.

2023 Restored habitat thick with Blady Grass

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Six and half years later the site is transformed with Blady Grass Imperata cylindrica flowering, fruit on Tape Vine Stephania japonica: eaten by Olive-backed Orioles Oriolus sagittatus

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Tape Vine – Stephania japonica

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Small Dusky Blue Candalides erinus

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I found a Small Dusky Blue Candalides erinus butterfly …

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Brush-turkey mound

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… and a Brush-turkey Alectura lathami has chosen the site to build its nest mound.

By: Michael Fox

Wildlife cameras monitoring the two Tree Troff Koala Drinkers are showing a diversity of animals visiting for water.

Birds in particular are frequent visitors showing the importance of providing water for our urban wildlife. Create and register a Pollinator Link garden providing Water, Food and Shelter for Birds, Butterflies and Bees.

Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus and Common Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula are also using the water source.

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The cameras also picked up some unwelcome visitors with two European Red Fox Vulpes vulpes cubs playing below the Tree Troff at 2am.

You can report feral animals like foxes or cats on the BCC website.

ERM Team

By: Michael Fox

A beautiful cool sunny morning. What a day to welcome the ERM Team to Mt Gravatt and Fox Gully Bushcare for a morning of waging war on weeds and exploring our forest habitat.

How many people get to work in such an amazing place?

ERM is a multinational sustainability consultancy with over 7,000 team members in 40 offices around the world.

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On the track to the worksite we stop to look for Koalas. A local couple walk the mountain each morning on the lookout for Koalas and scratching arrows on tracks so visitors can meet our local wildlife.

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On site safety briefing

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The ERM Team are an interesting group of experienced professionals: included environmental scientists, water engineers and even archaeologists. However, our work site is quite steep and slippery so safety is key.

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Sam Treepopper fan

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The Treepopper was a hit with the group working on removal of Ochna (Mickey Mouse Plant). The Treepopper pulls the weed vertically removing with minimal disturbance of the soil microbes and fungi. This is important to maintaining soil health.

The first step removing Ochna is to remove and bag seeds for disposal. The removed plants were placed in a pile to compost: retaining scarce resources on-site while slowing water flow on the steep slope.

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Bushcare teamwork

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All hands on the job to clear a large Easter Cassia Senna pendula var. glabrata. The bright yellow flowers of Easter Cassia is easy to spot at Easter however at other times the gold rim of the leaves is reliable for identification.

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Chinese Elm Team in action.

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The Chinese Elm Celtis sinensis team worked hard cutting down and poisoning large trees. Logs were placed across the slope to reduce erosion.

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Three-eyed Leaf-rolling Cricket

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Sharp eyes spotted a Three-eyed Leaf-rolling Cricket Xiphogryllacris orthoxipha. The name comes from the very large median ocellus which is as large as its compound eyes.

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A fearsome looking Net-casting Spider Deinopis sp. was found among the leaf litter.

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Blue Eyes Lacewing

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Returning to the Summit via the Eastern Outlook Track the team inspected our restoration work at our National Tree Day planting sites.

I explained the BCC Habitat Brisbane team provided the plants based on our research of species found in the forest: Flora and Fauna. Planting local species produces excellent results, even in the thin rocky soil, with some shrubs going from tube stock to 2.5 metres in eighteen months.

The local natives also attract more insects like the Blue Eyes Lacewing Nymphes myrmeleonides.

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Spotted Paropsine Beetle

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A diversity of insects like the Spotted Paropsine Beetle Paropsis maculata are important to help with pollination and providing food for insect eating birds.

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We discussed the lush growth of Scurvy Weed Commelina cyanea which creates a thick cover of Living Mulch keeping the soil cool and retaining moisture. The leaves of Scurvy Weed are edible with high vitamin C content. Managing Commelina species in bushland can be a challenge with white flowering weed Wandering Jew Tradescantia fluminensis often confused with Scurvy Weed: roots can be used to identify the weed.

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A quick stop to introduce the team to the Tree Troff Koala Drinker used to provide water for wildlife within the dry mountain reserve.

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A very pleasant morning in the bush with interesting people finished with an excellent brunch at Lovewell Cafe thanks to the ERM Team. I introduced our Pollinator Link project and encouraged everyone to take advantage of free registration of their wildlife garden.

By: Michael Fox

The team from B4C came today to refill our Tree Troff Koala drinkers so it was very exciting to find a Koala Mum and Joey in sitting on a branch above the drinker on Acacia Way.

There was also a Koala in the Queensland Blue Gum Eucalyptus tereticornis above the other Tree Troff at the junction of Federation and Geebung Tracks.

Koalas in Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys on Acacia Way
Preparing the installation.

By: Michael Fox

The Mt Gravatt Environment Group team installed a second Koala Tree Troff in the forest this morning.

Artwork by Chrys O’Hare

Laurie, Alan, myself management the installation with the valuable help of David Fechner, Koala researcher from Griffith University, who we recruited on-site.

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The Tree Troff is installed beside a Tallowood Eucalyptus microcorys a favourate Koala food tree. Note the scratching of the bark.

This innovative design by Robert Frend of Wildsip, and manufactured by local Gunnedah business and donated by WIRES NSW.

The Tree Troff simply balances against the tree with the weight of 220 litres of water transferred directly to the ground.

Koala Drinker Research Project

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While we were on-site I showed our team the Bottle Brush Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea macronema. This has been the best flowering I have ever seen in sixteen years with more plants spreading near the Eastern Outlook Track.

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Sago Flower

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We also checked the July National Tree Day planting where Ozothamnus diosmifolius Sago Flower is already in flower.

Sago Flower is an attractive garden plant with leaves that can be used in cooking as a substitute rosemary.

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Laurie and I also found the pretty Pandorea jasminoides Bower Vine at the site.

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Thanks to Alan Moore for the photos.

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Pandorea jasminoides Bower Vine

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By: Michael Fox

Griffith Mates are back with five Japanese students visiting to help our Bushcare restoration work.

It is always a pleasure to show our international guests the unique Australian flora and fauna.

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It doesn’t need to be spectacular flowers or Koalas to interest our guests.

Using magnifying glasses they were able to see our very smallest flowers: smaller than the head of a pin. Exocarpus cupressiformis Native Cherry

This interesting bush food typically occurs among Allocasuarina littoralis Black She-oak on which it is a root parasite.

Garden Jumping Spider

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This Garden Jumping Spider Opisthoncus parcedentatus fascinated the students who were impressed with the distance this tiny spider can jump to catch mosquitoes for lunch.

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Of course it helped that we found two Koalas in the trees beside the track to the Summit.

By: Michael Fox

How many Koalas are there in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve? I am often asked that question.

As part of our 2021 Koala Drinker Research Project and work by Peter Demmers we know there are at least thirteen individual Koalas in the Reserve. We now have a couple with excellent Koala spotting skills they share with other visitors by marking sightings with an arrow on the track.

If you see an arrow on the track, pause look around and say hi to our special locals.

Soaking up the winter sun

By: Michael Fox

What do you do on a cold mountain morning? Warm up in the sun!

A handsome Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura was perched in a sunny spot this morning soaking up the winter sun.

It is always special to when we see special wildlife at our Fox Gully Bushcare site.

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Look out for the amazing new sculpture at the Shire Road entry to the Reserve. Featuring our local native flora and fauna the totem pole shows off the special residents who call the Reserve home.

This morning artist Jamie Maclean was putting finishing touches adding colour to our special addition welcoming visitors.

Thanks to Councillor Krista Adams who commissioned the sculpture through the Lord Mayors Suburban Enhancement Fund.

By: Michael Fox

Let’s take advantage of the amazing rainy season and restore more Koala and wildlife habitat in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. We have added at least twenty new flora and fauna species this year.

Join us to plant another 600 wildflowers, grasses, vines and shrubs.

Date: Sunday 31 July

Time: 8:00AM – 12:00PM

Location: Eastern Outlook Track

The 2022 planting site is small so please Register early to ensure a place for this year’s National Tree Day.