2016
Yearly Archive
February 15, 2016
By: Michael Fox
Join us for 2016 Clean Up Australia.
Each year an enthusiastic team comes together to clean up Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, collecting a strange collection of rubbish like car tires, as well as, the usual fast food > fast rubbish.
The 2011 Clean Up results were excellent:
- 31 volunteers
- 35 bags of rubbish (white)
- 20 bags of recyclables (yellow)
- Most unusual item found:
- a full suitcase of clothing!
Planning the 2016 Clean Up Australia, with coordinator Heather Woods, has highlighted the results of the annual clean up. With the old car tires, suitcases, a piano and TVs removed, and the gates locked at night, the Reserve is looking good.
Be a Lantana Weed Buster.
Our annual Clean Up Australia has been so successful we have decided to offer an option to be a Lantana Weed Buster for a Morning. Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidenses is one of our major weed threats in the Reserve. Lantana competes for native plants for scarce water reserves and the chemicals in Lantana have a significant negative effects on native plant species:
“… lantana excludes native species through smothering and allelopathic effects – toxicity to other plants.” Lantana—A Weed of National Significance
Join us for a morning in the bush. Register Now for Clean Up or Weed-busting
February 7, 2016
By: Michael Fox
Mt Gravatt Environment Group member Morag always has hundreds of Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea tadpoles which she shares with local children.
I remember as a child watching the amazing transformation as tadpoles metamorphose into frogs: growing legs and losing their tails before hopping out into the world.
Feeding on lettuce
Freya (7) and Clementine (4) took delivery of these tadpoles just before Christmas. About seventeen in all.teen in all.
Caring for tadpoles means boiling a lot lettuce to feed them.
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19 January and legs forming
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Four weeks and transformation is underway with legs growing.
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Fish tank cleaned and with rainwater from the family tank.
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Legs growing stronger
Time to leave home
Transformation complete, time to leave and find a new home in the gully. To date ten successful graduates, three tadpoles and two frogs in the tank.
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Unexpected dangers in urban habitat
Of course the journey to the gully habitat has its own urban dangers. Scott has to be careful when mowing. He had to encourage three baby frogs to gully safety last time he mowed.
Now that the semi-permanent spring has been restored to Fox Gully repopulating with our local frog species is an important step.
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February 6, 2016
Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under
Mt Gravatt Environment Group | Tags:
Ann Moran,
Australia Day Green Heart Award,
BCC Habitat Brisbane,
Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee B4C,
Cr Krista Adams,
Griffith Mates,
Helen Schwencke,
Ian Walker MP,
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk,
Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve,
Southside sport and community,
wildlife |
[3] Comments
Laurie receiving Green Heart Award
By: Michael Fox
Mt Gravatt Environment Group was honoured on Australia Day with presentation of the Lord Mayor’s Green Heart Award – Organisation 2016.
The award citation:
“Mount Gravatt Environment Group is dedicated to their local environment. Their mantra ‘bringing birds and butterflies back to suburbia’, is achieved by the careful planning and implementation of many projects within the local community including mountain and gully restoration and various flora and fauna projects. The group has been responsible for the rehabilitation of Fox Gully into a vibrant wildlife corridor.
The group works closely with other community organisations to ensure maximum outcome and benefits for Mount Gravatt.”
Cr Krista Adams, myself, Laurie and Sigrid with Green Heart Award
Our President, Laurie Deacon, Sigrid – representing the next generation, and I all attended the award ceremony. An impressive event held in City Hall and hosting an amazing group of individuals members who are giving their time generously to our community.
As with many community groups, the achievements acknowledged with this award are the combined efforts of many individual Mt Gravatt Environment Group members, as well as, some extraordinary community partners who provide support with training, equipment, plants, grant funding, research and boots on the ground. Thank you to:
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