March 26, 2018
By: Michael Fox
Thanks to our Photography Workshop leader Alan Moore we have an extraordinary fungi tour of colour and shape.
Like what you see?
Register for the 2018 Photography Workshop.
Learn make your own photographic story.
Register for the 2018 Photography Workshop.
March 26, 2018
Sunday 27 May
Discover tools to see nature up close to tell your story.
Macro photography is about concentrating on small details. You, the photographer, control subject selection, isolation, lighting, perspective and camera controls to create a spectacular visual narrative.
We will start by running through some camera basics (controls, modes, settings) before exploring how to use camera settings to isolate close-up subjects and get the most from lighting and angles.
Then we put it into practice exploring Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve to find your story to share with the group.
March 4, 2018
Cub Scout Lincon
By: Michael Fox
Heather Woods and her family, again hosted our annual Clean Up Australia event.
Twenty-nine community members, including Cr Krista Adams and Corrine McMillan MP collected seventeen bags of rubbish: drink bottles, McDonalds’ bags and car parts.
Heather organised us into three teams:
Guide Eliose on the job
Road Team collecting rubbish from Mt Gravatt Outlook Drive; and
A Griffith Mates team joined the Weeding Team clearing a large area of Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidensis as well as weed grasses along the road verge.
I was able to show the Weeding Team members the natural regeneration of native plants where the Creeping Lantana was removed as part of National Tree Day.
Bell Flower vine is a delicate scrambler spreading in the cleared area.
Winter Apple Eremophila debilis
Winter Apple Eremophila debilis is a herb with a small mauve flower and cute little apple like fruit.
A great morning working with inspiring people and a lot of rubbish taken to the dump.
March 2, 2018
By: Michael Fox
Cr. Steven Huang was interested in everything when he visited Roly Chapman Bushcare in February. He was particularly impressed with the Gross Pollution Trap installed to catch drink containers and plastic bags washed out of the storm water drain.
The trap was made with a recycled security screen and star pickets. We have been waiting on a storm event to test out the structure. Last week’s storms dumped about 170 mm of rain on Upper Mt Gravatt in 24 hours. A good test for the Pollution Trap.
We inspected the trap this morning to find the water flow must have been very strong to build litter up about 30 centimetres
Plastic bags and drink containers that didn’t pollute the bushland.
The success of the pollution trap is great contribution to protecting our bushland.
You can make a contribution by joining Clean Up Australia this Sunday.
February 16, 2018
By: Michael Fox
Green Carpenter Bee
Clean Up and restoration work is making an impact with wildlife like this female Green Carpenter Bee Xylocopa (Lestis) aeratus returning to the restored habitat. Video shows the female chewing a nest hollow into an Acacia.
Date: March 4th 2018
Start time: 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Meet at: Mt Gravatt Summit carpark – near Love Well Project
Please join our Clean Up teams picking up rubbish or removing Creeping Lantana
December 15, 2017
By: Michael Fox
Thursday last week the Mt Gravatt PCYC Bush Restorers joined us at Roly Chapman Bushcare to clear weed regrowth and plant 160 vines, grasses and shrubs to create an edge seal along the primary school fence.
Restoration work in Roly Chapman is part of the Mimosa Creek Precinct
Landscape Plan to link Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve with Bulimba Creek.
An edge seal is a barrier to protect natural bushland from weed invasion. For example, reduce the feathery seeds from the yellow flowering Flatweed (Catsear) Hypochaeris radicata blowing over from the school oval.
Clearing weed regrowth was required to prepare for planting. I started by explaining the Bradley Method of regeneration:
Expert Weed Eradicators
The Bradley Method does require skilled workers. So it was a real pleasure to work with two expert Weed Eradicators to remove the deep-rooted Flatweed. The ground was soft from recent rain so with carefully pulling the the weed vertically allowed removal roots and all with minimal disturbance to soil.
Weeding finished … relax before planting
Vines
Bushes
Grass/Sedge/Rush
Sheamus and Sienna allocate plants
Water crystals first then plant
Plants were selected from species already found in Roly Chapman Bushland Reserve. Vines Hardenbergia violacea and Smilax australis are a good way to hid a chain-wire fence and provide food for butterfly caterpillar and fruit for fruit eating birds. Growing to 3 metres with a 2 metre spread and reddish green foliage the Coffee Bush Breynia oblongifolia is an attractive garden feeding butterfly caterpillars and decorative Green Jewel Bugs Lampromicra senator.
Green Jewel Bug
Grasses like Barbed Wire Grass Cymbopogon refractus and Kangaroo Grass Themeda australis will create an edge seal below the shrubs and feed seed eating birds. Sedges and rushes like Tall Sedge Carex appressa and Common Rush Juncus usitatus thrive along the fence line where run off from the school oval creates a damp habitat most of the year.
Mt Gravatt PCYC Bush Restorers
Thank you Mt Gravatt PCYC Bush Restorers … looking forward to welcoming you back in 2018.
November 15, 2017
My: Michael Fox
A sunny Spring morning … time to lie flat out like a lizard.
This Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata was warming itself on a dead branch in Fox Gully Bushcare.
Eyes just cracked open to keep an eye on the strange creatures taking photos.
November 10, 2017
Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
By: Michael Fox
Walking the Mountain this morning we saw a pair of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos Cacatua galerita high in the trees getting very upset about something. Initially we thought they were getting upset with a murder of Crows in the trees.
Stingless Native Bee
Then Jude spotted a Koala hanging on for dear life as the Cockatoos and Crows all harried it.
In the same area I found tiny Stingless Native Bees Tetragonula sp. collecting nectar and pollen on Bottle Brush Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea macronema flowers.
Look for the pollen on legs.
Ringtail Possum nesting in dead tree
Our last find was a Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus asleep in its nest in a dead tree.
Dead trees (called stags) are an important part of our bushland habitat providing homes for insects, lizards, birds and even Possums.
November 10, 2017
By: Michael Fox
Photos: Andreas Listle
A beautiful Saturday morning and I met up with an inspiring group students for our regular Griffith Mates OWeek guided walk in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. I vary the walk each time to highlight plants in flower and other special sights and sounds. A highlight this time was meeting Ma Poss (Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula) and her joey. (Baby possums are called ‘joey’.)
Checking nest box with GoPro and excited students watching on the iPad
Meeting at Mt Gravatt Campus the Griffith Mates team introduced students from Germany, South America, China and Japan all keen to learn more about the Australian bush.
The students were very interested in learning about our native ground orchids: Slender Hyacinth Orchid Dipodium variegatum.
I explained that, lacking any leaves, these orchids are critically dependent on their relationship with fungi in the ground. The fungi mycorrhiza, fine root like fibres, feed the underground orchid with organic carbon and minerals collected from roots of adjacent trees.
These native orchids cannot survive if removed from the bush as they are totally dependent on their relationship with the fungi.
Along Acacia Way we looked at the unusual Bottle Brush Grass Trees Xanthorrhoea macronema in flower. Looking closely we found Stingless Native Bees (Tetragonula sp.) collecting pollen and nectar.
Pardalote interpretative sign
Bird song is an important part of any walk in the Reserve.
Blueberry Lily berries
The QR code on the Pardalote interpretative sign linked to a video of a Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus singing. I introduced the group to the iconic and cheerful song of the Laughing Kookaburras Dacelo novaeguineae.
Blueberry Lily fruit
Along Acacia Way we found Settlers Flax Gymnostachys anceps: used by early settlers to sew bags and indigenous people combined it with bark to make fishing line, Blueberry Lily Dianella longifolia and Native Raspberry Rubus moluccanus.
Leading guided walks with Griffith Mates is always a pleasure … lots of smiles and laughter along the Eastern Outlook Track.
2016 National Tree Day planting
A quick stop to inspect results from the 2016 National Tree Day planting: thickening nicely and some trees over 3 metres.
Curculigo ensifolia flower
Last stop was the 2017 National Tree Day site.
I showed the natural regeneration in the area where the invasive weed Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidenses was cleared as part of National Tree Day. Nature is very resilient if we give it a chance and the returning natives are strong evidence of the effectiveness of our Bushcare work.
Vincent and his tree
Vincent took the opportunity to check in on the tree he planted on National Tree Day.
A great walk … everyone seemed to be inspired to return and help with our Bushcare work.
Thanks to Andreas Listle for staying behind the camera and capturing memories.
November 4, 2017
Video: D. Frenkiel
Koala Mum and Joey – Photo: D. Frenkiel
By: Michael Fox
Hearing loud grunting at night?
Koala breeding season is here, August to February, so males are loudly announcing their availability and we have our first report of a new joey (baby) Koala.
Mountain neighbour Dominic, shared video of a Koala mum with joey clinging to her back while she climbed a Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys in Fox Gully Bushcare.
Bottle Brush Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea macronema
Look for Bottle Brush Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea macronema in flower along Acacia Way and Eastern Outlook Track. Very popular with our native Stingless Bees Tetragonula sp. and Blue Banded Bees Amegilla cingulata these uncommon Grass Trees are found in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve but not in Toohey Forest just one kilometre away across the Motorway.
Bitter Pea Daviesia villifera
Along Acacia Way you will also find Bitter Pea Daviesia villifera with it’s bright yellow flowers and distinctively shaped leaves.
Broad-leaf bramble (Raspberry) Rubus moluccanus
The Bitter Pea is caterpillar food plant for the Fringed Heath-blue butterfly Neolucia agricola.
Look for native raspberries in flower along Acacia Way. We have ten native raspberry species in Queensland. Broad-leaf bramble Rubus moluccanus occurs naturally in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.
However, if you want to grow your own native raspberries I recommend Large-fruited Raspberry Rubus probus, fast growing and the biggest raspberries I have ever eaten. Just make sure you restrain it by planting in a large pot as these plants sucker aggressively.
Acacia fimbriata seed Male King Parrot
Brisbane Fringed Wattle Acacia fimbriata has finished its beautiful bright yellow winter flowering. However, if you are lucky you will see a King Parrot Alisterus scapularis feeding on the seeds. Listen for the King Parrot call as you walk.
Report Koala sightings
Sheamus O'Connor - Young Citizen of the Year 2012
Environmental Protection Award - Brisbane's Spotless Suburbs
Mount Gravatt Environment Group 