Griffith Mates at work - 1 Mar 2020

Weeding Team in action

By: Michael Fox

I love our annual Clean Up when the community turns out to help maintain our special Reserve. Heather Woods, our event coordinator, registered our largest ever team:
  • 75 Volunteers;
  • 66 Adults; and
  • 9 Children (under 16)
Dainty Swallowtail - Papilio anactus - 1 Mar 2020

Dainty Swallowtail Papilio anactus

 

The reduction in rubbish to be cleaned up means the largest group joined the Weeding Team this year.

We are working with the Council Rangers and Habitat Brisbane team to prepare the site for the 2020 National Tree Day Planting on Sunday, 02 August. Special focus will be planting species that enhance the visitor experience by attracting butterflies, like the beautiful Dainty Swallowtail Papilio anactus, while maintaining the views to the city and Glass House Mountains.
Weeds cleared - 1 Mar 2020

Huge area of Guinea Grass and Creeping Lantana cleared

 

The weeding team did a great job clearing a huge area of Guinea Grass Panicum maximum, Creeping Lantana Lantana montevidensis and Glycine Neonotonia wightii. Clearing the weeds and removing trip hazards is the first step in site preparation for planting.

 

 

Blue Banded Bee - Amegilla cingulata - 1 Mar 2020

Blue Banded Bee visiting Blue Tongue flower

 

Species for planting will be based on our research for Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Blue Tongue or Native Lasiandra Melastoma affine, currently flowering at the Lookout, is very popular with the solitary native bees in the Reserve. Like Blue Banded Bees Amegilla cingulata

Other species observed on the day were Great Carpenter Bees Xylocopa sp., Stingless Native Bees Trigona sp., and caterpillars of Glasswing Acraea andromacha and Imperial Hairstreak Jalmenus evagoras butterflies and Pale Brown Hawk Moth Theretra latreillii.

Guide on Patrol 2 - 1 Mar 2020

Guide on Patrol

 

Meanwhile the Rubbish Teams were busy around the Summit and along the roadway collecting the usual fastfood packages and some strange parts fallen off cars.

 

 

 

Griffith Mates Team - 1 Mar 2020

Griffith Mates Bushcare Team

 

 

IMG_9218

Heather with rubbish collection

 

 

 

Thank you to all the community members, the Holland Park Girl Guides and Griffith Mates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Heather Woods for organising the event.

By: Michael Fox

A friend asked me today about Sunday’s CleanUp. We were driving up the Mountain when I explained we only collected ten bags of rubbish. Bec asked if we had less volunteers. I was proud to be able to explain that there is just less rubbish to pick-up because Council now locks the road access gate at night and despite a dramatic increase in the number of walkers and visitors to The Love Well Project (cafe at Summit) there is less rubbish. I believe people are valuing Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve as a special place to be cared for like a National Park.

As I started to write this post I looked back at past CleanUp’s for comparison:

As Heather noted there was very little recycling because, thanks to the Queensland Container Refund Scheme, there were few drink cans and bottles to pick up.

A strong Council / community partnership is really making a difference to this unique parcel of Australian bush just 10km from the CBD.

Heather Woods and the Bush Monsters were here again to organise our annual CleanUp.

Heather’s Bush Monsters were representing Guides (Eloise) and Scouts (Lincoln) this year.

Lydia Lichen Moth - Asura lydia - 3 March 2019

Lydia Lichen Moth

Lincoln and Eloise are regular helpers with our Mountain restoration work and they are budding Citizen Scientists even making friends with a Lydia Lichen Moth Asura lydia

Note the distinctive comb-like antennae. This feathery structure, made up of fine hairs is a moth equivalent our nose. The hairs are smell receptors that detect molecules arriving from miles away.

You can also see the moth’s proboscis unrolled searching for moisture on Eloise’s glove.

Ross Vasta team - 3 March 2019

Vasta Team

It is always great to welcome our political representatives to community events.

The Ross Vasta team (LNP) worked on the Summit CleanUp.

Jo Briskey team - 3 March 2019

Briskey Team

The Jo Briskey team (Labour) including our local state member Corrine McMillan started at Gertrude Petty Place and worked up the road.

       Thank you to Heather, the Bush Monsters and all the other community members who care about our mountain Reserve. 

Sunrise - 29 July 2018

Morning sun over site – A. Moore

By: Michael Fox

A beautiful warm sunny morning greets volunteers arriving to be part of restoration of our special mountain bushland.

 

 

 

Brisbane First Chinese Scouts - 29 July 2018 lr

Sienna welcomes Brisbane First Chinese Scouts

 

 

 

 

Our 2018 National Tree Day is particularly special as we welcome many individuals and groups who have been part of past events as well as some new groups like Brisbane First Chinese Scouts.

 

Clarivaux Bushcarers - 11 June 2018 - lr

Clairvaux Bushcarers in action

 

 

Preparing for National Tree Day events takes our Fox Gully Bushcare team about twelve months of removing rubbish, weeding and laying out planting site. The BCC Habitat Brisbane supported us with delivery and spreading of mulch, water tank and plants for the event.

Clairvaux MacKillop College students have been working with us this year to prepare the National Tree Day site.

Planting

It is very satisfying when 97 community  volunteers come together to build on our work by planting 700 grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and vines to create more habitat for small birds.

I love weeding

The weeding team cleared a huge area of Guinea Grass Megathyrsus maximus reducing bushfire risk and allowing natural regeneration of native grasses and vines.

Community groups participating:

ahmadiyya team with Steve Huang - 29 July 2018

Ahmadiyya Team with Cr Steve Huang

The Ahmadiyya team, great supporters of our National Tree Day returning for the fourth year in 2018, shared their positive message of “Love for All, Hatred for None” with Cr Steve Huang.

Australian Ahmadi Muslims supported National Tree Day in many sites around Australia sharing their contribution in a special video including an interview with me.

Grilled Team - 29 July 2018

Grill’d Corporate Team

A new group this year was the Grill’d team from their Garden City restaurant.

 

Thank you to: