June 24, 2013

Echidna visits Mountain family

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Bushwalks, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Photography, Threats to Conservation Reserve, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Echidna - front - Demmers - 24 June 2013

Echidna – Tachyglossus aculeatus

By: Michael Fox

“My wife says this Echidna was near our house in Mt Gravatt this morning. I am very jealous!! Apparently it bumbled around for ages.” Pieter emailed me today with these amazing photos.

I am jealous as well. I am yet to see an Echidna in the Reserve even though I have walked every track and spent hundreds of hours in bushcare and taking photos.

Early mornings and late afternoon is the time to look for Echidnas as they tend to avoid the hotter times of day.

 

Echidna - Demmers - 24 June 2013

Termite exterminator at work

If you spot an Echidna you can report the sighting to Wildlife Queensland’s Echidna Watch program which is gathering information on the distribution and abundance of Echidnas.

These unique animals are not just another interesting native animal they are are also valuable urban pest controllers protecting our homes by eating termites as well as ants and, apparently, dirt.

Restoration work at our Bushcare sites is improving habitat. However all mountain neighbours can help by not dumping garden waste/lawn clippings in the bushland and not removing fallen timber for firewood.

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Click on image to enlarge for reading

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The 2011 report Mimosa Creek Precinct – Flora, Fauna and Fauna Corridor Assessment,  by Biodiversity Assessment & Management Pty Ltd, identified a lack of fallen timber as a key weakness in the mountain habitat. Fallen logs create ideal food sources for Echidnas as they attract termites and ants. These logs also provide protection as Echidnas avoid extremes in temperature by sheltering in hollow logs, rock crevices and vegetation.

Local Council Ranger, Craig Hardie, has recently distributed letters to properties adjoining the Reserve to highlight the importance of not removing vegetation including fallen logs.

We are lucky to have such a unique habitat right in at our backdoor. I often have people ask amazed: “Koalas are just roaming free?” Therefore, as a community, we have a responsibility to protect this valuable asset by:

  • not dumping rubbish or garden waste; and
  • keeping dog’s on leash within the Reserve.

Like Koalas, the main threats to Echidnas are cars and dogs. If you are walking in the Reserve please keep your dog on a leash.

 

April 9, 2013

Coppa the Lucky Koala back in the trees

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Garrett with Coppa in Wildlife Ambulance

By: Michael Fox

Last month I joined Wildlife Ambulance officers, Garrett Smits and Vicki Pender, to return Coppa the Lucky Koala back to bushland adjoining Bulimba Creek at Mansfield. This is the third time Coppa has been taken to the Moggill Koala Hospital after being hit by a car on Creek Road.

Injured Koalas taken to the Moggill Koala Hospital are all given a name and micro-chipped before being released to bushland as close as possible to where they are found.

Coppa back in the trees - 10 Apr 2013

Southern Star – 10 April 2013

Coppa is a 5.5 year old male in good health … and very lucky.

  • 18/12/2011 – hit by car on Creek Road – course of antibiotics and observation for 10 days released north of Creek Road
  • 16/8/2012 – hit by car on Creek Road – bruising – obs for 3 days – released north of Creek Road
  • 19/3/2013 – hit by car on Creek Road – released yesterday bushland at end of Dividend Street Mansfield (south of Creek Road)

Vicki and Garrett are obviously proud of their Wildlife Ambulance work and particularly fond of this lucky Koala they have now rescued three times.

It was a pleasure to see a Koala return from hospital back to the wild. Koalas are breeding successful again in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve and bushland along Bulimba Creek. However, city drivers are not used to having to slow down for a Koala crossing the road. Breeding season from September to March is the time when Koalas are most likely to be crossing roads.

Coppa was hit in the same area each time … just within the 70km zone as you come down the hill from Carindale towards the Bunnings corner. Please be careful and report injured Koalas to 1300 WILDLIFE.

 

January 20, 2013

Koalas breeding in Fox Gully Mt Gravatt

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Wildlife Corridor, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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By: Michael Fox

Koala and Joey - Fox Gully wildlife corridor

Koala and Joey – Fox Gully wildlife corridor

Just this week the Southern Star reported that Koalas are fighting back and printed our map of sightings in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

Then on Friday night Matt Hill heard a scratching noise in the trees behind his deck. Thinking it was probably a possum he investigated with with torch picking up the glint of four eyes in the trees. He was delighted to find a Koala mum with her Joey comfortably nestled in her arms while she munched on leaves.

Koala sightings Fox Gully wildlife corridor

Koala sightings Fox Gully wildlife corridor

Matt and his family have been active supporters of our Fox Gully Bushcare restoration work and has been controlling weed trees, like Camphor Laurel, on his gully property. So, in December, he was proud to show me what looked like Koala scratches on a tree restored to the habitat only five years ago. This was an exciting find and now with this weeks photos we have confirmation that Koalas are not only active in the wildlife corridor but also breeding successfully. We also received another report this week of a Koala sighted high in a tree beside the footpath to the Griffith University Bus Station.

Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus pereginus

Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus pereginus

Restoration of this key wildlife corridor is now supported by seventeen property owners whose backyards include the gully and community members committed to restoring habitat for Koalas, birds, butterflies, frogs and native bees.

Restoration of the of the wildlife corridor is having a positive effect as shown by the number of Koala sighting as well as increasing other wildlife. At the top end of the gully, Roger and Margaret have a family of Ringtail Possums Pseudocheirus pereginus living in the top of staghorn ferns. Just before Christmas a mother with two babies on her back was sighted and Friday Margaret called to say the father had been disturbed from his staghorn nest when Roger was hosing.

Note his spiky hair and spiky attitude as he cleans water off his coat.

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Common Ringtail Possum – not that common

Please be patient with these cute creatures if they eat some of your fruit. During the 1950’s Common Ringtail Possum populations severely declined in numbers. Currently populations seem to have recovered but they are at risk of attack by cats loose at night.

Unlike Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula, Ringtails tend to avoid house ceilings, preferring to nest in trees or the tops of staghorns, so they are not considered pests in suburban areas.
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Reference: Animal Diversity Web (ADW) is an online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan

 

January 17, 2013

Koalas are fighting back on Mt Gravatt

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Uncategorized, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , |
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By: Michael Fox

Southern Star - January 16, 2013

Southern Star – January 16, 2013

We host international students at times and today we received a note from the Japanese student who will be living with us during February. One thing she was very clear about: “I want to see a Koala.” With latest sighting, reported this week, of a Koala in a tree beside the footpath leading to Griffith University Bus Station there is an increasing chance that she will see a Koala on the way to university.

It really is fun to watch international students/visitors when they see a Koala just sitting (usually sleeping) in a tree or an Echidna walking across the track … and not a zoo keeper in sight. The most amazing experience though was watching Jian, an international student from Shanghai, when he came face to face with a Koala right on our back deck.

Southern Star - January 16, 2013

Southern Star – January 16, 2013

You can get involved with bush restoration,  reporting any Koala sightings on Koala Tracker or simply slowing down and reporting sick or injured wildlife to 1300 ANIMAL 24/7.

The Southern Star interview with Adrian Schrinner and Natalie Forrest is very valuable in building community awareness. However, it is not only out at Gumdale and Chandler that we need to be increasing careful if we want to have Koalas living in our backyards. We have had one Koala killed on Klumpp Road and another rescued on Creek Road after a car strike.

Read Harry Brampton’s Southern Star story online or forward the link to your overseas friends.

 

October 24, 2012

Koalas crossing – don’t hit and run

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Wildlife | Tags: , , , , , |
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By: Michael Fox

Injured Koala with joey in pouch

“The car in front hit her and just kept going!” Sam Oberhardt was describing the events witnessed by a motorist who had pulled over to help the female Koala hit by a car on Creek Road Wednesday morning last week.

The second driver, Sam and another driver all pulled over the help the injured Koala and waited for the Animal Ambulance sent by Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

This beautiful animal touched the hearts of these generous individuals who stopped to help. She sat passively allowing herself to be removed from the road and placed in the car boot and covered to keep warm.

Safe and warm while waiting for ambos

Unfortunately the story has a sad end. Transferred to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital the Koala was found to have a joey in her pouch but with a broken arm and shattered jaw, she and her joey had to be euthanized.

What can we learn from this?

Gillian Brownhill, Winner Pride of Australia Environmental Medal and founder of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Eumandi, l makes an important point:

“The first car that hits an animal usually doesn’t kill, it just leaves them stunned. The second car that comes expects the animal to move off the road, then by the time they realise it is not moving it is too late and they have hit it again.”

We are all busy and the morning commute is not a time we want to be taking an animal to the vet. Gillian asks that, if we do not have time to wait, at least stop, move the injured animal off the road and call the Animal Ambulance. If you cannot wait, please note the address or some feature that will help the Ambulance find the injured animal. You can call the RSPCA Wildlife Ambulance 24/7 on 1300 ANIMAL

August to February is Koala breeding season so they will be on the move and sometimes try to cross busy roads. Swerving or stopping suddenly to avoid an animal is not recommend as that may cause a much worse accident. However, if our car does hit an animal we can all take the time to at least stop and remove the injured animal to safety. Sometimes that is enough as a stunned animal may recover by itself if is safe from being hit by another car.

Seeing Koalas on your walk to work or crossing our suburban roads is a something special. These iconic animals are returning to our suburbs. Visit Koala Tracker to report any sightings.

Daisy Hill Koala Centre Information Sheets:

Living with wildlife- Koala sick and injured

Living with wildlife- Koala planting trees

Living with wildlife- Koala misconceptions

Living with wildlife- Koala info sheet

Living with wildlife- Koala backyard

 

August 17, 2012

Mountain bike threat to Mt Gravatt – 612 ABC Drive

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under BCC Action Plans, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Threats to Conservation Reserve | Tags: , , , , , |
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By: Michael Fox

  • Drive with Tim Cox – 3:00pm-6:00pm

Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve is high value habitat hosting 265 native plant species, forty-five butterfly species, Echidnas and breeding Koalas, all just ten minutes from Brisbane CBD. However, there are three key threats to the health of the conservation reserve:

Tim Cox, 612 ABC Drive, interviewed me yesterday about the damage caused by illegal downhill mountain biking.

Listen to the interview.

 

July 29, 2012

Double celebration of National Tree Day 2012 in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Gertrude Petty Place, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve | Tags: , , , , , |
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Griffith Uni student volunteer

By: Susan Jones

“Shall we celebrate National Tree Day again this year, Sheamus?” I asked last year’s volunteer coordinator. “Of course!” was the prompt reply.  As it turned out, we celebrated twice!

On Wednesday  25 July, students and a science teacher from Mt Gravatt High School, together with a team of Griffith University students rallied to plant 100 native tubestock, specially chosen to provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies, bees – and of course, our resident koalas!  What a great team!  In just over an hour all the plants were in the ground and it was time to protect them with plastic sleeves, supported by cane stakes.

It was great to welcome Griffith Uni students back to our site for this celebration, as they had spent many hours  tediously clearing the area of Creeping lantana Lantana montevidensis  last university semester.

Mt Gravatt SHS team planting

Brush-turkey looking for lunch

On Saturday 28 July, we had ready another 40 plants to be put in by volunteers who couldn’t join us on Wednesday.   When I arrived on site, I found a female Brush-turkey Alectura lathami checking out all the holes prepared for planting.  Her curiosity and anticipation of a free meal made me laugh.

We had …. volunteers of all ages turn up: a special thanks to the three grandparents who more than pulled their weight.

Our 2012 National Tree Day planting was a great success: “ thank you” to everyone involved.

Your generous contribution will enhance amenity  for community users and provide healthy habitat for wildlife in our 66 ha Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

Granparents restore Conservation Reserve for future generations

Granparents restore Mt Grvatt Conservation Reserve for future generations

 

Glorious morning to be in the bush

 

 

June 22, 2012

Future leaders – amazing futures?

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Gertrude Petty Place, Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, Mt Gravatt Environment Group | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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By Michael Fox

Our community can be proud of the young people on the front page of the Southern Star this week, and, the article suggests, we can have hope for some amazing futures to be created by them.

Mt Gravatt Environment Group and our sponsor, Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee(B4C), are particularly proud of YoungStar Community winner, Sheamus O’Connor.

More than 100 years before Sheamus was born, in July 1893, Queensland Premier Thomas McIlwraith “… in recognition of the resolve of the settlers, divided off 132 acres of the land [timber reserve], including Mt Gravatt Mountain, from the railway timber reserve.” Mt Gravatt Then & Now Mt Gravatt Historical Society.

The vision of community members over 100 years ago means that today our community has Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve, a unique habitat with Echidnas, Koalas and forty-five butterfly species only ten minutes from the Brisbane CBD.

In another 100 years our Mt Gravatt community will reflect on the vision and commitment of young people like Sheamus who can see the value in being actively involved in restoration and protection of this unique habitat.

 

May 25, 2012

Koala partner – Daisy Hill Koala Centre

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mimosa Creek Precinct, Wildlife Corridor, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Kristen beside stump of Indian Rubber Tree

This week we were honoured with a visit to Fox Gully Bushcare by Kristen Collie, Ranger at Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

Mt Gravatt Environment Group is now sharing data on Koala sightings with the Koala Centre with intitial data suggesting that our furry friends a quite active in surrounding streets.

One fact that really stands out is the number of Koalas injured by dog attacks in backyards or hit by cars on the roads.

The Koala Centre, which comes under the new Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, operates the Koala Ambulance during business hours. Rangers take injured and dead Koalas to the Moggill Koala Hospital and record details locations.

Brisbane City Council also operates a 24 Hour Animal Ambulance – call 07 3403 8888 for any sick or injured wildlife – even Blue Tongue Lizards.

Kristen was also impress by our community’s commitment to habitat restoration and restoring wildlife corridors. We visited Zone 13 where our Tuesday Bushcare group have removed a huge area of Fishbone/Sword Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia.

We then moved onto inspect the restoration where the wildlife corridor cuts through private properties to Klumpp Road. Standing beside the stump of the huge Indian Rubber Tree and seeing water trickling down the gully from the restored spring, really demonstrated the community commitment to our wildlife.

Our 2012 Community Gully Day is planned for Sunday August 5th and will concentrate on replanting the area cleaned up in 2011.


 

May 16, 2012

Koalas live here – dogs visit

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Bushwalks, Gertrude Petty Place, Mt Gravatt Tracks, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: , , , , , , |
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By: Susan Jones

Female Koala at Gertrude Petty Place
Photo by Susan Jones

This afternoon about 4pm we stopped clearing weeds and sat down at Gertrude Petty Place for a cool drink and something to eat.

To my amazement, a female koala jumped to the ground from a sapling gum a few metres away and headed out onto the grass.  I squatted with the camera to take a shot, not realising that the Tallowwood gum I was hiding behind was the koala’s next destination!  It shot up the Tallowwood, only stopping once to look back disdainfully at me.

People sometimes forget that Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve is an enviromental park where visitors share the habitat with koalas, echidnas and many other species.

It is wonderful to see people enjoying the Summit and Federation Outlook tracks, particularly with the increasing sightings of koalas.  However, many people parking at Gertrude Petty Place then go walking dogs off-leash in our conservation reserve.

The presence of this  koala at Gertrude Petty Place today, is a very good reason why we should be encouraging dog owners to keep their animals on-leash in the Reserve.

Your dog wants to play off-leash? Visit Abbeville Street Park.

 

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