Bushcare NewsSpring 2016

If you would like more information about Waverley Bushcare or would like to contribute to this newsletter, please contact Sue Stevens, Bushcare Offi cer p: 9083 8226 m: 0466 426 929 e: bushcare@waverley.nsw.gov.au

Announcing....Tamarama TuesdaysTamarama Park is looking terrifi c and ready for Bushcare to return following the installa on of the stormwater harves ng system in 2015 and a lot of bush regenera on and revegeta on work over the past few years. This month we are re-introducing Tamarama Bushcare at the new me of Third Tuesday of the month. Please feel very welcome to come along. We will be working in several parts of Tamarama Gully over the course of the year, depending on weather and weediness, beginning with the northern slope.

In this issue.....• Mountain Goats come back! • Plan ng progress • New Environmental Weeds app • Duck River Incursion to Eastern Reserve• Na onal Tree Day 2016 photos• Bronte Waterfall Bushcare fi rst anniversary • Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Save the Date

Monthly Bushcare sessions will run from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon and will be supervised by a professional bush regenerator.

Meet up is at the new improved seat at the base of the waterfall.

Dates for the rest of 2015 are: Tuesday 20 September, Tuesday 18 October, Tuesday 22 November, Tuesday 20 December.

You are invited to our celebratory event to mark the commencement of this weekday Bushcare group. Join us at at 9.00 am on Tuesday 18 October for a fun and informa ve morning. Ac vi es will include: • Get to know the localsThe furred and feathered variety. Learn about the animals and birds who share the hood from local WIRES animal expert. • Tama walk and talkDiscover the secrets of Tama gully on a tour with our bush regenera on experts. • Get down and dirtyRoll you sleeves up and help to do some weeding

Sunday 11 September2016 Bushcare’s Major Day OutCelebrate with Bronte Gully Bushcare Group

Saturday 26 November 2016 End of Year Celebra onHugh Bamford Reserve

National Tree Day 2016 Wrap Up

Waverley’s Na onal Tree Day was held again this year at Diamond Bay. The event was a huge success with over 50 people par cipa ng, despite cool and overcast weather. Na onal Tree Day is an opportunity for everyone to be a part of nature, par cularly children, and this was defi nitely the case at Diamond Bay with many young families par cipa ng.

The day began with a return of Na onal Tree Day yoga, which was so popular last year. It con nued with the plan ng of 15 species of locally indigenous plants (arond 800 plants in total), then was followed by a kids habitat game and a BBQ to celebrate a job well done.

This year’s plan ngs extended the plan ngs from the 2014 and 2015 Na onal Tree Day and Diamond Bay Bushcare sites and will act as an important buff er zone to assist in the protec on of some of Diamond Bay’s remnant bushland.

Waverley Bushcare would like to thank Waverley Parks and Sustainable Communi es teams and volunteers for all their work to make this day a success. Look out for a new Na onal Tree Day site next year!

Duck River IncursionEastern Reserve volunteers hosted the Duck River reciprocal visit on Saturday 16 July, for the last ‘Bushcare Guests and Exchange Program’ date for 2016.

The day started off with an overcast sky with a very cool wind, and to keep warm we took a tour of the Eastern Reserve bushland remnant site and boardwalk. Then we moved on to a bit of weeding - mostly of annuals like sow thistle and fl eabane. Our visitors found that many weeds on the coast are the same as those in western Sydney (hello Mother of Millions!), and that we have an extra morning glory (the coastal version).

We then did some plan ng of coastal species Yellow Bu ons, Flannel Flower, Coastal Flax Lily and Coastal Kangaroo Grass in the recently established buff er zone around the remnant

By morning tea me, the sun was out, the sea was sparkling and the whales were pu ng on a show. The morning fi nished up with morning tea on the grass while whale watching! The whales were most accommoda ng, moving closer to the coast just in front of our vantage point. We had a be er view than many of the tourist boats.Tony and Peter brought binoculars for an even be er view.

Thanks to Kerrie at Cumberland Council. Tony, John, Peter and Ern for making the trek to the coast to join Jasmine, Phil, Joe and Mark.

A big thanks to the hardy crew of Mountain Goat Crag Care volunteers who returned to Diamond Bay in June in damp condi ons to work alongside the Diamond Bay bushcare group.

A er a solid morning of weeding, the Diamond Bay Bushcare site is now almost completely free of morning glory and other weedy vines. Thanks to Enmoore and Stu of the Mountain Goats and Lulu from Diamond Bay Bushcare Group for making this partnership happen.

Bushcare Guests and Exchange Program 2016

Mountain Goats Come Back!

Our Autumn revegeta on program has been successfully completed with thousands of tubestock of around 80 locally indigenous plant species now installed across fourteen sites by professional bush regenera on contractors. These plan ngs will improve the resilience of adjacent vegeta on remnants and provide connec vity between remnants. The project was supported by the Sydney Coastal Councils Group through funding from the Australian Government.

Calga Reserve at the northern end of the boardwalk in August (above) and March (below).

Our fi rst weekday Bushcare group has turned one!

Led by cheerful supervisor Vera who has in mate knowledge of the site, this friendly and commi ed group have completed a great fi rst year of weeding, plan ng and mulching, and the site is looking great.

Bronte waterfall is a revegeta on site that is home to a wide range of local na ve species. Weeds are managed without any chemical use. It’s a lovely shady site to work on and regulars Kate, Sally Pali, Blanche, May and Zoe are a very commi ed and relaxed group and are always welcoming to visitors and newcomers.

The success of this group has inspired us to move the ming of Tamarama Park Bushcare to a weekday. See front page for more informa on.

Planting Progress

Bronte Waterfall Bushcare Celebrates 1st Anniversary

Happy Bronte Waterfall Bushcarers Sally, Priscilla, Kate and Pali.

Tamarama bushland remnant, viewed from Wolaroi Crescent, in March (le ) and August (right).

Celebrate Na onal Bird Week, 17-23 October 2016, by taking part in BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

To get involved all you need is 20 minutes, your favourite outdoor space, and some keen eyesight. Simply record the birds you see on our Aussie Bird Count app or website. You’ll instantly see live sta s cs on the number of people taking part and the number of birds and species counted in your neighbourhood and the whole of Australia!

Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, but you’ll be contribu ng to a vital pool of informa on from across the na on that will help us see how Australian birds are faring.

So get your friends and family together, head into the great outdoors and start coun ng!

To get started, go to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au

Need help with bird iden fi ca on? Be one of the fi rst 5 people to email bushcare@waverley.nsw.gov.au with ‘Aussie Bird Count’ in the subject line and we’ll send you a ‘Backyard Birds of NSW’ mini poster (don’t forget to include your mailing address).

New Enviromental Weeds AppTired of lugging around your weed ID books? Especially when most of the weeds in those books aren’t even on your Bushcare site? Well, if you have a smartphone you need lug no longer!

Enter ‘Environmental Weeds of Sydney Region App’ - a free handy fi eld guide for your mobile phone or tablet. This app will help you iden fy some of the common environmental weeds found in the Sydney region, and includes more than fi y weed species. Colour photographs and detailed iden fi ca on notes help you iden fy a plant. Na ve look-a-likes likely to be found in the region are also included, and recommended control methods are described.

Several of our friends in the Mountain Goats Crag Care group were involved in the devleopment of this app. It’s a great resource for bushcare volunteers, gardeners, bush regenerators, landscapers, farmers, hor cultural students and land managers.

You can fi nd the app at the Google Plant and iTunes App stores.

HAVE YOUR SAY IN BRONTE’S FUTURE! Waverley Council is updating the Plan of Management for Bronte Park and Beach. The Plan will guide how we manage and protect Bronte over the next 10 years.

For Bushcare working bee dates and mee ng points, please visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/bushcare

Bushcare dates and mes are subject to change. If in doubt, please contact the Bushcare Offi cer on 9083 8226 or your site supervisor to confi rm.

Bushcare sites and times TAMARAMA PARKThird Tuesday of the month 9am to 12pm

HUGH BAMFORD RESERVESecond Saturday of the month 9am to 12pm

BRONTE GULLY Every second Sunday 10am to 1pm

BRONTE WATERFALLSecond Wednesday of the month 9am to 12pm

DIAMOND BAY RESERVE (ROSA GULLY) Third Saturday of the month 9am to 12pm

EASTERN RESERVEThird Saturday of the month 9am to 12pm

fox scan

Record and view fox activity in southern Sydney.

www.foxscan.org.au/sydneysouth

This project is supported by the SCCG through funding from the Australian Government.

Help is s ll needed to fi nd out where foxes are in our local area.

Go to foxscan.org.au/sydneysouth to report any fox sigh ngs. This website also shows the loca ons where others have reported seeing foxes so you can see a picture forming of their loca ons across the city.

You can also download the Fox Scan app to enable you to report fox sigh ngs when you are out and about.

The Southern Sydney Feral Foxes project is supported by Sydney Coastal Councils Group through funding from the Australian Government.

Help Find the Foxes!

Waverley Council us upda ng the Plan of Management for Bronte Park and Beach. The Plan will guide how we manage and protect Bronte over the next 10 years.

For more informa on and to share your thoughts on this much loved area you are welcome to ‘Have a Say’ by visi ng our webpage and comple ng a survey at waverley.nsw.gov.au/brontepom