News

Brisbane Biodiversity Seminar at Kenmore

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Explore the fascinating world of Brisbane’s carmivorous marsupials at Brisbane City Council’s Biodiversity Seminar. It will be held at Kenmore Library on Tuesday evening 11 July.

The event will include:
  • a live showing of Brisbane’s carnivorous marsupial species by Martin Fingland
  • a presentation by Thomas Mutton (QUT) on the newest discoveries of Antechinus in Queensland including the Buff-footed Antechinus found in Brisbane’s western suburbs
  • a talk by Land for Wildlife partner Rob Nitschke about the rarely-seen Brush-tailed Phascogales nesting on his property.
For more info see: {module_literature,i,173135}

Brisbane Intrepid Landcare’s ‘Picnic in the Forest’

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Do you know someone aged between 16 and 35 who is interested in fun land care activities and networking with other young people?


Then you’d better tell them that Intrepid Landcare has arrived in Brisbane!

Intrepid Landcare is not your usual bushcare group. It is an adventurous organisation that empowers young people to lead on stuff that matters to them. It is already highly effective in other parts of Australia, repairing the environment, combating climate change to leave our land in better condition for future generations.

To celebrate Intrepid Landcare’s arrival in Brisbane, they will be holding their first event – a Picnic in the Forest – on Saturday 2nd July at Karawatha Forest, starting at 9.30am.

For more info: 
  1. check out the poster: {module_literature,i,173161} 
  2. visit their website, then:
     
  3. GO SPREAD THE WORD!

A weed beating beetle!

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Over the last 5 to 10 years, a small, brown beetle known as the ‘Celtis Leaf Beetle’ (Menippus cynicus) has started causing noticeable damage to the young leaves of the highly invasive introduced weed-tree Chinese Celtis (Celtis sinensis) around South-East Queensland.

The Celtis Leaf Beetle is native to coastal, central Queensland and we are unsure whether it has moved by itself to south-east Queensland, or if it was transported by people.  

Regardless, it is here in our catchment now and we can only hope that it reduces the vigour of Chinese Celtis!


Photo courtesy of BioSecurity Qld

The hidden biodiversity in our catchment

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Hidden away in the waterways and grasses of our Moggill Creek Catchment are some fascinating birds belonging to the little-known group of Crakes and Rails.

There is very limited public awareness of crakes and rails in the waterways of South-East Queensland in general.  Activities such as grass mowing and creek dredging have significantly destroyed their habitat, without replacement. 

Achieving the optimal balance between revegetation, weed control, public amenity and sustaining native birds and plants that already exist in our waterways is not easy.

Within our own catchment, crakes and rails include the Lewins Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Pale-vented Bush-hen and Spotless Crake. The following pictures were taken locally by Ed Frazer.    

 

Lewins Rail
   

 Buff-banded Rail
  

 Pale-vented Bush-hen
  

 Spotless Crake 

A recent article published in the Land for Wildlife newsletter lists some strategies that can be applied to protect the habitat of these wonderful birds. It is a helpful resource/reference for protecting the wonderful—but, in this case, hidden—biodiversity that presently exists in our creeks, swamps and riversides. 

Although perhaps giving the impression that these birds are common, permanent habitat in our suburbs is scarce and many waterways are no longer suitable for these fascinating birds.

Brisbane City Council’s Conservation Action Statement on Crakes & Rails (2010) also provides some interesting facts and figures.

  • {module_literature,i,172853}
  • {module_literature,i,172851}

No Cottage Talk this month

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Our June Cottage Talk, scheduled for Thursday 15th June, has been cancelled.

This is due to our mid-year public meeting being held on the same day.

Please click here for more info. 

Thursday 15 June: public meeting

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YOU ARE MOST WELCOME to join us for our mid-year public meeting!

It starts at 7pm, Thursday 15 June in the Kenmore Library meeting rooms.

Be entertained and inspired by the knowledge of our guest speaker Martin Fingland, who will talk about the identification of wildlife tracks and scats,

Please keep the night free! We would love to see you there!

*Note: there will be no Cottage Talk on this day due to the public meeting.

  

Nature Journaling with Paula Peeters

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Learn how to visually record progress on your bushcare site over years or just observe your favourite nature spot!

Two exciting workshops are coming up on Saturday 15 July and Saturday 9 September. They are being held by the Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network Inc.

Dr Paula Peeters is an ecologist, artist and writer. Paula will provide a brief introduction to nature journaling and the ecology of each site. She will introduce you to simple drawing and writing exercises to improve observations skills and free up creativity and imagination.

For more information, view the flyer below or contact the the Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network Inc.directly on 0407 583 441.
{module_literature,i,172616}

Perplexing Plovers!

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We’ve all seen plovers sitting on nests situated plum in the middle of wide expanses of parklands, lawns or roadside verges!

 … or flying around and squawking loudly to protect their nests! So just what is this perplexing behaviour all about?


Photo courtesy of Ed Frazer

Believe it or not, there IS a strategy!

Click here to read all about the quirky minds of Plover parents in the June edition of Jim Butler’s “Feather Fascination.”

Putting Back the Forest

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We quite often receive enquiries from folk looking for  the book “Putting Back the Forest: A Landcare Guide for Brookfield, Pullenvale and Moggill” by Bryan Hacker, Rona Butler and Rae Rekdahl.

The book was published in 1994 under the auspices of Rural Environment Planning Association Inc”.  It has been out of print for several years but is now available on the REPA website.

Kids Day 2017 – what to expect!

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Here’s a peek at the neckwear the kids will be creating this year at the very popular jewellery-making stand at Kids’ Day at the Cottage.

Each year our wonderfully generous and talented Deborah Craig designs something with a focus on natural products for the kids to make.

For 2017 these will include hand-made pottery beads, and bamboo, and seeds.

Here is a snapshot of Deborah modelling one of her fabulous creations!

There’ll be all sorts of other activities too, including two wildlife shows!
Come and see what else we have in store! Kids Day 2017 will be held at the Cottage at the end of Gold Creek Road on Sunday 28 May from 10am until 1pm.