Bushcare Hewitts Creek

New Frontier or Two  Returning to Flanagans Creek . Our advice is to let the sprayed Asparagus wither on the plant for a further time so work inside the 3 coupes back of the beach will be limited to regrowth Morning glory &  Asparagus +  Turkey Rhubarb   where its showing. And general clean-up if needed. Alycia has encouraged us to start work up the creek where feasible: there's a large Castor Oil plant up by the bridge & some invasive vines along the north bank. Won't really know what we're up against until we have a close look. I'll bring extra bags again and if the rain holds off a few litres of water will be happily taken in by our plantings.  Castor Oil plant 2024 Actions on offer include: the Stonecrop spot Honeysuckle flowering east of cycleway Lilies & Cassia just south of Woodlands Ck Cutting up a fallen dead Banksia near Condons Cnr Wading into the Cassia etc east side of Manifest Destiny Ditch edges 2023 Jobs  Conditions are good ...

Yet Another Change of Plan It has been deemed best to avoid the sprayed Asparagus at Flanagans for another week by which time the impact should be more widespread & visible. So it's back to Hewitts tomorrow where the shade will be welcome if the 30 degrees forecast eventuates.  Most of our effort will be in Manifest Destiny where more watering will be needed & the full panoply of weeds await. Cape Ivy & Rhubarb are widespread & easy to get while still small but there's also Madeira ,  Crofton ,  Cassia ,  Privet &  Honeysuckle for all.  We might also terminate the careers of 3 big Privets, currently in flower. A weed & watering patrol to  Woodlands Ck  will also be rewarded with heaps of  Honeysuckle coming to greet them. Bird nerd news: a Rufous/Nankeen Night Heron in the Casuarinas at the Hewitts Ck bend on Thursday. 2nd sighting in 12 years.  2024 More to do We have some more to do in the SE corner and it...

 Sale of the Sanctuary A big yellow sign has gone up at the top of the Stony Rd rise, seeking expressions of interest In the purchase of 2 Panmills Dr lots...... & 20 Amy St, a tiny 320sq m house block (yet to be WCC approved), the wagging tail of the 7000sq m along the west edge of our Bushcare site stretching back to McCauleys Beach Estate. The future has arrived! Most of the work will be in Manifest Destiny / Lisa's Site: chopping Cassia & Asparagus along the ditch (if not wet/flooded) Cardboard contributors can spread their wares near the creek, having removed Madeira first Honeysuckle , Privet ,  Cassia on  Lisa's Site Watering newest plants if no rain tonight Jane Gower may lead a Briza Grass bag & exterminate unit in the Blady Grass area .  You will also find Formosa Lilies emerging. As a general rule, please DO NOT CUT any more LANTANA at Hewitts until we lift the restriction. The Sale of the Sanctuary has involved massive clearing of habitat to...

Daylight Saving takes us back to 8.30 am start.  If you don't have a better offer  Take inspiration from this week in previous years. 2023 A Cool Holiday Weeding will be west of the cycleway beyond the Blady Grass & yes, there be Lilies sprouting.    If we have some saw equipped choppers there is more cutting & painting to be done in Manifest Destiny .  Our Bowerbird has moved his bower; still on the edge of Manifest Destiny but with a better view & drainage. 2022 Jobs on three sites   1. Woodlands Creek edge Japanese honeysuckle - see picture above (bag it) Turkey Rhubarb Cassia Coolatai (bag the seeds) - more of this grass is up the stony road 2. Andrew's site Privet Japanese honeysuckle (bag it) Morning glory  Crofton weed   Cassia    3. Manifest destiny Two large privets Two African Olives Also some Turkey Rhubarb in the Old forest, west side of the cycleway for the first 50m after the bridge. 2021 This week ...

Flanagans Crk - 5th week (every month) Water recent plantings Rubbish collection after weekend Roll up Morning glory regrowth Lantana regrowth Attack asparagus if no spraying has been done, use tie-up technique to prepare for spraying Avoid relocation Bower bird bower Choppers into third coop 2024 Likely events Montbretia is shooting. Crofton and Fireweed are flowering. Turkey Rhubarb will soon flower.

News & New Management  Lt McLeod will have the clipboard next 2 or 3 Mondays. Repair 2 of our fences, one at the cycleway bend and the other at the triangle up the dirt track (protecting the Sandpaper fig ). Pull down broken limbs above dirt track, if possible. Weed  Privet , Cassia ,  Crofton  weed and Cape ivy at Lisas site and  Manifest Destiny Choppers could attack  Cassia  and Asparagus along the north side of the ditch. Regrowth Madeira vine towards the creek at  Manifest Destiny . Woodland Crk Honeysuckle , pull out and string up. 2024 Likely events As well as the Crofton, Fireweed and Montbretia shooting and flowering, if it rains, even average amount, there will be plenty to do. Turkey Rhubarb will soon flower. 2023 Back to Spring There were a lot of Croftons in flower last week along the Cycleway so it would be good to get them first up. There are also a few small scale weeding jobs waiting, including renewed acquaintance with...

Once More Unto the Beach We have only 20 tubestock to plant towards the creek end so much of our time will be devoted to ASPARAGUS ! Flanagans creek has turned south for 80 m on reaching the beach, leaving a 2m sand cliff just east of the vegetation. WCC had roped off the access paths last Friday.  The Bower has been re-sited by Mr Satin, now a bit further east & only visible to bending bottle collectors. I also saw a basking Eastern  Water Dragon & 2 beautiful male Variegated Wrens with their extended family.   2024 You'll never weed alone Task sheet to come. Crofton and Fireweed will flower, Montbretia will shoot. 2023 Watering, snakes & Heat Warning The priority will be watering from Woodlands Ck of nearby plantings, also some water for our plantings either side of the track. The forecast is for it to climb to 27-28 degrees by 11am so the main focus will be shady work in Manifest Destiny -- some cutting & painting, some Cape Ivy ; Cassia weeding an...