Bushcare Hewitts Creek

Year of the Snake Vine  Snake Vine No.2 ( Stepania japonica ) is having a very big year so again tomorrow secateurs will be invaluable. The forecast is partly cloudy, low 20s, so comfortable conditions.  Locations very similar to last week: Manifest Destiny  - watering via shaduf, the full weed card, but also knocking down another local, Persicaria , where its overwhelming plantings Dirt Track -  plantings on both sides hiding under Snakey 2, plus Bad Passionfruit, and some cutting up of fallen branches Woodlands Ck - plenty of weedy variety here so don't go after just one: Lantana,   Cassia,   Purple Top , Japanese honeysuckle, Fleabane, Coolatai & Snakey 2 Andrews Amnesia & Lisa's Site both have the Snake 2 clambering over more valued natives From the Creek bend to the Ditch there are a series of well established natives disappearing under the SuperSnake 2 There may also a couple of secret WARC missions if numbers & courage allow ...

Earth & water  Back to the earth & water of the Hewitts Ck site tomorrow.  Options include: Woodlands Ck Fleabane, Honeysuckle, Snake Vine 2 McKellar Glade a nasty  Blackberry,   Polygala, Purpletop, weed around struggling Banksia survivors WARC Zone 20+  Lilies , Sth end of forest WARC Zone Cycleway edge Cut & Paint big Lilies ,  Blackberry , pull Bidens Manifest Destiny Weed Recognition class & practice, Snake Vine 2,   Madeira . Purpletop, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbena_bonariensis 2024 Urgent foci. Turk is flowering with some in seed at Condons Cnr.. Secateurs & bags required before dealing with Morning Glory also thriving. McKellar Glade is busting out with a few other nasties nearby.. Cape Ivy is starting to spread in the SE Corner. Still work for a Cut & Paint team in Manifest Destiny. 2023 Out of The Wild More chopping along the Stony Road , more Honeysuckle , Blackberry et. al. wrestling east of the cycleway, f...

Crossing the Flanagans   A crossing of waterways is not for the faint of heart, but tomorrow its the Flanagans for some of us. Ok, we did in the Castor Oils 3 weeks ago but this time we're taking on the small stuff;  Morning Glory , Turkey Rhubarb , Fennel  and  Bidens .  The bank is steep in places so good grip footwear will help. While we're at it we may run into 2 local families, the Wagtails & the Moorhens who both appear to have bred along the creek this Spring. Other options will include:  the usual post-sunny Sunday clean up,  removal of regrowth  Morning Glory   & Asparagus around our plantings plus some water for  those plantings. cutting off dead poisoned Asparagus branches to clear space for plantings to come 2024 So Much Happening We will have two groups in Manifest Destiny cutting back Cassia (& painting if its dry) plus continuing our "nesting" behaviour to reduce our woodpile. Another intrepid group with seca...

 Bridge down, Ditch dry, Weeds growing, Weather dry.  Hewitts Creek site again (8.30 start) with quite a few tasks waiting: Secateurists come ready to snip Stephania japonica from our shrubs & small trees. Its a native vine temporarily "invading". Common name is Snake Vine No.2. The No.2 is my name for it because we also have Snake Vine No. 1 on site ( Hibbertia scandens )  We need at least 5 snippers along the creek bend, in Manifest Destiny & Andrew's Amnesia . Bridge Doctors Morning Glory and Snake Vine 2 are prospering between the red flowering Melaleucas on the east side of the cycleway. Asparagus fern is getting away along the south side of The Mound. Madeira vine & Coral tree regrowth are off again by the creek in  Manifest Destiny . Watering of recent plantings from both the creeks  is needed given lack of moisture over last 10 days. We have buckets at both creeks. Too many Tuckeroos in some small areas so culling required. I counted ...

 Work hungry Bushcare gang  Here's the list: Woodlands Ck - regrowth most weeds but especially  Honeysuckle WARC zone edge south of forest - Crofton , Thistles , Purpletop, Honeysuckle WARC zone under forest - covert extraction of Formosa  Lilies .......We need you Alan!! Blady Grass  slope - Polygala , Lantana (just in  Blady Grass ), Purpletop , Blackberry Take down "lean to" Deer protections but leave timber nearby.   Fix  Myoporum defence Fence beside cycleway Ditch - dig out Asparagus along south bank Andrews Amnesia - cut/pull native vine/s off smaller native shrubs/trees Manifest Destiny - cut/pull native vine/s off smaller natives & ground covers.  Plant my bag of ground covers in bare areas in near creek 2024 Found Heaps There is work for choppers, serious weeders & even some repair work: The Old Forest has work for a couple of perspicacious weeders. I counted 8 different weeds between the bridge & the dirt track...

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...