Bushcare Hewitts Creek

Springing back  We have inserted an experimental Swamp Banksia into Manifest Destiny and there are still 4 or 5 other sapling trees needing protection so if anyone has some spare garden stakes/posts, we still have enough wire to fence them.  On offer: Velcro plant has reappeared beside cycleway, up near the bend creek edge & back of beach have junk deposits from our throw-away society some minor Turkey Rhubarb, Asparagus & Passionfruit growth along creek edge The full weed range on offer in Manifest Destiny with conditions ideal for extraction & some fallen timber cutting up for the sawyers a check along Stony Road & Woodlands Ck   2022   There has been further Deer damage, done this time to three native Hibiscus - they need a protective guard- and we lost an Illawarra Flame and a Bleeding Heart just across the ditch on Lisa's Site. Cut them off below damage and they may re-shoot.

Springing back  We have inserted an experimental Swamp Banksia into Manifest Destiny and there are still 4 or 5 other sapling trees needing protection so if anyone has some spare garden stakes/posts, we still have enough wire to fence them.  On offer: Velcro plant has reappeared beside cycleway, up near the bend creek edge & back of beach have junk deposits from our throw-away society some minor Turkey Rhubarb, Asparagus & Passionfruit growth along creek edge The full weed range on offer in Manifest Destiny with conditions ideal for extraction & some fallen timber cutting up for the sawyers a check along Stony Road & Woodlands Ck   2024 Founding Anniversary picnic Bushcaring to be done: Watering our very (& less) recent plantings there are 3 sizable branches down so sawyers will be welcome Bob will need a pioneering assistant as he forges a track from Manifest Destiny to Hewitts Ck Lilies are trying to pop up but are being chewed off by rabbit...

Back To Flanagans The low areas at Hewitts Crk are still under water & there is mud elsewhere. Flanagans will be considerably drier with its sand base. Choppers & Morning Glory gleaners can proceed to cleanse more of Coupe 2 while Asparagites continue their slow push south. Judging by McCauleys Beach there may also be some beach cleaning required. We'll bring extra bags.  Weed of the week Ehrharta erecta The species has been used for birdseed, and in ecological restoration such as dune stabilization. However, it has become an invasive weed in many parts of the world. It flowers and seeds throughout the year, and its seeds germinate rapidly, forming new plants in only a few weeks. This weed is so widespread that all we can do is remove the visible seeds and clear away any of it that is in competion with native plants. 2024 Planting tomorrow  Most of the sites will be towards Woodlands Ck where salt water isn't a problem so if we all bring a watering can/bottle refills...

Flanagans Creek In the absence of leadership we will share some self-directed weeding at Flanagans Creek. 2024 Success with Bushcare required Lisa's site needs considerable work tomorrow. Gary's "seawall held up well against the big seas. There are a series of 1.9m tides from tonight. There's more to do at Andrew's Amnesia, a small Lantana chop up the dirt track, protection for our Treefern to be installed & some Lilies to be hunted down. 2023 The monarch of weeds, Madeira Vine .  Now we can be a real Bushcare Group engaged in a never-ending battle with Anredera cordifolia. Its on Lisa's site, probably floated in when the lagoon was at its highest, and it becomes our top priority because it never sleeps, can grow 10m in one Spring/Summer & is extremely difficult to eradicate. Great care needed. Intrepid choppers may have some work nearby because the lagoon level has dropped a bit and long loppers may be able to reach the skywards stretch of some big...

Deterrence Day We will have a go at putting in temporary "cages" for our most valuable shrubs & saplings, many of which have already been damaged. There are about 25-30 candidates for our 40m of wire & 11 Star pickets so there will have to be some chainsaw & axe shaping of suitable fallen timber and/or some volunteered stakes. Cable ties & tie wire with pliers should also be useful & if anyone has a Star Picket "donger" it would really help. If Deer Deterrence doesn't appeal, choppers with loppers could slip into the WARC Zone where a number of fallen Banksias should be cut up & off whatever is underneath. Alternatively, there's a bit of weeding beside Woodlands Ck & up the Stony Rd (which may be the driest access)...& there's always Manifest Destiny !  2024 Go West The following are priorities: watering our most recent plantings, especially in the dryer areas. Creek water is likely to be too salty after the high tides ...

Why Would Anyone Plan?   We are switching tomorrow's work action to Flanagans Ck, or Tingara Park as its officially known. Forecast is for some possible light morning showers, so rain gear advisable.  At Flanagans tomorrow we'll continue to weed our way south. There may be a rubbish patrol along the back of the beach. I'll bring extra bags again. Choppers /sawyers could cut some of last weeks cuttings into more mulch friendly sizes. 2024 A Diminished Thing Tomorrow begins a new era for our group with our work restricted to areas west of the cycleway. I will produce a full explanation of these changes later in the week. A reminder that our 10th Annual Foundation Picnic is set for Monday 26th August. The waves & tides of the last week have dammed Hewitts Creek & filled it, the shoreline & beyond with sea-wrack so removal of plastic, treated timber & general rubbish will be first task tomorrow. Hoes & metal rakes will be useful in returning these deposits ...

 Moving South at Flanagans Back to Flanagans . Roadwork is not quite complete. Forecast says cool with wind chill & wind increasing so tog up accordingly. After some checks of our plantings & the two Acacia saligna , the main focus will be moving south in Coupe 1 , with those born to chop moving into Coupe 2 . Asparagus experts still have a lot to do in Coupe 1 & Morning Glory over/through Lomandra is never ending. Bring your bags & I'll bring extras to leave for WCC  to pick up. The following Monday (4th August) we'll be at Hewitts Ck with the usual shift followed by our Annual Foundation Picnic (11th). If you're relatively new to the group its a great chance to meet the delightful reprobates who make up this Outdoor Womens & Mens Shed. 2024 Things Fall Apart: Wind & Deer A tough few days for our trees with a couple of Wattle wind victims on the Stony Road & another Banksia down, west of the Blackberry patch. Our attempt to save the large Hib...