Bushcare Hewitts Creek

Deputy Ian Condons corner turkey rhubarb at west entry and in coast wattles east side. Lots of seed to bag, Morning Glory, Lantana cut back north west corner South east corner, cape ivy in casuarina and baby Nightshades, Morning Glory and a big flowering Cassia . Big blackberry behind Steves Beach, moth vine, crofton Morning Glory and Nightshades. Weed around our surviving plantings 2023 Same, same - an edit of parts of last week's worklist Like last year   Cassia   (Senna pendula var. glabrata) is showing us where it is and inviting removal. Bag any seeds (there won't be much) but there are some from last year in places. Most importantly, remove as many flowers as possible. The Old Forest (between cycleway & creek) has some Turkey Rhubarb , Morning Glory and Creeping Christian (Trad) Blady Grass area is again under Morning Glory attack with flowering Turkey, Fleabane & Cottonbush   On the east side of the cycleway some Lantana , Cassia & Moth

Take over Flowing Lantana 20m south of Meeting Point , east side of the cycleway and Morning Glory over saltbush and casuarina 10m further south A bit of watering will be needed in the Stony Rd area & we should do some quick weeding at the back of the Blady Grass before heading under the trees at Manifest Destiny to take on more Cassia, Cape Ivy & friends. There is considerable work waiting around Condons Corner on the Turkey Rhubarb , but choppers will also be provided for. 2023 Choice this week Hunt down the real Morning Glory on our western edge (note that we normally pick on Coastal Morning Glory )  Bag the Fleabane on and around the SPAT fence Follow up on something you have done before, or Gain inspiration from what we did this time last year  2022 Weed of the week Hydrocotyl , also known as: water pennywort, floating pennywort. This pennywort is prohibited matter, but see Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennywort  Priorities In the Old Forest (between cycleway

 Deluge results Saturday's early morning deluge not only flattened half of Manifest Destiny , it washed away our recent plantings. So we plant as many Bleeding Hearts (& others) as is feasible at Manifest Destiny & behind the Blady Grass.   (2023 was Day off for Easter Monday) 2022 Problems Most of us should work west of the cycleway on Andrew's & Lisa's sites if they are accessible. Manifest Destiny has Morning Glory rolling across the floor & up the trees so I'd like to get there too.  We'll leave a "They Went That Way" pair at the Blady Grass area should you be fashionably late.  

Easter Monday - 2024 2023 Walk in the Woods  There's a fair bit of Morning Glory on the agenda but if there are early showers we may find ourselves taking down some Cassia & an African Olive . McKellar Glade is also in need of some TLC.  2022 Problems Some storm damage around the eastern edge. Before: Work report: Before and after: Wildlife sighting Eastern Water Dragon, Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii This species is protected in Australia.

 Something Else We have a full tray to plant along or near the Stony Rd and/or in Manifest Destiny . Some tubestock may have to wait a week or so. We need to clear more planting space at Manifest Destiny by removing cardboard We need to chop more Cassia at both sites. Transplant some Sandpaper Figs from the ditch to Manifest Destiny central. 2023 Five point list Weather should be cool, sunny with a bit of wind. 3 of the 5 activities will need bags.  Hopefully some adventurous soul will take home some produce to attempt the following: According to Diego Bonetto's "EAT WEEDS" , Cobblers Pegs or Bidens pilosa can be distilled in gin or used in a salsa verde or pesto, in pasta sauce, stir fries or noodle salad. "The flavour is strong & complex, at first resin & grass but then at the back palate, has sage & oregano tones".  He, Diego, has a herbalist friend who drinks a daily anti-bacterial tea brewed from fresh & dried leaves of Bidens pilosa. A

 Another wet week One relatively dry site will be among the flowering Cassia along the Stony Road so choppers should be happy. There's still some Polygala to finish nearby and a lot of Morning glory at the back of the Blady Grass area.   Turkey rhubarb tracing on offer at Condons Corner. I also have a few more "nursery items" for our recently chopped zone. 2023 Missive from Macca Aiming to deal with weeds in grassy areas like Coolatai , Polygala & two or three localised issues. 2022 Cycleway upgrade Council said a new stage of the cycleway upgrade is coming soon-ish: from the Tramway Creek causeway to the south end of the Hewitts Creek Bridge. Asphalt will become concrete, width stays the same except for the last 15m before the bridge where it widens to 3.5m and includes bollards in the centre & on both sides.  A 10 week project Wollongong Council hopes, with the same detour for cyclists as when the bridge was being repaired. And here is a shot of the creek.

 2023 Cool & Grey Rain + heat can only have meant rapid growth over the last 2 weeks. We'll need to survey the scene in our best areas first and start work where its most needed. Showers are forecast but the Bureau of Meteorology has them only arriving in the evening but should they chase us away from open areas we can retreat back to leafy zones.  Maybe bring a watering device in case our recent plantings suffered over the last few days.  2022 Priorities We need one group beside the Cycleway at the bridge end, where Turkey Rhubarb & Morning Glory are proliferating and another assaulting weeds of the world at Andrew's  Site & Manifest Destiny . If numbers allow, some Cassia are flowering lately, so choppers may have self-identifying victims to pursue. There will be enough to go round,