Mt. Taylor Parkcare

Taylor meet

2008-06-12T23:38:00.001+10:00

G'dy! Problems with e-mails etc now sorted out with broad band, so lets meet at the new Richmond track at 2 pm, Saturday 14, walk up weeding as we go from both sides of the track, and at the same time mark the old Eucs that are near there, adding to the nesting knowledge.

I have noted from our Mannheim/Sulwood side that at least 5 myna couples have taken over, or returned to the E.rossi trees near the park entrance and in the old agistment. I would also like to consult about the next roo count!

I will bring tea and tools to the start of the Richmond track. See you soon, and even if it rains??!! We are delighted that Sam Ning is now our Park care coordinator..very welcome Sam!

Meet time 2pm
Saturday 14 June
Richmond track start, N side

Meet on this Saturday

2008-03-13T21:49:00.001+11:00

My profound apologies, I have had to cancel our meet on Saturday, as due to a grandson's final cricket match in the morning. I will try and organise the following Saturday, and if the weather has cooled down, pm instead of morning. As they say, mice and men get unstuck sometimes!

Cheers Anne

Saturday's meet and foot and mouth

2008-03-11T22:40:00.001+11:00

Hope the day is not too hot for our meet on Saturday, still meet at 9am on Waldock street. I will stop at the reservoir before we get to the car park, so we can get into the LH area near there: I guess our best idea is to cut off Verbescum heads, pile them up and enjoy the ants.

A very happy wedding to Ross..see you in the next month or two!! So, I will see you on Waldock street, 9 a,m on Sat 15 March. Suggest bring some extra secateurs, as no digging up, just removal of heads! The mountain is drying out rapidly, and the St J W which seeded again, is now dying. I also cut off many seed heads and chopped them up: many of those heads rotted, or were immature, and this may reduce the seed load. The St J W has also continued flowering after the situation "beyond" spraying time, and I'm sure we need to extend that time: other carers have found spraying the rosette stage at early spring etc..is very effective. The other methods that we have tried out also appear to be useful. Anyway, will see you on Saturday morning. Take care.

We need to do two extra programs, which will be fun: 1) a roo number again (any betting on the increase?!) and the second program is mark out all the nesting holes in all large trees on Taylor! The idea is to identify the trees, then we will mark them with a small spot of paint, where we note on the map, pick up the colour easily, out of reach (and is only small, but will last about 3 years before the bark peels off) . There is also some good airphoto photos, so I will try and get one for us to identify the large trees. Let me know who would like to be in the programs, then we get organised.

Cheers Anne

Meet summary

2008-02-10T18:45:00.001+11:00

Thank you so much to the team on Waldock street, we took out over 5000 Verbascums and several large briars! Ross' area near the base of Waldock is looking great, almost a forest! The native grasses and shrubs are very evident, thank you Ross! Further up the Waldock street was a very a fine native grassy knoll, which we enjoyed for tea. Some St J W are still along the road verges, but we took out many in the reserve..and the link to the dam work from Di is now linked up!

I was so enthusiastic today that I went out and cleaned up the School planting (about 50% surviving) and then went onto the old agistment and found 3 blue devils (Eryngium rostratum in full seed..I thought they had expired in the drought!) The other verbascums were reduced in numbers. The agistment is a gem. We saw several plants as we weeded: Einadia nutens (climbing saltbush), Chenopodiaceae and a flat, quite exciting little plant called Euphobiaceae, E. drummondi! Also Malvaceae weeds! John sprayed and cut 27 briars to add to our total.

See you soon
Anne

ps..the St J W chopped seed heads are still moist, so we hope more rain will increase the rotting!

Meet on Saturday 9th of Feb

2008-02-04T16:18:00.001+11:00

Greetings! How is everyone going? This rain is great, just need more of it! Hope if everyone is in agreement, how about we meet at Ross' house on Waldock road: we can assist with Ross' area and also attack some of the weeds near the reservoir and further up the road towards the first dam (in the park)? I will bring all the tools and tea.

The St J's W that we hacked out in the last meet, I have kept some seed heads to see how they died..well, not only did the removed heads die, they also rotted after the rain. I worked above Sulwood today, and tested some of the STJW that I had removed this morning: well, the seed heads are not yet ripe, still very wet internally: I'm very pleased with this, as we will be able to continue the head removal or plant chopping, and hope for reduction of this season's seeding: Di has been working very hard between the dams too, so if we work from the Waldock side we should be meet up with all her work.

I will continue towards the Mannheim street side of the mountain. See you all soon, we will just keep removing the junk asap!! Cheers Anne

Meet, Saturday 9 Feb
8.30 am or later
Meet here anyway at Ross' house, Waldock street!
Tools and tea will be there

Post mortem

2008-01-14T12:11:00.000+11:00

Great our first of 2008 meet at Waldock car park environs! We knocked off about 8,000 verbascums and St J W, using our new removal techniques..I think it is much quicker, less dust and effort..I suppose we will see success or failure in 3 months or so..of course if we have lots of rain, it may change the effect!!! Anyway thank you all for coming along at 8 a.m and then working to 10 plus..see you soon next month, or before early efforts during the coming month: Ross will need some help with the park near the houses in Waldock, so lets get in there and chop! Di and I are going to attack the scattered St J W above Sulwood.

Cheers Anne

Meet, Saturday 12 January, Mt Taylor

2008-01-08T23:33:00.000+11:00

Looks like the temp can be 34C during the day, and likely to be hot early, so I'm suggesting our start at 8 am instead 9 am..I will meet at the Waldock car park just before 8 (unless everyone says "NO" at that time, in which I will arrive just before 9 am !!) Suggest we stay near the area and take out as many St J W and Verbascums etc as fast as we can before backing off! I'm suggesting something a bit different, I have been cutting off the older Verbascums with secateurs, close to the stem/soil interface: this saves digging out the plants, reduces work and dust! I have also found that the St J W plants can be pulled out too, usually with the main root and side roots..this also cuts out digging etc..if the ground is very dry, then the chopper can remove plants. As the contactors are spraying the St J W only where they can get the vehicles close, I suggest we leave them alone, and only work on the steep or rocky areas? Anyway, lets see what we can do on the morning!

Time 8 or 9 a.m, Saturday 12 January
Meet at Waldock car park, N side I will bring tools, tea, etc..bring water for yourselves and usual hats, etc! Tea at 10 before we exit, unless it raining and cooler!

Cheers Anne

ps Have been chopping from C'houn street to Mannheim street, both on the Sulwood verges and the inside of the park..lots St J W and Vs removed and some encouragement from areas that we have been cleaning up for 18 years!!

Hi!

2007-12-11T20:39:00.000+11:00

Great having the group on Saturday, to chop out many patches of weeds, but we also found park areas really quite clear of anything exotic!! And thank you so much to John and Di and Alex in celebrating 70 years!! And thank you Ros for her first day too.

I will be having another session on the 15, Saturday, 9 am to take the cool of the day..we will be doing the N/E side, so I will let me know where exactly to start..John Donnelly, could you please let me know where we will start work on your side!! Will bring over picks etc.

Cheers Anne

ps. I have contacted Jenny Conolly and Rebecca Blundell about the St J W spraying..I will start this way with head chopping and spraying near our side of Sulwood, bit by bit!!

Saturday's watering!

2007-09-05T10:10:00.000+10:00

Thank you so much to everyone who brought and lugged water and distributed it to all 140 new plantings..I was very touched at our numbers and how much h2o was around! Thank you to Peter whose trailer took up two garbage cans of water and buckets etc, John and Di and Alex with their many L , and John who lugged a fire fighting knapsack which must have weighed mega kilos!!

All plants had a very good dose, and some of the 2000 Olympic plantings benefited too; the whole site is looking good, with few weeds and plenty of native grasses evident, as are the A.buxifolias in full flower! Lisa Llorens casuarinas are very healthy too, recovered from the fire. When I next see you, it will be in late October after the walking trips in UK..hope I survive, if not, bury the ashes on the summit!

Cheers and thanks again. Anne

Meet on Saturday

2007-08-30T18:52:00.000+10:00

We had a very successful planting of 140 varied sp..had hoped for rain, as the children didn't bring much water (cool drink not suitable!!) So I'm hoping the rangers can come to our assistance with some water via a tank: we will need to cart this to the plantings which are very close to the track above the park entrance gate: Pls can I have some volunteers? Won't take us long to give a dose to each plant and make sure the stakes are soundly back in place. The plan is to meet at the Mannheim gate this Saturday (1st) at 2pm. It would be good if everyone could bring as much water as possible; i'm not sure whether the rangers will make it.

Our pre preparation of the holes was great, and we used military tactics to make sure everyone enjoyed the plantings in an orderly fashion! After the watering, I propose we have tea and cake and recelebrate our 18 years of existence. Thank you especially to John and Peter who assisted with the plantings, along with teachers and sundry parents..much appreciated!

Cheers Anne

Planting on Mannheim Street

2007-08-25T16:37:00.000+10:00

Right, the action is as follows: all holes dug, all plants ready to go in, children will be brought up from Village Creek school by classes on Monday (27th), the first arriving about 9.30 am. Each hole will have its plant ready to be popped in (I'm cutting all the tubes to make removal easy for small fingers!) There will be small trowels etc to assist planting. The children are bringing a water bottle each to give their plant a start! We plan to have one class finished and exiting by the time the next one arrives..some 8 classes in all.

It should go like clockwork, but I'd love a bit of assistance if anyone can spare a few hours on the morning. Teachers will be in charge but I will need some overseers too! Any offers? Come and be part of history. Hope to see you there ( the more the merrier but then again most folk will be out earning the dough!) If you can manage to come, pls bring a couple of trowels with you to add to the numbers..cheers Anne

Commemorative planting

2007-08-16T20:55:00.000+10:00

Village Creek Primary has contacted me to assist with a commemorative planting for all the present children and teachers (it's being closed this year). This will occur on the 24th, Monday, of AUGUST, in the commemorative area above the Mannheim gate entrance. The school is organising the grasses, shrubs and trees from Greening Australia. What we need to do is dig about 130 holes, so the children can walk up from the school (in small groups), plant their items and return to the school! So I'd love some help with digging holes: not difficult as the ground is still wet. I'm proposing we meet this coming Saturday at 2 pm and do the hole digging. It won't take us long, I will supply native fertilizer and stakes to mark the spots. I will ask the children to bring a bottle of tap water for their particular plant!

The commemorative garden also marks Lisa Llorens our para Olympian, so it is a fitting tribute to our local community. This meet also marks our 18th year of Parkcaring, so I will supply a choc cake! After the hole digging we could do a wander admiring the early flowers!

SO here's the info:
MEET SATURDAY 18 August
Time 2 PM
VENUE Mannheim Gate entrance into the Park

I will bring picks etc for the dig, stakes and hammers, fertiliser

If any rangers can spare some time and a few extra picks, there will be cake and coffee too!!!

The Meet!

2007-07-08T13:47:00.000+10:00

Our quartet braved the weather (actually it was magnificently fine until we had tea, then the rain came) and we reckon we dispatched about 6500 verbascums. The soil was a delight, like butter and the Vs were mainly fat rosettes, ripe for the killing. Many roos viewed the proceedings, along with opportunistic magpies!

I will try and get a map to you with the areas that we have cleaned up, the pincer movement is now all along Sulwood, the Tug parkway area, up the ACTEW line to the second dam, from the Richmond track to the Torrens reservoir: the old agistment and brown snake gully are also in the pincer. Areas still infested are below the summit, left of the Richmond track, the park area near the Sheehan st reservoir, and the slice of Taylor that goes towards Hindmarsh drive.

We have taken out over 45000 woody weeds (records are really useful for this sort of statistic) and every Verbascum carries 6000 seeds or more, so its potentially millions of soft weeds, apart from the 1000s already removed. And the native veg is in full flight, given its 32 years since cattle and sheep were removed. Roos, another future problem, along with PC and ST J wort will keep the future interesting. Cheers for now, and ta heaps for all the removals today!
Cheers Anne

Meet tomorrow

2007-07-06T14:00:00.000+10:00

Snow, rain etc predicted! Shall we fly in the face of this and still meet?

Yes, we can all drink hot choc and go home again!! So meet along Waldock street enroute to the Waldock car park (about half way up, look for my car!) about 2 pm.

Objective: weed extermination!!

I attach a photo or two from Taylor this morning. The ducks were trying out tree holes for size until an angry grey butcherbird spoilt the party by actually knocking them off the branches! I wondered if this attack would be applied to the starlings also fossicking for holes? Rosellas, eastern and red, magpies, ravens, honey eaters and joy oh joy at least 20 double barred finches in one flock on the summit. Have we gained birds from the destruction of O'Malley?? Red Hill should have gained many too. We have a huge population of Paterson's Curse above the Waldock car park, quite depressing. Below the summit we have Verbascums by the million, so that should be our next assault. We took out most of these Vs on the right side as you ascend the old track, but this lot is on the left. Also an area enroute to the summit very near the road (we cleaned that up last year, again these are younglings)I am sending some pics seperately for your enjoyment.

This and that

2007-06-25T16:30:00.000+10:00

Richmond track renewal seems to be static, on Friday the chopper brought in mulch for the old track! John reports the marker flags for the new track have been collected and placed under a stone (all blowing away?). Our last meet was a very productive, as we moved from the Torrens Reservoir to the Richmond track, with an enthusiastic crew of ten. The battle field was well decorated with Verbascums and some woody weeds.

Thank you very much to everyone, Ross' enthusiasm was such he walked from the bottom of Waldock! I'm hoping for the next session on the N side, July 7, Waldock vicinity, will send out reminder nearer the time (I know this clashes with the school hols, but even if 2 of us get there, its many less weeds!!) The mountain is quite wet (this side anyway) and the late flowering grasses are a joy. I went on the opening walk on C'ridge's reopened track, its great and I recommend it: much work on the info boards etc. and the views are great. Thank you to Stefan for the great website (it is based in America so look there under parks), nothing like being international!!

Cheers Anne

Parkcare meet

2007-06-04T15:21:00.000+10:00

Saturday the 9th of June@2pm
Meet at the Torrens water reservoir. We will progress towards the Richmond track, knocking out mainly Verbascums which have multiplied! I will bring the usual weapons and tea/coffee. Walked round and over Black Mountain yesterday, the veg understorey is pretty tired (especially on the N side, C'Ridge, Farrer and Taylor's is in far better nick thanks to fire and weeding!!) Hope you can read this scan, it can be enlarged...

World Environment Day volunteer events

2007-05-30T18:14:00.000+10:00

World Environment Day Planting

Join the ACT Government, Greening Australia and hundreds of community volunteers to plant 3,000 native trees and shrubs in the lower Cotter catchment on the eve of World Environment Day. All volunteers on the day will go in the draw to win a scenic flight over the Cotter in a helicopter.

When: Sunday 3 June, 9:30am to 12:30pm, followed by a BBQ lunch
Where: Bullock Paddock Road (via Brindabella Road), Uriarra Forest
How to get there: Follow the Cotter Rd, cross the Murrumbidgee, then turn right onto Brindabella Rd. Follow all the way to the intersection with Uriarra Rd (approx 7kms), turn left, follow for 1.3km, then turn left at the sign “Bullock Paddock Road”. Look for Greening Australia signs along the way. Alternatively, catch a bus from Deeks Forest Park car park (cnr Cotter and Uriarra Roads), departing at 8:45am and returning to Deeks at 1:45pm. When RSVPing, please indicate if you would like a seat on the bus. Seats limited.
What to bring/wear: Hat, gloves, long sleeves, long pants, sturdy boots
RSVP essential: Contact Haydn Burgess on 6253 3035 or 0439 030 059. Please advise the names of all people in your group who are attending the planting.

World Environment Day Bus Tour

Mark World Environment Day by joining the ACT Government and Greening Australia for a tour of the revegetation work at Blundells Flat and the lower Cotter catchment.

When: Tuesday 5 June, 8:30am to 1:00pm, including morning tea
Where: Bullock Paddock Road (via Brindabella Road), Uriarra Forest
How to get there: Two mini-buses will depart from the Greening Australia community nursery in Kubura Place, Aranda at 8:30am sharp, returning around 1:00pm.
What to bring/wear: A hat and good shoes for walking
RSVP essential: By Friday 1 June. Contact Haydn on 6253 3035. Numbers are limited.

Richmond track, very good news!

2007-05-26T13:14:00.000+10:00

For those of you who didn't see the minute item in today's C Times, under "in Short" New track on the way. Chief Minister Jon Stanhope promised on 666ABC yesterday that the popular Richmond Fellowship walking track on Mt. Taylor, recently closed due to erosion, would be replaced. "I accept the path is important, I've used it myself on a number of occasions" he said. Stanhope said a new track would be " perhaps not the exact route but we will ensure the path is restored". So there you have it.

Cheers Anne

Richmond track

2007-05-16T15:02:00.000+10:00

Dear folks: the info I have on the Richmond track is it will be closed for good, ripped up, revegetated and a new one made with correct alignment! So there you have it! I also gather this is to occur fairly soon. However, plans do change..

cheers Anne

Last Saturday's meet

2007-05-08T18:00:00.000+10:00

The old agistment was looking spectacular, with native grasses and some shrubs blooming. The absence of weeds was another plus (well we did take out some!) and this added to the enjoyment: it also showed that the removal of weeds over the last 18 years has resulted in a superb native grassland relatively free of soft weeds and almost totally free of woodies. Thank you so much to everyone who came! I will be organising the next meet shortly, and it should be on the Pearce side. See you soon.

Anne.

Two dates

2007-05-01T20:43:00.000+10:00

A little information.

1. Don’t Miss Mother’s Day, Sunday 13 May

Team up with the ACT Government, Greening Australia and Trees for Mum to plant tribute trees and enjoy a celebratory lunch on the northern slopes of Narrabundah Hill. We invite all our volunteers and their families and friends to join us for a truly memorable Mother’s Day.

When: Sunday 13 May, 9:00am to 12:00noon, followed by a BBQ lunch
Where: Northern slopes of Narrabundah Hill, west of Duffy
How to get there: The planting site is west of the intersection of Eucumbene Drive & Warragamba Avenue, Duffy (off Cotter Road). Look for the Greening Australia signs. See map on attached flyer.
What to bring/wear: Hat, sunscreen, long sleeves, gloves, long pants, sturdy boots

2. Cotter – Like Never Before, Sunday 27 May

Join the ACT Government and Greening Australia in revegetating the Lower Cotter Catchment along Sinclairs Circuit. The planting site drains directly to the Cotter River just before it flows into Cotter Dam, so your efforts will help protect Canberra’s water supply. And afterwards, enjoy a BBQ lunch.

When: Sunday 27 May, 10:00am to 12:00noon, followed by a BBQ lunch
Where: Sinclairs Circuit, Lower Cotter Catchment
How to get there: Follow the Cotter Road west from Canberra, cross the Murrumbidgee River and take the first right onto Brindabella Road. Follow all the way to the intersection with Uriarra Road (approx 7kms), turn left, follow for 1.3km, then turn left at the sign “Bullock Paddock Road”. The planting site is about 3 kilometres along the dirt road. Look for the Greening Australia signs along the way.
What to bring/wear: Hat, sunscreen, long sleeves, gloves, long pants, sturdy boots

RSVP essential for both events: Contact Haydn Burgess on 6253 3035, 0439 030 059 or reply to this email

Coming sessions!

2007-04-30T10:12:00.000+10:00

The magnificent rain has made weeding a pleasure (but not the sight of what is sprouting!) Anyway, mark Saturday 5 May in your diaries for a hack starting at Mannheim street/Sulwood Drive, Kambah park entrance. This is an area some of you probably haven't seen much of, so I'd like to take you on a weed / walk on the old agistment which has some beautiful vegetation. It has been one of my "projects" to keep weed free, but that is an impossible dream. However, as a group, we should be able to cover most of it and enjoy the views too.

The late flowering and seeding of many grasses has been amazing..spring seeders missed that event, but have flowered profusely in autumn..especially red leg ( Bothriochloa macra and windmill grass (Chloris)which we collected seed off three weeks ago (4 huge bags which have been drying in my "studio".) Many herbs have flowered too. Of course the St Johns wort and verbascums have had a field day..but all to the good, less work next year!! We have several active rabbit warrens which I have notified the rangers about. The large road cleared around Mt Taylor (fire access) is rapidly being covered with couch grass and weeds, good for erosion control! We now know there are native and exotic couches, so as far as I'm concerned, the more couch we have on paths and road the better, as they are very drought and use hardy, and identification of the different sp. is some what difficult. There has been a move to close the Richmond track (again) which has stirred up users. I have asked Graham for info on the subject! The various fire reduction burns and clearing are not listed for Taylor, as the road clearing round the base served the purpose (if somewhat over the top).

So, MEET me at the Mannheim Gate at 2 p.m on Saturday 5 MAY Will supply tools and tea. Even if it rains, I will be there! Wear the usual rugged clothing!

This and that

2007-04-10T12:38:00.000+10:00

I will be off line for two weeks! On boot up will arrange lots of meets for the end of this month and next, the cabbage question (huge Verbascums)needs to be addressed and the grasses are ripening for seed collection. We collected a huge amount of seed on Saturday, the house smells like a barn!! Take care all, see you soon.

Cheers Anne

Meet on saturday

2007-03-15T19:31:00.000+11:00

Yes, I know rain is forecast, but lets defy the odds and get out there for a couple of hours, to smite the cabbages (verbascums) that are reaching for the stars!!

This will be the last early morning meet, but with temps still in the 30s, I'm not keen on afternoon meets yet. SO:

Meet at 9 a.m at the Colquhoun park entrance (off Sulwood drive, the loop road that has two ends) Look for my Suzuki I will bring tools etc. The plan is to chop our way to the first dam via the road, go up the road to the ACTEW line, go right and chop our way back to the park entrance where we started!! Masses of flowers are doing their spring number in autumn, so we can have a viewing too!

Hope to see you there! Bring a rain coat or something to encourage it to fall!

Cheers Anne

Roo count results

2007-02-14T21:47:00.000+11:00

Thought you would like to see the result of our w'end activity...more roos than we thought! The mobs present appear quite rooted in certain areas, but then again that could be the eating available! We did the count all over Taylor, using a map marked in divisions, from 6.15 am to 7.30 a.m. The whole mountain has greened up, to the delight of the weeds!

The system worked very well, as everyone reported what they had seen, and who, so I was able to eliminate double counts etc. So the grand total is 182 roos. Given that we covered most open spaces where they graze I think this is pretty accurate. I found a couple in the bush areas, but the mobs were easy and they tend to stay in certain areas. Thank you all so much for this fun info gathering. I would like to organise another towards the end of the year, when we can assess the effect of winter, the drought, etc etc. One thing, only one roo in pouch was recorded, and I saw five teen agers running with their mothers! Looks like the breeding program has slowed. See you soon. We had 36mm last night, a bit of wash occurred. Comments on efficiency of the count welcome..hope to attract more folk next time.