Green Space Our Place
Our Volunteers Voice
Award winning ‘Little Taccas’ New volunteer programs
Parks & Leisure Issue 12 - September 2016
Machans Beach Park improvement plans
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Our Volunteers Voice
Front Page: Education Guide Peter Shanahan takes a group through the Aboriginal Plant Use Garden. See article Page 18 Photo courtesy of David Rentz
Back Page: Little Taccas Volunteer Lydia Roehrig with Max blowing bubbles.
In this issue: • From the Editor • Little Taccas - award winning program - Page 3 • New Tracks ‘n’ Trails volunteer program - Page 4 • Volunteer Profile- Leonie Sequiera - Page 5 • Coastal Garden, Machans Beach - Pages 6-7 • Friends of Botanic Gardens, Cairns news - Pages 8-9 • New Faces - Pages 10-11 • Jabiru News - Pages 12-13 • Volunteer Comments - Page 14 • Stinkhorn Fungus - Page 14 • New program - Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’ - Page 15 • Treeforce - Pages 16-17 • Community enhancing our green spaces - Page 18 • Sharing knowledge, volunteer education guide - Page 19 • Applying mulch effectively Page 20 • New program - enhancing visitors’ experience - Page 21 • Feathered Friends - Page 21 • Plant Information - Palmae / Arecaceae - Pages 22-23
This newsletter is published quarterly, showcasing articles and photographs on volunteer activities throughout Council’s Parks & Leisure green areas
From the Editor Welcome, Lots of exciting news in this issue! Firstly we are proud to report we have formed three new groups. The Tracks ‘n’ Trails Volunteer Program begins this September and has a newly appointed position of Ranger to supervise keen community members - see further details on Page 4. Sarah began the new Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’ in July and has an average attendance of 10 meeting each Friday to enhance our reserve areas - see Page 15. The already successful Visitor Enhancement Volunteers program began due to the interest from current volunteers who wanted to offer their guidance and support to visitors on weekends. See Jenny Martin’s first report on Page 20. Great news! If I haven’t already shared this information with you - in June Little Taccas won the state award Inclusive and Connected Communities at the Parks & Leisure Australia (QLD) 2016 Awards for Excellence - see next page. Thank you to Sarah for entering our children’s program otherwise this we would not have been recognised at this level. Most importantly thank you to all the volunteers and Council staff who have been involved from the conceptual stage in November 2013. This idea came about when I was thinking how I could further involve volunteers and connect the community with nature and the Botanic Gardens’precinct. ‘Children’ was the first thought and then it grew from there! We are happy to report that we are creating our vision of ‘Building collaborative partnerships between Council and community through volunteering programs to promote and develop our region while connecting and creating opportunities to enrich lives.’ We now have three staff members and have been able double our volunteer numbers in the past six months! We now have a total of 145 in the various groups and individual residents who work on Council land. Since the beginning of 2016 volunteers have contributed close to 11,000 hours work in green spaces! Thank you for helping to create this vision.
Louisa
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Award winning program
‘Little Taccas’ children’s program wins state award
‘Little Taccas’ children’s nature activities program won the state award for ‘Inclusive and Connected Communities’ at the Parks & Leisure Australia (QLD) 2016 Awards of Excellence. Without our volunteers this program would not have got off the ground. The idea came to Volunteers Supervisor Louisa Grandy to utilise volunteer’s skills, raise awareness of the Gardens precinct and provide nature based play for children and their parents. Volunteers were very supportive of the idea. This program has become so popular that parents are placing bookings on the after hours message bank before 6am on the opening dates!
“It’s by far the best thing we do with the girls, they absolutely love it and so do we!” Vee Hannan Each program provides a range of activities for children to learn about their natural areas and also gives parents ideas on how to create fun for free, or with very little expense. Activities use recycled egg cartons and other household items along with natural materials such as flowers, foliage and seeds found in the garden. Program 4 opens on Monday 26 September. Phone 40326650 to make a booking.
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Our Volunteers Voice
New Program
New Tracks ‘n’ Trails volunteers program
Are you a regular on our tracks ‘n’ trails ie: Mt Whitfield Arrow Tracks or the Ivan Evans Trail? Would you like to assist Green Space Our Place program’s newly appointed Ranger in a volunteer program maintaining our tracks and preserving the surrounding bushland? This program, beginning in October, aims to: - Support Council staff who are currently maintaining the Arrow tracks; - Begin a volunteer maintenance program on Ivan Evans trail; - Offer volunteer opportunities for community members who have shown an interest in assisting in these areas; and - Assist people to develop a skill set in the tracks and trails industry. If you would like to be a part of this new program phone 4032 6648. Photo: View from Mt Whitfield Green Arrow Track.
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When you get to know Leonie Sequeira, a Down ‘n’ Leonie says she lived Dirty volunteer, you quickly learn that she lives by her in a very affluent motto ‘How can I help?’, with her very giving and warm part of the Sydney nature. and sometimes Leonie was born in Rajasthan, India, and studied clinical couldn’t believe the psychology, lecturing in the university for three years poverty that existed before her mother said, ‘You need to see the world. in Australia. Travelling will give you a different perspective and “It was a totally broaden your horizons.” At 25 years of age she left to different world explore the world and came to Australia. than I expected. I “My family had contacts in Australia because as a child had to put my own in the 1960s my father introduced me to a visiting emotions and values on hold and worked through each Australian wool-grading expert, from Perth, who situation, listening and learning from my clients. This job made me question my own life and made me more wanted a penfriend for his daughter. “I remember being introduced to this man, who was aware of life in general, enriching me in many ways. absolutely huge! When we shook hands my hand I’ve realised that learning from others is what enriches disappeared,” she laughs. “They felt comfortable with my life.” us as we could speak English and quickly became a part Leonie became the head of the psychology department of our family. They also sponsored my sister to go to and found sharing her knowledge very rewarding even if “I ruffled a few feathers in management because Perth. protocols wasn’t always the “I came out to be with my sister, “Learning from following best thing for my clients,” she reminisced. who had moved to Sydney by then. Leonie has since retired in Cairns and others is what I worked as a psychologist in child welfare. I was so naive and only knew enriches my life.” cares for her mother who has reached 101. She loves to garden and misses her what I had learnt from text books. The kids gave me real life experience. I’d never heard large property in Sydney, so offered to volunteer at the a swear word until I worked with these kids,” she said. Cairns Botanic Gardens in 2012. “They taught me many things such as how to hot wire “I love gardening however I bought a smaller property a car,” she laughs, “and this broke down the barriers for my retirement years and with a habit of buying between us. I hardly spent any time in the office as I plants, realised a little too late that I haven’t any space loved being in the client’s space as this was the best way left. The Botanic Gardens is like an extension of my own garden and I love volunteering with the Down ‘n’ to understand their needs.” Leonie’s clients also included Aboriginal children and Dirties each week. Even if I’m late (due to caring for their families. To get better understanding of their her mum) I like to touch base as it makes me feel good. culture she attended ‘Tranby’, the Aboriginal College in “I love this group. We all pitch in together and have a Glebe. great camaraderie. That’s what makes it so enjoyable. “I would camp with them to learn more about their There’s no pressure, no expectations, no rigidity from culture. The elders taught me so much when they the group. We come and go as some of us travel and then attended our campsite.” Leonie laughs when she recalls we share our experiences with one another when we one of them saying: “You ask too many questions, sit return. We get back what we give and we are continually still and wait for the knowledge to come to you”. learning, whether it’s through practical gardening or “I will never forget another message one of the elders through the information sessions. shared with me as I was collecting stones and shells “The uniform is also beneficial as it instigates questions along the beach one day - ‘Why do you collect these from visitors and is a great way to connect with the things,’ he said. And when I replied I like to remember public. the place by them he said, ‘You can remember these “I love nature, it’s not just about the plants but the entire things in your heart and mind. If you all take from the experience. I love to encourage others to connect with land, nothing will remain’.” this tropical experience too,” she said warmly.
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Coastal Garden, Machans Beach improvement plans underway with community support
The Machans Beach Community Association was pleased to welcome Indigenous Yirrganydji elder Mr George Skeene to Keith Edwick Park on Sunday 3 July, to advise and support more than 20 Machans Beach community members who helped with the first plantings in the new native coastal garden. A sub-committee of the Community Association has worked with Cairns Regional Council officers to develop a design to improve the park. This garden has come about as a result of extensive consultation with community members over the past 15 months. Over 100 shrubs, ground covers, grasses and Machans Beach Community Association steering trees native to Redden Island and nearby coastal areas were committee members with George Skeene, from left planted in new gardens created from 20 truckloads of soil Liz Lovett, Val Schier and Deb Fisher. and mulch delivered by Council in the last two weeks of June. Volunteers will be needed to keep the gardens weeded and plants watered through the ‘dry’ season. There will be a second infill planting of lower bushes and grasses in approximately six months before the wet season and community members are hoping to collect and propagate seeds from Redden Island during that period. Later in July, Mayor Bob Manning met with Association members to offer Council’s ongoing support and to thank them for their efforts.
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Photos: 1. Construction begins; 2. More than 20 community members assisted with planting the new garden; 3. Val Schier prepars the site for the community planting day; 4. Deb Fisher is very pleased with the community support; 5. Suzanne Gibson lends a hand; 6. Peter Johnstone doing his bit; 7. Bobbie Reuben strikes rock; 8. Bryce Thompson and Phil Meadon work together; 9. Dympna Leonard wins the fashion stakes; 10. Association president Letitia Choppy and George Skeen plant Dianella; 11. Mayor Bob Manning with Association members to offer Councils ongoing support and thanked them for their efforts - from left Evan Wyatt, Kate Kingham, Bob Birbeck, Phil Meaden and Geoff Kingham, front /centre Letitia Choppy.
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Our Volunteers Voice
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he Friends have been successful in their partnership with the Saltwater Creek Basketry group and have funding to commission art works, conduct workshops and produce a large-scale sculpture exhibition and art trail in the Botanic Gardens. Sculptures will mainly be made of natural materials collected from the Gardens and will be on display for five weeks from 1 October to November 5. As a great way to invite community members to be a part of this project there has been a series of one day workshops to create five sculptural pieces for the exhibition. Artists were asked to lead the workshops and guide participants to learn skills and develop finished pieces. The exhibition will attract new people to the gardens and lead them into areas they may not be familiar with.
Friends latest acquisition for Conservatory
One day workshops involved the community.
Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns raise money to purchase items for the Gardens. Above is their latest acquistion - a beautifully crafted seat for the Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory. This adds to other seats the Friends have funded over the years. Now visitors have the pleasure of sitting and taking in the surrounds at their leisure.
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Cairns Moth Night attracts crowd The first Cairns Moth Night was held on the evening of Wednesday 27 July at the Cairns Botanic Gardens with around 76 members of the Friends and the public in attendance. Moth Night was conceived in the United States of America, some years ago, as a time to initiate public awareness in the diversity of moths. Since the summer season in America is the time of greatest insect activity, the week of 27 July was selected as possibly the best time because the moon would not interfere. As it is the Australian winter, it is not expected that many moths would show up at light sheets in the southern part of the continent but in Cairns, where we have mild winters, and an especially mild winter this year, we can expect some insect traffic at light sheets at any time of the year. Moth Night has blossomed into an international event with 13 countries taking part as well as a plethora of American cities all participating during the week. Our Moth Night was a bit disappointing for reasons
Sheet stations were set up to attract moths
only the moths can know! However, there was a variety of other insects that fascinated our visitors. We set two sheets at the beginning of the Red Arrow track and in the gully below. We saw a variety of spiders, mantids, wasps, flies, crickets and even a Striped Possum and a Honey Glider. As a result we will have our November Night Walk along the Red Arrow Track. We will set up a light sheet or two to compare the numbers of moths and other insects with what we saw in winter. This shuld be interesting so come along and bring a light and camera. By D. Rentz
Dr David Rentz gave a brief presentation before leading visitors to the light stations that featured moths and other creatures. There was also a display of moths in the Visitor Centre.
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Our Volunteers Voice
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1a. Lyn Mason helps with mulching on her first day with the Down ‘n’ Dirties; 1b. Bernie Mason at the annual Field Day. 2. Diana Tuke pulling out weed saplings at the Down ‘n’ Dirties; 3. Janelle Grey admires Acacia holosericea at Cattana Wetlands; 4. Peter Tuke gets Down ‘n’ Dirty; 5. Alan Chapman and Barbara Smith enjoying a morning tea break after working with the Jabirus (Lydia in the background); 6. Vito Husak weeding vines from saplings at Cattana Wetlands; 7. Christina Shepherd having fun at Little Taccas dress up as a tree day; 8. Devi Maya Mongar weeding at Salties; 9. U Win Soe cleaning up at Salties; 10. Jit Maya Rai and Sanshwe Maung with a bucket full of weeds at Salties; 11. Emma Womsiwor at Down ‘n’ Dirties; 12. Toby Short happy to lend a hand at Salties; 13. Prithy Man Gurung weeding at Salties; 14. Wallen Dau raking mulch at Salties; 15. Min Augn Htay at Salties; 16. David Farmer has joined Stratford Nursery volunteers and Jabirus; 17. Evelyn Inu weeding at Salties; 18. Isak Gau planting Dianella at 6. 5. Salties.
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JABIRU NEWS
The Jabirus In June and July Council Regional Council staff, landscape consultants, the Jabiru volunteers and a Cairns Birders representative met to discuss the Cattana Wetlands Improvement Plan. This planning will determine the future direction for these beautiful wetlands and outline management procedures. The Jabiru volunteer numbers have been steadily growing over the year with an average of 12 attending each week. They are a dedicated group, even turning up on wet mornings to weed. See new members on the previous pages. The noticeboard has been updated with plant information and a brochure holder and bird sightings continue to be recorded by bird enthusiasts. Photos Left: weeding at the viewing platform; meeting to discuss the improvement plans, Cairns Birders representative Jude Friesen, Council’s Natural Reserves Strategic Planner Luke Jackson and Natural Areas Management Officer Dave Lloyd discuss plant management; Top: Discussing vegetation management.
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Our Volunteers Voice
Volunteers Comments Thank you Sarah
I had the best six months as a Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteer. The work was hard but very satisfying and Louisa and Sarah gave me plenty of guidance. All the tasks were meaningful and I got immense satisfaction at the end of each session seeing the huge difference we had made. Morning teas were fun, with some very generous cake makers providing munchies. I met the most interesting people, many with tales to tell. It was great to meet so many committed people and I will miss sharing stories over coffee. Volunteering at Stratford Nursery was also great fun. Different people but all interesting to talk to. We did some field trips with the lovely Desley but mostly we propagated seedlings and did the dreaded weeding. It was very satisfying to pot up many hundreds of tray stock. We all left each week feeling that we had made a difference, especially when we knew that those trees would be used to landscape and beautify Cairns. If at all possible I would love to return to volunteer again. Maybe I will end up driving around Australia for a second time to end up in Cairns. I will miss you all! Cheers everyone, Sarah Amies.
Crinoline Stinkhorn Fungus
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by Barry Muir
he Crinoline Stinkhorn fungi are very common in the Cairns Botanic Gardens, especially in the Centenary Lakes area. They grow on beds of mulch and leaf litter and can be up to 20cm tall and 5cm thick at the top. The real fungus is threads called hyphae which occur amongst the litter and what we see is actually the fungal fruitingbody. It has four parts. The first is an ‘egg’ which forms first and splits open and the stalk emerges. Next the stalk extends and a ring forms around it. The ring then expands, slides downwards and stretches to form the very delicate and attractive crinoline ‘skirt’. The purpose of the skirt is unknown but it may help to attract insects. The spore mass forms in spongelike pits on the head. It smells like dog-faeces and thus attracts blowflies and other flies that feed on it and carry the spores away attached to their feet. Unlike many fungi that are directly necessary to maintain the health of the rainforest and many of
our useful plants, the primary aim of fungi like the stinkhorns is recycling. They decompose cellulose and other plant and animal materials and convert it back into simple substances that can then be used by plants, soil animals and other fungi. The Botanic Garden is also home to a close relative of the Crinolene Stinkhorn called the Multicoloured Stinkhorn. These look and grow the same as the Crinolene Stinkhorn but are beautiful shades of pink, yellow or orange. They are a little less common but are often found in the garden beds between Saltwater Creek and the Tropical Fruit Garden.
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Saltwater Creek ‘Salties’ New volunteer group keeps an eye on the inner city wetlands
The Saltwater Creek Wetland ‘Salties’ volunteer group met for the first time on Friday 24 June at the reserve area behind the Edge Hill Primary School on Russell Street. This group was formed to preserve the bushland around the Saltwater Creek area such as Russell and Pease streets. They have been weeding and planting each Friday morning. Green Space Our Place was approached by a resident in the area who wanted to volunteer her time along the creek as she was already collecting rubbish while walking her dog. There was also a need to educate the community about the environmental impact from dumping green waste. There has been plenty of interest in this group with new faces on a weekly basis with an average attendance of 12 volunteers. Thank you for making such an impact in this area already. 1. Planting the undergrowth and mulching Russell Street reserve edge. 2. Jit Maya Rai and Lydia Roehrig with the last barrow of 10m3 of mulch; 3. Toby Short, Charles Wang and Isak Gau planting and watering; 4. The ‘Salties’ proudly display their new shirts: from left: Min Aung Htay, Isak Gau, Odette Aspinall, U Win Soe, Jit Maya Rai, Sanshwe Maung, front: Lydia Roehrig and Emma Womsiwor; 5. Janelle Grey and Alan Chapman (not pictured) have been keeping the plants watered during the week. Thank you!
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Our Volunteers Voice
Treeforce preserves
Treeforce volunteers planting at Freshwater Creek
Green Space Our Place spoke with Treeforce (Trees for the Cairns Environment), a community tree planting group of dedicated volunteers established in 1992. “Our mission is to plant and maintain native trees to protect and stabilise river banks and hill slopes and to create wildlife habitats,” said Treeforce coordinator Lisa O’Mara. “We also aim to create public awareness of the importance of planting native vegetation, and also to preserve the beauty of this special environment.” Last year Treeforce planted 10,000 trees on the banks of Freshwater Creek and have continued to look after these trees this year, as well as planting over 6,000 more. Due to the generous grants from the State Government’s Everyone’s Environment Grant, the Federal Government’s 25th Anniversary Landcare Grant, and a Terrain NRM Community Grant, Treeforce has had a very busy and successful couple of years working on two sites along the Freshwater Creek behind St Andrew’s Catholic College.
Treeforce volunteers with their collection after a Clean Up Day.
“The Landcare grant has seen us focusing our efforts
Treeforce volunteers and Redlynch State School on the Freshwater Creek banks.
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natural areas and creates awareness on a massive area between St Andrews Primary School and Freshwater Creek which we call the ‘Big Island’ site. “Cairns Regional Council’s Natural Areas Management Unit has been very supportive of our project by removing dense Guinea Grass and providing site preparation and maintenance. A Green Army Team have chipped in as well,” Lisa said. For the State Government grant, Treeforce is planting along the Brinsmead to Redlynch bike path on the banks of Freshwater Creek with access from the new foot bridge at Goomboora Park. “When we started, the banks were very exposed and eroded with high public use. We have been planting multiple Lomandra sedges on the creek bank to reduce the erosion and sediment run off to the Great Barrier Reef. Further back from the edge, we are planting appropriate native riparian zone trees. “Both of these projects build upon previous works we contributed upstream in 2003-2006, and on Rice’s Gully in 2009-2011. “Overall it is a significant improvement to an endangered regional ecosystem by a small and growing group of dedicated volunteers, some of whom have been planting with us for over 15 years,” Lisa says with appreciation.”
Partnerships are an important key to their success and include international student groups, Freshwater Scouts, Cubs & Joeys, High School geography class students, Conservation Volunteers, Australia Better Earth Team, Kuranda Envirocare and the Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation. “Currently a Green Army team is assisting us with maintenance, and James Cook Univeristy Restoration Ecology students are performing water quality and revegetation assessments that will contribute to our reporting requirements. “BirdLife NQ members have recently surveyed all of our sites of differing ages which is important data for the future. And I have been working closely with two local schools on environmental projects and Clean Up Days in an effort to involve youth and local families in our projects; an essential ingredient for the future,” she said. Treeforce activities are normally held every second Sunday morning from 7.30am to 9.30am in the winter months, followed by a convivial morning tea with occasional guest speakers. Bring sun smart gear, water and covered shoes. For up to date information: www.treeforce.org.au, www.facebook.com/treeforcecairns or contact Lisa at info@treeforce.org.au or phone 0435 016 906.
International students volunteering at a Treeforce tree planting morning on the ‘Big Island’ along Freshwater Creek.
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Our Volunteers Voice
Community enhancing our green spaces
Green Space Our Place is a volunteer program that encourages
residents to get involved in enhancing and maintaining public spaces. “Green Space Our Place aims to build collaborative partnerships between Council and community, while providing opportunities for residents to engage in rewarding and healthy activities,” Mayor Bob Manning said. “When residents take an active role in caring for public spaces, it builds a sense of civic pride and of neighbourhood. “When you feel a sense of ownership over an area, you’re more Candy Mason, at Palm Cove, planted these trees (above) likely to enjoy that space and to gain enjoyment from others using in August 2015 as a screen alongside her property it. You might also feel more inclined to monitor and protect that on Council reserve. She is very happy to report that space.” the trees provided by Natural Areas Management are thriving (below) - Colubrina asiatica, Sophora tomentosa, In the six months since its inception, the program has already Dodonaea polyandra and Vitex rotundifolia in foreground. grown to have more than 150 volunteers from Mirriwinni to Palm Cove. “Within the program there is a mix of individuals and community groups that want to put in the time to enhance their local area,” Cr Manning said. “Council provides volunteers with plants, equipment and support to assist residents in enhancing gardens that benefit them and their neighbourhood.” Among those already making a positive difference within their community are the members of the Machans Beach Community Association (see full story Pages 6-7). “The effort put in by the volunteers is fantastic – they have a genuine passion for their local area and they’re willing to put in the time to maintain the garden for the enjoyment of everyone. “We’d love to hear from other groups who have a vision for a local park or open space and work with them in a similar way. “We also welcome individuals who would like to get involved with an existing group, including those operating at the Cairns Botanic Gardens, Cattana Wetlands and Saltwater Creek.” If you are interested phone 4032 6648.
Above: Rosann and Daryl Barnes were granted permission to plant a screen of Phyllanthus cuscutifolius on the Council verge outside their property in Redlynch.
When Council was required to take out one of the Ficus trees due to a hazard issue in Garnet Street, Smithfield, Gail Winters volunteered to be beautify the area. Gail used plants she propagated and also supplied by Council. Above: the vancant land after the Ficus was taken out. Left: Gail has turned this into a beautiful garden with a range of shrubs and flowering plants.
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Sharing his knowledge with visitors and schools
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ince Peter Shanahan retired from his position as Interpretive Officer with the Cairns Botanic Gardens he has been a very busy volunteer education guide, sharing his knowledge in educational walks and talks at the Cairns Botanic Gardens and Cairns schools. Peter has delivered tours at the Cairns Botanic Gardens for local schools such as Paramatta, Redlynch and Mialo State Schools, the Methodist Ladies College and the Children for Change Afterschool Enviro Program. He has also given presentations to visiting universities such as the Arcadia University (USA), the John Monash Science School, Victoria and Chatswood State High School from New South Wales. Groups can range from 10 to 120 students and their teachers. Tours and presentations have included: - Life Cycles and endangered species - Local Aboriginal use of native plants - Evolution of Plants - The living relationship in nature - Wet Tropics history and sustainability - Evolution of plants and geologic history - Wet tropics at the Daintree, its history and biodiversity - Gondwana Evolution Garden - Evolution of plants and adaptations.
The Reef Rescue Education students didn’t think there was any insects around on the Insect Safari at Cattana Wetlands until Peter said to wave their nets through the air. What a surprise!
Peter has also spent time in local schools to provide a presentation of his insect collections, lectures and slide presentations on the importance of insects. Peter receives plenty of feedback from the schools with the following comment from a teacher at the Redlynch State School. “Thank-you very much for coming to our school and presenting such an interesting talk to our Year 3 students. The kids were very interested in all you had to say and were fascinated by the insects you brought along in the display boxes. “We discussed what they had learnt when we were back in class and every student had learnt something and could remember lots of information from your talk.
Peter explains the living relationships of nature to the After School Holiday Group.
“One parent even mentioned to me the next day that her daughter couldn’t stop talking about your presentation and followed her parents around all evening talking to them about what she had learnt!” Peter said he loves to share his knowledge with the younger generations and will continue volunteering his time while he is able.
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Hort. Notes
Our Volunteers Voice
Applying mulch effectively
Mulching is one of the most beneficial practices used to create plant health, however, improper mulching materials and practices may have little, or even negative, impact on your plants. WHY MULCH? • Helps reduce soil moisture loss through evaporation • Helps to control weed germination and weeds • Helps to moderate soil temperatures • Supports and encourages numerous beneficial organisms, such as earthworms • Eliminates stress in shallow-rooted plants • Provides nutrients to the soil and to plants • Improves soil biology, aeration, structure (aggregation of soil particles) and drainage • Provides aesthetically pleasing effects APPLYING MULCH Mulch should be no deeper than 5 - 10cm (a finger depth). Deeper is not better! If you put down a thicker layer than that: • you prevent light showers of rain getting to the roots and will therefore increase the demand for water rather than reduce it; • risk reducing oxygen to the roots, causing the soil to ‘go sour’; • you encourage rot fungi that will attack the plant roots and bind the mulch into a solid mat so that water cannot penetrate. NEVER allow mulch to pack up close against plant stems.
When applying any kind of mulch be careful to leave some space around the plant crown, or tree base. If you pile any kind of mulch up against the crown, you will rot the plant out and it will die. Leave at least 5 - 10cm of breathing room near the stem or base of the plant if it is single stemmed and place a thin layer of mulch between the stems of multistemmed plants such as Heliconias and gingers.
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Enhancing visitors Feathered garden experience Friends Green Space Our Place has
developed a new volunteer program at the Cairns Botanic Gardens named ‘Visitor Enhancement’.
New Program
With an interest shown by a couple of our current volunteers, this program was developed to enhance the Cairns Botanic Gardens’ visitor experience. Volunteers answer questions about the Gardens and also volunteer opportunities and offer guidance with maps and share plant information. Volunteer Jenny Martin gave a very enthusiastic report of her first experience as a Visitor Enhancement Guide. “Armed with maps and brochures I introduced myself to the current staff member, who was very helpful and told me the Amherstia noblis at No.26 on the self guided walk was spectacular at the moment. I sent many people there and they were all so happy! “Locals as well as visitors were all open to assistance. Many locals were revisiting the gardens after many years and could not believe the changes. “I was amazed at the amount of interest my volunteer uniform attracted with many questions regarding volunteer work opportunities. One visitor in particular loved the Cattana Wetlands and as she had not visited the site for years, I encouraged her to return and see the growth. As she lives out that way I suggested she might like to become a Jabiru volunteer. At all times when giving information I made sure they knew to contact our volunteers supervisors for any information and also that brochures were available at the visitor centre. “It was interesting in the Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory. Butterflies were everywhere and people were gobsmacked! The plants looked spectacular! “I also met a Japanese tour guide named Yoshi who brings a group of Japanese tourists two or three mornings a week to the gardens and then they go north to crocodile country, Daintree I think. He comes every weekend to relax with his small son over where the top section is, and enjoys the peace and quiet. His wife is a nurse at the hospital. “Due to the extent of the interest shown I volunteered for three hours,” said Jenny enthusiastically.
Photo by Andrew Silcocks BirdLife Australia
Crimson Finch In northern Australia, where there are plenty of different species of finches to be seen, one of the standouts is the Crimson Finch. Crimson Finches are widespread across much of northern Australia, with a range stretching from the Kimberley of Western Australia, through the Top End and Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory, to the Gulf Country of north-western Queensland. These diminutive and colourful birds are strongly associated with pandanus woodlands and thickets, especially near wetlands. They usually build their bulky, bottle-shaped nests among the pandanus fronds, where five or six white eggs are laid. Although they are regularly associated with pandanus, they require a dense grassy understorey because, like all Australian finches, Crimson Finches rely heavily on seeding grasses for their food at most times of the year. They are not especially fussy, taking developing and mature seeds from native and exotic species of grasses alike. They cling to the grass stem to pluck seeds in situ from the seed heads, or peck at fallen seeds on the ground below. The size of the seed is more important than the species of grass it came from. The availability of grass seeds is the most important factor in Crimson Finches’ survival, and local populations may be adversely affected when the grass cover is removed, whether it’s burnt by fire or removed by grazing, or if it becomes overgrown by invasive weeds. It is vital that the right vegetation is planted with the focus on encouraging the growth of a variety of grasses. John Peter, BirdLife Australia
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Our Volunteers Voice
Plant Information: Arecaceae / Palmae
Palms - among the most useful plants to humankind The Arecaceae comprises about 200 genera and 2600 species, and their foremost natural occurrence is in the world’s rainforests, with centres of diversity in the Amazon Basin of South America, Central America, South-East Asia, New Guinea and Madagascar. Australia has about 60 species, most of which occur in the tropical north of the continent but particularly in the north-east of Queensland. The palms are a world-wide family that is predominantly tropical in distribution and horticultural requirements. They are also among the most useful plants to humankind, providing An example of a palmate leaf: Licuala ramsayi, Mission Beach fan palm foods, oils, alcohol and sugars, as well as materials for building and domestic utensils. Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are among the oldest cultivated plants while palm fossils indicate that palms were among the first flowering plants to evolve. Palms have two primary morphological divisions, with either palmate (fan-shaped) or pinnate (feather-like) leaves. These divisions can be further divided into climbing species such as Calamus (wait-a-whiles), small understorey palmlets such as in the genera Chamaedorea (parlour palms) and Linospadix (walking-stick palms), and tall towering species such as in Archontophoenix, Carpentaria and Livistona. Some species occur in very unique habitats, with Nypa fruticans (Mangrove Palm) An example of a pinnate leaf: confined to the mangrove Archontophoenix alexandrae margins at the saltwaterfreshwater interface and some Caribbean genera such as Coccothrinax grow on soil-less limestone substrates. Others have unique flowering and fruiting habits; Corypha utan flowers and fruits only once (termed hapaxanthy) in a massive terminal inflorescence after a 30-40 year life span, and then dies. Most palms are generalists when it comes to pollination, being either wind pollinated (anemophily) or insect pollinated (entomophily) mainly by bees, although a few species have specialised relationships with weevils and beetles. Dispersal of seeds is mainly by animals (particularly rodents) or birds. Some species have unusual dispersal agents, for example Washingtonia filifera (Washingtonia palm) is distributed by coyotes in North America and Areca vestiaria (Pinang Merah) by Civet cats in eastern Indonesia; both animals ingest the fruits as part of their diets.
Corypha utan with mature fruit: Centenary Lakes
From an evolutionary aspect, palms are most closely related (though still distant) to the Commelinales/Zingiberales group, which include families such as Commelinaceae (Wandering Jews), Haemodoraceae (Kangaroo Paws), Zingiberaceae (Gingers) and Strelitziaceae (Traveller’s tree and Bird-of-paradise plant) amongst others.
Our Volunteers Voice
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Culture As palms come from a great variety of habitats, no single cultivation technique can be adopted. Rainforest species have high water requirements, while open forest and semi-desert species require only limited water application. Similarly, rainforest Calyptrocalyx awa: One of the rare species can tolerate New Guinea Calyptrocalyx species in low levels of light the Cairns Botanic Gardens while others need strong light and sunny positions to thrive. Some basic knowledge of the individual species’ natural habitat helps in determining their cultivation requirements, garden conditions and care and maintenance. Because of their adaptability, many species are suitable for general garden cultivation, despite their restriction to sometimes quite particular natural habitats. For example, the ubiquitous Dypsis lutescens (Golden-cane palm) is, in its native Madagascar, confined to the riparian Nypa fruticans (mangrove palm): Centenary Lakes zone of seasonal flowing creeks, whereas in cultivation it can be grown in almost any situation in tropical to warm-temperate climates. Despite the adaptability of some species, many are very difficult to keep in cultivation (eg, high-altitude species), and are the subjects of specialist collectors. The palm collection in Cairns Botanic Gardens contains about 700 species, and is the largest public collection in Australia, and one of the largest in the world. Some noteworthy species in the Gardens include Kerriodoxa elegans, Johannesteijsmannia magnifica (Joey palm), Marojejya darianii, Metroxylon amicorum, Mauritia flexuosa, the large collections of understory genera such as Calyptrocalyx and Pinanga, and the rare species in the Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory. Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory with the rare palms Sommieria leucophylla (upper) and Licuala sallehana (lower).
Palm Botanist, Dr John Leslie Dowe
Cairns Regional Council - Parks & Leisure
Green Space Our Place
What’s On
Information Sessions for our Volunteers: 2nd Wednesday of the Bird Walks: John Seale’s free weekly month at the Botanic Gardens Visitors tours are held every Tuesday, leaving Centre from 9.30am. the Friends House at 8.30am. Garden Guided Tours: Monday to Friday leaving from the Friends House from 10am. Contact the Friends House 4032 3900 for further details.
Friends Guest Speaker Evenings: the second Wednesday of the month.
Friends ‘Gardeneers’ Trolley Plant Sales: every Wednesday morning from Friends Committee meetings: the 9.30am-11.30am outside the Friends third Wednesday of the month at House. 5.30pm.
Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns: Membership details email info@botanicfriendscairns.com.au or telephone 4032 3900. Newsletter Contributions: Please submit articles (must be volunteer or nature based) by November for the next quarterly publication in December. Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au. Please note articles are subject to editing.
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Starry Night Cinema: begins at 7pm on the back lawn of the Botanic Gardens.
Interested in Volunteering? There is something to suit everyone. • Friends Visitor Guides • Public Relations & Shop assistance in the Friends’ House • Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus 9am-noon • Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty Volunteers 9am-noon • Fridays - Saltwater Creek Wetland ‘Salties’ 9am-noon. • Weekends - Botanic Gardens Visitor Enhancement volunteers • Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas Green Space Our Place Interested in becoming involved with your local park, reserve or trail in your community? Contact us to be registered as a Council volunteer and be involved in beautifying your park (enhance planting, weed management, litter clean-up), reporting on issues (graffiti and vandalism, anti-social behaviour, maintenance issues) and building community participation (networking activities) with Council support. If you are interested in supporting any of our weekly groups or volunteer in your local area please contact Volunteers Supervisor Louisa Grandy 4032 6648 or 0429 983 252.