Green Space Our Place - Our Volunteers Voice - March 2024

Green Space Our Place

Front Page:

Volunteer Rose-marie with Little Taccas in the Cairns Botanic Gardens

Back Page:

Cannonball Tree, Couroupita guianensis.

O N T E N T S

In this issue:

• From the Editor................2

• Welcome back..................3

• Celebrating 10 years of Little Taccas..................4-5

• Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns:

- Christmas Party ......6-7

- Long service award.....8

- AGM results..................8

- Friends role vital......8-9

• High alert on the white continent..................10-11

• Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens...........12

• New group at Forest Gardens...........................13

• Sugarworld Trees..........13

• Friends bird tours guiding visitors for past 19 years ..................................14-15

• Giant of a hero in our midst......................... 16-17

• Geese........................18-19

• Feathered Friends.........19

• The Green Space..........20

• Council News................21

• Nikolai Vavilov.........22-23

•

• Small wonders...............25

• What’s on in 2024.........................26-27

Editor - Volunteers Team Leader, Louisa Grandy

Proof readers - volunteers Sandy Long, Jenn Muir

Contributors - Val Schier, Janice Pichon, Shane F Kennedy, William Martin, Jennifer H Muir, John Peter, Barry Muir and Bridgette Gower.

From the Editor

We welcomed the return of our groups (right) in January and a chance to reconnect after such a wild end to the year; sharing stories of our travels, time with family and friends and also the trials faced by those affected from the floods. This year we are celebrating 10 years of connecting with children and their carers through the Little Taccas nature activities program. I’ve been reminiscing and looking through hundreds of photos on file, seeing the volunteers who have shared their time to support the program and the many kids and parents who have had fun with us - pages 4 & 5. I reached out to some of our earliest participants and they have responded with some wonderful feedback. They have shared their fond memories and appreciation for being a part of such a connecting and engaging program through a simple thing as nature play; not just with nature but each other.

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns held an entertaining event to close the year with some friendly competitive trivia games and plant raffles - pages 6 & 7. President Val Schier also (left) begins a series on the vital role the Friends has with the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

And make sure you take a look at the delightful story about our famous Friends’ Patron Dr David Rentz AM (right).

We continue to register new volunteers on a weekly basis with 18 newbies joining us in January / February and a new group of nine members meeting each month to enhance the Forest Gardens Duck Pond gardens. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to make Cairns, the community and the environment a better place.

Louisa

Welcome back volunteers

Sandpipers welcomed the shady conditions and cool breeze as they weeded the Esplanade Healing Garden.

Jabirus on a well-deserved break from moving sugarcane mulch away from the tree trunks. A massive amount of sugarcane mulch was washed into Cattana Wetlands during December’s flood. Although it may be beneficial in some ways, it could cause collar rot on trees and palms.

Track maintenace is ongoing for the Tracks ‘n’ Trails team.

Down ‘n’ Dirties Corben and Jim getting on top of the weeds at Freshwater Lake Gardens.

Jabirus Dave and Gerard take advantage of the wet season by doing a little planting each week at Cattana Wetlands.

Stratford Nursery vollies Bernadette, Lyn, Sue, Mel, Elaine and Sandy potting up. The wet season is the best time to plant and trees are going out in their thousands.

Little Taccas children’s program celebrates

Then and now

Abbey and Vee - made ‘Taccas’ shortbread for the Christmas program.

Marika: “Both Niamh and her younger sister were fortunate enough to participate in the Little Taccas program: Niamh in the program’s opening year followed by her sister Saoirse. The program provided many wonderful experiences for the girls to be active in the outdoors and participate in creative endeavours and play. Great friendships were made across age ranges, parents and organisers that have led to a love of the outdoors and nature. We are all thankful to the staff for providing such a great program and the privilege of having been part of it.”

Tim: “I look back on this memory with much fondness. I was very lucky to take long service leave to become the full-time carer for my son and during this time we attended the Little Taccas program. I clearly remember these mornings well spent with a wonderful group of volunteers, parents and children appreciating nature and developing young minds and bodies. Sonny has grown so much since then but his curiosity for art and craft is still ever present. See recent photo of us attending a ‘towel art’ workshop on holiday.”

Lauren: “We loved our time at Little Taccas and can’t wait to return with our littlest one this year. Little Taccas nurtured our kids love of nature and craft. They were able to explore the Cairns Botanic Gardens, enjoyed story time, played with friends and had lovely volunteer helpers.”

Vee: “Taccas was an absolute highlight for both Abby and I when she was younger. We have such fond memories of all the staff and activities we shared together. It was the perfect mix of nature play while being educational, and it wasn’t just the kids that loved it, I so enjoyed chatting with the volunteers and other carers. It gave a small respite from the pressures of parenting in a wonderful setting! I feel very blessed to have been part of this wonderful program and would urge any parents of preschoolers to join in if they get the opportunity, it’s a cherished memory for Abby and I.”

Cherie: “Ruben is still very much into building and creating. He loves Lego and makes the most incredible things as much as he did at Little Taccas. He started high school this year and is looking forward to technologies and design, woodwork, robotics and science subjects. Little Taccas was such a great start for him to introduce and encourage his creativity; it was something we really enjoyed together. So a very big thank you from the family to all who have been engaged in this program. Many fond memories.”

Jane: “We loved coming to little Taccas and would drive an hour to get there. It was always such a relaxing morning. A bit of a walk and nature activity and then a book under the trees while we ate our packed picnic lunch. We still hang up the nature wreath we made every Christmas. It is probably eight years old now! Thank you to Louisa and the volunteers for making this such a special program.”

Tim and Sonny creating nature collage

Chance, Jane, Max and Darcy

Ruben - flower arrangement Ruben still loves to create.

Luca and Siena dress up day

Lauren (centre) with Siena, Luca and Elias

Niamh - collecting flowers

Niamh and Marika love being outdoors

Max with his Christmas wreath

Towel art workshop

Darcy, Max and Grandmother Helen

10 years of success through nature play

This year we’ve hit a milestone connecting children and their carers with nature through simple craft ideas and nature play. A few of our first participants have shared their fond memories of their time with us and present photos (right).

Thanks to our volunteers

Our Little Taccas volunteers joined to offer their experience and also their love for sharing and connecting with children and families. They are always fully engaged with planning and joining in the activities, dressing up to support the themes, thinking of new ideas, reading and singing, and having lots of fun with nature play and connecting with the kids and parents. Thank you to all our volunteers who have helped us over the years and continue to support the program. Your love for the kids and nature is what has made this program such a success.

Award-winning program

Little Taccas won an award in June 2016 - Inclusive and Connected Communities. The program is easy flowing beginning with craft outside at Tanks Art Centre (making caterpillars out of egg cartons, creating flower arrangements and nature treasure hunts) and exploring the Botanic Gardens, followed by storytime under the trees and nature play.

Lydia and Max blowing bubbles

Charlie and Oliver playing

Christine connects through storytime.

Chris with Niamh and Abbey who were always together in the activities

Denise uses her felt board to engage kids in “The Very Hungry Caterpilllar” story

Peter connects through exploring nature Natasha - played guitar and sang

Bridget and Taccas running up and down the garden slopes - a favourite activity

Rosemarie takes part in the nature treasure hunt

Del and Ruben painting

Exploring the Conservatory pond is a highlight - Louisa and Taccas

Jeannette helps with the flower arrangement

Ingrid connecting and teaching

Patrice loves to dress for the theme.

Friends’ Christmas Party provided fun and entertainment

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns Christmas party, held the first week of December 2023, was one of their best according to the feedback received by President Val Schier. Around 50 people came from diverse Friends groups and there was much interaction during the evening and when the quizzes took place.

Val said: “A huge thanks to everyone who contributed on the night.

“Firstly to Sue for all the preliminary work, before breaking her collar bone and unable to finalise the proceedings.

“And to Elaine and Catie who stepped in and took charge of the food, making platters of fingerfood and replenishing them throughout the evening.

“William van B ensured there was plenty to drink; Bridgette pulled together a great list of Christmas tunes and Jeannette did a great job setting tables and the bar; Barry and Jenn provided a USB stick of animals in the garden as a background viusal; Del signed people in, handed out lucky door prize tickets and tickets for the first free drink, ensured we had quiz questions and answers and prepared the long service certificates handed out during proceedings.

“James stumped the participants on all seven tables with his flower identification competition and also provided 10 beautiful plants from the Gardeneers plant collection as lucky door prizes - the winners were most pleased with their prize.

“The desserts brought by committee members were also appreciated.

“Thanks everyone for your commitment and support in 2023, I look forward to working with you this year.”

Carolyn, Sue, Jenn and Catie

Patrice, Mike, Maria, Helen, Meredith and Ron

Friends of Botanic Gardens Cairns

Dawn, Sharyn and Brian

Lesley and Prue

Cheers to a great year - Elaine, Val and Lee.

Bridgette, Anne, Liz, Zak and Barry

Michael, Denise and Jo

Lorraine and Del

Jeannette and Jackie

James, Lyn, Bernie and Val

Norma Wright receives long service award

President Val Schier awards Norma Wright her long service certificate for years of dedication to the Friends in various roles: Gardens tour guide, committee member, cooking for Wednesday speaker nights, and volunteering with Council’s Botanic Gardens’ gardening group. Norma continues offering her time to support the Gardeneers propagation group.

AGM 2024 RESULTS

The Friends held their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 13 March with the following members elected for the Committee:

President - Val Shier

Vice-President - Elaine Harrison

Secretary - Megan Lilly

Treasurer - William van Bakel

Events Coordinator - Sue McCulloch

Publicity Officer - Lorraine Smith

Committee Members:

Making a difference for 35 years

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns, are more than a group of garden lovers. They are a diverse group of dedicated, passionate people who bring a variety of skills and ideas to the Gardens. They have worked tirelessly and voluntarily for decades inspired by the beauty of the Gardens and a desire to make it even more stunning.

The Friends organisation started 35 years ago when Mayor Keith Goodwin asked Alderman Desley Boyle to chair a meeting of a group of people who had asked how they could be involved with the Gardens.

We must thank Joy Stewart, Ray Church, Mary Gandini, Bob Jago, Sid Sampson, Denis Golden, John Wong, Elaine Godden and William Solomon who attended that first meeting.

Very quickly, they formed a steering committee, proposed a Constitution, elected Mary Gandini as the inaugural president and started to put their ideas into practice.

Since those early beginnings in 1989, hundreds of people have become members of the Friends, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised, and the Friends have developed a strong partnership with Council to achieve a set of goals in their constitution.

The first goal was to stimulate interest in the Gardens and to attract people from all walks of life. This was a group with great vision, creating many of the events that continue to this present day.

Stimulate interest in the Gardens

One of the key aims of the Friends is making the residents of Cairns aware of what a treasure we have in our midst. Over the decades Friends have initiated:

Carnival on Collins

Most people do not know that this popular Fathers’ Day event was started by the Friends in 1990. Less than a year after the organisation got underway, the inaugural Botanic Gardens Spring Fair was held, attracting thousands of people.

For nearly two decades the Friends volunteers ran this fair until it grew so big it was taken over by Council staff. It is estimated 25,000 people attend this event annually.

Jeannette Wehrle, Michael Hyde James Sing, Annabelle Symes, Catie Williams. S

Val Shier

Jazz Under the Stars

Another idea from the Friends’ first creative committee was to bring music to the Gardens. The Cairns Jazz Society loves the opportunity to organise a variety of performers for this annual event held on the Saturday night prior to Carnival on Collins. Attendance is a ‘must-do’ on the agenda of many families which have been enjoying the annual September evening out in the Gardens since the first event.

Starry Nights Cinema

This event was floated in the late 1990s and started as a partnership between the Cairns Regional Gallery, the Friends, and the End Credits film society.

As well as providing entertainment, the idea was to showcase the beauty of the stage lawn under the stars.

Up to 500 people have attended individual films over the years and the event is so popular we have had to limit numbers from time to time.

Guided walks

Friends’ volunteers conduct weekly Flecker Gardens tours and bird tours and also accompany groups in paid walks. During these very popular walks, Friends share knowledge and information, answer questions and provide advice on tropical flora and fauna. See Page 23 for further details.

Sculpture Botanica

This biennial event - where artists create sculptures from predominantly natural materials – also creates awareness and a diverse interest in the Gardens. Individuals, tourists and families collect a map which takes them to different areas of the Gardens precinct where they may not have been before.

Marcia Bird’s Anticipation, in 2016, attracted people through the Rainforest Gully section to a less-visited area where they enjoyed not only the art, but the Orange-footed Scrub Fowl nest nearby. And Ian Tunbridge’s Amanita Giganticus attracted visitors to the Fitzalan Gardens across the road from Flecker Gardens.

See June Issue 43 - Part Two: Raising funds and promoting Horticultural and Botanical Science.

‘Amanita Giganticus’ Ian Tunbridge

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is always very popular with the crowds.

2023

2013

‘Anticipation’ Marcia Bird

High alert on the white continent as bird flu arrives in Antarctica

Can you remember the bird flu outbreaks in commercial chicken farms in the 2000s: those disquieting images of countless dead fowl and drastic culling of entire flocks to stop the flu spreading? Since that time, the poultry industry has continued to be decimated periodically by this highly contagious and deadly disease. Today, the world is experiencing its worst ever outbreak of bird flu and this is bad news for wildlife.

Avian influenza

Bird flu is an infectious disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses. It has been around for a century affecting mostly wild birds and poultry. A new strain of highly pathogenic bird flu called H5N1 appeared in the late 1990s in an Asian chicken farm and since then, episodic waves of bird flu have resurfaced.

The beginning of the 2020s has seen large scale and sudden losses of wild birds due to H5N1 flu. Wild bird-adapted H5N1 viruses were first identified in Europe during the autumn of 2020 and have dispersed aggressively across the globe, chiefly striking seabirds and shorebirds. Scientists are concerned that bird flu in rookeries could wipe out whole generations of populations of already endangered species.

From 2021, cases of H5N1 flu started to appear in mammals such as foxes, bears, farmed mink, otters and sea lions in Europe and North America. More troubling, there are now cases even in aquatic mammals such as dolphins and porpoises. Last year, South America, the closest continent to Antarctica, experienced unprecedented H5N1 flu outbreaks with mass casualties of seabirds and 50,000 mammals lost. At one site on the Argentinian coastline, 70% of the elephant seals perished.

Antarctica bound

In 2023, the first case of H5N1 in the Antartica region was detected in a Brown Skua in the sub-Antarctic islands located off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. This species is a predatory gull-like bird that migrates in the summer from South America to Antarctica. Later that year, the virus was linked to numerous deaths of fur and elephant seals in South Georgia Island. As 95% of the world’s Antarctic fur seal population breeds on this island, a bird flu outbreak could be catastrophic for the species.

On these same islands, the first of Antarctica’s iconic penguins succumbed to bird flu in early 2024. As the penguins breed in crowded colonies, H5N1 flu could spread at lightning speed, jeopardising reproductive success. Last month, the seemingly inevitable arrival of bird flu on the Antarctic mainland was reported in a Brown Skua.

A similar situation is playing out in the Arctic. In 2023, gulls were diagnosed with bird flu. Alarmingly, by the end of that year, the first polar bear died from H5N1 infection.

Hitching a ride

Wild birds can be infected with H5N1 bird flu and show no signs of illness. When migrating and foraging, they can carry the disease to new areas, exposing other wild species and domesticated poultry to the virus through their faeces, saliva and feathers. So far, most cases reported in mammals have been predators and scavengers that have become infected by eating dead or dying birds.

Genetic analysis indicates migratory birds from South America have likely introduced the virus to Antarctica. Considering some birds, such as the Arctic Tern, globe trot between the poles each year, the potential for spread of this virulent strain may be recurrent for some time.

Janice Pichon

Summertime on the Antarctic Peninsula

Tourism on guard

“Good morning, this is your Cruise Captain. Today’s shore excursion on the Antarctic Peninsula has been cancelled due to sightings of several dead penguins by the advance shore team…”. Onboard naturalists suspected that bird flu may be marching ever southwards.

Antarctic tourism showcases the region’s wildlife, and annually 105,000 tourists set foot on its shores. The spectre of bird flu outbreaks has compelled the cruise industry to heighten biosecurity measures to prevent virus spread from one site to another, as well as minimising any risk of transmission to humans. Visitors are strongly discouraged from touching the snow, other than with their boots and batons, which are scrupulously cleaned and disinfected before and after going ashore. Because penguins congregate in high numbers for breeding, a single case of bird flu can quickly affect the entire colony. In Antarctica, traditional on-theground surveillance to track bird flu is impossible due to inaccessibility. Instead, satellite surveillance of penguin colonies has begun: ‘highways’ used by penguins to commute between their rookery and the seashore are stained brown from their guano and are visible from space.

Factory farms

While human activities are not directly responsible for the dramatic geographical spread of the H5N1 strain over recent years, intensive agriculture is culpable by creating environments for the virus to prosper. Industrial scale production of poultry has provided the H5N1 virus with millions of host animals with short life spans in confined living spaces.

Such commercial farming practices favour rapid virus multiplication and inevitably the spillover to wild bird species. More worryingly, the virus may mutate into a deadlier strain, rendering it capable of causing fatal influenza in humans.

Watch and wait

The H5N1 virus strain has become the deadliest bird flu in history. In poultry farms, it has become a yearlong epidemic. Migratory birds have now spread the disease to every continent except Australia, engendering a global threat to wildlife.

For millennia, Antarctic wildlife has been protected from disturbance by extreme remoteness, inhospitable climate, and lack of land bridges to other continents. The arrival of bird flu on the white continent demonstrates that it is no longer immune. The consequences of bird flu on the pristine Antarctic region and its highly endemic and immunologically vulnerable fauna remain to be seen, especially when partnered with the ecological reverberations from accelerating ice shelf loss.

Another day in the coldest, driest and windiest paradise.

Adélie Penguins gather on snow-free rocky outcrops for summer breeding.

Brown Skua stalks penguin rookeries for unguarded chicks.

Antarctica, the last frontier for tourism.

©StudioPonant-Soizic Roux 2024

©StudioPonant-Soizic Roux 2024

Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens Inc

Post-Jasper rain event brings down long-standing Raintree

Sugarworld Botanic Garden weathered the postCyclone Jasper rain event rather well, other than the long-standing Raintree. Its fall was miraculously very sparing of the surrounding trees with only two trees missing, and they were at ‘ground zero’ of the fall. The Diospyros, which we planted a few years ago, survived with their green tops poking out from between the fallen dead branches. The other notable casualty was one of the two Coloncoba trees which fell over.

The Sugarworld Friends & Volunteers gardening group returned late January to reconnect, assess and plan for the coming months. Plenty of pruning and weeding is on the agenda for the months ahead as well as fertilising the Tropical Fruit Tree Orchard after the rains.

If you would like to join the Thursday monthly working bee, contact details on are Page 27.

One of the large trees was undermined by the heavy rains from Cyclone Jasper.

The Sugarworld Friends and Volunteers gardening group is growing each year with our largest turn out this February - from left: Emma, Jenny (back), Fran, Kardi, John, Myra, Janice, Helen and Graeme. Plenty of effort went into the garden, along with fighting off the Green Tree Ants.

Green Tree Ant removal Janice and Myra

Sugarworld tree inspection - Council’s arborist Pieter Taylor with Friends members Janice and Fran

New enthusiastic group at Forest Gardens

Green Space Our Place held a volunteer registration morning at Forest Gardens in February, expecting a couple of residents who had reached out, but instead were met by a group of eight enthusiastic community members.

Instigated by a regular walker of the area, Di (and her husband Jeff) we organised a time to meet, registered volunteers and discussed ways they could contribute to enhance the gardens surrounding the Duck Pond.

A decision was made to meet on the last Friday of the month with their first working bee on Friday 23 February.

Di said: “When I woke to those heavy rains on the first morning, I said to my husband, ‘Nothing is going to stop me from having our first working bee’.”

She wasn’t the only one with six volunteers and another newbie turning up to fill six bags with weeds.

This is a great way for residents to take pride in their area and also a chance to connect over a cuppa and some baked goods once they’ve done a couple of hours gardening. If you would like to join in, contact details to volunteer are on Page 27.

Sugarworld Trees

FRAN LINDSAY

President Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens

Amherstia nobilis

Amherstia nobilis (Pride of Burma) is featured at the Sugarworld Botanic Gardens entry gate.

This is a tropical tree in the family Fabaceae featuring large, showy flowers. The extravagant flowers are seen hanging from the long inflorescence, or flower stalk, which is a bright crimson red at the end.

The first morning was met with heavy rains but nothing was going to deter this group from having their first working beefilling six bags with weeds.

Shane F. Kennedy

Friends bird tours guiding visitors for past 19 years

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns (the Friends/ FOBG) has a vibrant volunteer program that includes guided walks for Cairns locals and visitors. One of these is the Bird Walk which has been running every Tuesday morning for the last 19 years

In 2005 John Seale approached the Cairns Botanic Gardens Curator, David Warmington, offering his services as a bird guide. John had just arrived in Cairns and was at a loose end. Mr Warmington liked the idea and the rest, as they say, is history. John was also a founding member of Cairns Birders (as it is now known) and well respected in the birding community, but for many, his legacy lives on through these guided walks of the Botanic Gardens precinct.

I became a regular on these walks and started writing a report for the weekly birding newsletter, and before I knew it John had retired and I found myself slipping into his shoes, so to speak. It was a role I was comfortable with, and it brought back happy memories of my 10 years as a safari guide in East Africa, and the weekly bird walks I did in Nairobi. None-the-less I was conscious of the fact that I needed back-up, so I turned to Cairns Birders for support, and am pleased to say we have quite a team of bird guides available. I certainly see this as a joint venture between Cairns Birders and the Friends.

These walks are becoming increasingly popular: we average 16 people per tour with the highest number being 47! During 2023 we had 768 participants, of which 394 were locals, 195 were from the rest of Australia, 101 from Europe, 43 from the Americas, 20 from Asia, 12 from the Pacific, and three from Africa! There are many repeat ‘offenders’, and that’s got to tell you that something is going right when people return, again and again.

We average about 40 species of birds each time we go and my list for the area is 110. Every tour is different. I get there every Tuesday (when I’m not away) and I haven’t tired of it yet!

The Tour itself is quite leisurely, and takes two to three hours over a 2-3 km trek starting from Friends House in Flecker Garden at 7:30 am. So early, I hear you exclaim! Indeed, even some of us birders find the early starts a challenge, but for birding, an hour earlier would be even

better – the 7.30 start is a compromise that means we finish before it gets too hot.

After introductions, we leave Flecker Garden to skirt its borders, and include a little nook where we often see the cryptic Papuan Frogmouth. This is a common enough bird, but highly sought after by locals and visitors alike as they are hard to find, sleeping by day and exceedingly well camouflaged. They are not the only birds that are difficult to see during our walks: some are only identified by their call.

From there we cross over Collins Ave and spend most of the walk in the Centenary Lakes area. There are many habitats along the way including mangrove; bamboo gardens; open woodland; wetlands including salt and fresh water lakes, pandanus swamp forest, and paperbark swamp, all of which support their own species as well as some generalist species that can be seen in several habitats, such as the Sahul Sunbird (previously named Olive-backed Sunbird) and Black Butcherbird.

Some of our birds are seasonal, migrating in from Papua New Guinea or South-east Asia. The Torresian ImperialPigeon is a good example. These impressive white and black pigeons arrive late in the year to breed, courting with graceful swallow dives and flying to and fro in large flocks.

Some of our more local seasonal visitors that migrate within Australia include some of the Kingfishers. Azure (main photo) and Little Kingfishers are more likely to be seen in the dry season (winter), and if we’re lucky we’ll encounter them around Freshwater Lake. The Little Kingfisher is a particular target for many. The Bluewinged Kookaburra is a Tablelands bird, yet occasionally individuals find themselves in the Cairns area, possibly lost after some weather event.

Some of our visiting birders have a list of what they want to see, which often includes some of the ‘skulkers’. These include Black Bittern, White-browed Crake and Pale-vented Bush-hen that skulk away in the underbrush or reedy wetland fringes. But it’s not just skulkers that are hard to see: canopy birds can be a challenge too. Cicadabirds and Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves can be elusive, high amid the leaves and against the bright sky.

Some birds alert us to their presence by their call, such as the Large-billed Gerygone, a small mousy brown warbler that builds an untidy pendulous nest over water or better still, the Green (aka Yellow) Oriole. John Seale often said that the Botanic Gardens used to ring with their calls. The numbers may have diminished but you can still hear their clear melodic liquid notes, and if you’re lucky, pick them out with their ruby-red eyes and salmon coloured bills.

And we haven’t even started discussing here some of the common show-stoppers such as the Double-eyed Figparrot, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Rainbow Bee-eater and Rainbow Lorikeet!

This bird walk is more a naturalist’s ramble. While my plant knowledge is mediocre I do have a few favourites, such as the African Sausage Tree, native nutmeg and pepper vine in Flecker Garden. I’m also rather fond of the native orchids and those extraordinary Ant Plants that are sprinkled about. We are known to stop and talk about native bees, caterpillars, and, if we’re lucky enough to see them, Scrub Python, Keelback Snake, Goannas, and Red-necked Pademelon.

Papuan Frogmouth

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove

Double-eyed Fig-Parrot

Little Kingfisher

Rainbow Bee-eater

White-browed Crake

Giant of a hero in our midst

It’s easy to remember the heroes I looked up to when I was in the in third grade – they shaped my world view and encouraged my interests, making a profound impact on my life. Although I obviously never met him, my mother first introduced me to Henry David Thoreau when I was young. Meeting him through his words, Thoreau continues to be a source of inspiration and fascination for me. Other heroes of mine were not as prominent - my English teacher, the knowledgeable guy at the aquarium store, and a Native American elder who became my friend. It's amazing how our heroes can come from unexpected places, touch our lives, and leave a lasting gift.

But this story is not about me or my heroes. This is a story of a Japanese third-grader, Rentaro, his father, and a giant of a hero right in our midst.

Last week, while working in Kuranda, a Japanese man approached my stall mistaking me for the information desk. He asked where he and his son could see a specific bug in the evening - quite random, right? Based on our recent Botanic Gardens event, I suggested they visit Cattana Wetlands and showed them photos from our previous trip there on the Friends of the Botanic Gardens website. Suddenly, he got very excited and exclaimed “Kiseki, Kiseki!” - which I now know means miracle in Japanese. He was looking at a photo of Dr David Rentz who is a prominent member of the Botanic Gardens committee.

When I asked him if he would like to speak with him, he could barely contain his excitement.

I tried calling David but was unable to reach him on the phone. Considering we are dealing with Japanese miracles, I am not surprised that less than 30 seconds later, David's wife Barbara appeared right in front of me and told me that David was just outside. Barbara kindly took the man and his son through the market to meet Dr Dave. Their interaction caused quite a stir as they excitedly bowed to everyone along the way, causing stall holders and customers to pause and witness this heartfelt moment. Being the slow season, I can testify it was the most excitement many of us had seen in months.

The meeting was a spectacle to behold, and after much bowing and a rapid exchange of words blended together into almost incomprehensible statements, David, the man and his son departed the markets, as though there was big important business to tend to. I later found out Dr Rentz had taken the man and his son to his home to view his world of bugs, and that they came back at David’s invitation for the following evening to view bugs in the dark with a light shining on a white sheet. Apparently this is what David likes

to do in his spare time.

I will let Rentaro, the young boy, finish the story in his own words.

“I have loved insects since I was about three years old, and I still go out almost every day to look for them throughout the year. I especially love beetles, and I keep rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles at home. But I wanted to see wild rainbow stag beetles in person.

“I talked to my dad and other people around me about it, and my aunt said that we should all go together. It was decided that my dad, my aunt, and I would go to Australia. When my dad and I did some research beforehand, we found an article on the internet that said that rainbow stag beetles fly to the house of Dr Dave, an entomologist in Kuranda Village.

“But we didn't know how to contact him, so we decided to try light-trapping in the area around Kuranda Village, and prepared lights and white cloth to go to Australia.

“Of course, the purpose of this trip was to look for many insects, especially rainbow stag beetles and Christmas beetles. For this, I used the English that I have been learning since kindergarten to talk to many people.

“A dream-like time! I went to the house of Dr Dave, an entomologist, in the mountains of Kuranda with my fellow insect lovers, and observed insects at the light trap facility next to his house!

“Dr Dave welcomed me warmly as a fellow insect lover, and said that if I wanted to do light-trapping, I should come to his house. He told me that he did the same thing as me when he was little, and I was happy. Dr.Dave taught me how to release the insects gently, thinking about their lives, and gave me a nice message.

“And he told me that there are many insect lovers in the world, and it is important to connect with them, and gave me a dream to become an entomologist.

“He stayed with me for more than three hours in the hot and humid summer night, and treated me to tea, ice cream and cookies, and entertained me. And he even drove me to the hotel in Cairns, which was 40 minutes away from Kuranda, late at night. Dr Dave and Barbara both spent a really fun time with me, and I really really thank them!

“I was really happy to meet so many insects, animals, rainforests, Green Island, stars filling the sky, and magnificent and beautiful nature like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I loved them all, and I thank

William Martin

them from the bottom of my heart for giving me such a wonderful and amazing experience.

“Thank you Dr Dave and Barbara!!”

“What I learned:

① There are many different people in the world, and that the world I know is not the whole world, and that there are more and more kind people.

② To value the lives and natural habitats of living things, and to respect their ecology and keep an appropriate distance.

③ To be grateful to nature and all people, and to express and convey it by saying thank you.

④ It is important to cooperate with everyone and act in harmony with everyone when doing group activities, rather than just saying what I want, in preparation for insect exploration with future entomologists.

⑤ Dr Dave taught me how to release the winged ant that landed on my knee. He gently pinched its wings and placed it near the window, and said to the insect that he had finished observing, "Thank you for teaching me many things, you can go anywhere you like, go ahead", and released it gently. I learned to be kind to living things by watching him.

⑥ There are many laws that protect animals and plants (I was told that I couldn't touch any animals on Green Island. I learned that the pillars of the Skyrail were not cut through the forest, but were all transported by helicopter from the sky to the construction site). I learned that the import and export of animals and plants listed in the Washington Convention* are prohibited (this time, I brought back specimens of Ulysses, a part of the wings of a butterfly, and a dead bee that are not on the list).

⑦ Speaking English can help me communicate with many people and have fun!

“The most fun and happy thing: Doing light trapping with Dr Dave. And he gave me his precious book signed by his teacher who is dead, but he said he would be happy if he gave the book to a kid like me.”

Epilogue: I caught up with Dr Dave at the Friends Committee meeting the following week - he told the story of Rentaro, the bugs and of many people bowing all around him. The joy of having shared something so meaningful with this young man was evident in his smile. He said he finally knew what it must be like to be Taylor Swift!

I am reminded of the profound power we all hold within us to uplift others with our words and actions. It only takes a moment out of our busy lives to be a hero for a young person who may be just getting started on their journey of life. By offering encouragement and support, we can ignite hope in their hearts and empower them to believe in themselves. Let us all strive to be heroes in our own way - spreading kindness and inspiration wherever we go.

Rentaro with his hero, Dr David Rentz AM

When is a goose a goose?

In my previous Green Space Our Place - Our Volunteers Voice articles, I discussed two groups of birds in the large waterfowl family Anatidae: ducks (September 2023) and swans (December 2023). The third group in the Anatidae family is the geese, but there are true geese outside Australia, and native Australian ‘geese’ (Magpie Goose and Cape Barren Goose) that are not considered true geese … and then there are geese bred by humans.

So, what is a goose? A goose, ie a true goose (plural: geese), is usually a bird in the waterfowl family Anatidae, along with ducks and swans. The true geese include the Northern Hemisphere’s Greylag Goose, Snow Goose and Canada Goose. These true geese are the original sources of the geese selectively bred by humans for domestic purposes.

Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

Separated from all other waterfowl, the Magpie Goose is the only living member of an ancient waterbird family. Magpie Goose fossils have been found in Queensland, and fossils of other related ancient species in North America and Europe. Thus the Magpie Goose’s ancient family may have been spread across the world in pre-historic times. Our very unique Magpie Goose is a living fossil.

Found today in tropical northern Australia and southern New Guinea, the Magpie Goose was widespread in southern Australia at the time of European settlement. It disappeared from Australia’s south largely due to drainage of wetlands where the birds bred, overhunting, and further habitat destruction in the mid20th century.

Today, Magpie Geese are protectively managed in northern Australia; and have been reintroduced to Victoria and south-east South Australia. The Magpie Goose was listed as near threatened in Victoria in 2007. With climate change, and more frequent seawater inundations of the current extensive

freshwater floodplains, scientists are concerned that Magpie Geese populations may be at risk.

Magpie Geese often wander, especially when not breeding, and are sometimes found outside their main range. They congregate in huge, noisy flocks, sometimes of thousands, usually at freshwater swamps, inundated or dry grassland and flood plains, and rice paddies.

Jennifer H. Muir

They feed by digging for roots and tubers with their strongly hooked bills, and graze or strip grass seeds. They wade, swim, up-end to feed, perch readily, and roost communally in waterside trees. Although their toes are partly webbed for easier swimming, the webbing isn’t as well-developed as it is in ducks, swans and true geese.

Sexes are alike, though the male is heavier. Both sexes have a distinctive ‘cranial knob’ of spongy bone, which is larger in adult males. Males may use this during competition, and females when choosing a mate. Immature geese lack the cranial knob.

Some males mate with two females, one often an older female and the other ‘a first time mum’. The trio shares egg incubation duties then raises the young together; the younger female ‘learning the ropes’ from the older female’s experience. Goslings raised by trios are more likely to survive as, with three sets of eyes, the young are more protected.

Their breeding range is now mainly river floodplains of the Northern Territory’s Top End. However, they have bred some years at Freshwater Lake at the southern end of the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Magpie Geese are occasionally recorded at Cattana Wetlands, near Smithfield, and I’ve seen huge numbers along the Ord River in Western Australia’s Kimberley.

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)

First formally described by English ornithologist John Latham in 1801, Cape Barren Goose is a native southern Australian species in Victoria; South Australia; the Bass Strait islands; eastern Tasmania; and the Recherche Archipelago and adjacent coast of mainland southern Western Australia.

In Australia, 19th-century explorers named a number of islands ‘Goose Island’ due to the presence of Cape Barren Goose. However, as has so often occurred, the species declined in numbers after European settlement. Fortunately, this appears to have reversed as some eastern birds have adapted to feeding on agricultural land.

Magpie Geese

In 1968, a few Cape Barren Geese were introduced to Maria Island off Tasmania, and in the late 1970s, I recorded the species still present. I’ve also recorded them in Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. In past years, a few of these geese were introduced near Christchurch, New Zealand, where it’s believed the population persists.

Also occasionally known as ‘Pig Goose’ because of the low, pig-like grunting calls of both sexes, males can produce a rapid, high-pitched honking call, often during take-off or in flight. Both sexes hiss when alarmed. Cape Barren Geese mainly graze on grasses, sedges, herbs and succulents in grassy patches, sometimes among low scrub and rocks.

Although they swim well they do so rarely, preferring terra firma. If disturbed, they walk away with head high, and run with extended neck before flying.

On offshore islands, they tend to rest on beaches and headlands. As they are capable of drinking salt and brackish water, they can remain on offshore islands year-round. However, during the non-breeding season, many birds move to the mainland coast, congregating around good food sources such as short pasture, shallow wetlands, and irrigated crops.

Cape Barren Geese are monogamous and typically mate for life. On small grassy islands off southern Australia’s coast, pairs establish strongly guarded territories in autumn, and breed in winter. As they nest on the ground, they are vulnerable to predators even though their nests are among tussock grass, rocks or bushes. They may nest singly or in loose colonies, but colonies are safer as the old adage ‘safety in numbers’ is true.

After mating the pair will perform a ‘triumph ceremony’, facing each other, raising and lowering their heads, and calling loudly. Mum incubates the eggs herself, but both parents care for the young once hatched. Recently, small numbers have been breeding on the Victorian mainland: probably released birds or their descendants.

Feathered Friends

JOHN PETER BirdLife Australia

Jennifer H. Muir

Metallic Starling

Possibly the noisiest thing you’ll hear in the rainforest is a nesting colony of Metallic Starlings. Situated way up in the crown of tall rainforest trees, these colonies comprise many tightly packed nests, all dangling from the upper branches. One tree is said to have had 300 nests suspended from its branches! These colonies are often the site of much raucous activity as the birds dart about among the leaves, chattering noisily, often calling well into the night.

While they are up in the treetops, Metallic Starlings are often difficult to get a good look at, but a closer look would reveal its glossy black plumage shimmering with iridescent green or purple in the halflight of the forest. Contrasting with this is the bird’s bulging, ruby-red eye which contrasts with the black feathers of the bird’s face. Their pointy tails readily help to distinguish them from other shiny, black birds of the forest such as Spangled Drongoes, which have fish-shaped tails instead.

Metallic Starlings spend much of their time up in the canopy of the forest, fussing about among the leaves, where they forage for fruits, berries and insects.

In the Dry Season, while a few may remain around Cairns, most of the population heads north to spend the non-breeding season in New Guinea, leaving in late April or May and not returning until August when they begin breeding, almost as soon as they arrive back in northern Australia. And then the noise starts!

Cape Barren Geese

The Green Space

MANDALA GARDEN

Using a mandala style concentric circle layout with a water feature, such as our design at The Green Space, provides plenty of visual appeal as well as giving easy access to delicious produce.

• Organic shapes are pleasing to the eye, and also help the garden design blend into the surrounding natural environment.

• Based on an ancient meditation tool, they create a calm and relaxing atmosphere that’s a pleasure to spend time in.

• The raised beds or in-ground growing areas can be easily reached and tended without stepping on them and compacting the soil.

New volunteers registered every week

Community members continue to be attracted to volunteering their time in our programs with 18 new volunteers already registered during January / February.

Pictured at The Green Space is Volunteers Support Officer Melanie Constable with our latest recruits Nikki (centre) and Sugarworld volunteer Helen, who popped in for a visit.

Local flautist ‘brings love’ to The Green Space on Valentines Day

From volunteer Sandy Long

“Today at The Green Space, local Ron MacGregor came along with all his kit and back-up recorded orchestral music to play his flute for about two hours. This was because it is St Valentine’s Day and he wanted to bring love to all of us working there. He is the most beautiful, sensitive flautist. His choice of numbers was oh so lovely. In particular Moon River which is special to Prue and to me, each in different ways. He also played Stevie Wonder’s I just called to say I love you. I could never say that to my two beautiful sons of whom I am so proud. But on the beautiful, lilting flute, the number took another dimension. I had tears for quite a long time. Oh how grateful I am to be part of the GSOP program and the beautiful experiences of people and plants so long as I am able to trundle along. I shall remember this day always.

Crews working to restore public amenity

Council crews have ramped up their efforts to restore public areas to the standard the community has come to expect.

Scheduled maintenance and beautification programs have been placed under significant pressure since the December floods, with resources and personnel redeployed to highpriority recovery areas. This redeployment, along with the annual Christmas/New Year mandatory shutdown period, coupled with fatigue and health safety management due to the extreme heat, has impacted regular maintenance.

Council CEO Mica Martin has assured residents that every effort is being made to restore public amenity.

“Our Council teams take great pride in the presentation of their respective areas, and they are trying desperately to catch up in very challenging conditions,” Ms Martin said.

“In response to the devastation left by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the flooding, we redeployed regular maintainance crews to priority areas, such as assisting with the kerbside rubbish pick up in flood-impacted areas, as well as ensuring roads and drains were cleared quickly, and access for residents across Cairns was restored.

“This meant that regular maintenance was suspended for a short period. We are now working to get on top of our beautification and maintenance works.

“We thank the community for their patience, and encourage residents to report any issues they might see, such as fallen trees or large potholes, to Council via the website, using the My Cairns app, or by calling customer service (1300 69 22 47).”

Putting the bite on mozzie breeding sites

The buzzing of flying, blood-sucking, insectile vampires is all too common at present. Ongoing wet weather, combined with the natural tropical climate, extensive areas of rainforest, mangroves and swamps, and plenty of places for water sitting stagnant, has resulted in favourable breeding conditions for mosquitoes.

More than 40 commonly encountered mosquito species can be found in Queensland, and many of these are carriers of diseases such as Dengue and Ross River.

Some mosquito-borne diseases are endemic to the Cairns region and others can be easily introduced by infected visitors who travel to the region from countries where the diseases occur.

Mosquitoes need water to breed. Residents can therefore play an important role in reducing thier numbers by preventing water from pooling in their homes and yards. This includes:

• Emptying standing water out of old tyres, buckets, plastic covers, toys, pet drinking bowls, bird baths, pot plant trays or any other container where ‘wrigglers live;

• Drilling holes in tyres used for swings and garden surrounds to allow water to drain;

• Draining or fillling temporary pools and tree hollows with dirt or sand;

• Keeping rain gutters unclogged.

Council's Vector Control Unit works to reduce the numbers of mosquitoes and undertakes actions on Council-controlled land. This includes the application of non-toxic films on water surfaces to kill larvae, using growth regulator in breeding areas, and mist-fogging of adult mosquitoes in appropriate areas.

Council does not fog private property, but may treat breeding sites on private property with larvicides as a temporary remedy to provide initial assistance.

Fogging cannot occur adjacent to or over water. Council will not fog drains, creeks and waterways. Residents can protect themselves when they go outdoors by wearing light-coloured clothing, cover up with long sleeves/long pants and use insect repellents. The peak biting periods for mosquitoes are dawn and dusk.

Residents can lodge a mosquito complaint by calling Council on 1300 69 22 47, using the Report a Problem online form, or the Report a Problem feature in the My Cairns app.

Nikolai Vavilov

A brilliant geneticist who dedicated his life to ending famine and establishing the world’s oldest seed bank in Russia.

One of the more interesting people I have discovered during my work with seeds is Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov.

Vavilov was a renowned Soviet botanist and geneticist who made important contributions to the understanding of plant genetic diversity and the establishment of seed banks. His life was marked by dedication to scientific research, extensive travels to collect plant genetic resources, and ultimately, tragic persecution and death. His is a remarkable story.

Early life and career

Vavilov was born in Moscow in 1887 and developed an interest in plant breeding and genetics after studying at the Moscow Institute of Agriculture. He was influenced by the work of Gregor Mendel and conducted studies into disease-resistance problems affecting oats, wheats and barley. Vavilov’s scientific career began with his research on plant immunity and his efforts to improve Russian agriculture after the devastating famine of 1921/1922. He was like the Indiana Jones of seeds, traveling extensively and collecting seeds from around the world to build one of the first, and most comprehensive, seed banks which contained over 60,000 acquisitions by the end of 1924.

Contributions and persecution

Vavilov's pioneering research paved the way for understanding plant genetic diversity and pinpointing the origins of domesticated crops. He was pivotal in founding the All-Union Institute of Plant Industry, now known as the N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR), driving the collection and improvement of plant varieties vital to Russian agriculture. Tragically, his scientific integrity clashed with Trofim Lysenko's flawed anti-Mendelian ideas, which, endorsed by Stalin, led to Vavilov's unjust arrest in 1940. His initial death sentence was reduced to two decades of imprisonment with hard labour, marking a dark period of polictical duress for science.

Tragic death

Vavilov's imprisonment deteriorated his health, leading to his death in 1943 under harsh conditions. Medical records from the prison revealed he suffered from lung inflammation, dystrophy, oedema and general weakness. Ironically, the cause of death

listed on his death certificate was ‘decline of cardiac activity’, but essentially this champion of our modern food supply died of starvation.

During the 872-day siege of Leningrad from 8 September 1941 to 27 January 1944, the Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry faced grave challenges in protecting the world's largest seed bank.

With seeds from 187,000 plant varieties, including 40,000 food crops, the institute had to safeguard this invaluable collection from plunder, freezing temperatures, starvation and resource shortages. The city's reports of cannibalism added to the dire circumstances.

During the siege, scientists and staff at the Vavilov Institute went to great lengths to protect the seed bank. To safeguard the seeds, they planted them in a small plot outside the city, tilling the land by hand and guarding the crops. They also smuggled parts of the collection to a storage facility near the Ural mountains. Despite immense challenges, the workers' heroic efforts largely preserved the Vavilov collection.

The siege had a tragic impact on the institute's scientists. When the German forces were expelled from the city's outskirts in January 1944, the doors of the seedbank were opened - nine scientists had died from starvation while guarding the seed bank. Despite their hunger, they refused to eat from the collection – bags of beans, rice and corn all around them.

Their sacrifice ensured the preservation of the seeds for future generations and research. Finally, the siege ended, bringing relief to both the scientists and the city of Leningrad.

Despite the immense hardships and sacrifices, the Vavilov collection miraculously survived the siege of Leningrad, and the Institute continued to grow and prosper in the postwar years as one of the world’s premier facilities for the collection and preservation of plant genetic diversity.

Vavilov's legacy

Vavilov's tragic end did not overshadow his lasting contributions to science. In the 1960s, he was publicly rehabilitated (posthumously) and hailed as a hero of Soviet science. His work in plant genetic diversity and seed banks remains celebrated, leaving a lasting legacy in agricultural science and genetic conservation.

Nikolai Vavilov's life is a powerful testament to his unwavering dedication to scientific research and the devastating consequences of political interference. His groundbreaking work in plant genetic diversity and the establishment of seed banks has profoundly shaped agricultural science and genetic conservation. Vavilov's work established seed banks and genebanks, crucial for preserving crop genetic diversity and ensuring food security for the times ahead.

Criticism of Vavilov's Work - biopiracy

Biopiracy involves taking traditional knowledge or genetic resources from indigenous communities without fair compensation. Vavilov, on the other hand, focused on conserving and using plant genetic

resources for public benefit, research and agriculture. However, his practice of collecting seeds from indigenous communities would today be a great concern.

Vavilov's genuine commitment to global food security and preserving plant genetic diversity drove his expeditions to collect seeds from diverse regions. These efforts aimed to safeguard genetic resources for breeding programs, research and developing resilient crop varieties.

Vavilov aimed to harness the rich genetic pool of wild crops to create superior crop strains with disease resistance, environmental resilience and nutritional value, thereby tackling global food security and sustainable agriculture challenges.

Vavilov's work is hailed as a groundbreaking contribution to global plant conservation and agricultural science for the betterment of humanity.

Books worth reading:

The Murder of Nikolai Vavilov: the story of Stalin’s persecution of one of the Twentieth Century’s greatest scientists, by Peter Pringle, London : JR Books, 2009. Five Continents, by N.I. Vavilov, Rome : International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, 1997.

Where Our Food Comes From: Retracing Nikolay Vavilov's Quest to End Famine, by Gary Nabham

Did you know that, to name a few, the Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily), Anthurium, Caladium (pictured), Philodendron, Alocasia, Diffenbachia, Aglaonema and even the Amorphophallus (with the largest flower in the world), are all in the Araceae or Aroid family.

Often referred to as the Arum family, this would be among the most striking of the foliage plants and consists of a wide variety of beautiful and even bizarre forms that will suit every taste. Despite the diversity, this family is easily recognised by its most distinguishing feature, the strange inflorescence which is a combination of a single modified leaf known as a spathe and a spadix (a fleshy spike like a finger), featuring bisexual or unisexual flowers.

Aroids have developed into many weird and wonderful species and due to their diversity can be grown just about anywhere.

There is a huge range of terrestrial species that can handle low-level light conditions to full sun, along with others that grow epiphytically (on other plants), and genera that prefer submerged or free-floating in ponds. Leaves range from simple and entire to compound and highly divided and may be basal or produced from an aerial stem.

Take a wander through your garden, there is every chance you have at least one genus from this family growing among the foliage.

Louisa Grandy

William Martin

Hot, dry and two cyclones

This year (2024) is, as you are probably aware, an El Niño year, but what does that mean for the climate? Bear in mind that the following is an oversimplification, but, in short, it all comes down to what are called El Niño (Spanish for little boy) and La Niña (Spanish for little girl) events. These are opposite phases of what is known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the differences in water temperature of the Pacific Ocean between Tahiti and Darwin. These temperature fluctuations affect wind, clouds and ocean temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific. This makes ENSO one of the most important climate drivers in our region. Outside of Australia, ENSO also affects every other continent in the world, particularly South America, Africa and Asia.

In a ‘normal’ year there are strong trade winds: so named because they blew trading ships across the Pacific from east to west. A La Niña period emphasises this: the winds blow stronger from the Americas to Australia across the Pacific Ocean. The trade winds blow some of the surface water to Australia, the sun warming the surface water as they blow.

This means we start to see warmer-than-usual waters collect around Australia and Indonesia. Warmer waters bring more evaporation, which leads to more condensation, which leads to more clouds and rain. We can thank La Niña for those heavy downpours and flooding events that we saw during winter in southeast Australia over the last few years. The last El Niña event lasted three years and was partly to blame for the horrendous bushfires down south. Three warm, wet years promoted strong growth of vegetation and then summer lightning storms set the bush alight. Australia has just come into an El Niño phase, characterised (theoretically) by the presence of cooler than normal sea surface temperatures near Australia and warmer water near South America. This is usually accompanied by weakening of the easterly trade winds, less evaporation near Australia because the ocean is cooler, hence less clouds and so heatwaves and drier or drought conditions prevail. The heatwaves we have already experienced here in Cairns and there have been several bushfires on the Tablelands.

But so far, this El Niño has been a little different. The global climate and oceans have heated up significantly because of climate change. While the water is warmest well out in the Pacific, as expected, our normally cooler water near Australia is still warmer than usual. After Australia’s driest September and October on record, Queensland has had cyclones Jasper and Kirrily, and extreme rain events. By contrast

Victoria has had flooding rains which are not expected in an El Niño year. While other factors can contribute, these warm oceans are likely the main culprit behind our weird and disturbing summer.

Barry Muir

So what about the cyclones? There have been 207 tropical cyclones along the east coast of Queensland since 1858, and, on average, four to five tropical cyclones per year. However, historically, there has never been a close correlation between El Niño or La Niña and cyclones, although, in general, cyclones in the vicinity of Australia are reduced in number during the El Niño phase of ENSO. Additionally, the number of cyclones each year has been steadily declining since the 1970s. That being said, now the western Pacific waters are warmer than in the past, and global warming continues to rise at about 1.18 to 1.35oC per year (Lindsey & Dahlman 2024). Who can predict what is going to happen?

Warm ocean waters are needed to fuel a tropical cyclone. An atmosphere warm at the ocean surface but which cools quickly with height is potentially unstable, because warm air normally rises. The force of the Earth’s spinning unbalances the winds. Inflow into the low pressure bottom part of a cyclone is deflected clockwise (in the Southern Hemisphere) and the partial vacuum of the low pressure zone is quickly filled. Because cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere spin clock-wise, the strongest winds and highest rainfall are on the south side of the cyclone as it approaches the coast. Cyclone Jasper passed between Port Douglas and Cooktown, so Port Douglas received the greatest impact. Cyclone Kirrily crossed the coast between Ayr to the south and Ingham to the north, so Ayr received the greatest impact.

Reference: Lindsey R & Dahlman L. 2024). Climate change: global temperature. www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202313)

Small Wonders nature in miniature

These are the beautiful hairy fruits of Bixa orellana, known as Achiote, from Central America. The seeds inside the fruit are surrounded by a fleshy structure (called an aril) that contains a bright red dye known as Annato. Annato dye was used traditionally by the Central American Indians as a face and hair paint. Being non-toxic, it is used today to colour foodstuffs such as butter, margarine, ice cream and condiments, and in the manufacture of lipstick and hair dye.

When we think ‘cockroach’ we imagine black scuttling nasties in the pantry. However, this beautiful cockroach (Ellipsidion sp, probably E. humerale) is widely found across Australia, especially in the north-east and northwest, and even in the central deserts. It also occurs in New Guinea. They may be found wandering around on shrubs in the daytime, searching for sap, nectar or anything yummy. These are juveniles, the adults being plain orange in colour.

Two slime moulds growing near each other. The red lollipops are fruit bodies (2mm tall) of Arcyria denudata and the yellow mesh is Hemitrichia serpula, the Pretzel Slime Mould.

Slime moulds are not fungi. They are colonial amoebae that crawl around feeding on bacteria and fungi. When they fruit, they produce spores in the same way as fungi do, and the spores blow away or are carried by animals to new places to grow, such as, with these species, waterlogged wood.

Barry Muir

Bridgette Gower

Barry Muir

What’s on in 2024

Friends’ Plant Sales

Trolley plant sales: Wednesday mornings from 8.30am11.30am outside the Friends House, Flecker Gardens. Other sales held on the front Conservatory Lawn: Pre-Easter Sale, Sunday 24 March 8am to noon Carnival on Collins:,Sunday 1 September December plant sale: Sunday 1 December 8am-noon.

Friends’ Talks

Wednesday night talks are held on the second Wednesday of the month from 6.30pm at the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre. Members $5, nonmembers $10. Topics are varied.

Friends’ Shop

Based in the Flecker Garden, the Friends’ Shop opens from 9.30am-3.30pm Monday to Friday. The friendly Friends volunteers are able to help with directions and answer questions about the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

The Green Space education food garden

A showcase of tropical produce in Jess Mitchell Park in Edge Hill, the Green Space is open Wednesday 9.30am3.30pm and Friday 1.30pm-3.30pm, or by appointment for groups and workshops.

Children’s nature programs

It’s never too early to develop a green thumb through our Little Taccas nature activities and Little Sprouts kindy kids programs. Find dates on the Council website.

Tours - Botanic Gardens / Tanks Art Centre Precinct

Friends Flecker Garden Tours

Discover the Cairns Botanic Garden and its vast array of tropical plants, Monday to Friday leaving from the Friends House at 10am. Contact the Friends House 4032 3900 for further details.

Botanic Gardens and Tanks Precinct Heritage Tours

Did you know these tanks were used to store oil? Come along and learn all about the Cairns Botanic Gardens and Tanks Art Centre heritage with the Green Space Our Place volunteers. Tours leave at 10am on Thursdays from the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre (resume in March 2024).

Tuesday Bird Tours

Guided birding tours in the Cairns Botanic Gardens are led by Friends members every Tuesday, leaving at the 7.30am from the Friends House, Flecker Gardens.

Join the Friends

Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns

Membership details - phone 4032 3900 or email info@botanicfriendscairns.org.au

After joining you can support the Friends in many ways; as a committee member, in the Friends Shop, as a tour guide or assisting with events.

Friends of Sugarworld Botanic Gardens

Contact Fran Lindsay frantastic10@bigpond.com

Magazine Contributions:

Please submit articles (must be volunteer or nature based) by first week of May for the next quarterly publication in June.

Email: l.grandy@cairns.qld.gov.au

Please note articles are subject to editing. Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with all events or visit our websites:

- Green Space Our Place - Cairns Botanic Gardens

- Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns

Green Space Our Place

• Mondays - Russell St Environmental Park Egrets 9am-noon

• Tuesdays - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus 9am-noon

• Tuesdays - City Sandpipers, Tuesdays 9am-noon

• Wednesdays - Botanic Gardens Down ’n’ Dirty volunteers 9am-noon

• Wednesdays - Tracks ‘n’ Trails 9am-noon

• Thursdays - Stratford Nursery 9am-noon

• Thursday (once a month) - Sugarworld Gardeners & Friends

• Fortnightly Thursdays - Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas

• Heritage Tour Guides - Thursday 10am

• The Green Space education food garden - open Wednesday 9.30am3.30pm and Fridays 1.30-3.30pm.

Interested in becoming involved with your local park, reserve or tracks in your community? Contact us to register 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 volunteering in your local area contact Volunteers Supervisor Louisa Grandy 4032 6648 or email greenspaceourplace@cairns.qld.gov.au