Green Space Our Place
Front Page:
Rob at the Barr Creek clean-up event held in September.
Back Page:
A Green Tree Frog on a Queenslander kitchen window ledge.
O N T E N T S
In this issue:
• From the Editor............2
• Farewell Louisa...........3
• Years of Service Awards........................4
• Cairns’ loss is Lakes Entrance’s gain...........5
• Volunteer Snapshot..6-9
• The Green Space ..............................10-11
• Barr Creek Clean-up .............................12-13
• Doc sleuths stinging culprit....................14-15
• From bins to better futures..................16-17
• Summer of Science tours .........................18
• Little Rotters..............19
• Bird adaptations to life in a wetland .........20-21
• Feathered Friends.....21
• Small wonders..........22
• Tour dates.................23
• Contact details..........23
From the Editor
Thank you!
Although it was not an easy decision, the time has come to say farewell. Thank you to each and every one of you for the support you have shown me and my team to create this wonderful volunteer program Green Space Our Place - a program that has created incredibly strong connections in the community through nature-based activities. Thank you to all our volunteers from 2009 to this present day, and to Council and staff for helping us to deliver this program and making it what it is today.
A special thanks to Brett Spencer, who is also leaving Council this year, for his confidence in my ability to create what we have today.
And to the Green Space Our Place team:
Especially to Sarah Gosling who has been with me since 2015. We have had some wonderful brainstorming sessions over the years to create something that has engaged our community. And also to everything you have created in The Green Space - it needs to be seen to be believed. Visiting this space is the only way to understand - words don’t do it justice.
To Mel Constable, who will be stepping into this role. I have every confidence that you will continue to deliver this program at its best, and also bring your own style and vision to this space.
Editor - Volunteers Team Leader, Louisa Grandy
Proof readers - volunteers Sandy Long, Jenn Muir
Contributors - volunteers Sandy Long, Val Schier, Janice Pichon, Jennifer H Muir, John Peter, Dr David Rentz AM, Barry Muir, Bridgette Gower and Council officer Scott Paterson.
To the nursery team of Ryan Zihrul and our latest recruit Matt Tinus - your passion for making our environment greener and your love of growing native plants is inspiring.
And to past staff, Christian Cluver and Sarah Olds for your support to deliver Tracks ‘n’ Trails and various other groups. Thank you.
Leaving this program and all of you was not a light decision! I have loved this role and my vision of ‘connecting people with people and people with nature’ is one that has been fulfilled beyond expectation! I have made some wonderful connections throughout the years and I trust those connections will remain, however, I can no longer resist the urge to return to my family and my childhood home of Lakes Entrance on the Gippsland Lakes, Victoria - another beautiful place that is dear to my heart.
I leave you in good hands with the promise that this program will continue to support you all, the Cairns community and this tropical environment.
FaReWell lOuisa
“For so many of us, Louisa has been supervisor, friend, confidante, life-changing inspiration...”
Volunteer Sandy Long spoke on behalf of the Green Space Our Place volunteers at the End of Year Celebrations and Louisa’s farewell. It is my honour, my privilege, Louisa; to speak to you on behalf of the current 340 volunteers (and the 1000 registered in the past 11 years!) in the Council’s Green Space Our Place program. And yes! You instantly remember every name! I am here on behalf of every one of us to express the gratitude we feel to you, the team and Cairns Regional Council for the outcomes we have created.
Born in the charming Murray River town of Corryong in 1970 - that makes you just a cute little 54 year old now! - your Dad was a logger and you had six moves in a short time before arriving at Lake Bunga, near Lakes Entrance, Victoria. Indeed, you shall soon return to that hometown. You trained as a journalist and held positions with East Gippsland Newspaper in Bairnsdale. The wellspring of Our Volunteers Voice which grew from a small newsletter to a beautiful quarterly publication of 28 pages (with the support of volunteers).
well as individuals and groups who wanted to enhance their local parks and also provide tours at the Botanic Gardens precinct. And of course, the most recent, The Green Space education food garden alongside us and the second children’s program Little Sprouts. The diversity and uniqueness of each of these entities is testament to something extra. As Louisa always says: she couldn’t do it without the added passion of you - the volunteers, and of course the Council team.
Fundamental is the motto is “connecting people with people and people with nature”.
Fast forward to Nerang on the Gold Coast and the Bougainvillea Park Nursery; in Louisa’s words “my first taste of horticulture”. Fast forward to Cairns and a vicissitudinous path leading to Flecker Botanic Gardens. It was here that the drive, the passion, the remarkable capacity to think outside the square was evident; a three-month contract, soon became a full-time position, and within a year, employed as the Horticulturalist Supervisor, a position you held for 16 years. Brett Spencer possessed the vision, but also saw the ability to create it in Louisa and the position of Volunteers Support & Public Liaison Officer became a reality in 2013.
A personal connection: my dear Prue and I had arrived in Cairns, spellbound with the luxuriance, the colours and shapes of the Cairns Botanic Gardens. It was February, 2012, 30+ degrees, and about 85 per cent humidity. Here was this snoozer, togged out from head to toe, wielding something. I gave him a wry look of sympathy. There were the odd, meaningful nods and exchanges … “why don’t ya come and join us!? Seeya here next Wednesday!” That changed my life, Ric Streatfield! That led me to Louisa and the “Down ‘n’ Dirty” group. So began the longest and strongest working association of my long and winding road.
For so many of us, Louisa has been supervisor, friend, confidante, life-changing inspiration for all of that time. There is that something outside … The Universe … so she claims. The position requires threading the circuitous path of management chains above and below, as well as various groups of Volunteers, each of those with its own peculiar ethos and culture. The Cattana Jabirus came into being in November 2013, followed by the Little Taccas children’s nature program. And then the rest, all with engaging names such as Mt Whitfield’s Tracks ‘n’ Trails, the Salties and Egrets reveg programs, as
In April 2015, I attended the National Conference of Friends of Botanical Gardens, sponsored by Cairns FOBG. Without ado, Council sponsored Louisa to accompany me to the host city, Gold Coast. In short (and I’ll shout this out emphatically), we were the envy of the nation! Here was an especially appointed Council person working with a large and diverse volunteer group.
While all the other attendees grizzled about their poor relationships, Cairns boasted very harmonious and positive outcomes, great support and appreciation of the volunteer contribution, a truly symbiotic relationship. As you depart us, Louisa, this is not an end, but it might be a new beginning. There is the succession plan. There is always change; indeed, change is perhaps the only constant. But I quote, “The good Platoon, no matter the casualties and turnover, is always a good Platoon,” (my father, World War II).
You return home to Lake Bunga, Louisa, as you say, “To walk with Dad in the forest. I’ll sadly miss the tropics but I’m excited about new things.” What is in your heart, is that your quest is to be with your beloved Mum Kath and Dad Ken, brother Geoff and the rest of your family.
May The Universe continue to be your guide.
Years of Service Awards
Geoff McClure is a passionate revegetator. He began with a project in Clifton Beach and then adopted Cattana Wetlands 10 years ago, spending most mornings adding value to this special wetland.
Dawn May
Cattana Wetlands Jabirus
Bob Adams Heritage Tour Guide
Prue Fitzpatrick has been with the Cattana Wetlands Jabirus from the beginning (November 2013). Prue adds value to this group, engaging them at her (and Sandy’s) annual Christmas party.
Lyn Healey Cattana Wetlands Jabirus and Stratford Nursery
David Ryan
Park volunteers
5 Years 10 Years
Jenny Petherick Down ‘n’ Dirty and Sugarworld
Fiona Purcell
Ric Streatfield is a member of the Botanic Gardens Down ‘n’ Dirty gardening group and shared his engaging hiking adventures at the monthly Volunteers Information Sessions.
Rosemarie Andrews Sandpipers, Little Taccas, The Green Space, and the Visitor Enhancement Volunteers
Kylie Drabsch
Park volunteers
Philip Murray Stratford revegetation
Joanne Ellis Down ‘n’ Dirty
Jalarra
Jalarra Park volunteers
Jalarra
Cairns’ loss is Lakes Entrance’s gain
The Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cairns Committee members were saddened to hear the announcement that our long-time liaison officer, supporter and friend, Louisa Grandy, has decided to move on. Louisa has constantly smoothed the way in our relationship with Council, initially with a Memorandum of Understanding to clarify who was responsible for what, and to ensure that any problems that might arise could be solved. She has patiently attended our monthly meetings and talks, quietly guiding us in the right direction and providing advice.
Not only has Louisa been an asset to the Friends, she has greatly enhanced the reputation of Council with her wonderful communication and community engagement skills, her capacity to bring a wide diversity of people together and grow social cohesion, and her never-ending positivity.
Friends of the Botanic Gardens Cairns Committee,
Lorraine Smith, Megan Lilly, Sue McCulloch, David Rentz, Catie Williams, Elaine Harrison, Annabelle Symes,
Absent: William Van Bakel, James Sing, Bridgette Gower.
Having been a journalist before she studied horticulture, she has a very useful skill set which has enabled her to initiate and produce the quarterly Green Space Our Place magazine; a document which provides information, shares knowledge and images, and most importantly showcases the many wonderful projects she supports and the people who constantly make good things happen in our community. Louisa, we wish you well in your new direction in life. Cairns’ loss is Lakes Entrance’s gain and we are sure you will find a position there where you will be able to make a significant difference in another role. Travel well and best wishes from the Friends. We will never forget you.
Brett leaves a lasting impact
Destry Puia Director Lifestyle & Community Cairns Regional Council
It is with a mixture of sadness and immense gratitude that we bid farewell to Brett Spencer, our esteemed Executive Manager for Community Life at Cairns Regional Council. Brett has decided to seek new adventures, so I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible contributions he has made during his time with us.
Brett began his time here at Council in 2012 and has held the role of Manager or Executive Manager to a variety of different branch names over the years including the current, and his personal favourite, Community Life.
Throughout this time Brett’s leadership has been nothing short of transformative. His ability to navigate complex challenges and implement practical solutions has left a lasting impact, ensuring a safer and more cohesive community for all.
In short if something was difficult Brett was the guy you sent in to get the job done. From dealing with flyingfoxes, wallabies going rogue, and to issues around public intoxication and supporting vulnerable people in need; Brett looked after it all.
Green Space Our Place is another tremendous example of the real impact that Brett has made to the lives of our community members and our special part of the world. Brett’s passion for improving our community over the last 12 years, has been truly inspiring and his positive influence on our team, the organisation and the community will be felt for years to come.
For now, I am sure you will all join me in wishing Brett all the best in his future endeavours. Brett will be missed, but we know he will continue to make a difference wherever he goes.
Destry and Brett
back from left:
Mike Hyde; front: Jeannette Wehrle, Louisa Grandy, Val Schier.
VOLUNTEER SNAPSHOT
Down ‘n’ Dirty
The Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteers have been working on a new project at Saltwater Lake Gardens transforming a garden bed to showcase the Friends’ Trolley Plant Sale (held Wednesday mornings 8.30-11.30am).
The Down ‘n’ Dirty gardening group has grown this year with 21 volunteers attending in September - a record number for the past few years.
Down ‘n’ Dirty volunteers Lyn and Brigette raking mulch.
Lolita and Raiza on their first day with the Down ‘n’ Dirty group.
Jim and Bernie working on the Saltwater Lake garden bed.
VOLUNTEER SNAPSHOT
Cattana Wetlands Jabirus
A tour was organised for the Jabirus at Cattana Wetlands in October. Sometimes we need to go on a guided tour to notice the little things and appreciate the beautiful space we get to work in. Thank you to Dave for sharing your time and knowledge.
Gervina explaining cultural uses of Aloe Vera with GSOP nursery and volunteer support officer Matt.
Cattana Wetlands is a special place and there is nothing better after weeding than enjoying a chat with friends while the birds are singing and flitting about. Pictured: Dawn, Sandy, Vito (welcome back!) and Prue.
A few volunteer program facts 2009-2024
Volunteers registered since 2009 = approx 1,000 Programs with highest registrations:
Est. 2009 - Down ‘n’ Dirty gardening group engaged 200+
Est. 2013 - Cattana Wetlands Jabirus engaged 100+
Est. 2016 - Stratford Nursery engaged 140+
Est. 2016 - Salties revegetation group engaged 100+
Est. 2014 - Little Taccas children’s nature activities program has engaged 6,500+ children aged 5 and under along with their parents / carers.
Total 260,000+ volunteer hours
Plants planted and recorded since 2015 = 28,000+
Seedings propogated and recorded since 2015 = 196,000+
With 15 Jabiru volunteers watering the new reveg site at Cattana Wetlands, 1000 litres disappeared within 20 mins!
VOLUNTEER SNAPSHOT
Sugarworld
Friends & Volunteers
Little Taccas
Sandy pruning back overgrown Draceana.
Sandy and Mel thinning the Ctenanthe. Myra and Kardi carting green waste.
Little Taccas volunteers heading off for their morning coffee after supporting the kids programJeannette, Patrice and Rosemarie.
Green Space Our Place team leader Louisa Grandy with Little Taccas Pip and Kit.
Green Space Our Place team leader Louisa Grandy with Little Taccas Pip and Kit.
President of the Sugarworld Friends, Fran Lindsay cutting back a drainage point.
Kardi - the trailer is ready to cart away.
VOLUNTEER SNAPSHOT
Tracks ‘n’ Trails
Duck Pond ‘Duckies’
Side by side - Tracks ‘n’ Trails volunteers and Council crew working on
The Duck Pond ‘Duckies’ have spent a couple of months enhancing the gardens around the playground and cleaning up around the duck pond. This group is building and now has a membership of 11 volunteers meeting each month to do a couple of hours work followed by morning tea - a wonderful way to build community.
Mt Whitfield’s Yellow Arrow trail.
Hiromi and Russell working on the stone steps.
Peter and Hiromi with their newly installed bench.
Volunteer U Win So has offered his time to build a bamboo shelter in The Green Space education food garden, using traditional Burmese building methods. The bamboo was sourced from the Cairns Botanic Gardens bamboo collection. We are very pleased with the outcome; drop in an take a look.
Thank you U Win So, we appreciate your time and contribution and also to the volunteers who supported the project.
This structure is creating a lot of discussion with between volunteers and visitors alike.
THE GREEN SPACE Traditional Burmese building methods
U Win So preparing the main poles.
Penny and Suzie working together to tie roof bearers.
Marian tying down bamboo.
U Win So teaching Sarah weaving technqiue.
Sandy using stripped bamboo as tie downs.
Bamboo has also been used to create the mushroom growing hut.
THE GREEN SPACE
Take a walk up the new path with Mel and Louisa.
New signage was installed in August.
The Green Space volunteer Helen
work experience student
Workshops are organised in return for our volunteers hard work. Marion and Helen at a clay plate making workshop, facilitated by Marian Wolfs.
Produce grows big in The Green Space garden. Brett and Vicki.
Julatten and Mt Molloy Garden Groups came to The Green Space bearing gifts and exchange knowledge.
Kimchi and tomatoes
with
Korbi and his mum Soraya. Korbi helped Helen plant a tree in the Jess Mitchell Park.
Monika, Corben and Helen inoculating ficus logs with shitake mushroom mycelium, and sealing with beeswax.
BARR CREEK CLEAN-UP
Barr Creek was a mess following the Cyclone Jasper Flood. Volunteer Rob William brought it to our attention early in the year and as a part of the Reef Guardian Council Clean Creeks Funding Project, Green Space Our Place team sent a call out to our volunteers. With CAFNEC joining in, we had a total of 19 volunteers ready to tackle the monumental and very muddy task. Over three hours, the volunteers removed 101 tyres, a variety of whitegoods, and general rubbish and farm waste, resulting in five truck loads delivered to Smithfield Transfer Station. Thanks to everyone for preventing this waste reaching the reef.
Stay tuned for further creek cleaning opportunities.
Invisible danger
Doc sleuths stinging culprit
This is the story of the discovery of the Box Jellyfish. This deadly sea creature lurks off northern Australian shores every year from October to May.
The first documented Australian death from a suspected jellyfish sting occurred in 1884. Over the following decades, other inexplicable bather fatalities continued to be reported, mostly in the lay press. The actual numbers are uncertain because it is likely that many of the earlier jellyfish casualties went unnoticed or were recorded as drownings.
Up until the 1930s, Blue Bottles, otherwise called Portuguese Man-of-War, were invariably considered responsible for these stings to bathers. However, the injury from these blue-coloured, surface-floating jellyfish was limited to short-lived pain and skin irritation at the site of contact, and never lethal. Meanwhile the culprit for the fatal attacks on sea bathers could not be identified as it seemed to be invisible despite the shallow waters.
Surf life savers in North Queensland were already wary in the 1930s of dangerous jellyfish and were called upon to treat stings. They used an Indigenous remedy of rubbing the affected area with sand.
Doctor-Naturalist
Meanwhile, a new doctor arrived in Cairns in 1932. Leaving his family in Melbourne, Dr Hugo Flecker was the first medical specialist to set up a practice north of Townsville. “Doc” as he was known to his patients had already established himself as a leader of research into the use of deep tissue X-rays for cancer treatment. Being an enthusiastic naturalist since childhood, he soon began exploring the natural history of the tropics.
It was not long before Flecker turned his interest to harmful marine animals. To gather more information, he setup a Register of Harmful Plants and Animals and focussed his scientific mettle on trying to identify the
culprit for the dreaded sting. By 1952, the database allowed Flecker to define the killer jellyfish by its particular set of symptoms: welts and burning at the point of skin contact, rapidly accompanied by life-threatening cardiac complications.
When another unexplained death occurred at Cardwell in 1955, Flecker organised for local police to net the beach. Three types of jellyfish were caught, including several large, transparent, box-shaped jellyfish which had never been seen before. The specimens were sent to a southern zoologist who found the mystery killer to be a new genus and species of stinging jellyfish. It was not until the late 1960s that the high toxicity of this new species was revealed when researchers showed that skin contact with only 10cm of tentacle could be fatal.
This new type of jellyfish was referred to as the Box Jellyfish or Sea Wasp. In the 1980s, the use of the name Sea Wasp was discouraged, reportedly after tourists from the south were seen wading in areas known to be frequented by the deadly jellyfish using umbrellas and hats for protection against the “wasps”! For that reason, the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, which had been producing Sea Wasp Antivenom since the 1970s, changed its name to Box Jellyfish Antivenom.
JANICE PICHON
Hugo Flecker
Around 80 people in Australia have been killed by Box Jellyfish stings since official records began in the late 1800s. The last case was a teenager swimming near Mackay in 2022. This species is native to Australia, occurring along more than 50% of the coastline. However, it can also be found in the tropical Indo-Pacific including tourist hotspots like Thailand, and annual fatalities are considerably higher. The work by Flecker and his successors has opened the way for the development in Australia of world-leading prevention and education programs to improve public safety.
Hugo Flecker went on to become an international expert on hazardous marine animals. In 1952, he documented the symptoms of another serious sting afflicting bathers: absence of welts, severe generalised pain, and breathing and cardiac difficulties, but only rarely lethal. He baptised the yet-to-besighted culprit as the Irukandji jellyfish, using the name of the indigenous occupants of the Palm Cove area where many stings occurred. Unfortunately, he died before identifying the organism responsible. He also described the first case of fatal cone shell poisoning in Australia.
Hugo Flecker died in 1957, after devoting 25 years to exploring, documenting, researching and interpreting the natural world in North Queensland. His work on venomous jellyfish was carried on by Cairns doctor Jack Barnes who identified the jellyfish responsible for the Irukandji sting. Unfortunately, Flecker’s research notes and the Register disappeared with his death.
Jellyfish sleuth
Most people first “meet” Hugo Flecker during a visit to the Cairns Botanic Gardens, where his namesake Flecker Garden is the leading attraction. However, the legacy of this trailblazing doctor is much broader, starting with his pioneering research on x-ray therapy. Flecker was one of the most distinguished naturalists of his time and was a respected authority on the North Queensland flora: his life work is fittingly commemorated by eight new plant species named in his honour. Not the least, his scientific detective work with harmful marine animals has seen the world’s most venomous marine species, the Box Jellyfish Chironex fleckeri named after this remarkable doctor and naturalist.
Box Jellyfish
CC-BY-SA, https://naturerules1.fandom.com/wiki/Box_Jellyfish?file=Boxjellyfish-or-sea-wasp-chironex-karen-gowlett-holmes.jpg
Aboriginal bark painting believed to be a Box Jellyfish, Arnhem Land 1940s. https://www.academia.edu/106634174/The_medical_ zoologist_Ronald_Vernon_Southcott, Photo: J Pearn.
From Bins to Better Futures: Inside Cairns’ Resource Recovery Journey
In September it was an absolute honour to host the Council’s Green Space Our Place volunteer group at the Cairns Regional Council Resource Recovery Precinct.
The visiting volunteer group included some distinguished members, such as a former Mayor Val Schier, long-term environmental advocates, scientific experts, and horticultural professionals, all with a deep and enduring passion for caring for Far North Queensland. Their visit to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Portsmith provided an invaluable chance to understand the Council’s resource recovery processes, connect with members of the Council team, and view waste management technologies in operation firsthand.
During the tour, we explored the intricacies of what happens to our waste and recyclables once they leave the kerbside bins. The Volunteers were fascinated by the process at the MRF, where materials are sorted and prepared for remanufacturing into new products. They were keen to understand how the small choices we make at home—like properly sorting recyclables and avoiding contamination—can have a big impact on the efficiency of the facility (and our hopes at avoiding material sent to landfill).
The group’s enthusiasm was truly contagious. Their thoughtful questions reflected their deep commitment to sustainability and greater environmental stewardship. We discussed the importance of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" hierarchy concept, not just in terms of what goes into our bins but also in thinking creatively about how to consider avoiding, repurposing and recovering materials, thereby reducing our overall waste footprint. It was clear that this fantastic group already embody the principles of sustainability, and it was a privilege to share knowledge that could further empower them to spread this vital message within our Cairns community.
The two-hour visit flew by, and many of the group expressed that they could have easily spent a whole day exploring and further discussing waste recovery processes and possibilities for the future of our region. Their passion for the environment was evident, and it reminded me of how important our collective efforts are in creating a more sustainable Cairns, where waste to landfill should be our last option.
SCOTT PATERSON WASTE EDUCATION OFFICER CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL
A special thanks to Team Leader Louisa Grandy and all the Volunteers for their time, patience in resolving our parking challenge on the day, contributions to our many discussions, curiosity, and personal commitment to this cause. Hosting such an engaged and knowledgeable group was not just a professional highlight, but a personal pleasure, as we work together toward a cleaner, greener future for Far North Queensland.
Further information:
• How to Recycle Right: visit Council’s “6 steps to better recycling at home”
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/water-wasteroads/waste-and-recycling/what-happens-tomy-waste/recycle-right
• Never Bin a Battery:
Help make sure that we eliminate dangerous collection vehicle and facility fires by recycling our batteries at Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, Officeworks, Council Libraries and Transfer Station Facilities:
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/water-wasteroads/waste-and-recycling/lets-get-it-sorted/ never-bin-a-battery
• Extra information on what belongs in what bin:
Use Council’s new “Recycle Mate” website app (or download the free Android or IOS app for phone/tablets) to learn what belongs in what bin.
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/water-wasteand-roads/waste-and-recycling/lets-get-itsorted/sort-my-waste
Council officers were fascinating to watch working the conveyor belt - so fast and efficient!
RECYCLE RIGHT
By recycling right, we can increase resource recovery, reduce waste going to landfill and create a more sustainable Cairns region.
Check out our tips below to help you recycle right!
#1 Keep it Simple
Only recycle:
• Hard plastic bottles and containers
• Steel and aluminium cans
• Glass bottles and jars
• Paper and cardboard
#2 Keep Out Soft Plastics
No soft plastics or wrapping, this includes:
• All plastic bags (bio-degradable or compostable)
• Plastic film
• Chip packets
• Bread bags
#3 Keep Out Small Items
Don’t place anything smaller than a credit card into your recycling bin, this includes:
• All lids and caps
• Bread tags
• Coffee pods
• Ring pulls
#4 Keep it Safe
Keep out gas bottles, car batteries, strapping line, hoses, netting, wires, building materials, oil, paint, chemicals and other hazardous materials.
#5 Keep it Clean
Keep it clean by rinsing or wiping out your containers of any excess food, drink etc.
• No food scraps
• No nappies
• No soiled paper, cardboard
• No general waste
#6 Keep it Loose
• Place your recyclables loose into your recycling bin.
• Don’t bag or box your recyclables.
• Hint: have a designated recycling bin in the kitchen and bathroom to keep your recycling loose.
Barry and Jenn
Juno and Jim
29 GSOP volunteers attended the Materials Recovery Facility.
‘Summer of Science’ tours at Cattana Wetlands
The Cattana Wetlands Jabiru volunteer tour guides have provided a number of tours this year under the program ‘Summer of Science 2024’ . The Cairns community has responded well with good attendance numbers at each talk. Dave O’Brien is pictured leading the ‘Take a Walk on the Wild Side’ in September.
NEW FROM NOVEMBER
The Green Space Tuesday Walk & Talk 1-3pm
OPEN to all volunteers from the Green Space Our Place program
Denis Moeser on tour.
Dave Anderson supporting the bird enthusiasts.
Denise Crews referring to the Microbat promotion board.
LITTLE ROTTERS
Pycnoporus is a colourful decay fungus common on dead wood around the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
We have all seen it – rotting logs and fallen branches in rainforest or our backyard, and probably even rotten fence posts or timber left lying on the ground. This decay is mostly the work of fungi, those untiring recyclers of dead things. But what happens during that decay?
Let’s use trees as an example.
Firstly, the amount of fungus food (mostly nitrogen and carbohydrates) varies considerably between individual trees, and there are even differences between parts of a single tree. Tree species, size of the dead wood itself (fallen stems, large branches, coarse dead roots, logs and standing dead trees) and decay stage (which of course also includes the activities of fungi already present) are the most influential. Variation in the density and acidity of wood are also highly variable.
Secondly, there is the trees’ immune system. While alive, plants’ immune systems fight against invading disease, making toxic substances with protective functions. Examples are oil in eucalypts; resins in conifers; corrosive sap in plants of the Euphorbiaceae family; and even cyanide in Oleander and some other
plants. In most plants there is a toxic cocktail rather than just a single chemical. In some cases, the toxins are actively transported to sites of wood damage, just as our white blood cells cluster around a wound. But when a tree (or any other plant) gets old, its immune system begins to fail, and it becomes less able to fight the attacking fungi and bacteria. Once it dies, the decomposers seriously get to work.
Other influences on abundance of fungi are the frequency and order in which fungal infections occur, the distribution of those infections, and the toxic effects of early fungal colonizers on those that arrive later. Many fungi are highly competitive and fight each other for resources.
Every plant has fungi called endophytes living within it. Endophytes inhabit living plants without causing disease. Their role in different plant species might include some that support its immune system, some that simply live there, some that are parasites, and wood decay fungi just biding their time waiting for tree death. Some endophyte fungi can switch between different roles during the life of the tree.
Barry Muir
Bird adaptations to life in a wetland
Jennifer H Muir
As wetlands are so crucial to life on Earth, I’ve written a series of articles for GSOP’s Volunteers Voice discussing types of wetlands, waterbirds, and how waterbirds are adapted for survival in wetland habitats. To avoid competition, wetland bird species have impressive adaptations (bill structure, body shape, size, leg and foot length).
In September 2024, I discussed the darter’s spear-like bill; the cormorant’s long hooked bill; and the grebe’s small bill, each bill type supporting a different feeding style. In this article, I discuss a group of birds that may amaze you because of their bills and feeding behaviour - the spoonbills of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae.
Spoonbills and ibises are easily distinguished from each other by their bill shapes. The differences enable different feeding techniques that help them survive.
Spoonbills
Australia’s Yellowbilled Spoonbill.
Spoonbill bills are long and flat, with wider ‘spatulate’ (spoon-shaped) ends enabling their distinctive watersweeping feeding style.
In the photo series above of a Royal Spoonbill, the disturbed water surface is evident as the bird typically sweeps its bill to feed.
Ibis bills are long, tubular and downcurved with blunt ends for probing/ digging in water, mud and soil, or pecking at ground or water surfaces. This is an Australian White Ibis.
Spoonbills are carnivorous and feed by wading through shallow, usually fresh (occasionally salt) water, sweeping their partly-open bills from side to side in an arc. Their bills snap shut when any small aquatic creature touches the inner tactile surface of their bills.
Initially they walk slowly, kicking up debris and small animals (fish, shellfish, crabs, amphibians) under the water to catch the disturbed prey. Once they sense prey, they start intensively sweeping the area.
At least one spoonbill species occurs on every continent except Antarctica. The six recognised species are: African Spoonbill; Black-faced Spoonbill (East Asia); Eurasian Spoonbill (north-east Africa, much of Eurasia); Roseate Spoonbill (parts of North and South America); and the two native to Australia: Royal Spoonbill and Yellow-billed Spoonbill.
Australia’s two spoonbills usually nest on platforms of sticks in trees - trees are so important to wildlife. They often breed in colonies with other species such as ibises, herons, egrets, or cormorants.
Our Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), aka Black-billed Spoonbill (pictured next page), inhabits freshwater wetlands and intertidal flats. It’s a large white bird with black face and black, typically ‘spatulate’ bill that feeds in typical spoonbill style (see above). It’s larger-ended, more spatulate bill works like tongs, and the Yellow-billed’s narrower bill works more like a pair of forceps.
When breeding, Royal Spoonbills have long white plumes behind their heads and coloured patches on their faces. They are highly sensitive to disturbance in the breeding season and whole colonies have been known to desert their eggs after a minor upset.
A breeding Royal Spoonbill (left). Note the long white plumes behind its head and coloured patches on the face.
Across Australia, Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes) has been recorded feeding day and night in shallows of lakes, swamps, and paddocks inundated by heavy rain.
Yellow-billed Spoonbills are white, and their long spatulate bills, faces, legs and feet all yellow, with the iris pale yellow. They feed in typical spoonbill style (see above) with their narrower bill that works more like a pair of forceps.
Feathered Friends
Breeding Yellow-billed Spoonbills have long hackles on their chests, faces lined with black, and black tips on their wings. They nest once or twice a year, generally when water is plentiful. Their breeding season varies: MarchMay after the wet season in Australia’s north; and winterspring (August-October) in temperate regions.
White-breasted Woodswallow
In the streets of Cairns, no matter the time of year or the time of day, one of the most obvious birds you’ll see is the White-breasted Woodswallow. They’re easily recognised: their dapper dark bluegrey plumage forms a hood that’s neatly demarcated from their snowy white front and underparts. Flocks of these cheeky birds – sometimes numbering a hundred or more – are readily seen perched together, side by side, on powerlines, forming long strings of birds. Sometimes they perch in silence, while at other times, they chatter quietly to one another. Their soft, pleasant song is heard less often, and occasionally includes a little mimicry of some of the common birds of the region, such as orioles and cuckoo-shrikes.
When they’re perched together, White-breasted Woodswallows often seem quite restless, as they regularly wag, fan or twist their tails in a corkscrew fashion, especially just after they’ve alighted, and birds regularly arrive and leave their perches as they make forays in pursuit of passing insects. They capture insects in flight, launching from a perch with rapid flapping of their wings, interspersed with graceful glides, soaring and circling around to snatch insects in their beak.
White-breasted Woodswallows nest in tree hollows, building an open, cup-shaped nest of grass and twigs. Between September and December, they lay up to five spotted and blotched eggs, and young birds with mottled plumage are often seen perched with their parents around Christmas time.
Yellow-billed Spoonbills feeding in typical spoonbill style.
Barry Muir
Small Wonders nature in miniature
Bridgette gower
Petrea volubilis, commonly known as Sandpaper Vine, is an evergreen flowering vine in the family Verbenaceae (the Verbenas), native from Mexico south to tropical America. The rounded deep blue-purple parts of each flower are the petals and beneath those are the five paler, narrow calyx lobes which persist long after the purple petals drop.
The leaves have a distinct sandpaper texture producing a rough, scratchy sound when rubbed with a fingernail. This is caused by minute hard bumps on the leaf.
Ant-mimicking Spider Amyciaea albomaculata, one of the Thomisidae (flower or crab-spider family) having just caught a Green Tree Ant. The spider (upper left) is distinguished by white spots on its abdomen (albomaculata means white spots) and has grasped the Green Tree Ant (lower right) by its middle.
The spider then pulls itself back on a thread and settles on a leaf to consume the ant. Sometimes the disguise doesn’t work, and the ants catch the spider instead.
There is beauty in decay. These leaves have been infected by several different fungal species, some of which killed the leaves and others which became established after the leaves dropped from the tree. As the leaves died, the plant on which they were growing withdrew chlorophyll and nutrients from the leaf tissues, turning them reddish orange. This is the same process that turns autumn leaves gold – nothing is wasted in nature. Once dead, other fungi moved in, digesting the tissues of the leaves, eventually leaving just the skeleton.
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 (Last tour - Friday 29 November; resuming Monday 24 February 2025). Contact the Friends House 4032 3900 for further details.
Botanic Gardens & 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 (last tour on Thursday 12 December, resuming in March 2025).
Tuesday Bird Tours
Guided birding tours in the Cairns Botanic Gardens are led by Friends members every Tuesday, leaving at 7.30am from the Friends House, Flecker Gardens. Last tour on Tuesday 26 November; resuming Tuesday 25 February.
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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
Monthly email newsletter contributions
Please submit articles to Mel Constable Email: mel.constable@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
• 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 Friends & Gardeners
• Fortnightly Thursdays - Children’s Nature Activities Program - Little Taccas / Little Sprouts
• Heritage Tour Guides - Thursday 10am from the Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
• The Green Space education food garden - open Tuesday afternoons 1-3pm, Wednesdays 9.30am-3.30pm, 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 email greenspaceourplace@cairns.qld.gov.au
