July 2011 Volume 22 Two
Garden of original delights a new series begins PAGE 9 photographic workshop page 2 INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
President’s letter Home gardening with indigenous plants — an impression of the past 25 years.
S
ince 1986 IFFA has promoted garden use of indigenous plants for their habitat, conservation and amenity value. Among IFFA’s first projects was to publish a series of pamphlets under the banner Melbourne’s Indigenous Gardens. So, in the last quarter century, how far have indigenous plants come in gaining a foothold in our gardens and streetscapes? Some wins are apparent as I cycle on my daily commute. • Indigenous plants are an accepted choice in public landscapes, especially among the conservation-conscious and progressive local councils. Daily I cycle past indigenous street tree plantings reaching graceful maturity. Indigenous plantings even enhance the landscaping of several recent commercial car parks and new high-rises.. • Indigenous plant gardens form a striking contrast in numerous streetscapes. Individual indigenous plant specimens dot the more standard garden fare, a legacy of old council give-away schemes. • Indigenous nurseries now supply Melbourne and many country areas with plants of appropriate provenance including several species once considered intransigent. However there are also ongoing challenges and even backlashes to earlier gains. ‘Indigenous plant’ is a term still widely misunderstood as being synonymous with ‘native plant’. The impact of many an indigenous garden often owes much to its novelty value against an overwhelming background of traditional gardens. In my area, the council has retreated from its indigenous planting policy and it has been years since I have seen an indigenous street tree planted locally. Commercial nurseries have discovered the indigenous ‘aesthetic’ but not the philosophy. Plants akin to indigenous
species are reaching nursery shelves, but only as cloned selections of non-local forms which pose a serious threat to the genetic integrity of rare urban remnant plant populations. Meanwhile indigenous nurseries strive to maintain conservation objectives that become a handicap when designers and gardeners continue to place a higher value on uniformity, novelty and convenience. A lesson from the previous 25 years is how the concept of gardening with indigenous plants can ‘press people’s buttons’, in both good and bad ways. Promotion of indigenous gardening can challenge deeply felt nostalgic and cultural connections to other places by ‘demonising’ the plants that evoke them. A side-effect of the promotion of indigenous plants as alternatives to environmental weeds has been their association with the guilt, irritation or denial of people on the defensive about their existing gardening practices. I see us entering a period where our experience will permit us to better appreciate our common ground with conventional gardening practices. Curiosity and search for beauty is elemental to all gardening of course. Nostalgia is another common trait, many indigenous gardens evoke favourite bushland haunts of yesteryear. I want IFFA to inspire ‘green’ gardeners to take up the challenge of habitat provision with the same enthusiasm as they have adopted water and resource conservation. I see IFFA gaining allies among mainstream gardeners as much by emphasising our shared traits as by making a point of our differences. As a part of IFFA’s strategic planning process a focus on home gardening was adopted as a theme for 2011. It feels like a good time to rediscover of our roots. How far have we come in 25 years? Would others like to submit their own reflection on what has happened since 1986 – either about home gardening or about IFFA. Send comments to editor@iffa.org.au or on the forums on the website. Brian Bainbridge
Inspired by Indigenous Gardens. A Photographic Workshop
Sunday the 14th of August, in Fawkner (just north of Coburg), Victoria. Lunch 1pm (bring something to share), workshop runs 2-5pm. Join Brian Bainbridge on a photographic exploration … of his backyard. In the last few years, improvements in digital cameras have opened up a creative means of learning about local flora and fauna. In this interactive workshop you may learn a few technical knacks of using your own camera; however the focus will be on finding and fostering interesting indigenous subject matter in the garden. Winter may seem a peculiar time to run a photographic workshop, but the dramatic low-angle light and special natural happenings of winter can make for striking image-making. This workshop will also appeal to gardeners interested in the potential of habitat creation in a small backyard. The workshop will be most suitable for those with the popular digital compact zoom or a digital SLR types of camera although much of the workshop will still be relevant to those using other equipment or for those considering purchase of a camera. In event of inclement weather, the workshop can move indoors to investigate exciting ways to use your photos, discussions on composing photos, resources for making species identifications, and places you might share your masterpieces online. Places are strictly limited to 16, so registration is essential. We will consider running another session in a different season if there is sufficient interest. To book please email activities@iffa.org.au, or phone Linda and leave a message on 94167184 — don’t forget to leave the names of people wanting to attend and a return phone number.
2
Mick Connolly
New Holland Honeyeater at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens. Turn to pages 6-7 for a colourful report on IFFA’s recent tour of the gardens.
INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC
Biodiversity in flames
The growing misuse of fire in the management of native ecosystems
T
he Royal Commission into the February 2009 bushfire event has concluded with a grave recommendation: at least 5% of public land in Victoria must now be burnt for fuel reduction purposes every year. The most alarming implication of this recommendation is that it does not stipulate how or where the bush must be burnt but only how much. It is also concerning because fuel reduction burning to date has mostly been carried out by those with little knowledge or even respect for forest ecology, so that too often when fuel reduction burning takes place there are serious impacts to biodiversity. Let us take a look at the first of these concerns. The Royal Commission’s recommendation for a 5% target will exert great pressure on Government agencies to meet this target every year. As in the past with similar but much lower regional targets, this will lead to a motivation to burn as much land as possible without regard to the attributes of the site. It will likely encourage frequent burning of areas that are ‘easier’ to burn, such as remote areas of forest or woodland that may not even pose a risk to towns or infrastructure. At least one example of this can be cited here, with a large area of remote forest in north-east Victoria near Lake Dartmouth being burnt for fuel reduction this autumn, despite the area already being affected by the Alpine fires of 2006. It is of vital importance that more thought and planning is invested in burning across the landscape to ensure that sensitive vegetation types (such as rainforest) and species are considered and that appropriate frequency is maintained.
What is at most risk from such frequent and poorly planned burning?
•M any fauna species depend on pockets of long-unburnt
refuges across the landscape to provide different types of habitat and cover from predators. Frequent and widespread burning is likely to greatly reduce the availability of these refuges and create a landscape dominated by recently burnt habitat. • T oo frequent burning will impact a suite of plant species, particularly those that favor long-unburnt vegetation (such as many ferns). Other plant species can take up to a decade following a fire event before they adequately replenish seed-banks and so frequent fire may cause them to decline or be eliminated. • S ome plant communities do not tolerate fire at all or only occasionally and so these ecosystems are likely to be impacted. • Frequent fire in forest and woodland poses a threat to old-growth trees, because being riddled with hollows and fissures they are far more prone to catching on fire and burning from the inside out, leading to death or collapse of the trunk. It should be noted that some vegetation communities do require frequent burning to maintain diversity, particularly grasslands and heathlands. However, burning of these more restricted habitats must also be thoroughly planned to avoid adverse impacts to sensitive species. The second concern is the way in which fuel reduction burning is currently being undertaken. I have being hearing
INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
countless reports of serious impacts to sites of high ecological significance during burning operations. This has included burns undertaken during inappropriate seasons; impacts to threatened fauna (such as the death of many Long-nosed Potoroo in at least one fuel reduction burn in south-west Victoria); cutting down of old-growth trees in order to stop them smoldering and extensive bulldozing and clearance of vegetation to create tracks and fire-breaks. The cutting down of old-growth trees is very saddening, for most of our remaining forests are lucky to support 2-3 of these trees when once there was an average of up to 10-20. These trees are vital for hollow-dependant species such as forest owls and arboreal mammals and without them these species may not be able to persist. Old trees can be protected prior to a burn by removing fuel from around the base of trunks and avoiding these areas where possible. Every effort should be taken when an old tree does catch on fire to put the fire out before further action is required. These trees have taken centuries to grow and are worthy of some attention. Reports I have heard of cutting down old trees because they were smoldering and thus posing a risk are outrageous. The use of the bulldozer and other machinery during fire operations may sometimes be necessary to create fire-breaks and contain a fire, but the current use appears to be out of control. I have heard reports from one region that nearly every fuel reduction burn that takes place gets out of control (burns beyond the area stipulated in the burn plan), likely due to poor management, and bulldozers are then used without hesitation to contain the fire. From these reports it seems that bulldozing has impacted countless areas of significant vegetation and faunal habitat, depleted or eliminated threatened flora and created areas for weed invasion.
What can we do?
Although government agencies are unlikely to be swayed from the 5% target due to community pressure, it is critical that further guidelines are put in place to prevent inappropriate burning. This should include a more systematic approach to how, where and most importantly how often fuel reduction burning is conducted per region and provisions for providing longunburnt refuges across the landscape. Government agencies must also begin enforcing measures to prevent such serious impacts to the bush during burning operations, such as guidelines and restrictions for the creation of firebreaks and protection of natural values such as oldgrowth trees and threatened species. Unless further controls are included within the 5% target, over the coming years we are likely to see great losses and modifications to our already struggling natural systems.
What you can do
Write to Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu: ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au and Victorian Environment Minister Ryan Smith: ryan.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au and tell them your concerns. Discuss these issues with your friends to raise awareness. Karl Just
3
Eugene von Guérard The truth revealed Exhibition Review
L
of the Otways and some other area such as the Grampians, as von Guérard did combine different scenes in Sunset, New South Wales 1865 as he declared at the time (Pullin 2011), or perhaps the painting is mislabelled. Do you know this place? Smyth (1984) claims that Elephant Rock is missing from von Guérard’s painting of Bushrangers Bay but that work is not in the exhibition. Lack of commercial success may have driven von Guérard to make some of his work more spectacular than real.
andscape painting in Australia was taken to a remarkably high level by Eugene von Guérard (1811–1901) whose work is currently being exhibited by the National Gallery of Victoria: Eugene von Guérard Nature Revealed. His depictions of landscapes in south-east Australia from 1854 to 1877 are stunning and beautiful, both for their meticulously detailed brushwork and for the magnificent scenery they so evocatively depict. Some of the paintings have been restored by NGV Conservation by removing yellow varnish which for many years had rendered them dull. They are now restored to their colourful glory. Von Guérard was already an accomplished painter when he came to Australia in 1852 as illustrated by his European paintings in the exhibition. The exhibition has a ‘focus on the wealth of specific environmental information to be found in von Guérard’s informed, accurate and detailed portrayals of particular sites in south-eastern Australia’ (Vaughan in Pullin 2011). The theme of the exhibition is von Guérard’s following the approach of German scientist Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), Ferntree Gully in the Dandenong Ranges, 1857 (courtesy of NGV) the father of biogeography, and theorist Carl Gustav Carus (1789– 1869) in being artistic whilst being scientifically accurate. At the NGV April 2011 symposium Tim Bonyhady Most of von Guérard’s paintings appear to be realistic (ANU) explored the accuracy of the claim that von Guérard’s depictions of specific areas, but some of his work suggests landscapes have assisted in the restoration of natural places he used artistic licence at times. As pointed out by Bill Birch today. Bonyhady sent a copy of Tower Hill to Victorian (Museum Victoria) at the NGV von Guérard symposium in naturalist Ros Garnet who identified 13 plant species and April this year, modern photographs indicate von Guérard botanist Jim Willis who identified 10 species. Both were sometimes slightly exaggerated the points on peaks, as in competent botanists. Unfortunately the two lists had only his famous Tower Hill 1855. The Cathedral Range appears two species in common, one of which Xanthorrhoea australis taller and steeper than in reality, and Mount Elephant on was questioned by Willis as being indigenous to Tower the volcanic plain is also slightly exaggerated. The relatively Hill. Similarly Ferntree Gully in the Dandenong Ranges 1857 (pictured here) has a nondescript overtopping tree that does not conform to known characteristics of trees growing in that habitat, Hedycarya being the most similar tree, and it may be there simply for compositional balance. This famous painting led to the place name Ferntree Gully of today. From his sketch books shown at the exhibition and comments by Michael Varcoe-Cocks (NGV) at the symposium it is apparent that in the field von Guérard didn’t pay much attention to foreground, instead focussing on the subdued topography of Australia compared to Europe may middle distance and background. Time limitations in the field have challenged the artist at times. would have prevented detailed study of foreground plants and One of the paintings may be embellished: Fern Tree Gully, his emphasis was on the background vistas. Foregrounds were Cape Otway Ranges c. 1870 has a rocky peak featured when later largely composed in his studio. This explains why plants the Otway mountains were actually all rounded and forested. in his foregrounds are sometimes nondescript and hard to This painting was reworked by von Guérard ‘wherever I identify. thought an improvement was required’ in his Dusseldorf While the floristics (species composition) of the painted studio in 1884 (Pullin 2011), and this may be where the nonvegetation may be unclear, the structure of the vegetation, existent peak was inserted. The painting could be a conflation CONTINUED PAGE 5
. . . paintings appear to be realistic depictions of specific areas, but some of his work suggests he used artistic licence at times.
4
INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC
Insect high-rise Kristi Ellinngsen pixel-paints insects around her home in Hobart and posts prolifically to the picture-sharing site flickr.com. The photos are excellent, the captions entertaining and the involvement of an entire family, young and older, is touching. When we saw her home-made castle for critters we immediately wanted to know more.
T
hanks for the interest in the insect box. I wouldn’t rate myself as an expert by any means! The box has only been up for a couple of weeks and there are zero insects moving in Tasmania so it will take a while for me to learn what works. I did do quite a bit of homework before I started though (mainly from Flickr photos and comments, and from what I saw in Europe), and I tried to build it in a way that made sense from the local insects I have seen. We collected all the framing from our local Tip Shops. We were looking for crates, terracotta, ceramic vents and baskets. I liked the look of the terracotta pipes, so I bought these from a recycled building supply shop. This place also gave me lots of broken pots. The wood was all from prunings in our garden, and some old kindling that we had in a wood-heap. I think it must have cost about $10 tops. We also used some clay to make interesting shapes with holes, and just left it to air dry. Initially I was planning to drill the holes before I packed the box, but later I decided to pack it all in as tightly as I could and drill the holes in situ. It required a good brushing off, as I coated everything in sawdust! I tried to match the size of some natural holes that I had been watching in our garden that native bees had moved in to. After those I just used a variety of drill diameters to increase my chances of success with different species. I wanted a variety of micro-habitats, so I kept my eyes out for a while for interesting natural objects in the garden. There was a curl of bark in the woodpile, so I filled that with some of our mulching straw. The broken terracotta should be a good hiding place for skinks and critters that hide under stone. I was planning to get a few pinecones for effect and hidey-holes, but I forgot. I know that lots of our reed bees burrow into the pith of cut rose stems, so I packed the gaps between the logs with sticks that I’ve seen our local animals using. Lots of bugs live on the seeds of our Lamb’s Ears, so they packed some holes, and I pruned out some Cineraria branches that I normally remove. Reed bees live in those too. The packing will rot more rapidly, so I’ll refill these when necessary. Behind the air-vent I packed some scrunched up creeper just to provide a more airy hiding space. Hopefully the clay blocks will be crumbly enough for some insects to customise their burrows. Lastly I thought carefully about the placement. Again I used our often showing extensive grassy openings in woodland, is likely to be a more accurate record. His depiction of open grassy areas within the woodland on the volcanic islands in Tower Hill is very interesting from an ecological perspective. Von Guérard’s depiction of Indigenous Australians either as noble savages or as living in harmony with European settlers is romanticised and their attire is probably not ethnographically accurate. Close examination of von Guérard’s paintings of eucalypts reveals, especially in his early Australian work, too many of the leaves pointing up or sideways instead of hanging down, further detracting from the claim of accuracy. Lovers of Australian nature and scenery will much appreciate Eugene von Guérard’s dramatic and sometimes romanticised landscapes, and I recommend Ruth Pullin’s excellent and detailed new book on the artist. The exhibition would have an extra dimension if the myth about von
INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
Reed bees as a guide. I placed it in a really sunny, warm spot that has a creeper ready to drape over it and “nestle it in”. The reed bees nest in the plants in this section of the garden, and feed on the sages and daisies. I have planted up new sage plants in front of it, and a number of flowering natives around the box. It’s a long shot, but it can’t hurt, and I really like the look of them. The only other thing that I can think of is a warning to watch out for treated wood...I nearly ended up making the roof out of a treated fence post . . . doh! Kristi Ellingsen
For more from Kristi’s photostream on Flickr, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops To discuss this idea see the forum on the IFFA website: http:// www.iffa.org.au/forum/insect-high-rise Springtails appear in our Cranbourne gardens report on pages 6-7 and, coincidentally, here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/3033793556/
Guérard’s total accuracy was not perpetuated and we were shown more of the reality of the subject matter and the human imperfection of the artist himself. It is interesting to note that photography was coming into use in the late 1850s as Richard Daintree’s 1860 photo of the Jan Juc coast testifies. Photos provide a more objective representation of historical landscapes and I look forward to seeing an exhibition of such work one day. The exhibition features over 150 works of Eugene von Guérard. It is on from 16 Apr 2011 until 07 Aug 2011 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square Level 3. It is open daily 10am-5pm. Admission fees apply. Jeff Yugovic References Pullin R, 2011. Eugene von Guérard: Nature revealed. NGV. Smyth D, 1984. Views of Victoria: In the steps of von Guérard. Dacre Smyth, Melbourne.
5
Of bandicoots &botany Southern Brown Bandicoot Chris Bydder
T
he IFFA guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne in April was led by Alex Smart (a Friend of the Gardens and regular tour guide). Throughout our walk in the indigenous bushland area, he outlined the history of the gardens. In 1970 the land was purchased with the help of the Maude Gibson Trust at the inspiration of Professor John Turner, who believed you couldn’t do justice to Australian plants in the Melbourne RBG. In the 1980s paths were opened to the Alex Smart public to walk through the gardens and by the 1990s the Australian Garden was being designed. It was opened in 2006. Untouched heathy woodland and wetland covers two-thirds of the 363 hectare site, and the whole area of the gardens is surrounded by a feral-proof fence to try and prevent foxes, cats and rabbits affecting the native inhabitants. This is important as the largest colony of Southern Brown Bandicoots, Isoodon obesulus, (200 individuals) is doing well here. Fire is also essential for bandicoot habitat as they need open bushland. An ecologist works in the gardens and helps to manage the mosaic of ecological burns. In 2006 the Stringybark picnic area was burnt and as a result lots of good re-growth is occurring. The Cranbourne Gardens is one of the first botanic gardens in the world that does a weediness evaluation of native plants before allowing them to be planted. For example, Correa reflexa wasn’t
allowed in as it is too promiscuous. While learning such interesting facts about the garden we walked up to Trig Point lookout on our way to the Australian Garden and saw some healthy heathy woodland on our way. The view of the entire gardens and surrounding area from the lookout was very impressive. The walk through the Australian Garden had a very exciting start: our first sighting of a bandicoot for the day! It was foraging on the crushed terracotta tiles very close to the main building of Picture: Tony Faithfull the garden. We were all able to get a great view of it. Apparently the red sand had to be replaced with crushed terracotta tiles as the sand was being blown into nearby plants and harming them. We then strolled through the Eucalypt Walk and through some Kingias and 400 year old Xanthorrhoeas. We saw the development of stage 2 (set to cost $20 million) which includes the Gondwana Garden and Melaleuca Spits, it is on-track to be completed by early 2012. We saw the water design features of the garden with a waterfall and rockpool waterway, and finished our guided walk with the 85 Bioregions of Australia exhibit. The Australian Garden does a fantastic job of showing off Australian plants that work well in a garden setting. The home garden exhibit in particular has a stunning Hemarthria lawn, and shows that native plants can be shaped as well as any traditional garden plant. This works as a great display of IFFA’s theme for this year — indigenous gardens. Thankfully the rain held off the entire day and we were able to thoroughly enjoy it! Karen McGregor Springtails, family Collembola.
6
INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC
1
2
3
4
6
5 9
INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
7
8
1 Charred bark of Silver Stringybark, Eucalyptus cephalocarpa, in the bushland reserve (Brian Bainbridge). 2 Caterpillars of the day-flying moth Glyphipteryx use Lepidosperma as a food. (BB). 3 On track to the Australia Garden. (BB). 4 A flowing effect with indigenous Kangaroo Grass, Themeda triandra, teamed with introduced Rose Sheoke, Casuarina torulosa. (BB). 5 Stiff Rapier-sedge, Lepidosperma neesii. (BB). 6 Tiger Snake, Notechis scutatus, in a formal garden bed. (Mick Connolly). 7 Tough, experimental lawn of Australian Mat-grass, Hemarthria uncinata. (Tony Faithfull). 8 Epacris impressa. (MC). 9 and opposite page: Tony photograhs critters floating on a puddle. (Chris Bydder). Turns out they are Springtails, family Collembola. http://www.bugpeople.org/taxa/Collembola/OrderCollembolaPage.htm has information about these animals which inhabit leaf-litter.
7
Discovering the reality of Dingoes in 2011
O
n a hot Sunday 30 January 2011 IFFA members were joined by members of the Multicultural Nature Guides Victoria group and the Whitehorse Indigenous Plants Project at Toolern Vale in Melton Shire to meet Lyn and Peter Watson and the dingoes at the Dingo Discovery Centre. Perched on an escarpment in the Macedon Ranges, the 40 acre property has terrific views over the basalt plains of Melton and the local treed hillsides were a delight. The property is near the Pyrete State Forest which is part of the Lerderderg State Park.
is unprotected on private land and in the east and north-west of the state for a distance of 3 kilometres onto public land from any private land boundary. Feral or wild populations of dogs and dingo-dog hybrids are still declared established pest animals under the CaLP Act. The Department of Primary Industry remains responsible for wild dog policy and operations on both public an private land.
The Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre, established in 1990, aims to:
reserve and conserve the original gene pool of the • PAustralian dingo E ducate the on the many facets of the species, • particularly itspublic beneficial role in wild ecosystems the species and dispel the myths surrounding • Ptheromote dingo acilitate non-invasive research to better understand • Fthe dingo species ventually re-introduce the dingo species to approved • Esafe habitats in co-operation with authorities and scientific monitoring projects.
• Solve the mystery of the true origins of the dingo.
Lyn and Peter Watson gave us a lively and illuminating talk about the dingo. We learnt about how the dingo is different to a dog in both body structure and behaviour. All dingoes at the Discovery Centre are pure bred and DNA tested (by world renowned molecular biologist, Professor Alan Wilton at the University of NSW). The twenty five or so dingoes are from all parts of the country and some were rescued from an imminent death in Queensland and Central Australia. The dingo is under severe threat due to concerted and ongoing efforts to eradicate them, and by hybridisation with domestic dogs in some heavily populated areas. Lyn said that much of the concern of graziers about the threat dingoes pose has been misplaced and the response to seek eradication of the species has been out of proportion to the threat the species poses and ignores the role of the species in the ecosystem. The role of the dingo as a top order predator is poorly understood and poorly acknowledged, but the absence of the top predator may have led to detrimental changes to Australia’s ecosystems. Lyn mentioned that dingoes role in the wild of regulation and suppression of pest species such as foxes and feral cats, has now been officially recognised. Some research has focussed on the use of dingo poo and urine as a deterrent for foxes and other animals, and the Discovery Centre sells dingo poo for this purpose. Thanks in part to the work of the Dingo Discovery Centre, since 2010 dingoes have had limited protected status under the Wildlife Act 1975 and the Catchment and Land Protection (CaLP) Act 1994, and are listed as a threatened species under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. The dingo
8
The Dingo Discovery Centre is set up as a Trust and there are plans for a purpose built education centre. After the talk from Lyn and Peter and lunch on the terrace, we went down to meet some of the dingoes in a purpose built enclosure. Trained to be used to humans (especially ones that have “treats”) the four dingoes came over to explore the group. In nearby enclosures we could see the male and female pairs that were ready for mating. Many of us were charmed by these inquisitive and friendly creatures. Puppies arrive in late autumn/winter and the centre is then open to the public (but bookings must be made). If you want to visit you need to make an appointment: Dingo Discovery and Research Centre, P.O. Box 502, Gisborne, Victoria, 3437 The Sanctuary’s address is (visits by appointment only) 350 Gisborne Road, Toolern Vale, Victoria 03 54281245 Email: dingo@dingodiscovery.net Web: www.dingodiscovery.net
INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC
Ruth and Wayne Rankin’s garden This is the first of a series investigating people’s experiences using indigenous plants in their gardens and features Ruth and Wayne Rankin’s garden near Warrandyte State Park, north-east of Melbourne. Ruth describes the garden. What was there before?
species and then we set up a propagation facility to grow our own local indigenous species. This has snowballed and the It was a bush block with about 20% on one side cleared and Landcare nursery now grows 10,000 plants a year. used as compost heap for weeds from adjacent property. The knowledge that has been gained over those 18 years Approx 65m boundary with Warrandyte State Park and the has been translated into our own garden which has become a Yarra River below. We fenced the property immediately after seed orchard for local species including some that are rare and building to contain two small children, a dog and a cat. threatened. Special features/challenges of the site: rocky ground, very A three year stint of wildlife caring reinforced little topsoil, front section of property the need to grow local species to support the reasonably flat but sloping away sharply Age of garden: 32 years local fauna. Some introduced species still to rear boundary with Warrandyte State Area: 1 acre (0.4 ha) remain but we don’t see the need to remove Park. Bioregion: Eastern extent of them whilst they are thriving. As they die Highlands — Southern Fall Why did you want to grow an we will replace them with local indigenous plantings. indigenous garden? Soil type: Cliff Escarpment, Our property has had “Land for Wildlife” Our garden has evolved as we have, rocky soil status since the 1980s. and will continue to evolve and change Source of plants: various as we learn and understand the intricate nurseries — more recently Can you describe the design of the balance between the environment and home-grown plantings? humans. From the outset we chose to Our garden is a reflection of our life over the plant “natives” and for many years this past 32 years and the garden has changed as was hit and miss as beautiful WA wildflowers failed to flourish our family needs have changed. while some of the tougher species still grace our garden. Soon after building we employed a contractor to install large In 1993, the then Shire of Eltham encouraged some rocks and to form pathways around the property. We retained residents in our road to form a Landcare Group – and the as much remnant vegetation as possible. This consisted mainly journey began. of Yellow Box, Red Box, Burgan, Pomaderris prunifolia, Our newly formed group started working on the remnant vegetation on the roadside and in areas of the Warrandyte State Bursaria spinosa, Acacia genistifolia and Danthonia species. A pool was installed, with the surrounding area landscaped park abutting our properties. We hand weeded mainly using by the late Gordon Ford. Later a tennis court was added. the Bradley method. We learnt to identify weed species and indigenous plant CONTINUED PAGE 10
INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
9
Once our family grew up and left home the pool became a pond and home to many ducks and frogs, and a safe feeding ground for White-faced heron, cormorants and numerous other birds. The tennis court is now the site of our no-dig vegie garden. Presently our garden supports native wildlife with its local indigenous plantings and it supports us with food from the vegie garden and many fruit trees. We feel that we have found the balance finally. We live in an area that has been described as the most severe fire risk area in the southern hemisphere, so we are aware of the proximity of vegetation to buildings, types of vegetation and the arrangement of vegetation. Our Landcare nursery only propagates local plants which are low fire risk. Our garden, by necessity, includes a static water supply for fire fighting. Our pond provides this as well as supporting wildlife.
they look a bit unruly or when they are so big that they are blocking a pathway. Occasionally if a plant looks like it may die, we will cut it back hard as one last effort at saving it. We encourage natural regeneration within our property by weed control and exclusion of rabbits. In areas where regeneration is sparse we supplement with plantings of local indigenous species. In a garden that is 32 years old, there are sections that are naturally dying off and we are enjoying replanting small sections at a time using our knowledge of sustainability and caring for the environment gained over many years.
Establishing and maintaining the garden
We have used various types of mulch in our garden including Eucamulch and pine shavings but have found that the safest and most effective mulch is pea gravel, particularly close to the house due to the high fire risk. This mulch also has the added advantage of being a great propagation medium. We have found that species which are extremely difficult to germinate in a nursery environment will propagate naturally in the pea gravel and can then be potted up. We have done this for many years now with Lepidosperma laterale, which is a species few nurseries are having success propagating. The areas further away from the house are mulched with wood shavings. Weeding is a never ending task particularly along the northern boundary of our property which was used as a repository for weeds by the neighbours over a long period of time. It is just as well that I enjoy weeding so much. We aim to keep our weed problems to our own property to prevent seeding into Warrandyte State Park. Of course this involves a lot of time and effort spent outside the fence weeding as well as the use of herbicide. Each summer we cut the Poa tussocks back to the ground once the seed has fallen or been collected. This is done for two reasons. First and foremost as a fire precaution and secondly to promote lush growth for the following year. Shrubs and trees within close proximity to the house also receive a trim at this time of the year. Apart from that we only prune our indigenous plants when
10
What were some of the problems you encountered?
I think that the problems we encountered were due to our lack of knowledge and understanding at the outset. As in life, you make mistakes along the way which in turn provide you with the knowledge to move forward, and in our garden we have made many mistakes along the way. For instance, we planted ivy along a steep north-facing embankment as we were told at a nursery that it was low fire risk. Three years later when it had escaped up our yellow box trees and nearly smothered everything else within cooee, we paid contractors to spray three times to finally eradicate it. Lesson learned!! We laid used carpet and underlay to smother weeds in some problem areas only to find that weeds grow from seed in the mulch on top of the carpet and the rain doesn’t penetrate the carpet so it is a no win situation all round. Some of the carpet given to us turned out to be synthetic not wool causing more problems. Another lesson learned the hard way!! Working in the Landcare Group on sites in Warrandyte State Park has taught us much about bush regeneration which we have been able to replicate on our property and the roadside verge. CONTINUED PAGE 11
INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC
What benefits have you seen? Our garden is a haven for a vast array of creatures. We have no domestic animals and the property is rabbit-proof fenced. Frogs abound and we have watched each year as a White-faced Heron brings its young to our pond to teach it to feed. We have many species of birds which frequent our garden, many of them tiny wrens. It is such a joy to discover and observe such a diverse range of fauna within our own garden. Over time we have developed a heightened sensory awareness of the environment around us and this serves to enhance our appreciation of the environment in which we reside. Our garden has educational, ecological, health and social benefits for us and all who visit. Every spare minute of our time is spent in our garden. We are never bored! Advice to new gardeners Our advice to gardeners is to enjoy your garden. It is an extension of you and your life. Don’t get stressed about it and don’t over-plan it. Let it evolve! But having said that I guess we have been fortunate to have a whole acre to evolve with, so that any mistakes we have made have not had a devastating effect on the entire property. This might be different if we had a smaller garden to work with. Visit as many local indigenous gardens in your neighbourhood as you can to get ideas before starting on your journey. I think gardeners should try to find a balance between growing their own food and providing habitat for indigenous species. Be sure to create a quiet haven somewhere in your garden where you can find solitude and be in tune with nature. What’s your favourite aspect of your garden? I like to be able to sit in our lounge room and look out at an array of indigenous plants and watch the birds and insects attracted to them. We have retained a dead eucalypt which is visible from the lounge and it never ceases to amaze us how many birds love to sit on the top of this stark trunk to get a “bird’s eye view” of the surrounds, including Powerful owls and Tawny frogmouths at dusk. From every room in our house we can observe the garden and the activity within it. This provides us with an incredible source of entertainment and often surprise at discovering a new visitor.
Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Victoria’s biodiversity thriving and valued by all
http://www.iffa.org.au Incorporated Association No: A0015723B
Office Bearers
President: Brian Bainbridge, 7 Jukes Rd Fawkner 3060 (03) 9359 0290(ah) email: president@iffa.org.au Vice-President: Vanessa Craigie, email: vicepres@iffa.org.au, phone 94973730 (ah). Secretary: Michele Arundell PO Box 77, Kallista 3791. (03) 9755 3347 (ah) email: secretary@iffa.org.au Treasurer: Brian Bainbridge (acting) 9359 0290 email: treasurer@iffa.org.au Committee members: Liz Henry, (03) 9890 4542, and Lawrie Hanson Public Officer: Peter Wlodarzyck, 0418 317 725 email: publicofficer@iffa.org.au Events Coordinator: Linda Bradburn, 6 Stephen Street, West Preston, (03) 9416 7184(ah), email activities@iffa.org.au. Newsletter Editor: Tony Faithfull, (03) 9386 0264 (ah). 21 Harrison St East Brunswick 3057. editor@iffa.org.au Webmaster: vacant Indigenous Nurseries Liaison Officer: vacant Youth representative: Karen McGregor, email: student@iffa.org.au Fundraising Coordinator: vacant Ecological Information Coordinator: Karl Just, email: info@iffa.org.au
Indigenotes
is the newsletter of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association. The views expressed in Indigenotes are not necessarily those of the Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association.
Call for articles Indigenotes is a newsletter by IFFA members for IFFA members. Stories, snippets, photos, reports from members are always welcome. If it’s something you’re doing with flora or fauna or habitat, write it down and send it to IFFA’s editor at editor@iffa.org.au.
Membership
Spotted Pardalotes recently?
A request. Can anyone lead me to a pardalote nest/burrow? My ambition is to take photographs, which might also make their way into Indigenotes. In the past two years I‘ve staked out burrows which were quickly lost to foxes. A South-east location within a million miles of Hughesdale (Oakleigh) would be preferable but I am mobile. Thank you. Mick Connolly, 0403 587 611 or mick.connolly@optusnet.com.au
INDIGENOTES VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2
$40 per annum for non-profit organizations, $50 per annum for corporations, $25 per annum for individuals, or $20 per annum concession, $35 per annum for families, $500 for individual life members or $700 for family life members. Membership includes 4 issues of Indigenotes per year, Occasional freebies or discounts Discount subscription to Ecological Management & Restoration Journal ($70.40, inc GST)
•• •
Membership applications and renewals should be sent to 21 Harrison St, Brunswick East, 3057 Membership problems? If you have been having any problems with membership renewals, please contact Tony Faithfull on 93860264 or membership@iffa.org.au
11
Garden design
Rule one Don’t be too tidy. Rule 1A Don’t act in precipitous haste. Nurture a pile of sun-warmed bricks, promising each weekend for a decade to start some paving. Every several years, lift a brick at random and perchance find a Marbled Gecko. Rest for several more years. This is the planning process. If you have grand designs, want to fast-track development or need emergency accomodation, consider the option below, described more fully on page 5.
Marbled Gecko, Christinus marmoratus, in a Hughesdale front yard. Mick Connolly
Contents President’s letter IFFA photographic workshop Biodiversity in flames
2 2 3
Eugene von Guérard: the truth 4-5 Dingo discovery tour 8 Insect high-rise 5 The Rankin garden 9-11 INDIGENOUS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSOCIATION INC Of bandicoots and botany 6-7 Contact us 11