Spider named for local bushcarer The tireless work of Brisbane bushcarer, Marion Goward, has been recognised with a new species of spider named after her. Mar ion received the honou r “for d e vot i ng her life to re-vegetation and conservation around Brisbane”. A prominent member of Men of the Trees, Marion was a key figure in the establishment of Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) in 1994. She first start planting hoop pines on Ithaca Creek in the 1980s with the Girl Guides, later joining Men of the Trees. Marion said she was tickled to have a spider named after her. “I feel like I’ve won the raffle,” she said. Namea gowardae is an open-holed trapdoor spider found on Mount Glorious. It is part of a group called the Mount Glorious Eastern Wishbone Spiders. G o w a r d ’s S p i d e r i s chocolate-brown and lives in burrows underground. The females are 23.7 mm in length and the males 15.7 mm.
Marion Goward and volunteers at a 2014 planting PHOTO: Men of the Trees
Marion said the Goward’s Spider burrows were quite easy to see along the side of Maiala track at Mount Glorious in the D’Aguilar Range National Park. “Their burrows have a ring of white web around an open hole rather than the usual hinged door of trapdoor spiders,” she said. SOWN President John Abb ott cong ratu late d Marion on her achievements being recognised in a very
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appropriate way. “Marion has worked for 40 years planting trees and improving our local habitat for the benefit of all animals including spiders,” John said.
SOWN AGM
All members are encouraged to attend the short meeting and end-ofyear celebration. For more information please contact info@ saveourwaterwaysnow.com. au.
T h e a n nu a l g e n e r a l meeting of Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) will be held at 4pm on Saturday 5 December at the SOWN Nursery 57 Paten Park The Gap.
The Western Echo November 2020 Page 29
