By Andrew Wood, Convenor, Bulletin 1/2024, March 

An area cared for by the Orphan School Creek Bushcare group (photo: Virginia Simpson-Young)

Donation

The Subcommittee has received a generous donation of $300 from a member of the Society. The donation which will be used to help fund its the Subcommittee’s annual biodiversity lecture in May this year.

Innovation and Ideas Grant

On Wednesday, 15 November last year, the final contract (Approval Temporary Access over Council Land) to permit the start of work on the Innovation and Ideas Grant was signed by the City of Sydney and the Society.  On 20 November, the Society posted a cheque for $29,000 to the University’s Integrative Ecology Group led by Professor Dieter Hochuli so that the research work could commence. The University has recently informed the Society that the cheque will soon be deposited. 

Society’s Biodiversity Lecture

The Society will hold its eighth 8th annual Biodiversity Lecture at Benledi, Glebe Library, in May. An invitation to present the lecture has been sent to a possible speaker, and those attending will need to register on Eventbrite closer to the time.. 

Updates from Glebe’s bushcare volunteers

Orphan School Creek Bushcare Group: eight volunteers from the Orphan School Creek Bushcare Group attended a working bee on 22 January. A weeding day will be held on Saturday 14 March, and a planting day on Sunday 14 April.

Rozelle Bay: an email has been sent to the City asking that three new trees be planted to replace those that were vandalised in Federal Park. It was also reported that some of the lights under the arches of the light rail viaduct need to be replaced. 

John Street Reserve: a local resident has asked the City to remove weeds from the Reserve.

Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group: the Convenor of the Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group reports that:

  • It was decided to hold working bees on the first Sunday of each month and to distribute a flyer giving the details to local residents. Additional volunteers are needed to assist with the Group’s work. Three volunteers attended a working bee earlier this month.
  • The Group has spoken with Mark Driver, City Greening and Leisure, about renaming the sites – a letter to the City will be drafted for the President to sign.
  • ‘Mould’ continues to grow in the brickwork on the gutter on lower Palmerston Ave and requires removal.
  • Transdev, the operators of the light rail operator, have has appointed Jan Dorobysheva as an Environment and Sustainability Advisor. The Group will contact her to arrange an onsite meeting.
  • The Group continues to clear an excessive amount of excessive litter and Celtis seedlings from the sites. Ausgrid dumped the pruned branches of trees on the native plantings – the Group will draft a letter from the President to the company’s CEO to report the damage that has been caused.

Harold Park / Johnstons Creek: an onsite meeting was held in December 2023 with James Macnamara, the City’s Urban Ecology Coordinator, to express the Society’s concerns regarding the growth of Casuarinas in the swale. He committed to passing it on. The Casuarinas are getting out of control, and dozens are now popping up in the swale as well as in the area adjacent to Johnston’s Creek. It is timely to remove them before they reach the two-metre height at which they need approval to be removed. It is planned to ask Charlotte Fletcher (James’ replacement) to visit and look at this Harold Park area as well as the Glebe’s Hill study site.