Palmerston steps plantings (Photo: Anna Szanto)

By Andrew Wood, Convenor, August 2025, from Bulletin 6/2025

On Saturday 31 May, 12 volunteers from the Orphan School Creek Bushcare Group planted 40 native tube stock. An onsite meeting was held with Jen Beer (the City of Sydney’s Community Greening Gardens and Volunteering Coordinator), Tony Fisher (supervisor of the City’s tree contractors) and a representative from Green by Nature (the City’s green space contractors) to facilitate the maintenance of trees in the park.

The Glebe Palmerston and Surrounds Landcare Group meets on the first Sunday morning each month and its leader, Anna Szanto reports:

‘Recently our group’s convenors met onsite (at the Palmerston Avenue steps) with representatives from the City to discuss current issues in the reserve. We met with Charlotte Fletcher, Urban Ecology Coordinator, Jen Beer, Community Greening, Gardens and Volunteering Coordinator, and Tony Fisher, supervisor of the City’s tree contractors.

After the surprise lopping of a large fig tree branch, the City agreed to advise and consult with us about any plans for major pruning. 

  • The City will consult with its bush restoration contractors about suitable native plants to cover bare patches and increase diversity. The City will also provide plants for a planting day in Spring. 
  • For the safety of volunteers, the City has agreed to regularly pressure wash the gutters that run down the edge of the reserve. 
  • To protect more sensitive areas, the City is considering providing higher hoop fencing and/or moving existing fencing. 
  • The City is working to have our site renamed with a title that has Indigenous significance. 
  • The City will also consider adding signage to raise awareness of our group’s activities and providing a small tool storage cage and a hose.’
Some of the Casuarinas (she-oaks) near Johnstons Creek that local bushcare volunteers have asked the City to remove to enable other native plants to thrive and prevent a monoculture being established (photo Andrew Wood).

In Harold Park, Nick Sangster reports that after requests over the past two years the City has now removed all the unwanted Casuarinas – the aim was to avoid the establishment of a monoculture in the parklands adjacent to Johnstons Creek and enable other native flora to thrive. 

Judy Christie will lead the Society’s 12th spring bird survey during the ‘Aussie Backyard Bird Count’, part of National Bird Week, on Sunday 19 October 2025 with a backup date of 26 October in case of bad weather. Contact Judy Christie if you would like to help (0437 693 372).