While clearing an outbreak of Madeira vine from a young eucalyptus tree, our BCC Land for Wildlife officer, Nick Swanson, spotted this phasmid hidden in the foliage. The camouflage this stick insect uses is remarkable as it blends into the leaves that it has already eaten. Australia has around 150 …
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This track from Bapaume Road that the school kids take on the way to the oval tells a story. On one side the Ekibin Creek Bushcare group has regenerated natural bushland while the other has been left alone to fend for itself. To the right you can see native grasses …
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This young tree was covered in monkey vine (Parsonsia straminea) before we cleared it as part of our Tree Day preparations. It is probably a swamp box (Lophostemon suaveolens) that has naturally spread from the surrounding forest. You can see what would have been its fate if the monkey vine …
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Our squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis seem to be doing well in their nest box. According to wikipedia, they live in colonies of one male, two females plus offspring. It is hard to tell from this tangle of bodies, but this seems to be the case. We have another next box …
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This giant Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) is the largest tree on the site and close to the maximum size for this species. Before land clearing that occurred during European settlement, it would have been common in this area. This specimen may have survived the early clearing (possibly as a …
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Ekibin Creek is still running, but only as a trickle on the surface. With the extended warm period since summer and very little rain, the creek has broken up into a series of waterholes. It is likely that the water that is flowing is from human activity further upstream. Still …
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We have been slowly dealing with a very large bougainvillea vine over the last few years. It was probably grown as an ornamental, next to the (now demolished) farmhouse about a century ago. In the intervening years it grew extensively, even infiltrating the canopy of nearby eucalyptus trees. As well …
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Brisbane Laurel (Pittosporum revolutum) is rainforest shrub that appears to have self-sown itself over our site. It grows to about 3m and prefers dry, well drained areas. This specimen is growing a couple of metres above the creek, so these conditions apply.
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Bush regneration is usually measured in long time-scales. For example it takes decades for a eucalypt to grow to a forest size where it can provide canopy for an understory. Even weed eradication takes a long time, and sometimes in the case of Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia), forever. So it …
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This beautiful Blue Tiger (Tirumala hamata) was caught on camera next to the track at the end of our working bee. Apparently they migrate through Brisbane in summer and are often spotted at the nearby Mt. Gravatt Reserve.
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