Bush Care in Frog Hollow

Our Vision :  Healthy and resilient natural bushland for everyone to enjoy

Would you like to learn about the natural environment on our doorstep?

Would you like to have fun, get outdoors and help protect your local bushland?

Coming to a bush care group is a wonderful way to help.  We need volunteers to help remove weeds which then enables native plants to regenerate back to healthy bush.  There has been some great work done in our area by two bush care groups.

No experience is needed and training and support is given.  Tools are provided.

   

   Link http://www.friendsoflanecovenationalpark.org.au/

1.     River Avenue Bush Care group – over the last 10 years this group has helped restore different areas along the river in Frog Hollow and it is really making a huge difference.  For example the bush down in front of the children’s playground used to be a mass of weeds and now it’s good resilient bush.

Weekly Wednesdays 8-11am  – Tony lets people know what part of the river we will work in each week.   Contact Tony Butteriss   tonyandglynis@bigpond.com 

2.     Fairyland Bush Care Group  – Fairyland is a historic area along the river towards the Epping Bridge . The track is part of the Great North Walk.  This is a wonderful area of native bush which has been cared for over many years.  Brush Turkeys and swamp wallabies and a myriad of birds can be seen and heard. Many people from Frog Hollow and others enjoy walking this track on a regular basis.  There is also the circular walk going along this track over the Bridge and back along the other side of the river.  

Monthly First Sunday of the month 8-11 am. We meet at the Track head for the Great North Walk where Quebec  Road meets River Avenue.Contact  Janet Fairlie-Cuninghame    jfairlie@idx.com.au

3.     National Tree planting Day occurs in July each year.  Over the past 8 years we have planted thousands of trees and shrubs along the river in Frog Hollow as a local community event with a BBQ following the planting.  There are areas such as Kathryn’s corner (opposite 180 River Ave approx.) where you can see the progression of the different year’s plantings.

 

Link http://treeday.planetark.org/

River and Bushland Corridor The Lane Cove River sustains a number of endangered Ecological communities.  Our area has Swamp Oak forest across from Frog Hollow, River Flat Eucalypt Forest and Mangrove communities. It is a vital corridor for plants and animals to move between areas to disperse, reproduce as well as forage and seek shelter. In addition to Bush care,  community participation is vital as habitat friendly private gardens help fauna move between bushland areas.

Weeds are a plant in the wrong place. Common local weeds that escape into our local Frog Hollow bush areas are varied but include shrubs such as privet, Ochna (Mickey Mouse plant) Cassia/ Senna, succulents such as Agapanthus, Asparagus, Fishbone Fern, vines and scramblers such as honeysuckle and grass weeds.  

In addition to learning heaps, it’s surprisingly fun and interesting to meet neighbours and new people. Currently there are Bush care participants with backgrounds from Australia, Russia, India, Singapore, China, England. Training and tools are provided and often there is morning tea to share!

Come and give it a go! You will be welcomed!

Jill Steverson  – River Avenue resident