Building a Buffer

Carey Bay Wetlands on Clean Up Australia Day 2003

The Carey Bay Wetlands will have some much needed protection from invasive exotic grasses and garden waste dumpers when a buffer zone of 700 Spiky Mat-Rush – Lomandra longifolia is planted on Thursday 9^th and 16^th during the April School holidays as part of the Threatened Species Last Stand on the Coal Point Peninsula project. 

The assisted regeneration of the Carey Bay Wetlands started in 2003 with Clean Up Australia Day providing the impetus to clean up the weeds. The lantana was as high as an elephant’s eye and a dozen years on you would have to search pretty hard to find any at all.  

There is still a lot to do though… when the lantana barrier came down, the edges became a soft target for dumping garden waste and the ex-lawn clippings took up residence as a Buffalo grass bandit, reaching out and into the Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest, an Endangered Ecological Communities (EEC). 

The buffer strip being prepared for the April 2015 planting

The wetland has shown amazing resilience. One local stopped by to share with the landcarers the history of the site and recalled when it was a farm and there was ‘no trees there at all’. Now there are three recognised EECs present with no planting having occurred. This is a testament to the longevity of the local seed-bank. Landcare is about supporting the natural process of regeneration and it’s heartening to know that a landcaring hand can make such a difference.

The local landcarers have been ably assisting by the TIN landcare crew, preparing the site for an April community planting.  The grass edge has been sensitively treated with glyphosate to ensure the planting has the best chance of survival. Rocks and bits of old wire fence from the farming days are being removed to ensure that there are no trip hazards, holes are being dug and the mulch will arrive in time for the planting process.

Everyone is welcome to come along to the planting between 9am and noon on Thursday 9^th and 16^th April, Excelsior Parade, Carey Bay, sign on near the Ambrose Street intersection. Wear sun safe clothing, enclosed footwear and a hat and BYO water bottle. Morning tea will be provided at 11am.