Dates For doing Feb Update

 

 Visit the calendar for updates

https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html

CPPA Monthly Meeting 
Monday 9 Feb, 9 March 

3-4:30 pm Progress Hall, 197 Skye Pt Rd, Coal Point
contact cppasecretary@gmail.com

TASNG Meeting
Wednesday 11 Feb, 11 March 

5-6:30 The Hub,
97 The Boulevarde, Toronto

Progress Hall Open Day
Saturday 14 March

• Grow Me Instead weed display
• Native plants for sale
• Meet the members, join up
• Community conversations
• Cafe-style beverages and bites

Locals Landcaring -
Every Thursday 8am-11ish 

Check the Calendar for locations

Tools & training provided
Morning tea is always at 10am

• 29/1 Burnage
• 5/2 Gurranba
• 12/2 Stansfield- neet behind the hall
• 19/2 Puntei Creek 
• 26/2 Threlkeld
• 5/3 Kilibinbin
• 12/3 Hampton St link- Jabiru Street end
• 19/3 West Ridge
• 26/3 Burnage
• 2/4 Gurranba

Crocodile Point (TASNG)
1st &3rd Wed
8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?
Receive weekly emails about landcaring and what we will be doing, send a request to Ros cppalandcare@gmail.com

Locals landcaring in August

Where we are landcaring this month?

Tools & techniques provided. A very social morning tea at 10am. Feel free to pop by and have a chat.

• 3/8 Gurranba
• 10/8 Stansfield- Nikinba
• 17/8 Puntei Creek Reserve
• 24/8 Stansfield- Nikinba
• 31/8 Puntei Creek Reserve
• 7/9 Hampton Steet Link

Crocodile Point

1st &3rd Wednesday of the month
8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?
If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing? email cppalandcare@gmail.com

More information about the local landcare sites and the action plans are here

Spanish Moss, a weed in the winds

La Nina has been wonderful for our lawns and gardens over the last year or so. Sadly it has also boosted weed growth in both gardens and bushland. In particular, there has been an enormous growth of Tillandsia usneoides, commonly known as Spanish Moss or Old Man’s Beard.

This air plant has been introduced here from the Americas. It has been decoratively draped over fences, trees and shrubs in many local properties. Unfortunately, it has increased to the point where the host plant is so smothered that it is difficult to identify. Then comes the threat to our beautiful native bushland.

Spanish Moss is carried by the wind and by birds and has been observed in our reserves. It has the potential to form dense blankets smothering native vegetation, altering habitats and threatening whole eco-systems. Once established in the bush, it is almost impossible to get rid of as it can be so high in the tree-tops.

It is hoped that it is not too late to protect our bushland, by removing, containing and controlling the growth of this exotic plant in our neighbourhood. Garden escapes can be disposed of in our green bins.

Let’s work together to keep our local, unique eco-systems healthy, safe and strong.

Be inspired, be empowered, be a Landcarer.

Celebrate Landcare Week with us!

• Tuesday 8 August - Bus Trip

• Thursday 10 August - Landcare Info Session

Our annual bus trip will stop at Dora Creek Boat Ramp Landcare, Lakeview Road Morisset Park Landcare, and Wyee Point Reserve 2022 Landcare sites. Morning tea and lunch will be provided. Learn more and book your spot here by Friday 4 August.

We’ve also teamed up with Council’s Over 55’s Program to showcase all things Landcare. This includes a presentation by Landcarer Lois Simpson, a Q&A panel, and a ‘Create your own habitat garden’ activity. Please email lro@lakemac.nsw.gov.au if you would like to be a part of this day.

Landcare Longings

National Tree Day was Tree-mendous

On the last Saturday before lockdown (31/7/21) 23 locals, visitors and Mayor Kay Fraser, spent a glorious morning planting for National Tree Day and the sharing BBQ lunch on the grass at Gurranba Reserve.

The month-long preparations to get the 2m strip bordering the path relatively weed free meant the 200 Lomandras and Dianellas could be planted and watered with a tender touch. The aim of this planting was to provide a protective edge to the unique foreshore vegetation, to hopefully stop the encroachment of the exotic grasses into the native vegetation and reduce the need for mowing.

It was a very happy day for one and all thanks to the wonderful organisation and collaboration between CPPA and TASNG as we celebrated Our Tree City status and wallowed in the spectacular outlook from Gurranba in the company of like-minded mortals.

(Lois sharing her landcaring wisdom with the Tree Day crew)

Beating about the Bush- Lois Simpson

Has Australia ever been so physically fit!?! So many people out and about walking!

And then you realise just how lucky we are, living in our bushland suburb, where, even unconsciously, our souls are soothed, our well-being is enhanced and we are armed to return to our more isolated existences.

Take opportunities to move slowly through the bush in our reserves. Nearby, a couple of grey butcherbirds are nesting (photo John Sharples). Their song begins early and finishes at sunset. How can you not admire their musical talents? Next, a flash of emerald as a king parrot swoops by. For them, habitat hollow real estate is at a premium.

Did you know that 75% of Australian birds need hollows to nest in...and that trees take decades, or even centuries to form those hollows? Every tree is precious, even a dead one, for our feathered friends and meandering marsupials.

After fire, flood and drought, nature has given us its best this spring. The vegetation is lush and alive as each species takes its turn to parade its colours - and when the vegetation is healthy, it underpins the health of the whole web of life.

Now is the time to breathe in the bush, to listen to its music and to admire its display. Covid has wreaked havoc, and yet has provided us with this one good chance.

Mother-of-millions on the March

Whilst the community effort at Gurranba has greatly reduced the number of Mother-of-millions, this prolific spreader is increasing in abundance outside of reserves, along the verges and footpaths in our community.

It has been growing prolifically over this last year because of the rain but can thrive in the harshest of environments. It is a constant battle, as every tiny branchlet will grow into a new plant...and the little branchlets will fall to the ground unnoticed and colonise immediately. It is spreading from yards and roadsides faster than we can spread the word, but fight on we must, as this poisonous plant has no known enemies in our country.

It is high on the government weed list and it is illegal to sell it in many parts of Australia.If you clean some up from your yard or verge, please bag it and place in your landfill bin. Every little bit helps...and our city's natural places will be ever so grateful, along with the landcaring locals who spend many an hour mindfully removing Mother-of-millions so that our local plants can continue to thrive.

Photo by John Sharples with landcarer Rod and a mega Mother-of-millions, (Bryophyllum delagoense) 

Hansard Hero from 8th June 2021

Recognition of a community champion went into Hansards earlier this year. Whilst Lois' (left in above pic) kept it quiet, CPPA and TASNG felt a bit of local recognition was merited.

From Hansards

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—Lois Simpson from Toronto has worked tirelessly to protect flora and fauna throughout Lake Macquarie for more than two decades. She has volunteered with numerous environmental projects and organisations over that time, and her dedication to bush regeneration has been relentless.

Lois says she always feels comfortable in the bush and has long recognised that looking after our bushland is not about aesthetics but about maintaining a stable web of life.

As Lake Macquarie Landcare Volunteer Network's deputy chairperson, she worked hard to make sure Landcare continued to operate during COVID-19 and personally replanted much of Toronto Lions Park.

She is passionate about educating the next generation on delicate ecosystems and has worked with Fire and Rescue NSW to build a model fire retardant garden at their Toronto station.

Lois has also been involved with the Coal Point Endangered Species Project where she worked to save valuable habitat. She is also secretary of Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group, a member of Toronto Lions Auxiliary and spent nearly 20 years volunteering with Toronto Scouts as a cub leader.

I congratulate Lois and thank her for all she has done for our local community.

Two local National Tree Day (NTD) events

All hands on deck on 29th July to finish the “Coal Point School’s Naturespace & Community Hub” project!

So close! We just need to do some planting and the CPPA Landcare group will be helping out for two mornings in July. Can you help too? No experience is needed.

• July 22 - weeding and preparation for planting
• July 29 - planting & mulching. If you can help, we'd love to see you. Unfortunately COVID will prevent the students from participating this year, but we can still plant out the Naturespace.

We're lucky enough to have a great selection of plants grown by a local volunteer (thanks Ros!). 

Entry is off Rofe Street near the top gate. We will be COVID safe with sanitiser on hand.

Please RSVP through the Facebook Page 'Coal Point Primary School Naturespace & Community Hub' or coalpointprogress@gmail.com if you'd like to be part of this great community initiative.

Hope to see you there! - Lindy Hulton-Larson (The Naturespace Team)

Getting Grounded at Gurranba on 31st July

The Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group and CPPA Landcare are hosting a planting as part of the National Tree Day celebrations across our Tree City of the World, Lake Mac, and we’ll be sharing a BBQ lunch and morning tea treats for all attendees.

On Saturday 31st July, 10am-noon at Gurranba Reserve (308a Skye Pt Rd) we'll be popping in a few trees to boost the canopy and planting a Lomandra buffer, bordering the foreshore bushland, to prevent the spread of weeds and recognise that remnant veg lives here.

We’ll be engaging in another favourite pastime too, the mindful removal of Mother of Millions; these camouflaging specialists are a great treasure hunt for little ones, and easy to remove.

Please wear a hat, gardening gloves, long sleeves and covered shoes, and bring a water bottle. If you have your favourite gardening tools bring them along too.

To assist with catering please RSVP at https://treeday.planetark.org/site/10025384,

Gurranba Reserve has been the site of both goodness and grief over the past few months. It holds a special place in our local landcare history being the site of the very first landcare working bee in 1995, which involved ropes and a 4WD to remove the Lantana that covered the foreshore slopes. A whispering Casuarina grove now stands tall on that spot.

The Landcare crew have continued to regularly visit and nurture the site with a much more tender touch, to the point where the delicate extrication of Mother of Millions (MoM) resulted in 1.5tonnes of the menacing ‘mother’ taken off-site to the tip.

This huge haul would not have been possible without the concerted effort of caring locals who regularly filled the MoM crate on the foreshore on their morning walks. 

Additional efforts from the Gill family translocating Kangaroo Grass (Themeda), mulching and getting on top of the Farmer’s Friends (Bidens Pilosa) before they became the next big weedy worry, has resulted in amazing progress on this perpetual problem patch.

Unfortunately, with the good also came the grief. The discovery of over a dozen foreshore trees felled to clear a view corridor for a reserve neighbour. 

The intent behind the action of destroying what belongs to everyone for personal ‘gain’ was distressing to the landcarers who have been protecting and preserving this special foreshore reserve for all.

Without hard evidence, such as photos, Council can take no action. Perhaps the neighbours with a good view of the site might like to keep an eye out for any further incidents, take a photo and report the vandals.

All neighbours are welcome to come along to the National Tree Day planting and discuss view corridors and get to know the people who care for our trees and the public land upon which they live.

Magical MoM Moments

Landcaring resumed on 4th June with social distancing and enthusiasm. The moist soil is providing great upper body workout as we enthusiastically release the natives that have been getting overrun.

We’ve been welcoming new members to the landcare team, saying farewell to others and enjoying the company of all.

Whilst Landcare hours for January-March were an impressive 399, the April-June tally was 150, and it doesn’t take long turn the weedy tide though.

A current project at Gurranba Reserve is reducing the Mother of Millions (MoM) motherlode. The Lake Mac Landcare Resource Centre has provided our group with a tip pass to deal with this non-compostable camouflaging conqueror. Last week on a beautiful

Thursday morning the landcare crew bagged up 180kg of MoM.The slow paced methodical removal was mentally soothing, the sheltered lakeside location allowing the warming sun to work its mood enhancing magic, making the morning a blissful experience. When we thought it couldn’t get any better ‘The Goods’ morning tea, sponsored by Matt Cook of Excelsior Plumbing, made for a memorable and magical session.

Anyone can get a taste of the MoM magic moments, all you need is a bag and a few spare minutes to collect the leggy succulent. Tied-off bags can be left near the black plastic on the Gurranba headland as we’ll be making another trip to the tip while we still have the pass. Please only MoMs in the bag.

Thank you to John Sharples for capturing the camouflaging capacity of this worrying weed.

Meaningful mounds emerging

Local Landcarers have been rounding up weed menaces, making mounds of Mothers of Millions (MoM) and turning fields of Fishbone Fern into hummocks of would be humus.

Gurranba Reserve has the mother of a patch of MoM (Bryophyllum delagoense).This pesky persistent succulent is coming into bright red flower now and is an easy to pull out plant. If you visit Gurranba Reserve with your canine companion (it’s leash free) you could easily fill a bag of MoMs whilst Fido frolics. It’s a great kids pull-out-plant too because it has camouflage capability. Just when you think you’ve got them all, there’s always another one lurking in the shrubbery, a great holiday Treasure Hunt activity. If you want to add some MoMs to the pile at the park the landcare group will happily keep an eye on them.

The West Ridge Reserve, just up the hill from the School, is another spot Landcarers have been making efforts removing Fishbone Fern. This garden escape has a tendency to run rampant and the amount of fishbone fern plant material is formidable. It is being kept contained on site and will be watched.

Fishbone Fern is a native of Queensland and does well in its state of origin, we have some local supporters that could well give it the heave-ho if given the chance such as Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) and Maidenhair fern (Adiantum hispidulum.

Would you like to know what local plants are in the area? The updated flora list from the 2017 Flora surveys is now available
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Yoga at Gurranba

Local yoga teacher Tracy Hewson, is offering a free yoga session in Gurranba Reserve on  Saturday 22nd November from 9.30 - 10.30. 

Bring your own mat if you have one. Women, men and couples are welcome. Contact Tracy for more info  0412 231 461

Gurranba Reserve is located between 306 and 316 Skye Point Road. There is ample parking, toilets and it is a leash free area.

Gurranba means ‘place of brambles’ although you won’t find many there now. Landcarers have removed Lantana and Mother of Millions from the foreshore zone which has enabled the Casuarinas and Themeda grass to return and flourish.

National Tree Day

Two National Tree Day (NTD) plantings were held at Gurranba Reserve this year. On Schools NTD 400 native grasses were planted to create a boundary buffer to the foreshore bushland. At the community NTD, 154 low growing habitat haven and food supply plants were planted for the Squirrel Gliders and small birds underneath the mature Eucalyptus in the mulched ‘islands’.

Over the two NTD events there were 120 planting people, including 107 Coal Point Public School students and supporters. A total of 266 hours was volunteered and 554 plants were watered, planted, watered and mulched.  

The tubestock that was planted included Kangaroo Grass-Themeda triandra, Hairpin Banksia – Banksia spinulosa, Blue Flax Lily-Dianella caeurlea, Conesticks-Petrophile pulchella and Prickly Moses-Acacia ulicifolia  

Sincere thanks to everyone who gave of themselves for the greater good.  

Grevillea sericea

If you didn’t get to plant you can still enjoy the local flora. A wander along the West Ridge will show many shrubs that are starting to flower including the Black Sheoak- Allocasuarina littoralis, Sydney Golden Wattle-Acacia longifolia and Grevillea sericea. At ground level, the terrestrial orchid, Pixie Caps-Acianthus fornicatus is appearing in dense patches.

National Tree Day at Gurranba Reserve

Preparations for National Tree Day are well underway at Gurranba Reserve with the solarising sheets of plastic secured against the elements. Stray sticks were used to spread the stress of the pegging process. With four weeks to go until the planting event it will be interesting to see the effect of this non-chemical treatment of weeds.

A pile of mulch will be arriving at the reserve in the week before the planting. A thick layer of mulch will be spread after the planting to suppress and control the weeds in the new planting of Themeda grasses.

Themeda Grass growing at Gurranba

Coal Point Public School students will be undertaking the major planting of the native grasses on Friday 25th July between 12:30 and 1:30pm. Parents are welcome to attend.

The community event on Sunday 27th July between 10am-noon will complete the planting and mulch the site. Refreshments will be provided. All are welcome, BYO buckets, mulch-forks and wheelbarrow.

Stray sticks were used to
help spread the stress on the plastic
and prevent them lifting
in the wind (again)

If you have any questions about the National Tree Day planting process at Gurranba Reserve please contact Jason Harvey ant the Landcare Resource Centre on 4921 0392.

The plastic sheets help
trap the heat and kill the weeds

National Tree Day at Gurranba

NationalTree Day this year will see Gurranba reserve receive a botanical boost of 400 Kangaroo grasses (Themeda triandra) abounding alongside the path to the headland.

LMCC currently mows a two-meter strip regularly and in the process spreads exotic grass seeds …weeds, into the foreshore plant community that landcarers are caring for. This planting will do away with the need to mow this strip and the attractive red-tinged tufts of Themeda grasses will wave in wind and replace the exotic grasses in a 200m long buffer strip.

Themeda triandra-Kangaroo Grass

Themeda is an attractive grass which can also be used as an ornamental in rockeries, as part of a native habitat garden or can be grown in a more formal garden for its interesting colour and texture. It currently grows in Gurranba reserve and gets to about 1m in height.

Coal Point Public School students will be lending a hand with the planting on Friday 25th July and on Sunday 27th July the community planting will occur from 10am-noon with planting and mother-of-millioning.

Planting location for National Tree Day 2014- Gurranba Reserve

If you have any questions about the planting that is proposed please contact Jason Harvey at the Landcare Resource Centre on 4921 0392.

A Little Local History

Landcaring around Coal Point provides a unique perspective on the vegetation and often a window into the past. Local Landcarer Robyn Gill caught up with long term resident John Wilson and gained an insight into Gurranba Reserve and the local history. 

John Wilson grew up on the shores of Lake Macquarie, during World War II at the home of a relative where his mother also cared for 4 children of the extended family so they would be safer than at their home near the BHP. 

From 1955 he lived adjacent to Gurranba Reserve at the home which was built after his father died (at BHP in 1954) on land bought just before his death. This was close to the lake so John learned to swim well and has been swimming long distances there ever since.
John remembers walking to Burden’s dairy farm in Rofe St (where the home still stands) and to Moss’s farm (where Carey Bay Wetlands and  the “Pony Club” area are now) to collect milk which was available once a week from each farm as rationing was in place during the war.  

John’s mother, Hilda, established a shop and Tearoom next to their home as there were many visitors at the reserve often to see the beautiful garden above the foreshore next to Gurranba reserve.

This garden which was a matter of pride to the community was established by Miss Dawkins and Miss Tannah who came from England to live there after WWII first buying an old shack then building a new brick home which is still there. The two women had a shop in Newcastle in Hunter St. near Pacific Park which may have been a jewellers but opinion suggests featured craft materials especially for embroidery (John thinks they had similar businesses in England).

John still refers to some places on the foreshore by the names of early residents such as Skillen’s Point between Skye Point and Rofe St. 

He also remembers most of the local residents such as the Guy family who had the Coal Point Post Office and store were well known residents and their daughter, Joy, with her daughters continued the pedestrian postal delivery as a contractor until quite recently when it became a standard Australia Post service.

Landcare Report –Robyn Gill

Recently we’ve been at Hampton St working around one of the little gullies of the Puntei Ck catchment above Carey Bay Wetlands and along the interesting Gurranba foreshore in the sunshine at times.  At both sites passers by have commented encouragingly on the changing scene. We are lucky that we have conditions for all occasions in our many reserves from the warming sun to the cooling breeze and sometimes the absence of these when the season is different. The views are great too.

In the recent showers one Thursday we had the amazing roll up of 5 energetic workers, 2 daughters, 4 grandchildren and 2 dogs to enjoy the occasion.

If you are interested in learning a bit about the bush, landcaring provides local connections to both people who share your interest and the wealth of resources available through the Lake Macquarie Landcare Network & Office.

Local Landcaring

For Coal Point landcarers May began with the Lake Macquarie Green Team assisting us at the West Ridge Reserve (off Whitelocke St) which gives us great pleasure and satisfaction (especially after we have managed to remove some Bitou and Asparagus Fern colonies ).
This area is specially blessed with a diversity of natives that have been lost from other reserves and it was a thrill to be told by the professional leader of the Green Team that she regards it as one of the top 5 in the Lake Mac. area. A neighbour to the reserve also mentioned that a botanist writing a report on their land commented on the quality of the vegetation.

At Gurranba the blitzing of Asparagus Fern is almost complete with consistent maintenance to follow as the red berries that had fallen spring up. The planting to replace the weeds is doing well and continuing.

Part of the planting at Gurranba has great hopes pinned on it as it follows from an interesting comment by one of the Dune Carers working at Pearl Beach recently that they notice that Mother of Millions doesn’t grow below Tuckeroos (Cupaniopsis). As we’re always hoping for a magic bullet to deal with these great survivors we’ve planted 16 Tuckeroos so far. They are attractive small to medium trees that thrive “in humid places near the sea or on windswept headlands”- which sums up Gurranba point very well.

Observers of Carey Bay Wetlands might notice some additional plump black plastic bundles. They are full of a large volume of Morning Glory and as they “cook” will provide safe mulch to continue filling in around and over the dumped concrete chunks that are scary to work among. Bundles from last December have been unwrapped and provided fill.

On June 7th we will be at Hampton St corner which adjoins the Pony Club area at the back of  “the” wetlands (with help from the Green Team).

Thursday May 31st will be at Gurranba (magic views and hopefully sunshine).
A bird in the Bush

by Robyn Gill : Landcare Coordinator

Landcare Update

This month apart from some planting and weeding at Burnage we have spent many hours at Gurranba tackling OUR GREATEST FOE, Asparagus Fern.
Fortunately our quote comes in considerably lower than the other 2 we received ($1200 and $1500) and the satisfaction is enormous when we tip a bag of Asparagus “crowns” in the bin as that represents a huge amount of long, very green, seed bearing fronds.
The Green Team Day which was good still left us with a long way to go before we can replant in April. The plants will be supplied by Hunter Water as part of a special program to assist reserves which “house” a sewerage facility. We are getting close to the result we need.
The amazing thing is that apart from some Mother of Millions, a colony of large African Olive and an occasional Broadleaf Privet, some natives keep struggling through the junk – especially Wombat Berry, some Native Olive and many little Rapanea.
On Thursday April 5th REPLANTING BEGINS with assistance from the Lake Macquarie Landcare Green Team and any other welcome volunteers.

Landcare

Thanks to the Landcare Office, a Hunter Water grant has been gained to assist work at Gurranba Reserve because of the presence of Hunter Water infrastructure. The grant will provide for 1 Green Team day of LRO volunteers, 1 day of professional Bush Regenerators and $600 of plants, what a great end of year gift!

Landcaring with the locals and the Landcare Office volunteers will be at Stansfield Close reserves in December to wrap up the year.

The local Landcarers are already planning for next year the Carey Bay Wetlands getting the attention next February, to coincide with World Wetlands Day celebrations, a new sign is in the wind.

Landcare Legend, John Hughson, is moving onwards and upwards from Landcare Coordinator for the City to a new role in the recently restructured Asset Management team at LMCC. John's persistence, patience and big picture plans have embedded landcaring within the city as a way to protect and preserve our bushland assets. Sincerest thanks and well wishes go out to this local landcare champion, who had a vision for community stewardship of our bushland and made it happen, a huge achievement.

Locals Landcaring

Landcaring continues around the reserves with a keen and committed crew getting together every Thursday to learn a bit more about the local bushland, what has been growing and what needs knowing.

There is a focus reserve every month and once a month bush-regenerators from Lake Mac Landcare Network (LMLN)come out and lend a hand.

• In March the Carey Bay Wetlands will be the focus. 
• April is Gurranba’s turn on the foreshore( 8th LMLN)
• May the energy will turn to Burnage (6th LMLN) – the Excelsior Parade side aka Giant Reed area, 
• in June the joy will be shed at Threlkeld (3rd LMLN), 
• July sees Laycock St South get a go-(1st  LMLN) and
• in August the Stansfield Reserves will have some energy spent on them.

If you’re interested in finding out a little more about what is involved in local Landcaring give Robyn a ring 4959 1507.

What’s On In November

• Monday  2nd 7-9pm : Monthly meeting of the Progress Association Progress Hall All Welcome
• Saturday Nov 7th Coal Point School Fete
• Saturday  7th 7pm-In Transition the Movie at Progress Hall
• Sat 7-Sun 8th Smart Energy Expo- Newcastle Town Hall
• Landcare reserve this month  Gurranba (foreshore) *5th with Green Team
• Lake Macquarie Landcare Inc. Annual General Meeting Tuesday 10th November 2009 4.30pm to 6.30pm at the new Landcare Resource Centre, Toronto Road, Teralba. Nomination forms and enquiries, ph 4921 0392
• Transition Town Steering Group meets 3rd Monday of the month 16th Nov 4-6pm
• Saturday 21st  7-9.30pm Historical Film Night at Progress Hall-All welcome
• Artists creative and social gathering every Thursday at Progress Hall, 1pm Contact Judy Cummings for more information on 49504680
• Toronto & District Garden Club meets at 3rd Thursday of the month. 19th November is a ramble through a member’s garden at Arcadia Vale, Bring a plate of food to share for Xmas, a mug and a chair if you can. Trading table and raffle. Contact Jan Hissey 49591382 or Kim Weller 4950 5707 for more location details
• December Landcare-Stansfield Reserves –*3rd  with Green Team volunteers at  the end of Stansfield Close

Coal Point Reserves Workshop - by Robyn Gill Landcare coordinator

The Carey Bay Wetlands, Burnage and Gurranba Reserves were the focus for the Lake Macquarie Landcare Workshop in October.

The progress of major projects in these reserves was shared with fellow landcarers. A feature of this workshop was the management strategies of two significant weed problems as well as an opportunity to admire the great results of our partnership with the Lake Macquarie Council Landscape Maintenance Team for our area in Gurranba Reserve.

Giant Reed, Arundo donax is a major Hunter Catchment issue and has now arrived here in Burnage Reserve. Also known as Elephant Grass, it is a member of the Bamboo family and grows upto 6m high in thick upright clumps. The most likely way it ended up in the reserve is through dumping and the storm water, it is next to the drainage line on the Excelsior Pde side of the reserve.

A weed featured in Carey Bay Wetlands is another garden escape, Campsis (known as Trumpet Creeper) it is a problem in the rapidly growing National Tree Day plantings of the past 5 years. This native of Texas is a self clinging climber which is extremely persistent and hard to get rid of, but the Landcare team is trying. A transformation has occurred in the area which was previously covered with Blackberry and Wild Rose (with other nasties flourishing among them) so we are working hard to stop the new weed which threatens the growth of the natives.

One of the visitors on the field trip was Garth Chapman from Wangi Ridge Preservation Board.  In October Garth was one of 8 people who witnessed and videoed a sighting of a Koala at Watkins Rd, Wangi Ridge, the 2nd sighting in 9 months...Landcare making a difference!
The new reserve signs were much admired and many thanks to Lake Macquarie Landcare for organising the day.