On Saturday 26 October at 9am you are invited to join Queanbeyan Landcare for a stroll and morning tea in Queanbeyan’s Bicentennial Park, a 13 hectare bushland reserve.

Helen Hadobas, coordinator of the park care group, will lead the 1 to 2 km walk. She will talk about the plants and animals in the park and the work her group has been doing alongside Council over the last five years. Morning tea will follow at about 10.30 am.

Wear a hat, sunglasses, closed walking shoes and sunscreen. There are no toilets in the park, but water is available. You may wish to bring a small refillable water bottle.

Meet at the carpark off Crest Park Parade at 9 am.

For further information contact Heather 0408 622 985 (before 17 October) or Helen 0422 027 668 (from 17 October onwards).

Sunday 8th September

9.00am

Fernleigh Park tree watering

Meet at 270 Fernleigh Park Drive

Bill Hall 6297 6725

Tuesday 3rd September

7.30pm to 9.00pm

QLc meeting

Karabar Community Centre

Bill Hall 62976725

Sunday 1st September

10am to 1pm

Wattle Day walk led by Bill Willis on Queanbeyan’s eastern escarpment. Walkers should have fair fitness, wear hat and closed shoes, and bring your own food and water. QLc will provide sunscreen.

Meet at Wright Park

Bill Willis 0407 268 797

20 million trees grant success!

We are proud for this project to be selected, alongside so many great projects, as a recipient in the latest round of 20 Million Trees Grants!

QLc is a member of the steering committee and will play a key role in implementation. The project will be managed by Molonglo Conservation Group.

The project will enhance the extent and connectivity of Box Gum Grassy Woodland near Queanbeyan. The area is part of the White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland critically endangered ecological community.

Properties involved in the project including Wandiyali Restoration Trust have a commitment to conservation land management. Tree planting will provide regeneration of species which are not regenerating well naturally. Without active regeneration, the ecological community will degrade due to a lack of tree canopy species recruitment and eventual death of established trees. Planting and maintenance will be conducted by Molonglo Conservation Group and the local community.

Purchase heavy duty brush cutter

QLc, with funding assistance from Molonglo Catchment Group, has purchased a brush cutter for use by Friends of Mt Jerrabomberra and Stringybark Ridge Bushcare Group and other members of Queanbeyan Landcare.

FOMJASR is a sub-group of Queanbeyan Landcare and is a new community group formed to help the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) control woody weeds in these and other nearby reserves. Formed in response to the amount of woody weeds slowly taking over areas within the urban bush areas and with the encouragement of Queanbeyan Landcare, an equipment grant was applied for through the QPRC ‘Building better communities’ fund. Since March 2017, using equipment purchased through the grant, a small group of community volunteers have been ‘cutting and dabbing’ woody weeds within the Mt Jerrabomberra, Stringy Bark Ridge and the QPRC ‘Old Cooma Road Offset block’ urban bush reserves.

FOMJASR has a number of large blackberry bushes (approximately 6m plus in diameter) within the series of reserves that we work in. FOMJASR proposes to purchase a heavy duty brush cutter to destroy rabbit harbors that herbicide spraying alone wouldn’t accomplish. Queanbeyan Landcare would also utilize this piece of equipment in other areas around Queanbeyan (the Poplars/Bicentennial Park/Fernleigh Park etc) to control weeds and grasses around revegetation plantings in these areas.

Volunteer hours have been invested into these worthwhile community bushland reserves and visible weed control outcomes can already be seen. As well as the satisfaction of removing woody weeds from the areas, the group has been enjoying glorious sunny mornings in the bushland reserves with magnificent views over Jerrabomberra and Canberra, across to the Brindabella ranges as well as the lovely Eucalypt woodland closer at hand while enjoying morning tea on our monthly meetings.

FOMJASR is looking for more people to get involved. Not only does FOMJASR hold activities overlooking Jerrabomberra in Stringybark Ridge and the Old Cooma Road Offset Block, they also hold activities on Mt Jerrabomberra. Activity is on the first Sunday of each month, March to December, from 9-12pm. Community members are welcome, staying the entire time or working for only an hour or two, coming along each month or only as often as they can. There are also other sub-groups in Queanbeyan Landcare, so there is bound to be something for everyone to get involved with in the environment.

For anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved, please contact Queanbeyan Landcare on chairperson@queanbeyanlandcare.org.au or jerrabushlandgroup@queanbeyanlandcare.org.au.