Buttles Creek
Buttles Creek can be seen from the café near Spotlight. It continues under Ellerton Drive, Monaro Street and High Street, passing along Wanniassa Street until it joins the Queanbeyan River near Morisset Street. Since 1999, Queanbeyan Landcare, coordinated by Tom Baker, has removed willows and weeds from this area, replanting with native species.
2026
Further control of Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) has been carried out in 2026. The large common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and Box Elder (Acer Negundo) trees will be treated soon.
Future plans in 2026 include controlling large area of Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). Queanbeyan Landcare will approach Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council to assist in this work.
The creek was moved northwards many years ago and the fill is highly erodible, so removal of vegetation will need to be carried out with care and with appropriate rehabilitation. Cumbungis (Cumbungi sp) and Common Reeds (Phragmites australis) are beginning to stablise the wide creek bed, which receives huge flows after storms.
2025
In May Tom noted that QPRC has been removing weeds from along the path.
On Australia Day, the Great Spring Clean-Up 9 bags of rubbish were removed, plus recyclables and 4 shopping trolleys along the creek from the river to Yass Road.
Tom has suggested that the north side of the creek, next to the soccer fields, would be a great location for a future tree planting, however, the terrain is steep and difficult to access.
In the last 2 years these species noted in the table have been planted at Buttles Creek.
All were from seed collected by Les Manning and Tom Baker and propagated, stored and then distributed from Les’s place. Tom’s favourite plant in 2025 was the Black She-Oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). In 2023 it was Hemp Bush (Gynatrix pulchella).
2024
During 2024 further infill of the native plantings was made on the north side of the creek and opposite the fast-food shop.
Further spraying of woody weeds, particularly Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) took place.
Images of Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) courtesy of Weeds Australia
2023
In June 2023 Tom Baker reported that the upper part of the 1999/2001 Buttles Creek planting which had previously won 2 Landcare awards was rapidly succumbing to blackberry, ivy and privet.
The sign at the top near Yass Road was hidden from view and the signs noting the awards had disappeared. Tom contacted the QPRC Mayor, Kendrick Winchester, and received a positive response about addressing these issues. Council employed contractors to treat most of the woody weeds.
However, in October Tom reported that sadly some tussock along the planted edge below High Street have been accidentally sprayed by QPRC. This area had been cared for and replanted by Tom for many years.
Header & gallery image courtesy of QPRC