Spring 2021 | No 82 - hobartcity.com.au/bushcare - City of Hobart
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Spring 2021 | No 82 hobartcity.com.au/bushcare
Bushcare Roundup
VALUE OF ACTIVITIES
Talia Sawers OUR WORK GALORE
Program Officer Bushcare
In 2020-21 Bushcare We played it COVID safe and
volunteers carried out still managed to hold
W inter is traditionally a busy
season for Bushcare and the
past few months have been no
$156,474
worth of work weeding,
145
activities throughout the year,
planting and collecting rubbish. including plant give-aways!
exception.
We were blown away by the
amazing effort of our local
community at the National Tree FRESH BUSY
Day planting event on the Hobart FACES BEES
Rivulet. There were smiles all People love joining Bushcare. Bushcare working bees are the
round as close to 100 volunteers In the past year powerhouse of our work, with
turned up and donned their gloves
to help plant 1300 native plants 287 123
in the riparian zone. Thank you to new volunteers joined our working bees held across Hobart's
everyone involved! wonderful program! bushland reserves.
To keep the momentum going
we’ve established a new Bushcare
group for the Hobart Rivulet.
Please contact the Bushcare team
What we achieved in just one year!
if you’re interested in joining. A huge thank you to all of our wonderful
A big thank you also to the 60 Bushcare volunteers who, despite a global
grade 10 students of Mount pandemic, kept Hobart's bushlands healthy,
Carmel College who volunteered
their time to help restore Lambert safe sanctuaries for the city's amazing wildlife.
Gully on Schools Tree Day.
We’re excited to think about all
the newly created habitat gardens
being planted across Hobart with
plants received from our annual
native plant giveaways. So far help provide habitat for eastern bush and the creatures that call it
the Lambert Gully, Waterworks barred bandicoots in Ridgeway home.
Valley, Mount Nelson and Friends Reserve. We’ll be revealing more We’ll also be reaching out to our
of McAulay Reserve Bushcare about this exciting project soon. volunteers to discuss next year’s
groups have given away hundreds The fun doesn’t stop there! works plans and getting together
of plants to local residents, as well Coming up in spring more of our with our Bushcare convenors to
as those on offer at the National Bushcare groups will be treated celebrate their group’s Bushcare
Tree Day event. Keep an eye out to a special morning tea, and achievements so far this year
for details of our remaining give- we have some great activities and work together to tackle any
aways if you missed out. scheduled, including a waterbug challenges. Our program wouldn’t
We’re also very grateful recipients discovery, an orchid walk and a be possible without the help of our
of a Tasmanian Government bird walk. So come along and dedicated Bushcare convenors. A
Landcare Action Grant, which will get to know your local patch of heartfelt thank you from us all!
Contact Us
Cover photo: National 16 Elizabeth Street P 03 6238 2884
Tree Day planting on
the Hobart Rivulet. GPO Box 503, E bushcare@hobartcity.com.au
Photo: Alastair Bett Hobart 7001, TAS W hobartcity.com.au/bushcare
Bandicoot Times 2 Spring 2021 | No 82
facebook.com/cityofhobartbushcare
Tall in stature, quiet in nature, Gurpreet Singh carries a bucket and drill at the end of another Bushcare activity, his good friend ‘Guri Two’
by his side.
Vale Gurpreet Singh, Guri #1
Bec Johnson Gurpreet, with the same surname, the intensive care unit. Guri’s
Team Leader Bushcare also from Punjab in northern body was returned to India for
India, and just as hard working cremation. He will be mourned
H obart’s Bushcare community
is in shock and mourning at
the passing of a wonderful young
and helpful. Of course their
names became Guri One and
Guri Two. Later on we were so
by his parents and a younger
sister back home, as well as many
friends here.
man, Gurpreet Singh. glad to know Guri One had this
close support. We are grateful to have known
Many Bushcare volunteers will Guri and for the cultural diversity
remember this tall, quiet, hard Guri’s passing has been a shock
bought to us by Bushcare.
working volunteer, often the one to us all. One day he was at the
Meeting Guri One and Guri Two
washing tools after our activities. doctor’s suffering stomach pains,
and other international volunteers
He was a man of few words the next day he was undergoing
emergency surgery for advanced helps make the world feel like a
but always ready to help with a smaller place.
smile and boundless energy. He cancer. While receiving
volunteered with no less than chemotherapy Guri contracted If you’d like to send a message to
meningitis and died within a few Guri Two you can do so through
eight groups, sometimes twice
days. It was very sudden. Bec Johnson at Bushcare. Thanks
in one day, and regularly lent his
arm to South Hobart and Fern He died with friends by his side to those who donated to the
Tree Bushcare activities. and the soft sounds of Sikh gofundme page and sent kind
prayers echoing throughout messages.
Guri had lived in several other
capitals in Australia, but he loved
Tasmania. He had been delighted
to recently find out his application
for residency had been approved. “ He was a man of few words but always
ready to help with a smile and
Gurpreet delighted everyone
when one day he brought along boundless energy.
a friend to Bushcare, also called
Bandicoot Times 3 Spring 2021 | No 82
Trickle turns into
flood of love for
Hobart Rivulet
T his year’s Bushcare National
Tree Day event started early on
a Sunday morning with a trickle
On the Hobart Rivulet giant
thickets of willow trees are
smothering sections of the
of people making their way to the catchment, choking out native
Hobart Rivulet. By 11am there was plant species and dropping
a flood of locals showing their love millions of leaves into the
for this waterway. waterway every year that rot down
Despite COVID restrictions people to create dead pools devoid of
turned out in force to reclaim oxygen.
this beautiful waterway from The City removed a number of
overgrown, smothering willow large willow trees from the banks
trees and secure its future as a of the Hobart Rivulet as part of
platypus sanctuary. plans to remove this weed from
More than a thousand native our waterways.
grasses, shrubs and trees were Local resident Linda is lucky
planted along the rivulet to enough to have both a home and
replace a number of highly a workplace right on the banks of
invasive willow trees removed by the Hobart Rivulet. She has the
the City of Hobart earlier this year. most pleasant commute of anyone
In Tasmania willow trees can take we know!
over entire waterways, lining creek “It’s lovely to know so many
beds with dense, impenetrable people have helped put native
root systems that make it plants on the banks of the creek.
impossible for platypus to create
burrows and find food. continued page 6
LEFT: Ruairi and
Rupert were a
dynamic duo down
on the rivulet
embankment,
putting plenty of
young plants into the
ground.
PHOTOS:
Alastair Bett
Bandicoot Times 4 Spring 2021 | No 82
ABOVE: Crystal made sure her daughter Mia was all rugged up and ready for action. RIGHT: There were quite a few mother-daughter teams on the Hobart Rivulet, including Jodie and her daughter Mahalia, both taking great care with their plantings. Bandicoot Times 5 Spring 2021 | No 82
Ho, Skye and their daughters Summer and Lomani made a great family team.
They have done a good job,” she
said.
“When I first bought my house
it looked over a terrible old junk
yard filled with scrap metal leaking
oil, and now it’s such a lovely
park where people meet. I’m so
pleased the willows are gone now
and I can see the creek, the cliffs
and the rock climbers from my
kitchen window.”
Linda’s favourite thing to do in
Linear Park is bike riding with her
grandchildren up and down the
track.
“You know there’s a platypus
nearby when you come along
the track and see a little cluster
Lewis can’t wait to see the planting site a in a couple of years.
of people all quietly watching.
It’s lovely to see their quiet dangerous trees that are known plant give-away. The removal of
enjoyment.” to drop entire branches without willow trees and revegetation of
Bringing the community together warning, and that can easily this section of the Hobart Rivulet
on National Tree Day to help propagate downstream from just was made possible through the
reclaim the rivulet from willow one fallen, green twig. Weeds Action Fund, a Tasmanian
trees will ultimately lead to a The day was a real community Government initiative delivered
healthier, more robust catchment celebration of the beautiful by NRM North.
and secure the waterway as an waterways we have in Hobart and Willows are a declared weed in
important platypus sanctuary. included special Bush Adventures Tasmania and a Weed of National
It also clears the area of old, activities for families and a native Significance.
Bandicoot Times 6 Spring 2021 | No 82
Generations at work. Bushcare Legend Astrid Wright was as tireless as ever, ensuring the supply of plants and materials kept coming. Bandicoot Times 7 Spring 2021 | No 82
THE PLATYPUS
WHISPERER
F or Pete Walsh, nature isn’t just
something to be enjoyed – it’s
something to be cared for. The
For us in the community, even
small changes can help conserve
the Hobart Rivulet platypus.
Pip Jones
Hobart Rivulet’s own ‘platypus Team Leader Bushcare “People can help by picking up
whisperer’ has been inspiring rubbish anywhere they see it,
action at home and abroad with His platypus portraits were soon regardless of whether it’s near a
his remarkable footage of these shared far and wide across social waterway or not, and by being
usually secretive animals. media. more mindful of their dogs when
Pete’s connection to the rivulet’s “I think people love seeing that, they’re walking along the rivulet
platypus began during Hobart’s a view into the world of this or any waterway,” says Pete.
COVID-19 lockdowns last year, mysterious animal they probably “When you look at the
when he noticed the critters haven’t seen before in that way,” stormwater diagrams of the
were out and about in highly he says. city, a huge area gets funnelled
urbanised parts of the rivulet. into the rivulet. We need to
Pete’s inspiring photos have
“With all of us locked down, they quickly galvanised community appreciate that the rivulet was a
were out having fun, and over support for the Hobart Rivulet waterway before it was a drain
time they’ve become used to platypus, and he now has a and there are lots of creatures
me,” he says. dedicated group of volunteers trying to live in it. The trap of
“Provided I behaved in certain mobilised to protect and living in a city is that you think
ways, they seemed to be okay conserve the rivulet’s mysterious nature is a thing you go and
with me being around. The most monotreme. From litter pickups visit. You lose track of the nature
beautiful thing about sitting with to water quality monitoring, the that’s all around – but it’s not
the platypus is that time just group is finding new ways to really a separate thing.”
disappears and the whole day take action. Their latest project is To learn more about the
vanishes into this little moment a spectacular mural commission, Hobart Rivulet Platypus
while they’re just quietly doing which will be painted in group and see Pete Walsh’s
their thing, silently surviving.” downtown SoHo by artist Jimmy incredible photography, visit
Dvate later this year. hobartrivuletplatypus.org.
Pete’s quiet co-existence with
the platypus allowed him to To protect the Hobart Rivulet
capture incredible photos of the platypus, the work has only just
rivulet’s resident monotremes begun.
going about their business, but “Taking photos and enjoying
it also gave him an insight into things doesn’t really help them.
their vulnerabilities. When he We should be actively caring,
saw a platypus entangled in rather than just consuming Photo: A resident of the Hobart
rubbish, everything changed. nature,” Pete says. Rivulet lovingly photographed
Stirred into action he started by Pete Walsh.
“It’s difficult to go from getting
up the Hobart Rivulet Platypus someone to click a ‘like’ button
Facebook page to highlight the to getting them to actually do
precariousness of this creature’s something and to change how
existence in an urban landscape. they live.”
Bandicoot Times 8 Spring 2021 | No 82
Bandicoot Times 9 Spring 2021 | No 82
Little diggers: A poem
Andrew Hingston
Bushcare Legend
While walking through the bush,
you and I have often found
Lots of little holes, that have been
dug into the ground
Each one has a pit, next to a
mound of loosened soil
Evidence of little diggers, and their
constant toil
Some holes are rather messy, while
some are neat and round
But we’ve not heard the diggers,
who hardly make a sound
Secret little mammal diggers, Long-nosed potoroo with hunched All these marsupials leave the soil
dressed in coats of fur back and a great big nose in a neat mound
Many people give them names, Sniffing out fungal sporocarps, But echidnas toss excavated soil all
but still they often err everywhere it goes around
Most people know echidnas, but They walk along on all fours, or Leaving tell-tale poke marks in their
often they confuse hop on their hind feet diggings from their snouts
Bandicoots with bettongs, and Digging bigger holes to look for Their diggings are distinctive, there
both those with potoroos truffles they can eat really are no doubts
But when you’ve seen a few, Along with invertebrates and roots Licking up eggs and larvae of ants,
they’re not hard to tell apart that they dig out termites and bees
Diggers can be identified as they Dark brown fur, white-tipped tail, While cockchafer pasture grubs are
dash and dart and a great big bulbous snout swallowed down with ease
Bandicoots have short tails, and Fine-boned eastern bettong, All of these little diggings play an
run along on all fours bounding like a kangaroo important role
Digging narrow conical holes with Eats truffles, mushrooms, insects, As water infiltrates the soil in each
their sharp fore-claws seeds, and wattle sap too little hole
Pointed snouts for probing into Its fur is light tan-brown, and its Organic matter gets trapped in
these narrow holes fore-limbs are so small these holes in the ground
Earthworms, insects, and fungal It stands up straight, but reaches And decomposes more quickly
sporocarps are their goals no more than one foot tall underneath the mound
Southern browns have uniform With a long, prehensile, white- Creating patches of soil that are
brown bodies and small ears tipped tail it has been blessed fertile and moist
Eastern barreds have big ears, and For carrying dry grass and bark to Thus, the praises of these little
pale stripes across their rears build a small nest diggers will be voiced
Love Hobart’s wildlife? Why not take the pledge and become a Bandicoot Buddy!
By doing so you and your family will be helping to protect and provide food and
shelter for Hobart’s endangered eastern barred bandicoots and other wildlife!
Sign up at hobartcity.com.au/bandicoots
Bandicoot Times 10 Spring 2021 | No 82Mt Carmel
College girls
show love for
Lambert Gully
T o celebrate National Schools
Tree Day this year Bushcare
teamed up with nearly 60 Mt
Carmel College students for a
whirlwind activity in Lambert Park.
In the space of just one hour
each student experienced an
impassioned Acknowledgement Year 10 student Charlotte Doyle ready to plant a native tussock grass.
of Country, a Bush Adventures
identified by the name written on Landcare Tasmania for loaning us
walk and talk, and helped weed
a wooden stake. their volunteers Ben Mildren and
a patch of blue periwinkle. They Don Thompson for the day as well
also helped plant native tussock We would have liked more time
as supplying the native plants,
grasses and checked up on with the girls but hopefully this
funded by Fifteen Trees. Also
creekside plants put in by the experience will help them feel
thanks to team leaders Michelle
school two years ago. more comfortable in the outdoors, Joy, Bec Johnson and Rob
more familiar with the bush and Armstrong!
It was a great opportunity to share
its wildlife habitat, and might
the Bushcare ethos of caring for With help from Landcare
the bush and wildlife with the even inspire a few to think about
Tasmania, we hope to engage
year 10 girls. They were all highly a future career in environmental
the school in future years with an
engaged and one of the students management.
ongoing custodial link to Lambert
was thrilled to find a shrub put Thanks to our indefatigable Greg Gully, which is just a short walk
in by her sister two years earlier, Kidd for his endless help, and to from the college.
Urban homes for backyard bandicoots
C alling all backyard gardeners,
our backyard bandicoots need
you!
bandicoot populations now only
exist in Tasmania. Landscape
Designer Karen Johnson has
Native gardens provide valuable drafted a series of unique designs
feeding grounds for Hobart’s utilising local native plants to
eastern barred bandicoots, and encourage urban strongholds for
you can help in your own backyard the endangered marsupial.
by creating suitable habitat for The booklet includes detailed
them to forage, raise young and information about eastern barred
find shelter from cats and dogs. bandicoots as well as species
Creating refuge in your backyard conservation advice and native
for our endangered bandicoots enable backyard gardeners, gardening tips. The booklet is
has never been easier thanks to a professional landscapers, and available in hard copy or can be
range of habitat-friendly garden developers to provide suitable downloaded from the NRM North
designs found in NRM North’s new habitats for bandicoots, regardless website.
booklet Urban Refuges: Design of property size or taste in garden This project is supported by NRM
Your Garden for Eastern Barred style. North through funding from the
Bandicoots. Once living throughout eastern Australian Government’s National
The professional garden designs Australia, wild eastern barred Landcare Program.
Bandicoot Times 11 Spring 2021 | No 82ISN’T IT TIME YOU JOINED BUSHCARE? SPRING PROGRAM OUT NOW! Put a spring in your step and join one of our Bushcare spring activities! Download the latest activities program from hobartcity.com.au/bushcare. Bandicoot Times 12 Spring 2021 | No 82
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