Park signage

Hard working members of Earthcare Park Landcare putting the finishing touches erecting signposts as part of a Local Land Services Community Education grant. Signs are displayed throughout our Bushfood garden showcasing plants that were used traditionally by local indigenous peoples for food and medicinal purposes.

Lorikeets in Love

The Rainbow Lorikeet is unmistakeable with it bright plumage as it forages on flowers, nectar and pollen; and occasionally on fruits and seeds. A mostly sedentary yet communal bird they mate for life and have begun breeding at Earthcare Park. Nests are in the hollow of eucalypts in a wide range of treed habitat. Lorikeet eggs are usually found in a clutch of 2, laid on chewed decayed wood and incubated by the female for about 23 days.

A Little Visitor

This tiny frog is less than 1 cm in length. The Eastern Sedgefrog is one of 4 dwarf tree frogs which cab be active day or night living between the fringes and wetland. Growing up to 30mm in length their small size meandthey are light enough to be supported by grass stems and acquatic plants where they deposit their eggs. Usually green to camoflag themselves there are a number of colour variations along the eastern seaboard including faun and golden yellow. This little guy is sitting on some Lomandra in Earthcare Parks bushfood garden.

Tawny Frogmouths

Masters of camoflage the Tawny Frogmouth can be found on an exposed limb to mimic a broken branch. Eyes watch attentively through narrow slits as they hunt at night for frogs, spiders, large insects, small mammals and birds. The distinguished coat resembles weathered hardwood and lichen and also gives away the animals sex. There are a number of colour variations around Australia and in this case although both sexes are grey in colour, only females like the one on the right have brown shoulders. Frogmouths are predominately sedentary birds found in woodland and open forest including Earthcare Park.

Noisy Cicadas

There are more than 200 species of Cicada in Australia. Recognised by their loud noise in excess of 120 dB by some species (which is painful to the human ear) it is done in an attempt to find a mate and thought to actually repels birds. Only male cicadas sing and they have a mechanism to shield their own hearing organ so that it won't be deafened by its own noise. Different species have different songs.

As adults, cicadas have short lives, at best only a few weeks. Though as young insects (nymphs) most of their lives are spent living for 6 to 7 years underground.

Cicadas feed on the sap of a huge range of plants including acacia like this one at Earthcare Park, eucalypts and grasses by using their piercing and sucking mouthparts.

The importance of cicadas is represented in the food chain as they are eaten in large quantities by birds, bats, spiders, tree crickets and wasps.

They are considered harmless to people

Scaly - breasted Lorikeet

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet is a plain green coloured bird but when it takes flight transforms with red underwings and orange bands. Depending on woodland forests for food and shelter it forages on flowering trees including the nectar, seeds, berries and fruit of grevilleas, silky oak, banksias and eucalypt amongst others. This Lorikeet has been banded and has chosen this same nest at Earthcare Park for the past few years.

Good rains revitalise our Park

Very good December rains have transformed Earthcare Park into a green oasis and ensured that our seedlings have had their best chance for survival into the hotter part of the year. Seed foraging birds are abundant and the growth of established trees is quite incredible.

Yellow tea tree



 Leptospermum Polygalifolium or Yellow Tea Tree is an evergreen shrub growing to 4m however research gives a 7m example.Flowering between August and February the bloom is creamy white or pinkish in colour with green or yellow centre. The shrub is hardy being able to withstand dry or even constantly wet sandy or rocky soils. A spectical in our bush now that most of the spring flowers have disappeared.

Falling Limbs

Proof that Landcare can be a hazardous task; this 4 tonne monster branch collapsed from its own weight over a still night onto 10 year old plants. There were no tell tale signs of internal or external damage to the limb. Interesting to see on the main trunk that there had been a number of other such events over the years. The fallen branches will provide nutrient, food and shelter to many species and is part of natures cycle. Always noteworthy that one should never park, camp or congregate under such trees.

A welcome visitor

This male trapdoor spider is non agressive, low risk and non toxic to humans. It very rarely bites and if it does the bite can be painful. The spider is a ground dweller nesting in drier exposed areas, but not necessarily with its famous trapdoor lid on its burrow. Trapdoors have a life span of up to 20 years and they play an important role in controlling other insects in our environment.

Maleleuca Thymiflora

The thyme leaf honey myrtle is a small shrub with usually purple or mauve coloured claw shaped flowers. This maleleuca shows its display of flowers from October through to autumn, thriving in all soil types including those at our Earthcare Park site. Why not pay a visit sometime!

Late spring flowers

 

More spring flowers

 

 

Spring Flowers on display in the Park

More of our feathered friends

Some more new visitors to the Park

Birds in the Park

The spectacular sight of Lorikeets, Gallahs, Cockatoos, Butcherbirds, Kookaburras, Wrens, King Parrots, Currawongs either raising their chicks or for the late starters, mating and nesting shows the true worth of a place like Earthcare Park.

Winter grasses Wander

There was considerable interest in the 'Winter grasses wander" held on Saturday 12 July 2014. Participants were treated to a fine, sunny winters day and wandered through the Earthcare Park guided by local expert Trisha Barker in identifying grasses and plants.

After the event a sausage sizzle was provided to participants and the day finished off with a presentation of features of the Earthcare Park and Bushfood garden areas. 

 

Before and after photos of our Bushfood garden makeover

Telstra Volunteers help Bushfood Garden makeover

Telstra Volunteers at our Earthcare Landcare site helping makeover our Bushfood Garden

Childrens Discovery Day

Earthcare Park Landcare Group were kindly invited to the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens Childrens Discovery Day 2014. The cold winds abated and a fine sunny winters day made conditions perfect to represent to the public the work that we have done at Earthcare Park as well as have children participate in our quiz.