The Scoop
Bar-tailed Godwit
This species, listed as a Critically Endangered Shorebird of Australia, has been recorded flying 11,000kms across the globe non-stop! So when they reach the mudflats of our estuaries, they need lots of good food sources such as molluscs, worms and aquatic insects, and... read more
Greater Bank has partnered with HRLN
Greater Bank has partnered with HRLN as part of the 75,000 Trees Program to celebrate the Greater’s 75 Year Anniversary. Two projects have been selected to receive trees (plants) in the Hunter: 1- Luskintyre Landcare wildlife corridors The aim of this project is to... read more
Reptile of the Month: Eastern Bearded dragon, Pogona barbata
What a wonderful sign of spring! This little fella was sunning himself on the road- As I stopped to move him along out of harms way, he puffed out his beard and expanded his body by inhaling air, making him seem larger than life. I was respectfully warned and kept my... read more
Plant of the month: Antarctic Beech, Nothofagus moorei
Every now and then I get the opportunity to wander through the cool, dark, damp Antarctic Beech forests of the high country up in the Barrington Tops. The Antarctic Beech rainforests are a Gondawanan relic showing little similarity to the surrounding Snow Gum and... read more
Farm Force – Get involved
The ‘Farm Force’ Enviro-Stories program involves rural kids from the Hunter region learning about the importance of good preparation to try and help make their farm more resilient and reduce the impacts of bushfire, pests, drought and flood.
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The impact of cats in Australia
A recent research article by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub really woke me up to the devastating effect that cats (feral and pet cats) have on our native biodiversity.
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The Fern Creek Gully Landcare Squirrel Glider Documentary
Toby Davidson’s wonderful documentary on our Squirrel Glider project and the great team and the great supporters that made it happen.
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Biomes and The FlockOz Art Installation
Instructions for FlockOz activity: View the shorebird chart to pick your favourite shorebirds to paint. View Shorebird Chart Download the colouring-in pages below each bird on the chart and use these as your template for the cut out. If you want to make your shorebird... read more
Contractor Management
When we hire a contractor we tend to assume they have all the right insurances and licensing, certainly their licence number is probably written on the side of their work ute, for a small job around the house we might decide checking up on their qualifications... read more
Tools, Tips and Tricks: Try not to get lost!
Apart from my Landcare work I do the odd bit of consulting and flora survey work, this work can take me into some fairly remote places and often by myself. While I regard this as the fun bit of my job it is not without a level of risk with the possibility vehicle... read more
Grasses quiz
Can you identify these common weedy grasses that were presented at Tilligerry Landcare workshop recently? Once you’ve had your guess, scroll down for the answers! v v v v v v v v v v v Answers: Red Natal from Africa Whiskey Grass from the USA Erharta from... read more
Plant of the Month: Johnson’s Grevillea (Grevillea johnsonii).
Apart from my Landcare work I get a few other projects in from time to time, at the end of last week I was out in the Goulburn River National Park trying to track down a lost population of Fairy Bells (Homoranthus darwinioides)*, we didn’t manage to find that... read more
Bird Species Feature: Spotted Pardalote
Everyone loves a Spotted Pardalote! This tiny bird of 10cm long is distinguished by its white spots, mostly found fluttering around in eucalypt forests and woodlands but occurs in parks and gardens with well-established eucalypt canopy. I have also seen them feeding... read more
NEW Landcare NSW COVID-19 Fact Sheet
Landcare NSW is providing the attached Fact Sheet containing information published on the Service NSW and NSW Health websites. The advice is current as at 11:00am 22 July 2020. As the information flow is fluid and subject to change, at this point in time this was the... read more
Work Health and Safety Resources
Yeah, I know, WHS can be pretty tedious and while you may be operating safely in your farm, work or Landcare activities if something were to happen and someone were to get injured then without documented procedures and risk assessments you could be liable to expensive... read more
Bird species feature: Little Lorikeet
A small bird at 16 – 19cm, 40g, it is easy to tell why they are named ‘little’ when side by side with a Rainbow Lorikeet. They make up for their size in their constant chattering calls and large flocks. This species is listed as vulnerable in NSW, found mostly... read more
Benefits of Fallen Timber and Dead Trees on Farms
Especially in winter, It may be tempting to use fallen timber for burning and to ‘clean up’ the understory but it serves essential ecosystem functions. Fallen timber stabilises soil, reduces erosion, and creates a protected microclimate where small animals can... read more
Tools, Tricks and Tips: Nursery Cheats
Ok, I have a confession, despite enjoying working in nurseries I really hate pricking out and potting up seedlings. Yeah, I know, it is the main point of working in a nursery, but it is just so tedious and time consuming so if I can find any way of doing it quicker I... read more
Covid updates for Landcare
The NSW Government has further eased certain restrictions from 1 July. What does this mean for Landcare groups? Under the new guidelines, Public gatherings of up to 20 people are now permitted with restrictions for Outdoor venues (working in the bush or on your... read more
Video: Axe Restoration with Paul
How I restore axes, you may do it differently but this works for me. Of course the golden rule with restorations of this type, as little as possible, as much as necessary.... read more