Report

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Elizabeth Russell started off with a brief history of Ohia Ct site. The site had its 10th year anniversary last year. It goes back to the edge of an unnamed National Park section off MacDonald Road (adjacent Mayon Ct) where Friends of TNP currently have a regeneration project on the road-side. The Pirralilla TNP Section does not adjoin Ohia Ct. (closest approx. 230 metres) and is 100 meters apart form the closest Mayon Ct edge of the TNP Section off MacDonald Road. The Ohia Ct lower section near Long Rd was previously a swamp/wetland and claimed in further past to be a swimming hole.

The land is State Government Reserve under management of SRRC. Previously it was timber felled and then farmland with combinations of beef cattle and macadamia plantations around this little valley. The reserve was created on sub-division for residential blocks. The reserve has helped the water run-off and management. With SRRC approval, Landcare has cleard weeds and regenerated most of the site. Based on photos from our last walk in February 2014 there has been significant growth in plantings and self starter native species here. Mike Russell then lead us through the nature journey here.

 

Immediately our attention was drawn to an unusual call of the Eastern Whip-bird

and red leaves of the Blue Plumb/Blue Quandong (Elaeocarpus grandis). There were several red leaf Blue Quandong found along the creek line.

 

 

 

 

But far more plentiful along the creek were all the Lomandra multiflora multiflora and Alocasia brisbanensis or Cunjevoi. There are claims the cunjevoi juice helps with stinging tree Dendrocnide moroides or Dendrocnide excelsa stinging pain by being sticky to remove the stinging leaf hairs that you may otherwise rub into your skin. However, it is definitely not recommended for use by children and any ingestion from wiping on mouth can be very dangerous with its Oxalic Acid base. Suggest a good read at Cape Tribune Research Station.

 

 

To the right as you get closer to the creek crossing is the old swamp area now covered by Cunjevoi (Alocasia brisbanensis), Raspberry (Rubus rosifolius) and Soft Bracken Fern (Calochlaena dubia). It remains a wet area and the creek is run-off from the eastern side of MacDonald Road. This creek runs into the Contour Creek through Botanical Gardens and down a steep gully into Tamborine Creek in Wongawallan. This area was very weedy including the Giant Devils Fig Solanum chrysotrichum.

Crossing the creek and looking at its area of Piccabeen Palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) and their dominance with fallen palm leaves. Adjacent is a Ficus coronata or Creek Sandpaper Fig with fruit on its trunk. Meanwhile listening to the call of the Lewins Honeyeater. 

We also noticed the dew on the trunk & leaves still there at 9am. Mike noted this spot was very typical of a creek side Riparian eco-system. The creek seems to flow all or most of the time.

 

Pennantia cunninghamii or Brown Beech with a denitia on the leaf. It has zig zaggy branches and leaves with undulating edges. The name "cunninghamii" from the early explorer Allan Cunningham (botanist). These were likely self-starters. We also came across several Podocarpus elatus or Brown Pine

There is a native Bull-Rush that makes good habitat. Nearby was Aphananthe philippinensisor or Prickly Elm again but with what appeared to be a longer leaf.

 

 

 

Also a Web casting Spider on a Blue Quandong leaf.

A good example of Coin Spot trunk of Cyathea australis or Rough Tree Fern along the creek line. When leaves fall off they leave that typical coin spot shape. Whilst Homalanthus nutans or Bleeding Heart was pioneering the cleared area up from the creek on the southern slope.

Fig birds were calling from the top of the trees. (sound file yet to find)

 

 

Cissus antarctica or Kangaroo Vine which is a very important component as a dominant under-story vine that pulls trees and bushes down for more wildlife ground habitat. It has a grape like fruit for small birds and animals. Other noted plants here included Castanospermum australe (Blackbean), Polyscias elegans (Celerywood), and Stephania japonica discolor or Tape Vine/Snake Vine  ?? 

There was a good example on the base of a stump of Fomes fomentarius Horse Hoof Fungus.

 

 

 

Alpinia caerulea or Blue Native Ginger but perhaps not native to TM as has full red backed leaf where local native ginger which only has red tinge to edge of leaves.

 

 

Dianella caerulea, commonly known as the blue flax-lily, blueberry lily, or paroo lily

We arrived at the Contemplative Seat by the creek just before the steps and the circuit. Twas an example of the Riparian Zone whereforest alters near the creek line.    

Archontophoenix cunninghamiana,Piccabeen Palm trunk with Lichens

 

 

Pollia crispata,White Pollia ground-cover around Cordyline

 We diverted on the creek side track of the circuit.

 

Cut fallen trees to provide good habitat.

Typha domingensis  (Bulrush) and Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Annual ragweed which we pulled out some of them as about to flower and is quite allergice for some people.
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   Moth

and

another moth   

 

  Macadamia tetraphylla probably not the native as this was macadamia plantation at one stage

 

Native Tamrind insect damage

 

Calochlaena dubia (Soft Bracken Fern) new growth where underside the sory (spores) are coming out. Ferns have 2 generations with diploid spores going to ground then producing male and female joining in water. This is typical in simpler plants like mosses going now for hundreds of millions of years.

Looking over to 2 Macadamias covered in Cissus antarctica (Kangaroo Vine)

 

 

Parsonsia straminea Common Silk Pod/Monkey Rope Vine vigorous on Macadamia Trunk

 

Well established self starter bleeding hearts that help break up the soil and lay leaf litter ground cover that helps other varieties of rainforest self-starters.

 

Apart from some minor amounts of weeds we noticed, the site has been well maintained from weed regrowth that you might expect from surrounding gardens.

Unfortunately, we missed seeing the Richmond Bird-wing Butterfliy as seen last time and also their grub stage on the current vines as mentioned as recently sighted by Judith.

Create and maintain the environment and surrounding surviving nature will help you along the journey. It will also gradually put its own stamp on what it wants the ecology to be in this location but it will take many years for that occur. At least we know its getting going here. We also know that the work is not about control but assisting and suggesting to nature and then nature will have its say heard. That’s the way it should be. We just help keep it true to its own local ecology and is not taken over dramatically by the invaders we bring to this locality.