Friends of Piesse Brook

Friends of Piesse Brook Open Day in the Park Sunday 5th October 10am – 4pm.

On Sunday 5th October the Friends of Piesse Brook will host an Open Day at the entrance gate to the Kalamunda National Park at the far end of Schipp Road, Piesse Brook.
At the Open Day the Friends group will showcase the work they have done in the park over the last eight years. 

In addition there will be displays from supporters and sponsors of the group, including the Swan Catchment Centre, The River Guardians, Swan Alcoa Landcare Program and the Department of Environment and Conservation, explaining how they each assist and advise groups how to form and function. 

There will be a sausage sizzle at 12 noon till 2pm, a wildflower walk at 1pm in the surrounding parkland and the local camel farm will be offering camel rides on the bridal trail in the afternoon.

Piesse Brook in flood

Wednesday July 30th after 55mm or rain overnight, the Piesse Brook broke its banks, created new flood ways and was generally rather spectacular.  Linda Stanley and Bridget Hogarth went to the National Park to  inspect last Sunday’s plantings of dieback resistant Jarrah seedlings to make sure the seedlings had not been washed away overnight.  All was well, the seedlings survived the deluge. 

 

July Busy Bee

Present – Linda Stanley, Bridget Hogarth, Paddy Hogarth, Jane Hogarth, Gerry Brown, Thea Brown, Lynda Tomlinson, Craig Chaudrey.

Transport of people and equipment to our work area is now a challenge due to the distance into the park.  Craig Chaudrey offered to assist us this month and bring his rodeo which is capable of transporting 5 people.  The Hogarths brought their tractor with trailer as well as three quad bikes, one with a trailer to enable us to transport people, chemicals, equipment and knapsacks the 4 kilometres into the park.

   

An intensive effort tackling Cape Tulip achieved approximately 10 acres of area treated with Glean in the area underneath and beyond the pylons through to the bridge leading up the hill towards Gooseberry Hill.  The areas treated in June are showing signs of the Cape Tulip dying off, while the areas treated last year where Cape Tulip had been growing thickly and vigorously, are almost completely clear of the weed this year.  So it does appear that we can get on top of this virulent nuisance provided we get it at the right time of year and make focused, intensive control of it at that time a priority.

June Busy Bee

Present – Linda S, John S, Lara S, Gerry B, Thea B, Andrea W, Lynda T and Tom Fraser

Friends now spray their booths with methylated spirits to prevent spread of Phytophthera c. (dieback) .

Cape Tulip is now up and the focus of the June Busy Bee was spraying the Cape Tulip with Glean.  Linda and John S sprayed the area from just beyond Rocky Pool back to the Bibbulmun track.  Tom Fraser and Lara S sprayed Cape Tulip around Rocky Pool, Gerry B, Thea B, Andrea W and Lynda T sprayed Cape Tulip in areas leading up to the Bibbulmun track.

Tom Fraser was presented with his Friends group hat. John Stanley and Tom Fraser were presented with their lip balm and zinc cream.

Community Newspapers have requested the group come together on Monday after the busy bee for a group photo for the the community newspaper regarding the group being finalists in the Banksia awards.

May Busy Bee

Present: Linda S, John S, Paddy H, Bridget H, Thea B, Gerry B, Andrea W, Lynda T, Nick, Emma & Kate M

Linda and John Stanley -  maintenance spray of west side of Schipp Road from Hummerston Road  to the first bridge, and from city side of brook from first bridge to base of first steep rise past the first bridge. 

1. Heavy Watsonia are was sprayed at bottom of boulders at old mine encampment ruins area.
2. Watsonia sprayed at 1st bridge downstream for approx 100 metres.
3. Blackberry needs spraying at 1st bridge downstream at 100 metres.

Bridget –
1. Walked creek bank from gate to front entrance clearing up weed.
2. Very bad bridal creeper and arum lilly at little Caledonia
3. A LOT of watsonia coming up in the area.

Andrea W and Lynda T –
1. Lots of cape weed all over.
2. Few single watsonia
3. Blackberry near the creek.
4. Lots of nightshade Fleabane (heads removed)
5. 1 thistle removed
6. 8 small cottom bush
7. Lots of polygala car park side in centre.

April Busy Bee

Present Linda S, Bridget H, Lynda T, Gerry B and Thea B.

Linda Stanley  -Too early and too wet for spraying  - maintenance sweep of west side of Schipp Road from Hummerston Road to the gate of the National Park – removed rubbish, pulled out stink weed and lucerne trees that were mostly in the old encampment area below boulder outcrop that the Browns call “room with a View”.

Still to be sprayed at encampment area boulder outcrop is Arundo grass, Watsonia, Blackberry and deadly nightshade.

Bridget Hogarth – east of creek entrance to opposite Jorgenson Park Access Road  - lot of cotton bush – little patches of blackberry and a lot of bridal creeper east of Little Caledonia.  Little Caledonia also has arum lily.

Lynda Kaye Tomlinson – Entrance – general weeding at sign.  In creek itself – lots of little cotton bush, blackberry, 2 figs, little thistles, 2 clumps of peppermint removed, night shade, cape gooseberry  and 2 dead Watsonia stalks (deseeded)

General Notes: 
1. We need more rubbish bags – only 1 left.
2. Lip balm and zinc given to Linda S, Bridget H, Lynda T, Gerry B and Thea B.
3. This is the first time that we have had bridal creeper and arum lilies.

We must seek information on how to deal with bridal creeper and arum lilly.

EHCG Field Study Trip

On 6th February 2008 the Eastern Hills Catchment Group had their annual field study trip.  The group came to see the work carried out by the Friends of Piesse Brook.   Linda Stanley, John Stanley and Lynda Tomlinson gave the group a tour and a talk showcasing the work done over the last eight years along th banks of the Piesse brook by the Friends of Piesse Brook.  Both groups learnt from the tour.  The EMRC provided an enjoyable barbecue lunch after the walk.  Craig Wansborough and Craig Chaudrey proved themselves to be both excellent cooks as well as excellent hosts for the two groups.  Thank you to EMRC, and especially to the two Craigs.

Linda Stanley explains a work area to the Eastern Hills Catchment Management Group at the Kalamunda National Park in Piesse Brook.  Photo taken by John Stanley.

Press Coverage

The group photo in the park with the award – text follows:

The Friends of Piesse Brook celebrated winning the 2007 WA Environment awards with a fruit of the vine after their final day of the year working in the park.

Left to right – Rosemary Lonsdale, Gerry Brown, Alan Lonsdale, Bridget Hogarth, Thea Brown, John Stanley, Linda Stanley, Lynda Tomlinson, Andrea Wernli.

Article in Echo Dec 1 2007 – “Win for the Environment”.  Another article mentioning our win of the 2007 WA Environment Award.

 

Final busy bee for the year

The Friends of Piesse Brook combed the hillside above the Schipp Reserve snipping off Watsonia flower heads, spraying still green Watsonia and collecting rubbish on 18th November in their final busy bee of the season.

The busy bee was followed by a celebration both of their achievements for the year and as winners of the 2007 Western Australian Environment Awards in the Bush, Land and Waterways category.  The win has motivated and energised the group to continue toward their ling term goal of ridding the Piesse Brook of environmental weeds not only in the Kalamunda National Park, but back to the source of the brook in Pickering Brook.

   

Vital busy bee

The Friends of Piesse Brook discuss the plan of attack for the busy bee.  This is the most important busy bee of the year for us.  The Watsonia are in bud or flowering and this month is vital maintenance month when we must get control of the Watsonia before it has a chance to set seed and multiply again. 

The season has produced an abundance of seedling Watsonia and it is a big and important job for us to keep them under control now, else our job will be 30 times worse next year and the weed will begin to get away from us.

Fourteen members turned up on Sunday, a great turn out, and the area was divided up into areas with each Friend allocated a zone.  The whole area was sprayed and in the process some members experienced some stunningly gorgeous park areas that they had never seen before.  It was a beautiful day and everyone went home feeling very happy with their day out in the park and what they had achieved for our magnificent forest area.