Wild BNE

A curious golden whistler greets the group; Photo by Matteo Grilli Wild BNE’s winter meet-up was held this past Sunday and it was a great success. A variety of exotic and ornamental plants grow along  the fenceline between the reserve and suburbia; Photo by Aaron Wiggan. I co-hosted a walk through Dawn Road Reserve (which has its very own website ) with local bushcare patron Trina McLellan, whose detailed knowledge of the area was of immense value on the day. Together, we took a group of ten lovely people through the reserve, looking at suburban encroachment, eucalypt woodland and the gorgeous gallery rainforest growing along the creek. Ten highlights from the day included:

Fan-tailed cuckoos are most often seen on a low branch, keeping an eye-out for caterpillars below. Straddling the lush banks of the North Pine River, Lawnton is a suburb of Moreton Bay Regional Council steeped in history . Originally inhabited by the Turrbal people, the land would have been cloaked for many hundreds of thousands of years by a lowland rainforest ecosystem, featuring the hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) for which the river is named after. Unfortunately, the rich soils allowing the vegetation to thrive also made the place attractive to European settlers that wished to farm the land, leading to great conflict with the Indigenous inhabitants. This was eased temporarily by local pioneering figure Tom Petrie, who had lived with and forged a respectful relationship with the Turrbal people, including Dalaipi, leader of the North Pine tribe. By 1858, however, the Aboriginal people of the area were removed and sent to live in isolated reserves around South-east Queenslan

Small brown paper wasps, East Brisbane. I’ve been battling a chest infection this week and haven’t felt like venturing too far from home. Luckily, when it comes to nature, it’s not necessary to. 

Tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) are common in the reserve—maybe you can spot one on the day? Photo by Trina McLellan.  Paperbark sawfly (Lophyrotoma zonalis), Albany Creek. Last year, Wild BNE fan Trina McLellan introduced me to her ‘local patch’, Dawn Road Reserve in Albany Creek. I became instantly infatuated with the place; I had no idea that such a beautiful forest was tucked away in what has become a busy suburb over the years! I will always be grateful to Trina for informing me about this great little ‘secret spot’. Now I want to pass the favour on to you!  Trina and I would like to take you on a walk through the reserve this month, pointing out all the interesting plants , birds and animals we can find, letting you know about the history of this beautiful