ASSOCIATION OF SOCIETIES FOR GROWmG AUSTRALCAN PLANTS

&- WALLUM (Coastal Heathland)

STUDY GROUP

ISSN 1038-7889 NEWSLETTER NO. 5 Leader: Mrs. Barbara Henderson,

M. S. I063 Farrow Road, SAMSONVALE. Q. 4520.

Here we are, i n t o another year of wi ldf lo~er iz-4 , and I a sorry so much t i n e has elapsed s ince our last contact, Much has happened s ince last August - u n ~ e a s o n a ~ dry, windy weather, e spec ia l ly i n November, when our south-east Queensland Wallum experienced h o r r i f i c bush-fires. But I am pleased t o report a l o t of regeneration happening, and f e e l t ha t the re could be some glorious flowering l a t e r t h i e year.

F i r s t l y , some business - STKDY GTMUP MEMBEBSEIP ~ S C ~ T I O N S a re always due i n June, i r r e spec t i ve of what time of year you o r ig ina l l y joined. I provide new members with back copies of newsletters i f they jo in mid-year, so they receive t h e i r money's worth. If there is a red dot at t h e top of t h i s page, it means you a r e overdue f o r your 1994-95 subscription. Two red dots means t h e subscr ipt ion hasn' t been paid f o r the previous year as well ( the re a r e only a few i n t h i s category, and i f no response is received, the name w i l l be removed from t h e list of mernbera, as 1'11 presume they no longer wish t o belong t o t h i s Study ~ r o u ~ ) . It is not dl t h a t long u n t i l your next subs. w i l l be due, so please t r y t o catch up on t h i s year as soon as possible.

FX?lANCUL REPORT as at end of ~ u ~ ~ S T / e a r l ~ SXPTENEIER, 1994:

Balance September 1993 $242 35 BECXIPTS t EWEWDITCTBE: Subscript ions 320.00 Stationery, P'copying 235.95 ~ lan t /F lower

32.50 and Postage

Sales Ewen Maddock E.C. 106.00 Newsletter

Donat ion 5.00 $341 95

Ewen ?daddock Envir.106.0U Centre - Accom. Photocopying covers newsletters and

promotional. & information handouts used f o r displays.

l e s s Expenditure 341 95

Balance September 1994 £363.90

Now f o r the important par t of t he newsletter - dates f o r your diary,

Sunday 12th February: From 8.30a.m., garden v i s i t and informal. meeting t o discuss 1995 a c t i v i t i e s , at 4y place , the address i s on the heading, and there is a map with ~.

d i r ec t i ons at t he end- of t h e - newsletter. Bring your lunch; a cha i r might be handy, any plan ts o r seeds f o r exchange, but don't worry about a thennos, as we have an urn, and everything f o r morning/afternoon cuppas. There ' 11 be no bushwalking, but Wear comfortable shoes f o r wandering around the garden, as it i s on a slope.

If several members a r e coming from the oamc area, they might l i k e t o oontnot caoh o the r regarding l i f t s , I know of some who w i l l need transport .

Wednesday 29th b k c h : F i r e regeneration survey at Sc i en t i f i c Area 1, Beemah. Meet at t he Beerwah Field Study Centre, Boys Road, Beerwah at 9.30a.m. Bring morning t e a and lunch. A l l l eve l walking, but you might need insect repel lent , p lus cameras, notebooks, etc., depending on how hard you want t o work. More about these surveys l a t e r in the newsletter,

Sunday 9th April: V i s i t M t . Mee S ta te Forest heath. Meet 9.30a.m. at t h e S ta te Forest p icnic u e a , reached via S e l l i n Road, coming from e i t he r Dayboro or D'Aguilar, a l l o a i w about 20 minutes f o r the drive from those townships. Permits t o t raverse , f i n e of $130 i f caught without p e m i t , as we learned on the last M t . Mee visit. Contact t he DP~[~QM. Forest Service f o r an annual p e m i t f o r S.F. No. 809 & 893 M t , Mee. I would advise long pants and confortable, s trong footwear, the vegetation can be a b i t rough on bare l egs , and we clamber around a few rocky places, but nothing rugged.

Wednesday 24th May: F i r e regeneration survey at the Bribie Island Bicentennial Gardens, t u r n l e f t i n to Verdoni S t ree t a f t e r the Bel lara shopping centre. Meet the re at 9.30a,m0, bring morning t e a and lunch.

Other da tes could be s l o t t ed i n to t h i s programme, following t he February gathering.

The south-east Queensland members of the Fern Study Group m e having a day at the Beemah Fie ld Study Centre on Sunda,~ 7th &y, looking at Wallum f e rn species i n t he f i e l d , and having a discussion session on them. W a l l u m Study Group members who wish t o l e a r n more about these ferns might l i k e t o attend. The day begins at lOa.m., and the re w i l l probably be a small charge ( f o r use of t h e centre).

On Satmdky 22nd July, I w i l l be at F a i r h i l l Nursery, Yandina (Sunshine coast) , t o promote S.G,A.P., t h e W a l l u m (coasta l ~ e a t h l a n d ) Study Group, and the wildflowers themselves. Other members a r e welcome t o come along, t o help me and provide moral support. It could be a usef'ul day all around.

I would l i k e t h e Study Group t o spend a weekend i n the Bundaberg region, possibly in l a t e Ju ly o r ea r ly August. Members Richard & Carole Green v i s i t ed t he a r ea last Spring, and have information about Woodgate National Park, etc., and I could contact a Bundaberg member regaxding places t o visit/atay. Some of us m e p be ab le t o stay f o r more than a weekend, depending on commitments.

The Beemah Fie ld Study Centre has been booked f o r two weekends in 1995. Saturdqy 9th September and Suntqy loth, w i l l give the Study Grou? an opportunity t o . .-A- ge t together on the Saturday, and members can a s s i s t with the Centre's wildflower w a s on the Sunday. This w i l l become an annual "event" f o r us, the da t e dependent on t h a t of the S.G.A.P. Qld. Region Wildflower Show.

I have booked t he Centre fo r the weekend of 25th & 26th November, with t he Eedcliffe & D i s t r i c t S.G.A.P. joining the Study Group fox a break-up weekend. Perha?s we' l l be able- t o - c a ~ h - m m r ~ a p d f ozdiaa(ehri&m.s-%%Id-f low&%.

On these weekends there w i l l be a small display on the w a l l d h e a t h , and possibly t h e Bu t t e r f l y and Frog Clubs w i l l be involved on the September weekend. There w i l l be a da i ly charge of a few do l la r s , and overnight fees , present ly $8 per person i n t he bunkhouses, and $5 i f camping or using own vehicle. (1lve been to ld t h a t t he r e could be a s l i g h t increase i n f ee s t h i s year). I f you can ' t stay f o r the whole weekend, simply come f o r whichever day is sui table .

A t present I am awaiting confirmation of the usual annual d isplay dates f o r the Sunshine Coast lhvironment Council's Fa i r at Maroochydore (usual ly 2nd weekend in ~ u n e ) , and the Wildflower Show at Coolum Beach (probably Saturday 26th w t ) . I l i k e t o provide a display at each of these, i n past years there has been t e r r i f i c i n t e r e s t i n the wildflowers of the Wallum, and t h e i r fa te . And t he r e i s usual ly a dieplay by t he Wallum Study Group at the'S.G.A.P. Qld. Region's September Flower Show. It means tha t l a t e August and ea r ly September f ind me juggling da tes and displays, at Coolum, Pe t r ie , Bribie Island, Beerwah and Rochedale.

LOOKING BACK AT 1994, I spent more time with the Beemah Field Study Centre, than I d id v i s i t i n g t he Sunshine Comt. Perhaps i t was because s ince the Sunshine Motornay and i t s a r t e r i a l , and other roads were completed, t he a rea between Coolum and Pereg im has become fragmented, and l o s t much of i ts cham. And the re has been a l o t of work t o be done at Beerwah. The Beerwah Sc i en t i f i c Brea 1 is par t of the B e e r b u r m Sta te Forest , and f o r t he t k ~ e being, i s secure under orest st Service control. The a r ea we use has been used f o r some time now, f o r t he purpose of doing controlled burns, and assessing t he effect on t he vegetation. It is paxt wet Wallum, and par t f o r e s t B/al2um, with ~ ~ m p ~ ~ ~ o f l f d ~ I Eucalyptus s ignata ( ~ c r i b b l ~ Gum) predominant. While t h e wildflowers v i c- jatu M a r e s l i g h t l y d i f f e r en t from those of Elnu Swamp and other p a r t s of t he Sunshine Coast (which I s t i l l love be s t ) , it is not so heartbreaking and f m s t r a t i n g t o work i n t he Beerwah area, as it is not going t o be cleared f o r houses. Last year, several of us helped t a g p lan t s i n par t of t he Sc i en t i f i c Area, t o assist the Field Study Centre co-ordinator, Jan Oliver, with school visits

were i n t e r e s t i ng exercises - watching how they "work"* My thanks go t o

9 and projects. We a l s o helped her on a few occasions, with t h e students, which

a a LLU M Sue and Dot f o r t h e i r assistance, as m e - t w g w can be a long process, EDGE PER and r o ~ k i n g with t he students can requ-ire a l o t of patience and understandi&, and a I'tough hide". You have t o remember t h a t they don' t see t he Wallum plan ts as we do, If any Study Group members are in te res ted i n helping with t h i s work at the Beemah Field Study Centre, please l e t me know so I can contact you i f needed. The Study Group booked i n to t he Centre on t h e f i r s t weekend of September in 1994, t o have a get-together, informal meeting, and t o check out t h e a rea t o be used f o r the wildflower walks on t h e Sunday. Although it was only a small group, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and on the Sunday we helped show and i den t i fy p lan t s t o people who came f o r t he walks. This w a s done with t he a id of a booklet of l i n e drawings, which was or ig ina l ly compiled by Jan Oliver, with Ann Moran's help (Ann is from Nambour, is a member of t he Study ~ r o u ~ ) , and addit ions last yeax by Sue Gallagher and me, have r e su l t ed i n a f a i r l y comprehensive guide f o r t he walks. On our two Study Group weekends last y e a - at t he h e n Maddock Environmental Centre, and Beerwah - R e were amply fed by Dot Brown, who enjoys "catering" f o r u s , as her contr ibut ion t o the Study Group. So i f you a r e wondering whether t o jo in one of our weekends, please do try, a s we have a l o t of fun. And what could be more pleasant and re laxing than wandering along looking at t he wildflowers?

After I sent out t he August newsletter, t he r e s t of 1994 simply shot by, It w a s a very busy wildflower season, and afterwasds, I w a s looking forward t o ge t t ing a l l my paperwork i n order so I could produce a r e a l l y good Christmas newsletter. But what do they say about t he "best l a i d plans of mice and men"? I n l a t e September, I ~luffered a dog b i t e t o my r i gh t ankle, which got i n t he ww when I w a s t ry ing t o detach our 3 ye=-old b i t ch from her 12& year-old grandmother's neck (no respect f o r the e lders i n the canine world, I think it was a power struggle). There had already been two e a r l i e r f i g h t s , and the old g i r l was too beaten-down t o recover, so I had t o have her put down (qu i te heart-rending), as well as suf fe r the pa in and t r a m of t h e b i t t e n foot. For about a month, walking w a s extremely d i f f i c u l t , s tanding, driving and s i t t i n g f o r long periods were a no-no, so everything was neglected and suffered too, We had several bushf i res around t he d i s t r i c t i n l a t e September, and November came i n d t h unseasonable dry, hot days and westerly winds, which didn' t he lp much with f i e r c e f i r e s on Bribie Is land and i n the Caboolture t o Landsborough

region. Looking a t those areas since, I think t he f i r e f i g h t e r s did a wonderful job, as t he townships of Beerburrum and Glasshouse Mountains, and those on Bribie Is land, had very c lose escapes from destruction.

These f i r e s destroyed most of t he wildflower areas in t h a t region, J\ and p a r t s of t h e Bribie Is land Wallum, and t h i s has presented us * ?!A with an excellent opportunity t o monitor regeneration, and the

0 a *4 ~~k P e f f e c t a couple of of f i r e blocks on t he of Wallum. t ha Beemah The Sc i en t i f i c Forest Service Axea did 1, i n a mid-August, burn on Cp -? which affected wet and dry Wallum, and woodland heath understorey. 'x , -22,

3 5 The Study Group was given a permit in September, t o study t he effect of f i r e on Wallum, and when I renewed it recent ly , I asked t h a t it

cover t he whole of t he Beerburrum Sta te Forest, f o r the purposes of studying Wallum areas, and the regeneration of burnt heaths and fores ts . This permit was given, with me responsible f o r t he Group at all times, and all we have t o do, is t o provide information t o the Forest Service from time t o time. With a permit t o explore areas within t h e whole Beerburnun S t a t e Forest, who knows what l i t t l e pockets of Wallum, and what l i t t l e t reasures we might discover? On Bribie Island, it was a scene of desolation wherever the re had been wildflowers. I l ived there between 1948 and 1955, saw a l o t of f i r e s , and have v i s i t ed o f ten since, but have never seen such damage. I n l a t e November, the Redcliffe & Dis t r i c t S.G.A.P. went t o the Bribie Island Bicen- t enn i a l Gardens during t h e i r f i n a l 1994 outing, and noted the e f fec t s of the f i r e s , and any recovery. Only th ree weeks s ince be- burnt, p l an t s were producing new shoots, s o photographs were taken, and we decided t ha t monitoring regeneration of the Wdlum at the Gardens would be a worthwhile exercise f o r 1995. ds I and 5 other Redcliffe branch members belong t o t b e Study Group, I would l i k e t o suggest t h a t t he two groups co-ordinate on W d l u m excursions and a c t i v i t i e s , thereby saving time and extending resources, This jo in t e f f o r t could a l so apply t o propagation meetings and efforts .

A t t h e beg inn iw of December, Sue and I stayed overnight at the Beerwah Fie ld Study Centre, as we f e l t it was time we start checking t h e regrowth i n the S c i e n t i f i c Area. We "worked" in the afternoon, and the following morning, making, notes and taking photos, f o r t he benef i t of both t h e Field Study Centre, uld t he Forest Service. It was flowering time f o r t he Christmas Bells , and one of t h e trial blocks had a lovely display of them among spikes of Xanthorrhoea fulva, a l s o i n fuZl bloom, I n the burnt (Aumst 1994) area, r e ~ r o w t h was hea l ths . with a Hibbertis (probably ves-hit a, but 'the 'flowers were only about -half the size) predominant. Mdst plant= were shooting from rootstock, and i f w i l l be i n t e r e s t i ng t o - s e e when seed germination begins, and of which plant species. A surpr is ing number of regrowth p lan t s were well i n flower, and we noted F4ysanohs tuberoaua @ringed ~ i l i e s ) , Stackhousia rhinea, Hibber t ia s d i c i f o l i a (fn t he swamp, now dry), Dampiera stricta (which was even more b r i l l i a n t i n ~ a n u a r ~ ) , Cdl ist emon pachyphyllw , BanIcsia robur and Meldeuca t h m i f o l i a . On one road, we found p lan t s of the Melaleuca which had been graded in ea r ly August, they had recovered and were covered i n masses of curled brush flowers i n both pa le and dark mauve, just beautiful . Such severe pruning doesn't seem t o ham M. thymifolia, indeed it ~ r o d u c e s an a t t r a c t i v e low shrub f u l l of flowers. We were t o ld t ha t t h e Fern Study Group v i s i t ed Beerwah i n October, and were t h r i l l e d by t he flowers of Stylid5ms omatum and p r a m W o l i u m , but both were almost ended i n December, I f you want t o l e m n more about these flowers, the Beerwah m e a has become our "base", s o come along on aome of our dates , o r phone me f o r a su i t ab l e time t o visit.

The Study Group's FINAL ACTIVITY f o r 1994 was a v i s i t t o t he Logan Village d e n of ? Jan & Denis Cox, on Saturd~y 5th November. Despite a mix-up over the da te m y e r ro r i n t h e last newsletter) , t he continued dry weather, and a gusty westerly wind on the day, 5 Study Group members, p lus 2 other SGAPpers and a neighbour, came t o look at t h i s garden which is more sandstone boulders than s o i l , but i s absolutely lovely. The sandstone decides where t he p lan t s a re , and it a l l looks so natural , in s p i t e of t h e dry, and no watering (lack of r a i n and unsuitable bore water). It would be beau t i fu l a f t e r ra in , t h e p lan t s must provide qu i te a co lour fU show. Local Wallum rubs shoulders with Sydney sandstone heath, Western Austral ian small p lan t s , and what occurs na tura l ly at Logan. The "back paddock" is dominated by Melichms, a r a t h e r prickly-foliaged plant of sandstone areas ( the Stanthorpe region and Mt. Mee heath. a r e kwo such From Samsonvale, i t was a lolag w a y t o go, but well ~ o r t h it, and was intended t o give Study Group members on t h e "southside" a day out. We a l l enjoyed the day, and could have stayed much longer t a l k i w .

C t W ~ * ~ + * * * * Y * * * * * ~ * * *

It w a s brought home t o me jus t how important i t i e f o r t he "keen" amateur photographer t o be prepared at all times, with cameras and spare f i lm, recently neat Beerburrum. Sue and I had gone t o t he B e e r b u r m Forest Office t o renew the Group's pern i t , found t h e o f f i c e closed, so decided t o re tu rn home via t h e old road t o Caboolture. The November f i r e s had raged through t h e bush, and burnt t h e old wooden bridge, but a detour w a s being used, s o off we went. Ju s t a f t e r t he f i r e s , I had photographed t he

burnt-out b r idge and sur rounding a r e a , b a r e beneath t h e k c a l y p t t r e e s . A s we drove towaxds t h e b r idge , Sue s p o t t e d yel low Tr icorgne e l a l i i o r f lower ing en masse, s o we s topped t o look. It was a rewarding s t o p , wi th l'hysanotus tubezosus, i n shades from t h e u s u a l deep mauve t o almost white , and Comespenna defol iatum in l i t t l e c l u s t e r s as w e l l as s i n g l e p lan ts . Th i s p l a n t has g r a s s - l i k e stems and l eaves , and gorgeous two-petal led b l u e f lowers . It occurs i n t h e wet Wallum, where t h e stems a r e u s u a l l y 45-50 cm. high, bu t t h e s e at Beerburnun were only about 20 cms. The same Yfbbertia

I I - 4 - 4

as we noted at Beerwah was e v e w h e r e , i n f u l l f lower, and i s obviously one of t h e e a r l y f i r e regenera tors . Down t h e s l o p e towards t h e c reek , we found a pa t ch of Styl?diwn araminifol ium on t h e last of t h e i r f lowering. We l i s t e d approximately 48 different p l a n t s p e c i e s i n t h i s l i t t l e a r e a , which had been s e v e r l y burned only 7 weeks previously. O f course , I d i d n ' t have a camera t h a t day , h a w l e n t it t o younger daughter t o t a k e photos of new baby son, and i n s t e a d of c o l l e c t i n g it (I pas s h e r p l ace t o go t o s u e t s ) , I though I wouldn't need it! , Returning a couple of weeks l a t e r , I r a n ou t of f i l m , i t was a b i t windy, and t h e f lowers had passed t h e i r bes t . LITTLE POC!KE!i!S OF WILDFLO\VERS CAN BE l?XlKD ALONG MOST OF OUR ROADSIDES, s t o p and look.

***+M*********.Mt**Mt*~W******M*)HC

V a l 'Saxley, B r i b i e I s l a n d , keeps an eye on t h e \Valium at t h e Bicentennia l Gardens, - and o rgan i se s t h e annual wildflower walks i n August. Worried t h a t t h e f i r e s had i r r e v o c a b l y damaged t h e Wallum p l a n t s , V a l i s now findin& that regrowth is occurring. She is going t o monitor the recovery of Ricinocarpus p i n i f olius (wedding Bush). With t h e original p l a n t s completely b u r n t , s eed l ings a r e now appearing, up t o 10 cm. high, wi th h e a l t h y r o o t s of equal l e n g t h , developing f i b r o u s and deeper t a p roots . Some seed l ings axe in small c l u s t e r s , o t h e ~ a r e spaced s ingly . Is t h e r e a reason?

Dot Brown, Toorbul, a long-time 'Rallum person, says t h a t Meldeuca th,ymifolia does not occur n a t u r a l l y at Toorbul (on Pumicestone passage) , and grows poor ly i n h e r garden. She always a d v i s e s a good pruning a f t e r f lower ing f o r t h i s l ove ly Melaleuca. She is keeping no te s on h e r "rescues" and t h e i r progress .

Sue Gallagher , Burpengary, l i v e s on t h e "f lood p l a in" of t h e creek, and h e r s o i l has a high b lack s i l t con ten t , no t favoured by Wallurn p l an t s . I n a s p e c i a l , r a i s e d g r a v e l l y sand bed, she i s mixing c o a s t a l Wallum wi th hea th s p e c i e s of t h e ~ t a n t h o r p e / Texas sandstone areas . She is growing va r ious wilYflowers i n o t h e r gardens, b u t t h e l o c a l a n t s b r i n g t h e b l a c k s o i l t o t h e s u r f a c e , r u i n i n g h e r sand modi f ica t ions , hence t h e new r a i s e d beds.

Wthia and Ted Beasley have moved from Rushworth, V i c t o r i a , t o Canberra. With f r i e n d s i n t h e T i n C a n Bay axea, t h e y have c o l l e c t e d Wallum p l a n t s on t r i p s t o Queensland, and have had them grow and f lower i n Vic tor ia . Cynthia wonders how t h e p l a n t s w i l l manage at Canberra, wi th i ts s o i l s and weather.

Don Perrin, Bedc l i f f e , has been developing t h e " W a l l u m P r o j e c t " at what was t h e R e d c l i f f e Education Centre. Now t h e R e d c l i f f e School Support Centre, t h e proper ty h a s su f f e red some problems over t h e p a s t 7 y e a r s , and we a r e hoping t h i n g s w i l l soon s e t t l e down, Don wants t o i nc lude a Wallum s p e c i e s garden i n t h e "Project".

Sarah Knight and husband John, l i v e at F a i r f i e l d , a sou the rn Brisbane suburb, and have a weekend "retreat" on 3 r i b i e I s l a n d , and a r e concen t r a t ing on growing W a l l u m p l a n t s t h e r e , ob ta in ing most of them at F a i r h i l l Nursery, Yandina. Sarah propagates from seed, several t o t h e one po t . then wuts t h e p l a n t s i n a group i n t h e garden. When R e d c l i f f e & D i s t r i c t SGAP v i s i t e d i n November, n a t u r d l y - o c c u r r i n g spec ie8 such as t i n y Lindernia mbulata and Mitrasame alsboides were found, a s well as Spiranthes sinenais (Ladies Tresses ground o rch id ) , de l igh t ing Sarah, But they l o s t 2 Pimelea l i n i f o l i a , due t o d r y weather , and weekend-only care of the garden.

Noel Smith, from Piml ico n e a r Lismore in nor the rn N.S.W., w r i t e s with p l a n s t o form a sub-group of t h e Study Group i n h i s area. A member of SCAP Far North Coast HSW Group, Noel has 7 a c r e s of r egene ra t ing hea th , and is keen t o i n t e r e s t more members of h i s group i n t h e c o a s t a l hea th p l a n t s , This is most encouraging, and could r e s u l t i n important feed-back from ano the r area. I ' d l i k e t o s e e more of t h i s happen, w i t h i n t h e Study Group, i n o t h e r S t a t e s .

New members ( ~ c t o b e r 1994) fit Bamy and =set Lock, a l s o belong t o B e d c l i f f e & D i s t r i c t SGAP, and wi th 3 o t h e r members and myself, hope t o i nc rease knowledge o f propagat ing and growing Wallum. Margaret is t h e branch ' s Propagat ion O f f i c e r , and w i t h planned co-ordinat ion between t h e two groups, we hope combined e f f o r t s w i l l l e a d t o S U C C ~ S S O

Joyce Wad, M t . Glorious, is succes s fu l at propagat ing from c u t t i n g s , and one of h e r s p e c i a l Wallum p l a n t s is Bozonia keysii , a r a r e s p e c i e s from t h e Cooloola region. She aould be s p e c i d l y de l igh ted i f she could g e t ?kLostemon m,yoporoides subsp, gueemlandieus t o grow f o r her. O r i g i n a l l y from Sydney, Joyce is familisur ~ i t h t h e ~ a w k e s b u ~ " j / ~ ~ d n e ~ sandstone hea th spec ies , and has t h e a l t i t u d e and s o i l f o r some of t h e s e l o v e l y p lan ts .

Ross Perfect, Curnunundi, i s a keen member, who is qu ick ly l e a r n i n g t h e names of o u r Wallum flowers. He has h i s own common names f o r some p l a n t s , one being f o r t h e shy, p r e t t y Tetratheca t h y m i f o l i a - I1Ton Dooleys" - because t h e f lowers "hang down t h e i r heads". With Ross's h e l p , we could develop our own l ist of common names.

Christine Shaw , Meldale (on Pumicestone Passage, between Toorbul and ~onnybrook) , is ano the r nea member, who has had a long i n t e r e s t in Wdlum. She helped wi th t h e 1992 r e l o c a t i o n of p l a n t s b e f o r e t h e new Ehu Mountain Road w a s constructed. Aa s h e h a s n ' t y e t developed a s u i t a b l e garden, m a n y of t h e p l a n t s are still in t h e p o t s and boxes, b u t are f lower ing and growing, just t h e same.

Tony & Judy E l l i o t t , Ocean View via Dayboro ( ~ u d ~ i s l e a d e r of Wi ld l i f e & Native Plants LG, , and we exchange news le t t e r s ) h,ave p l an ted t h e i r Mazcoola 1993 otrescues" o u t at l a a t , i n an u n h , bu t i n t e r e s t i n g s i t u a t i o n - a s ix-s ided sleeper-edged garden, which is h a l f pond and h a l f sand garden (white sand from a landscape supp l i e r ) . The pond overflows onto t h e Wallum g a d e n , which l o o k s j u s t l i k e a l i t t l e b i t o f Marcoola wallum. Could be one aspec t of u s i n g l~a l lm/hea th p l a n t s , d o n g wi th o t h e r i n t e r e s t s , such as breeding f r o g s and/or n a t i v e f i s h .

Obviously, how we choose t o u s e ~al lum/heath p l a n t s in our gardens is only l i m i t e d by o u r imaginations.

~ W + J C 3 H t ~ J H C J H m * ~ d C ~ W S H H m ~

INTEBESTING SNIPPEXS FROM T m WALLUM GAEDEEJ:

Plat,plobim fornosum t ~ e k a while t o s e t t l e i n and grow, last ye= it produced one f lower, and i n due course, a seed pod formed. I thought - 1'11 get t h e s e few seeds, Watched i t , and watched it. September came with hot days, and one day, a d r y wind. The seed pod simply vanished,, seeds & all! Oh we l l , t h e r e ' s always next y e a r ...... More success wi th a Xanthorrhoea fulva. It flowered last yea r , its s p i k e about 1 m. high, I watched t h e seed cases grow, and beg in t o open i n December - c o l l e c t e d a few s e e d s - t hen on Monday 2nd January, t h e c a s e s dl opened, I w a s ready, and caught them all. It only needs one sharp "bump" on t h e s p i k e , and t h e y a l l f a l l out.

Acacia baueri , c o l l e c t e d from Peregian some yea r s aeo - t h e o r i g i n a l p l a n t is s t i l l - f lowering and seeding - t h e r e is one l a r g e s e e d l i n g b e s i d e t h e parent p l a n t , and a t i n y second "baby" just developing its f i r s t s e t of phyl lodes.

What appears t o be a s e e d l i n g of C o n o s p e m t ax i fo l ium, is p r e s e n t l y at a s t a n d s t i l l , perhaps because I took t o o much no t i ce of it. I hope it grows.

The Epacris o b t w i f o l i a which produced 100+ b e a u t i f u l b e l l - l i k e white f l owers last sp r ing , is now sending out shoo t s a long t h e upper p a r t of t h e stem. Another s m a l l e r E. o b t u s i f o l i a is a l s o s p r o u t i n g s i d e shoots.

Acacia l o n f f i s s b a is now a tal l shrub, f lowered last y e a r , seed pods developed and were ready t o c o l l e c t i n October. I n s p i t e o f a very s o r e f o o t , at 5.30 one morning, I hobbled doan t o g a t h e r : t h e bulk of my "crop" when I s i g h t e d a p a i r o f King P a r r o t s eyeing-off t h e r i p e pods. These p a r r o t s , and Pale-headed & Crimson Bose l l a s have discovered my s e v e r a l Acacias, and r e g u l a r l y ha rves t t h e g reen seeds, f o r food.

Haemodorum t enu i fo l ium ( ~ l o o d - r o o t ) from k r c o o l a f lowered and seeded f o r me last year . The two Haemodorums a r e at Beerwah - H. t enu i fo l ium is sma l l e r , has r e e d - l i k e l eaves , blue-grey seed c a s e s w i t h s o f t l y rounded tops , whi le H. austroqueenslandicum is much t a l l e r , over 1 m., wi th f l a t t e n e d g r a s s - l i k e l e a v e s , and t h e seed cases a r e b l ack wi th

"spikes" p o i n t i n g upwards (very b o t a n i c a l , I know, bu t probably

. d more e a s i l y understood). You can s e e t h e "blood roo tn i f you g e n t l y < g t s c r a t c h around t h e base of t h e p l a n t , just under t h e s o i l , t h e l e a v e s % . b and r o o t a r e b r i g h t , l i g h t red.

U L '2 I ' v e had my Goodenias a l l mired up - t h i s I learned from Dr. Brthur sl

O x Harmld at t h e launch of h i s Wildflower Guide (more l a t e r ) . I have Q been l i s t i n g t h e s p e c i e s wi th branching f lower stems as k o d e n i a

Q: F b e l l i d i f o l i a , when it i s r e a l l y G. paniculata, r e f e r r i n g t o those 4

t f lower "panicles". G. b e l l i d i f o l i a has a s m a l l b a sa l r o s e t t e of

0 s p a t u l a t e (spoon-shaped) leaves , a f lower ing sp ike t o about 30 cm. QI high, f lowers be ing e i t h e r c l e a r yellow o r a love ly d u l l gold. 0 2 T h e t a l l e s t G o o d e n i a i s G . stelllgera, u l d c a n b e a b o u t 3 5 c m . high, Q with a c l u s t e r of yellow f lowers , o r from & - 1 metre h igh with t h e

yellow f lomers along t h e stem. There a l s o seems t o be a f u r r y calyx. A 1 1 t h r e e can be found i n wet s i t u a t i o n s , wi th G. b e l l i d i f o l i a o f t e n i n c l ayey s o i l s . I have c o l l e c t e d seed of G. s t e l l i g e r a from my garden p l a n t s .

FROM MY OWN GARDEN IIJ THE HILLS OF SAMSONVALE, t h e m a j o r i t y of p l an t s r e loca t ed over t h e p a s t t h r e e years a r e still growing, some b e t t e r t h a n o thers . I have l o s t some of t h e A c a c i a , baueri, Boronia. f d c i f o l i a probably l i k e s i t s p e a t y heaths b e t t e r , Ningi 's Chloanthes p a r v i f l o r a i s looking r a t h e r dead, and two of t h e t h r e e P la tysace e r i co ides a r e very dead, These last came from Elm Swamp a r e a (be fo re National park) , Ningi, and Marcoola, and were growing i n p a r t i c u l a r l y wet s i t u a t i o n s . And I th ink t h e y p r e f e r such cond i t i ons . The Flrm Swamp p l a n t is almost 3 yea r s i n t h e garden, EL peared t o be l o o s i n g t h e b a t t l e last s p r i n g , b u t has recovered (with r e g u l a r watering 7 . It is a low-growing, t o 20 cm., spreading p l a n t , whi le t h e N i n g i specimen grew t o about 35 cm., f lowered b e a u t i f u l l y , and quick ly d ied i n December. Marcoola's p l an t was another low-growing ground cover, it budded and j u s t flowered over t h e Christmas pe r iod , t hen promptly browned o f f and d ied .a couple of weeks ago. Obviously t h i s spec i e s has t o have wet cond i t i ons , overhead water ing doesn ' t meet i t s needs.

2 Acacia Uicifo l la seed l ings , p lan ted i n e a r l y 1992, grew and one cane i n t o bud i n s p r i n g , and d ied without even flowering. The o t h e r p l a n t h a s had 2 f lower ing and s k e d i i g seasons , but t h e b i t of neglec t l as t s p r i n g almost l o s t it. However, wi th water ing , it i s still a l i v e , bu t I think 1'11 b e lucky t o g e t another season from it.

West r ing ia t e n u i f o l i a would b e a d e l i g h t f h l small garden p l a n t , with f lowers of white , p a l e pink and p a l e mauve. But it a l s o seems t o p r e f e r wet condi t ions , growing "back- wards" f o r me, except f o r some f r e s h l e a v e s a f t e r t h a t November rain. Another p l an t which is happ ie r i n i t s n a t u r a l "home" is Strang;ea linearis, which b a r e l y recovers from r e l o c a t i n g . Ebber t i a s d i c i f a l i a , ano the r wet hea th spec i e s , has been impossible f o r me t o grow, and it is such a l o v e l y p lan t .

P r e s e n t l y seeding o r have seeded:

Acacia b a u e r i , longissima, u l i c i f o l i a Boronia s a f r o l i f e r a (I missed t h e seeds) Chloanthes paxv i f lo ra Conospem.um tax i fo l ium D i l l a y n i a f l o r i b u n d a Goodenia s t e l l i g e r a ( ~ ~ r c o o l a & ~ i n g i ) Hakea g ibbosa Hovea zcu t i f o l i a Leptospemun microcarpun, semibaccatum P a t e r s o n i a f r a g i l i s Platylobium formosum P u l t e n a e a myrtoides, pa leacea Sprenge l i a sp renge l io ides S t y l i d ium graminif olilum Xanthorrhoea f'ulva

S u r p r i s e f l ower ing among t h e Marcoola r e l o c a t i o n s were:

Ground orchids : Thelymi t re i xo ides ( ~ l u e Sun orch id ) D i u r i s d b a (White Doub le t a i l s ) Cryp tos ty l i s e ~ c t a ( s t r i p e d ~ o o d )

When p l a n t s Elre c o l l e c t e d i n a l a r g e c lod of s o i l , , g r o u n d o rch ids a r e o f t e n t h e r e unknown t o t h e d igger , as t h e r e i s no i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e i r p resence when t h e y a r e not i n f l ower - l e aves a r e o f t e n a b s e n t , o r no t e a s i l y i d e n t i f i e d . So they are a bonus when t h e y suddenly appear i n t h e garden. They may be sho r t - l i ved , however. It i s i l l e g a l t o knowingly remove n a t i v e o rch ids from t h e i r n a t u r a l h a b i t a t ,

as t h i s can l e a d t o t h e e x t i n c t i o n of spec ies . I would l i k e t o know just where we s tand , i f we a r e eve r caught removing a ground orchid from an a s e a i n t h e p roces s of being developed and s o l d , as was t h e case at &coola. The p l a n t s a r e al l going t o be l o s t when bul ldozed, s o it would seem l o g i c a l t o al low removal of any p l a n t , o rch id o r other . But an eas ing of t h e law would open it up t o abuse i n o t h e r s i t u a t i o n s , s o we j u s t go on digging up our c lods of p l a n t s , and r ece ive p l e a s a n t su rp r i s e s .

Flowering i n December '94 and January '95: Acacia b a u e r i Baeckea imbr ica ta , l i n e a r i s , s t enophy l l a Bauera c a p i t a t a Boronia f a l c i f o l i a , s a f r o l i f e r a C a l l i s t man pachyphyllus Dampiera s t r i c t a Dillwynia f l o r i b u n d a Eriostemon myoporoides subsp. quesnslandicus Evolvulus a l s i n o i d e s Goodenla belLidZfolia (from Burpengary, and c o r r e c t name)

II p a n i c d a t a (cor rec ted f som b e l l i d i f o l i a ) I I r o t u n d i f o l i a , s t e l l i g e r a Hakea f l o r u l e n t a , g ibbosa

B i b b e r t i a a c i c u l a x i s , Ifnearis, obtusifolia, v e s t i t a , ? sp. f rom l h c o o l a (not I . D ' ~ ) 21 ? stricta (from the Deception Bay area)

Lobel ia data Melaleuca thymi fo l i a Pseudatrthes o r i e n t a l i s Pe r saon ia c o r n i f o l i a , virgata (wud u p r i g h t form, and p r o s t r a t e form from b. rcoola) Pimelea linifolf a ( two foms f r o m asc coo la) Stackhousia viminea ( d i d not develop seed capsu le s ) S ty l id ium graminif olium Trachymene i n c i s a Tricoryne e l a t i o r V e l l e i a s p a t h u l a t a V i l l a r s i a e x a l a t a

Baeckea v i r g a t a flowered p ro fuse ly from October, my o r i g i n a l p l a n t s be ing seed l ings from specimens c o l l e c t e d at Elhubah Creek many yea r s ago. I t h i n k t h i s and o t h e r "old-fashioned" Wallum s p e c i e s such as Leptosaenmun p o l y g d i f o l i u m (was f l avescens ) a r e now overlooked, bu t t hey a r e l o v e l y in a n a t i v e garden, Acacia flavescens grows as f a r south as Coolum Beach, and on t h e Sunshine Coast, is more a shrub than a t r e e . I wa,s given t h i s p l a n t i n a pot no t long a f t e r I married Geoff, and w a s t o l d t h a t I had p l e n t y of space here at t h e farm, It grew and grew, i s t o o c l o s e t o our power l i n e s , and should go, but each y e a r , u s u a l l y i n W c h , it i s covered i n c l u s t e r s of p a l e yellow f lowers , which c o n t r a s t wi th t h e r ibbed , f a l c a t e phyl lodes. I not iced it i n f lower a l r e a d y , t h e o t h e r day, and had t o i nc lude it in my Wallum flowerings. New growth is a l o v e l y coppery pink, and wi th t h e l i g h t behind i t , i t almost glows. From Pe reg ian Beach t o Noosa, it i s common along t h e David Low W a y .

Surviving t h e 1992 E h Swamp r e l o c a t i o n are:

Acacia b a u e r i Baeckea imbr i ca t a Bamksia robur Bauera c a p i t a t a Dampiera s t r i c t a Lobel ia d a t a Melaleuca thymi fo l i a Baeckea s t enophy l l a Ricinocarpus p i n i f o l i u s I n a l a r g e clump wi th Xanthorrhoea f 'ulva - Baeckea imbr ica ta , Pimelea l i n i f o l i a , Eriostemon myoporoides subsp. queenslandicus, and a Lomandra which keys out t o be Lomandra obl iqua, bu t i s d i f f e r e n t from t h e same spec i e s p l a n t which I purchased at t h e 1994 Qld. Region Flower Show. Leucopogon virgatum Non-surviVors were Boronia f a l c i f o l i a , Burchard ia umbellata , Comespema defol iatum, Hibbe r t i a s a l i c i f o l i a and Westr ingia t e n u i c a u l i s . Z i e r i a l a x i f l o r a is j u s t a l i v e .

Propagat ion e f f o r t s have s o far been minimal ( i n s u f f i c i e n t t ime) , bu t seed is u s u a l l y more succes s fu l t han c u t t i n g s f o r me, One t i n y Mi rbe l i a r u b i i f o l i a has s t rugg led f o r some time, bu t I t h i n k i t is g r a d u d l y g i v i n g up t h e f i g h t . I pruned my pa ren t p l a n t o f M i ~ b e l i a r u b i i f o l i a , and l o s t it, 1'11 have t o t r y seed, For seed propagat ion, I a m now t r y i n g t h e method Jm Sked h a used f o r years . This i s t o put t h e coa r se sand i n a polys tyrene box, wi th dra inage hole/s, and p l a n t t h e seed i n rows, l a b e l l e d , The box is l e f t ou t i n all weathers, r a i n o r sh ine , ho t o r cold, s eeds I p lan ted about 3 weeks are now popping up - Callisternon pachyphyllus, Hakea f l o r u l e n t a , and some Leptospenaun, eo far, Some s c a t t e r i n g o f seed m a y occur , bu t p l a n t s can be i d e n t i f i e d as they grow.

I am hoping t h a t l o c a l Study Group members can j o i n t h e R e d c l i f f e & D i s t r i c t 3GAP f o r propagat ion m e e t i n g s - a t t h e garden of EBargaret Lock, 30 Blue P a c i f i c Road, Deception Bay, dur ing t h e year. A combination of t a l e n t s and e x p e r t i s e might i n c r e a s e o u r knowledge and success . Forthcoming d a t e s a r e Mondays 20th February and 20th March.

We begin between 8.30 & 9.00 a.m., and br5ng morning t e a , seeds, c u t t i n g s (preferab ly of heath- type ~ l a n t s ) , Po t s , p o t t i n g mix and sand a r e on s i te , bu t spare p o t s can be 1 e f t at B h g a r e t ' s.

* ~ S H C * ~ * * Y * i M H Y Y H W W

WILDF'LOWER FIELD GUIDES FOR WALLUhI PLANTS have been u r g e n t l y needed f o r years . So fa t h e on ly wildf lower guides a v a i l a b l e have a l l been w r i t t e n down south, and don ' t app ly t o o u r species . A t last, we have a f i e l d guide f o r south-eas t Queensland.

On Sunday 20th November 1994, at F a i r h i l l Nursery, Yandina, Dr. Arthur Har ro ld ' s "Wildflowers of t h e Noosa-Cooloola Are#, was launched by Kathleen McArthur, h e r s e l f a renowned l o c a l wildflower exper t and a r t i s t / w r i t e r . l l r thur Harrold worked hard d u r i n g t h e 1970's and 8 0 ' s t o have t h e whole of t h e Noosa River catchment included i n t h e Cooloola National Park. A s he l i v e s at Noosa, it is only n a t u r a l t h a t h i s work h a s taken him around t h e no r the rn end of t h e Sunshine Coast, and h i s book covers t h e r e g i o n - s o u t h t o Coolum Beach. However, as a wildflower guide, i t can be used wherever c o a s t a l hea th occurs i n south-east Queensland. Over 450 p l a n t s a r e descr ibed , wi th l i n e drawings by seven l o c a l artists, and 32 c o l o u r p l a t e s by Kathleen McArthur and Bevly Hughes. Don't be put off by t h e l a c k of p r e t t y p i c t u r e s , t h e l i n e drawings a r e about 956 accura te , and recognizable. The key i s based on t h e number of p e t a l s , type of f lower, and colour. A few superceded names have been used, bu t t h i s is a guide f o r everyone, no t a b o t a n i c d pub l i ca t ion , and many people w i l l b e happy j u s t t o know whether a f lower is a "Leucopogon" o r a "Danpiera", and won't worry about t h e spec i e s name. For some, it w i l l be an i n t r o d u c t i o n t o a new world of i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of t h e f lowers a t l a s t , and they w i l l go f u r t h e r on, and search out o t h e r pub l i ca t ions f o r reference. If t h e guide can i nc rease knowledge o f , and i n t e r e s t i n our threa tened Wallum spec ie s , i t w i l l have achieved its purpose. I would recomend t h a t any Study Group member who v is i t s W a l l u m a r eas , purchases Arthur Harro ld ' s "Wildflowers1' from our S.G.A.P. Qld. Region S a l e s Of f i ce r , Graham F o r s t e r - phone number on i n s i d e f r o n t cover of t h e B u l l e t i n . It i s p r i ced at $20 through t h e Socie ty , and w e l l worth t h e money - it is o u r wi ldf lower guide f o r south-eas te rn Queensland, s o g e t a copy and use it well . - Ian Macke , from Br ib i e I s l a n d , has done a l o t of work on t h e I s l a n d ' s w i ld f lo~ve r s , and r e c e n t l y co-authored a guide t o t h e r e g i o n ' s b i rds . He i s now planning a similar t y p e of guide t o B r i b i e I s l a n d ' s W a l l u r n plants . It w i l l b e a d i f f e r e n t f o a n a t from Arthur b r r o l d ' s book, and should compliment it, r a t h e r t han d e t r a c t from it. Ian has a l r eady prepazed a vidoe of some of h i s wildf lower photographs.

Someday, t h e W a l l u m Study Group might produce some wildf lower booklets . I have i n mind something a f t e r t h e s t y l e of t h e s m a l l pub l i ca t ions put out i n t h e 1970's by t h e S tead h4emoriaJ. Wi ld l i f e Research Foundation. These d e a l t wi th Grev i l l ea s ; Mat and Ground Covers; Callistemons and o the r Bot t lebrushes ; Mintbushes and t h e i r Be la t ives ; Propagat ion. Our Group could cover such t o p i c s as Pro teaceae of t h e Wallurn; The Epacr idaceae ( ~ e a t h s ) ; Tea Flowers; The filyrtaceae of t h e \Tallurn; B l u e Flowers; P ink Flowers; Yellow Flowers; and s o on.

I hope it doesn ' t reach t h e stage someday, where all we have l e f t of t h e c o a s t a l hea th l ands of Australia, is some hard-to-access r e se rves , and ou r books, f i e l d guides, photographs, and memories. We need l o c a l counc i l s and Government Departments t o suppor t e f f o r t s t o r e t a i n s i g n i f i c a n t a r e a s of d r y and wet hea ths , and t h e n t o develop s u s t a i n a b l e management plans. Without t h e s e , wildf lower a r e a s d e t e r i o r a t e t o a s t a g e where they axe no longer a t t r a c t i v e , and t h i s o f t e n l e a d s t o them being " t i d i e d up", and t h e o r i g i n a l n a t u r a l beauty is l o s t forever . Not only do me l o s e a p i e c e of l o v e l y hea th land , we a l s o l o s e a much-needed b o t a n i c a l resource.

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THE STUM GROUP'S WDRK I N 1995? We must g e t r e a l l y s e r i o u s about propagat ion, from bo th seed and cu t t ings . If you have a p a r t i c u l a r s k i l l , u s e it and sha re it with us. Search ou t more a reas under t h r e a t of c l e a r i n g , and r e l o c a t e p l a n t s t o g u d e n s , SO we c a n use t h o s e f o r propagat ion and o t h e r research , Do o u r f i r e r egene ra t ion surveys , and record our f indings. Enjoy t h e Wal.lum and c o a s t a l heathland,

GARDEN VISIT AND INFOB& hSEETING at t h e garden of Study Group l e a d e r , at Farrow Road, Samsonvde. Whether coning v i a Samford o r Dayboro, t u r n i n t o Kobble Creek Road on t h e sou the rn s i d e of Kobble Creek. Map reference is 4 D on UBD Direc tory , f o r t h e co rne r o f M t . Samsos Road and Kobble Creek Road. Look f o r t h e Samsonvde liural. F i r e Brigade shed. !Tun l e f t i n t o P r fng le s Road, and s t r a i 3 h t ahead at t h e mailboxes i n t o Farrow Road. A l l roads and t h e creek a r e s ignposted, with a s e a l e d road t o t h e mailboxes. From t h e r e , it i s 2.5 ks. of grave l road, i n good condi t ion , t o ow: p lace , P a s s 5 o t h e r res idences (two a r e l a r g e sheds) , two dams, bananas, and ou must c r o s s a g r i d at a very overgrown corner ( a c t u a l l y a b i t of remnant d r y scrub 5 . A f t e r t h e g r i d , you shosrld s e e a cream house, 2 l a r g e g d v a n i s e d sheds, a p a l e g r e e n t ank , and a n a t i v e p l an t @;=den with Grev i l l ea s , on t h e s lope , Someone t o l d me r e c e n t l y t h a t those p l a n t s were a s u r e i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e y had reached t h e r i g h t place. If you do t ake a mrong t u r n , snd f i n d your se l f at the wrong house, dust ask f o r Geoff and Barbara Henderson, t h e t h r e e houses before ou r s dl belong t o family.

I have been asked by a couple of people i f It w i l l be a l l r i g h t t o b r i n g a f r i e n d o r two - t h e y w i l l be q u i t e welcome, and under no o b l i g a t i o n t o j o i n t h e Study Group.

Prepar ing tgis n e w s l e t t e r i n humid 36 h e a t had me hoping Sunday 1 2 t h is a l o t cooler . But t h a t was yes te rday , and to-day's c l m d cover was f a x more pleasant .

So t h a t b r i n g s me t o t h e end of ano the r r a t h e r b i g n e ~ s l e t t e r . I must t r y t o produce s m a l l e r ones, more o f t e n , and ~ e e p i n touch with members b e t t e r m

I f , by some mi rac l e , it i s r a i n i n g on Sunday 12th , and you a r e u n c e r t a i n about coming, p l e a s e phone me on (07)2899272~

U n t i l t h e next i s s u e , happy wildf lowering from you l e ade r , and if you have any i n t e r e s t i n g informat ion f o r t h e n e w s l e t t e r , p l e a s e send i t meo