Colac Street Bushcare Group

Introduction
Site history
Site issues/difficulties
Weeds observed on site
Contact details

Introduction

The Colac Street Revegetation Group formed out of an interest to restore a section of a tributary of Kedron Brook near Colac Street, Kedron. The area was a weed-infested eyesore that the group hoped to transform into a condition suitable for use by wildlife and local residents. 

Their work aimed to improve aesthetic, wildlife, and water quality values, as well as providing a starting point for a natural area corridor along the creek.

In late 1999, Brisbane City Council was approached for advice and assistance with regards to restoring the creek. Jenny Leask (Habitat Brisbane Officer – North) was impressed with their enthusiasm and she made arrangements so that they could do a trial planting. 

They were successful in their application for funding and assistance from the Habitat Brisbane Program and for some years,, they continued to carry out restoration work along the creek.

Now, this group no longer exists as a part of the Habitat Brisbane groups though locals may be helping to maintain the area.

Site history

Originally, the site was mostly weed infested with very few native plants and was of little value for wildlife.  

Once they started their restoration efforts, the aesthetics of the site were improved greatly with the planting of a variety of eucalypt woodland trees, shrubs, grasses and vines. 

The group noticed birds, lizards and invertebrates utilising the habitat provided by their plantings. They hoped that this positive trend of increased usage by wildlife would continue as their plantings matured and provided habitat for a greater range of wildlife.

Site issues/difficulties

Steep slope

The site is a section of the creek with steep banks, which present difficulties for restoration work. For safety reasons, only adults undertook planting on the steep sections. Buckets were used to carry mulch to plants on the slope. 

Heavy weed infestation

The site is heavily weed infested with about 30 different species of weed. This presents difficulties because the site is not capable of undergoing natural regeneration, as there is no remnant native vegetation on site or nearby from which regeneration can occur.

To overcome this problem a variety of weed control methods were used at Colac Street and native plants were used to help suppress and replace the introduced species.

Weeds observed on site

Common name	Botanical name
Annual Ragweed	Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Blackberry Nightshade	Solanum americanum
Blue Morning Glory	Ipomoea indica
Castor Oil Plant	Ricinis communis
Chinese Elm	Celtis sinensis
Cobbler’s Pegs	Bidens pilosa
Curled Dock	Rumex crispus
Devil’s Fig	Solanium
Glycine	Glycine sp.
Green Cestrum	Cestrum parqui
Guinea Grass	Panicum maximum
Japanese Sunflower	Tithonia diversifolia
Johnson Grass	Sorghum halepense
Kikuyu Grass	Pennisetum clandestinum
Madeira Vine	Anredera cordifolia
Mile - a - minute	Ipomoea cairica
Milk Thistle	Sonchus oleraceus
Nut Grass	Cyprus rotundus
Paddy’s Lucerne	Medicago sativa
Para Grass	Bracharia mutica
Plantain	Plantago sp.
Potato Weed	Solanium sp
Purple Top	Verbena bonariensis
Red Natal Grass	Rhynocephalum repens
Rhodes Grass	Chloris gayana
Siratro	Macroptilium atropurpureum
Swamp Dock	Rumex brownii
Thickhead	Crassocephalum crepidioides
Yellow Guava	Psidium guajava

  Contact Details

In past years, the contact was Mr. Gary Sands as Group Leader.

(C. Ivin 09/12/2010)