Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2 Page 1 FRIENDS OF MYALL PARK BOTANIC GARDEN NEWSLETTER Vol 25 No 2 Winter 2016 Thanks to the St. George office of Ann Leahy, MP, Member for Warrego, for her support for our newsletter. Office: Telephone 07 4665 6705 Email: [email protected]Post: PO Box 22, Glenmorgan, Qld 4423 Website: www.myallparkbotanicgarden.com www.facebook.com/myallparkbotanicgarden DATES for your DIARY: July 20 - October 5, 2016 Offshoots Exhibition OPENING OF EXHIBITION. Wednesday July 20th, 6 pm. Complimentary Champagne and strawberries. FREE ENTRY. RSVP To The Gallery 07 46656705 or email to: [email protected]Spring Day August 27,2016 While visiting our place, you will be watched—from our feathered friends [juvenile Blue Faced Honeyeater] to tiny spiders smaller than you little finger nail. These spiders are part of the invertebrate surveys of the Federal Biodiversity project [image taken by Rob Whyte and Anne Jones]. Details of the project in future newsletters.
Transcript
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
Page 1
FRIENDS OF MYALL PARK
BOTANIC GARDEN
NEWSLETTER
Vol 25 No 2 Winter 2016
Thanks to the St. George office of Ann Leahy, MP, Member for Warrego, for her support for our newsletter.
DATES for your DIARY: July 20 - October 5, 2016 Offshoots Exhibition
OPENING OF EXHIBITION. Wednesday July 20th, 6 pm.
Complimentary Champagne and strawberries.
FREE ENTRY. RSVP To The Gallery 07 46656705 or email to: [email protected]
Spring Day August 27,2016
While visiting our place, you will be watched—from our feathered friends [juvenile Blue Faced Honeyeater] to tiny spiders smaller than you little finger nail. These spiders are part of the invertebrate surveys of the Federal Biodiversity project [image taken by Rob Whyte and Anne Jones]. Details of the project in future newsletters.
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
Page 2
Green Nomads Program Set to Help
Myall Park Botanic Garden
Myall Park Botanic Garden has been negotiating with Queensland Water and Land Carers to become a partner in the Green Nomads scheme. This is a new idea to give people travelling around the State the opportunity to exchange volunteer work for a place to stay and Myall Park Botanic Garden is one of four organisations which is to help start the scheme off this year. We are hoping that a couple of Green Nomads may come to assist at our next working bee and in future we hope to be able to arrange further events which they can assist us with. Anybody interested in becoming a Green Nomad can find out more information about it and register with QWALC at the web address:
CONTENTS
Diary Dates;;;;;;;......1
Nita’s Corner;;;........;;....2
Friends’ Working bee ;;;;. 3
Growing Australian plants from
An Artist Retreat at Myall Park
Botanic Garden ;;;.;;; 4
Seed germination;.;;;.... 5
Caretakers’ page ;;;......... 6
Herbarium specimens ;;.;. 7
Spray donation ;;;.;;.; 8
Books and Merchandise;..; 9
Membership renewal ;;.;.;10
Information page ;;.;;..;.11
Gift Catalogue ;;;;;;;.12
Nita’s Corner
Trust you are all keeping warm.
Sad news—our wonderful caretakers, Angela and John who were beginning to settle in had to move on due to illness. To you both from all Directors and Friends, thank you for sharing your life with us. You bought many new ideas that encouraged a boarder planning base.
Sincere wishes for successful recovery.
Thank you also to Dave and Lorraine for dropping by to assist with water issues before our new caretaker can start.
Welcome Scott. We all trust you will enjoy your time at our special place. Everyone is looking forward to working along with you. Please see Scott’s article on page seven. You could not believe it but Scott’s first experience was ‘flooding rains’. Image below taken by Scott on his first day. How many of our recent caretakers have arrived thus?
The Garden has been under many falls to date this year, thus conditions have been a mixed bag for many specimens both new and old. Some arid species have not enjoyed having wet feet repeatedly, while others have continued to grow well into the winter.
We have a new member: Congratulations to Sean and Penny Grams on the arrival of their son Hugh Arthur Grams. Born on May 24th. A brother for Grace and Rosie. Welcome and we look forward to your attendance at future Directors’ meetings, Hugh.
The Friends working bee was successful once again—thank you to Peter Kerr and Sue Akeroyd for supervising your first working bee [Please article within this edition]. Three more bees are expected this year: Focussed upon, capital improvements and maintenance as well as Garden improvements.
Best wishes as always everyone and thank you for your continued support.
Nita
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Working Bee,
23rd- 30th April, 2016
This year saw a full roll-up of sixteen volunteers. People came and went giving what time they could so we managed to fill all the accommodation with Peter choosing to camp. With input from Nita, Peter and Sue organised the work to be done. Small groups worked together with all of us concentrating on the larger projects.
Work commenced to tidy around the accommodation, camping area and Gallery and Hybrid Gardens. Next, and for most of the week, work was carried out in the Mallee Walk. Later we worked from the far end of the Garden as far as we could, time permitting. In between we revitalised the Proteaceae division and the Honeyeater Walk.
Although the Garden has had much rain this year, not all of the plants have benefitted. Some grevilleas and eremophilas which were doing well this time last year, have died. Growth on many of the specimens has been exceptional. The weeds and grasses have loved the wetter conditions but we soon put a stop to their fun.
Weeds and grasses were cleared from specimens in the Honeyeater Walk. Only one year has passed since this project was commenced. Results are amazing. Last year’s hours of mulching continuing from Dave and Lorraine’s lead-up work, has lead to excellent growth our extensive planting. The vista from the sheltered picnic table is an asset to the Garden.
Tucked away down the pathway paved with ‘bird’ tiles is the Bird Hide. An immediate destination for many who visit the Garden, it has benefitted from the professionally laid ponds (again Dave and Lorraine’s work) to the extent that it is rare not to find several bird species on every visit. Some grasses were planted near the edges of the pond and some dead logs placed so that birds could venture out over the water. Many early morning visits were made before work started for the day.
Tuesday’s Happy Hour was spent here with Angela and John joining us. We have had much help from them both during the week and it will be sad to see them move on after so short a visit. We hope all goes well for them in the coming months.
Meanwhile down at the Mallee Walk, confirmation and identification of species and clarification of the Walk’s layout was undertaken. It was decided that by making small adjustments to its layout, more specimens could
be viewed. A certain amount of brush-cutting and chain-sawing by Peter and Dan extended the path a short way to the west.
Dan and Wendy GPS’d all the walk specimens and important features, then created a sequence of maps to enable the existing species to be placed more accurately.
The species planted by Dave Gordon were all named at the time but forty years on, many of these labels are missing or difficult to read. There has been no irrigation to this part of the Garden for at least thirty years so in spite of many losses the species remaining are fine specimens and well worth a visit.
In order to define the path and reduce the maintenance of grass cutting, Peter’s solution was to move and spread ‘white rock’ from our nearby quarry. John, Dick and Peter spent many hours to carry out almost 140 metres of this hot and dusty work. Hopefully a future working bee will have time to complete the job.
As well as the mulch contribution Peter brought from Brisbane, extra piles of mulch previously made by Dave and Lorraine before they left were used on new plantings, including the Western Walk, Gallery gardens and the Eastern Boundary Garden. These were mainly replacements for losses of species considered important additions to the Garden. Areas in all gardens that had been mulched the previous year showed the benefit of fewer invasive grasses and better water retention which all resulted in improved plant growth.
Robyn had brought a large Ooline (Cadellia pentastylis) retrieved from land near Bogabri, due for clearing for mining. Peter brought a Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ to replace a very old specimen planted at Terpersie Cottage and also a Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ recently lost in the Hybrid Garden.
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Hakeas petiolaris and multilineata, Burgundy form, an Acacia iteaphylla, and a few Graptophyllum excelsa, (beautifully illustrated by Dorothy Gordon) were planted at the Gallery.
Six Acacia jucundas will give added density to the screening plants along the eastern boundary fence. All plantings were GPS’d by Sue.
John Watson removed more than 180 drippers from dead plants, work started last year by Dave and Lorraine and continued by John and Angela. This is time consuming but saves so much of our precious water. For two hours of watering over a weekly cycle, the water saving is almost 3,000 litres. Over 1 year, 156,000 litres are saved.
Thursday night was set aside for our annual visit to the Bottle Tree Inn. With Robyn and John arriving on Wednesday and Wendy and Dan leaving on Friday, this was our best option. It was a shame that Shelley could not share the evening with us.
Before he left, Dick was given seed for twenty species of plants from the Seed Bank and other collected seed, cleaned and packed by Anne and Nickie. He will propagate these for Myall Park Botanic Garden.
Sue and Dale collated and listed the remaining packets ready for inclusion in the Seed Bank.
With Saturday being departure day for the rest of us, Happy Hour was spent at the camping area picnic tables.
In all, a most enjoyable and productive working bee.
Peter and Sue join me in thanking everyone for their contributions.
Incidentally we collectively travelled 5630 km over almost 100 hours and worked 528 volunteer hours.
An Artist Retreat at Myall Park Botanic Garden by Priscilla Mundell
At the last Open Day I won 2 nights accommodation at the Garden and I asked the Miles Art Group if they would like to join me on a painting retreat .
On the 4th May 2016 eight of us arrived at the Garden, Metka Skrobar a previous tutor from the Gold Coast, Patricia Hinz, Kylie Drury, Lynette Fabi-an , Di McIntyre and myself plus 2 photographers Roz Brownlie and former Director Megan McNichol. The next day 6 members of the Glenmorgan Art Group, Carol McCormack, Sue Reilly, Mary Penfold, Heather Reis, Dorinda Schwennesen and Merinda Warner joined us for the day. A wonderful catch up.
We made a base at the sawmill and then moved out around the Garden to paint, sketch, photograph and walk and admire the plantings plus looking at all Doro-thy Gordon’s beautiful paintings in the gallery. We stayed in the quarters where we had lots of good food, wine and company. A great time was had by all,for some their first visit. We all wished it had been a longer stay and hope to repeat this artist retreat next year. Weather wise it was perfect with warm days and cool nights.
Many thanks to Janine for looking after us.
In September we are having a wildflower exhibition on the Curved Wall at the Dogwood Crossing, Miles so this visit gave us all lots of inspiration and material for this exhibition.
Priscilla Mundell
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Growing Australian plants from seed
Drupal with seeds
Growing Australian Plants from Seed Part 2
Seed germination
Propagation from seed offers a number of advantages:
• Usually the most cost effective and efficient method especially if large numbers of seedlings are required
• Greater genetic diversity as compared with cuttings or division
• Usually seed collection causes less damage to parent plants than cuttings or division
It is important to recognise that ‘wild seed’ will display a wide variation such as quantity, seed germination times, seed dormancy and seed viability.
Requirements of seed germination
1. Water. Soil must be moist as all times during germination
2. Oxygen. This is essential and it present in seed raising mixtures – it is well aerated where as compacted or water logged soils oxygen is lacking. 3. Temperature. Soil temperature is very important. If you know when seeds geminate in the natural location, just before that is the time to plant. But if you do not know, there are a couple of pointers to consider. Species from cooler locations, plant during spring; from hot regions autumn and winter may be best. Keeping the seeds under constant temperature often improved germination. If nights are very cold compared with day time temperatures, germination may be slow or not at all. Keeping seeds near water such as water tank often provides a more constant temperature. I have had successes do this. 4. Specific temperature or range. Some species will only germinate when a particular temperature is reached, while others need a specific day/night temperature fluctuation. For example the tropical waterlily will only germinate once the water temperature reaches 25 degrees C. but is inhibited by temperatures over 29 degrees C.
Sowing seeds
A couple of choices: direct at location in the ground, into a medium pot, in a seedling tray.
• Into the ground has clear disadvantages as all or most of the above are difficult to control.
• Some species develop a tap root quickly or do not like being disturbed – so sowing into a medium pot first is best. Many palms, cycads and Davidsonia all prefer limited root disturbance.
• Seedling tray/small seed compartments – more control especially if seeds take weeks to germinate – but easy to forget and thus will dry out. Cheaper if you are buying in seed raising mixture. I have found some species ‘like the company’ and germination rates are higher when a couple of seeds are placed together in seedling trays. The Yates Hot House has small compartments – often one seed per compartment – but I have found a couple together improved outcome.
Goes to show, seed germination is a tricky thing. Record all dates, numbers etc. One year you will have
Acacia pods
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Hi to all The Friends of Myall Botanical Garden,
My name is Scott Kielly –Coleman,
I arrived at The Garden from Miles with wonderful directions from Sue Akeroyd after a couple of weeks of email exchange to a warm welcome from Janine Pechey at the Gallery followed soon after meeting with David and Lorraine (Grey Nomads on Hold) who gave me an in depth tour of the Gardens and the many different facilities on site as they had returned to the Gardens to fix the solar pump on the dam. Invaluable time spent with them both.
A little about myself.
I grew up in Brisbane attending Brisbane State High School, completing my senior year in 1986 just a few short years after Janine had left. (How small a world). I had an early travel bug and left for Europe returning back in to Oz in 1991. As an avid reader and the gypsy blood still boiling, I started reading of the early pioneers of the Australian Outback, journals and many Biographies’ some of which were “Kings of Grass Castles” , a story of the Duracks trek from Archerfield in Brisbane to Broome in the Kimberly’s via Borooloola NT. I worked in several remote communities along the way amongst them - One Arm Point Cape Leveque WA, a thriving Pearl Farm, Thangoo Station south of Broome and Cable Beach Club Resort Cable Beach.
Returning to Qld some years later after stopping off in Jabiru NT working at the Croc Resort I finally re-sided in Cairns for 12 years working in Tourism and Hospitality at The Cairns International, Cairns Casino and finally Area Manager for the Mantra group overseeing 9 properties from Mackay to Port Douglas.
With Itchy feet and a pregnant wife I moved to Bribie Island to be closer to family and friends in Brisbane. I worked at The Gums Anchorage Bribie Island caretaking the grounds and relieving the mangers on site for 4 years.
Another good read was “In Leichardt’s Footsteps” which found me closer to my Families origins in Miles. My Grandmother and extended family were cattle men on Glen Wilga Stud, Hopelands, Chinchilla and had come in from Wallumbilla via Nara, near Goombungee. Recently, I worked as a Caretaker on Avondale Station Myall Park Rd , Miles.
What a coincidence that whilst at the Dogwood Creek Gallery in Miles I would also discover “One Man’s Dream” and an advertisement on Gum tree for a caretaker at The Garden. Post haste and a short drive via Drillham, here I am Living In "One Man’s Dream” at Myall Park Botanic Garden - a truly magical place also steeped in history of an early pioneer.
Living on site is a unique experience and I look forward to meeting the Friends of the Park and welcoming new Visitors to the Garden and Gal-lery for a day excursion or experience an ex-tended stay at one of the many accommoda-tion options on site.
Kind Regards and safe travels,
Scott
Meet our new Caretaker - Scott Coleman
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Photo above shows Peter and Lyn Reilly with the finished 70 boxes of herbarium specimens, now digitised. Each sheet was photographed (took a week), then all details entered onto a database (took 6 weeks). Printed copies of the contents of each box will be inserted when Peter & Lyn are next at the Gardens (hopefully early August).
What a feat. Job well done !
Peter and Lyn Reilly on digitising the Herbarium specimens
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Committee members are sought to assist with planning and decision making in the
Members of Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd
Ross and Margaret Easton, Centenary Heights
Generous donations have
been received from many
visitors Including
Dick Harding [opposite], one of our Friends from Brisbane, who purchased a 15 litre Knapsack
sprayer for the Garden. Dick comes out to The Garden yearly for the
Friends working bee.
Thank You
Model of sprayer donated.
A BIG Thank you to Dave and Lorraine Cameron for making the trip out from Kallangur on the 7th June. They met Scott Coleman – our new caretaker, and began a very busy few days sorting out the debris around the solar pump, and getting it going again.
Dave re set the watering times for winter on the water controls and replaced the faulty pressure pump at the shower up near the gallery.
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
Page 9
BOOKS from our Catalogue
Order from the Garden and the profit stays here
‘ P i n p o i n t ’ Children’s book by Rhondda Bridle and Nita C Lester; illustrated by Nita C Lester
$15
Birdwings’ New Home by Lynette Reilly, illustrated by Lois Hughes. Celebrates endangered butterflies $10
For Sharp Eyes Only by Nita C Lester and Elaine Lyons: Illustrations show how our native animals are camouflaged in their surroundings
$10
Hessian Garden bag
with
waterproof lining
$6
Four bloom and single bloom
Postcards
$1.50 each
Brigalow Birds book and CD
Birds of Myall Park Botanic Garden and surrounding region. PLUS
With the aid of Brigalow Birds, you will be able to identify over 250 Australian bird species, many occurring throughout
Australia.
For latest information and pictures on ‘Plants in the Garden’ see our website -www.myallparkbotanicgarden.com
Email or use form on page 10 not forgetting to add a one-off cost of
$10 postage per order.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH
PHOTOGRAPHS IN FULL COLOUR?
If you opt to receive it by email as a pdf file, then that’s what awaits you. As well, you will be
helping to cut down the amount of paper we pay to transport it all over the country and the time taken by our volunteers to fold, staple and post each one.
Please send Betty (see page 9) your email address which we will use in confidence only for this purpose.
Alternatively, newsletters may be downloaded directly from our website www.myallparkbotanicgarden.com
clearly stated. Copyright permission should be obtained for material quoted
from other publications.
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
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Current Directors Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd
DIRECTORS
Chairman Nita C Lester
Vice Chairman Penny Grams
Secretary Sue Akeroyd
Treasurer Betty Salter Peter Kerr, Alison Banks
Managers
Business Management: Betty Salter with assistance from Alison Banks
Garden Experience: Penny Grams
Horticulture, Conservation and Research: Peter Kerr
Company correspondence to: The Secretary, 8 Palm Ave, Holland Park West. Qld. 4121
DONATIONS
All donations of money and goods with a value of $2 and over are tax deductible.
Cheques payable to Myall Park Botanic Garden Gift Fund.
Post to:
Nita C. Lester, PO Box 465 Mapleton, Qld 4560
Don’t let us lose you—Renew or join here
I / We wish to remain / become a Friend of Myall Park Botanic Garden
Subscriptions and Renewals to 30 September 2017
□ Individual: $15 □ Single Life Membership: $300 □ Community Group: $35
□ Business: $100 (with link to webpage) □ Business Life Membership: $1000 (with link to webpage) Please print:
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Telephone;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;..;
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Payment may be made
1) either directly into our bank account:
Commonwealth Bank, Dalby. BSB 064-412 Account No. 1000 1195
Account name: Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd.
Reference: (please include your name and that it is for ‘subscription’)
2) or by cheque payable to ‘Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd.’
Whichever method of payment you use, please send this completed form to:
Mrs B. Salter, “GlenFosslyn”, Glenmorgan, Qld 4423
I/WE ARE INTERESTED IN ASSISTING WITH:
O Newsletter production (collect or write articles, lay-out, etc)
O Working bees
O Herbarium (helping with specimens, records etc)
O Promotion and Marketing
O Living Collection
O Retail
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We welcome new members.
Why not introduce a friend or give a gift membership
We really appreciate your Friends
Membership.
If you need to renew, please fill in the form below, and we will update
your record
Friends of Myall Park Botanic Garden Newsletter Vol. 25 No.2
Page 11
MYALL PARK BOTANIC GARDEN FEES 2016
A - GARDEN ENTRANCE FEES Garden and Gallery $5.00 per person FRIENDS and under 14 FREE School children under 14 on excursion $2 Official Guide $50 plus Garden entry fees Coach tours $5.00 pp, driver and tour operator free MPBG Friends Group Membership –each visit, one free entry, other members visiting at the same time 10% discount Organised working parties—Free (by prior arrangement only) B - ACCOMMODATION (Garden entry included) For bookings, contact Caretakers Ph 07 4665 6855 (May—October, advance bookings advisable) Friends Members 10% discount. Tour organisers Free Children under 14 half price, under 6 free. Linen (if required) $5 per person (bed linen, towels) Avochie Cottage: 1 night - 1-2 people $80 - each extra person $20/ night 3 nights - 1-2 people $220 - each extra person $20 /night 1 week - 1-2 people $480 - each extra person $20/night For above packages, a cleaning fee of $20 will be added if necessary Cleaning included for 5 nights or longer. The Quarters: Rooms 1—4 (guests share kitchen and bathroom facilities) per person: 1 night $30 3 nights $80 1 week $180 Room 5 : 1-2 person I night $50 -3 nights $130-.Extra person $10pp p night Cleaning NOT included in The Quarters packages, $20 fee added if necessary. Sole Use of The Quarters—p.o.a. C - TENTS and VANS (Garden entry included) FREE POWER All sites: $25 per site per night for 1-2 people. Extra person $5.50 D - CATERING Meals available Bottle Tree Inn, Glenmorgan ph 07 4665 6727 and General Store, Glenmorgan ph 074665 6886 E - GALLERY HIRE Includes use of furniture, urn, power-points for equipment, fridge and Garden entry. Tea and coffee not provided. $100 first day, $25 each extra day (includes cleaning) $10 per day for local non-profit community groups—please leave clean or pay $20 cleaning fee.
******** Please discuss all arrangements when you book tours or
accommodation. On arrival, see Information in log box at Visitor Centre, or on-site caretaker. Glenmorgan has basic provisions including diesel and unleaded fuel. Diesel and unleaded fuel are also available at Surat with card (PIN) and The Gums. Fuel sales at Meandarra are credit card (PIN) only.
Garden closed for maintenance 20 Dec—20 Jan each year
VISITORS WELCOME AT ALL OTHER TIMES
ABOUT OUR ACCOMMODATION: (Linen is not included. Ask about our linen service when you book.)
Avochie Cottage - (Right) Renovated 3 bedroom cottage with 1 double and 2 twin rooms. Bath/shower and toilet. Electric hot water system. Open fireplace in sitting room. New electric stove, microwave oven, crockery, cutlery, electric jug, fridge, frypan and toaster. Washing up and cleaning utensils supplied. Fans, air cooler, heater , basic furnishings.
The Quarters: (Right) Renovated inside and out. Two verandahs, 4 small bedrooms (6 single beds) 1 large bedroom (1 double bed + 2 singles). 2 bathrooms each with bath / shower, 2 toilets. Electric hot water. New electric stove, microwave oven, crockery and cutlery, fridge, electric jug, frypan and toaster. Washing up and cleaning utensils supplied. Fans, heater, basic furnishings. Open fireplace in living area.
Caravans/Tents: Connect to the power on-site and use toilet / shower facilities at the Gallery complex. Unpowered sites available.
For all bookings, phone caretakers on 07 4665 6855 or email. We ask you to leave the accommodation clean when you depart and to take all rubbish with you. (No collection here.)
