The second month back after the COVID-19 break started with a session of Trad work near the Eucalypt Rd entrance.

A whipbird, eastern spinebill, and butcher bird passed by to give us encouragement, but there was no sound from the usual bell miners.

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After morning tea the group went for a tour of the outer perimeter to check on the deanei plantings and the drainage issues by the highway.

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Most of the deanei seemed to be growing strong, although cobblers peg (Bidens pilosa)  was growing in abundance. It was also good to see that work had started on resolving the drainage problems up by the highway, which will be of great benefit for the local ecosystem.

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The long COVID-19 enforced break ended on 27 June when the team regrouped under new rules designed to keep the virus at bay.

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Physical distancing, no sharing of morning tea, and cleaning of equipment were new habits to learn in this strange new world… but the shared love of the environment remained.

The lengthy layoff meant that a tour of the reserve was required to see what had changed and where the issues were.

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Starting off at Lawson Rd, the happy gang went down through the Fitzgeralds Creek gully and wound back up to the “stockpile” site, with evidence of bandicoot presence.

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The Deanei Reserve team transplanted themselves to Else-Mitchell Park for a hands-on session of potting.

Thanks to Mike, there was a great variety and quantity of young native plants that were replanted in pots and good soil. The park shelter kept us dry from the rain.

The plants included Eucalyptus deanei, Bleeding Heart (Omolanthus populifolius), Acacia parramatensis, and Doodia aspera (prickly rasp fern).

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Thanks to Monica and Richard for taking the potted plants into safe keeping, and to all the team for a wonderfully productive morning.

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