This month the team focused on Trad near the Lawson Rd entrance, following on from our previous good work in the same area.
Heads down, hard at work
Mike enthusiastically employed his grid technique to ensure that no Trad escaped.
Framed by the grid
Unfortunately, Monica also noticed the presence of Turkey Rhubarb ,which we’ll have to keep an eye on in future sessions.
Newly discovered Turkey Rhubarb
After seeing the parched state of the forest during the August bushcare session, Mike, Richard and John met up to provide water to the deanei plantings on the south side. These trees were actually doing quite well and most looked healthy.
A quick tour of the area also noted much evidence of diggings and “highways” in the grassy banks, perhaps from bush rats and antechinus (to be confirmed).
The dry state of the forest was very obvious this month, with many of the younger deanei plantings suffering near the Eucalypt Rd entrance.
The bushcare group focused on trad removal and happily filled up several bags.
The E. deanei planted in June were showing evidence of being nibbled, probably by the resident swamp wallaby.
The wire defences around the trees were strengthened to prevent further munching and to give them the best chance to establish themselves.
We also did weeding along the gully slope, with Morning Glory and Mickey Mouse among the main types cleared.
A couple of larger E. deanei seedlings were planted by the pool in the western gully.
This view from the planting site shows the “embankment” wall.
Thanks to Glen for nurturing the young trees to planting stage. Hopefully they’ll grow to be as big as this nearby beauty
An examination of the dry upper pool showed evidence of digging and tunneling from local creatures.
With some interesting burrowing among the boulders.
A big thank you to the Blue Mountains Regeneration Team for their great work in preparing planting holes for our March Bushcare day. With the ground work so skillfully prepared, the bushcare team planted out over twenty E. deanei seedlings.
Thank you to Glen Perry and Mike Purcell for propagating and nurturing our ‘deanei babies’.
… a short photo session before we broke for morning tea … 
Taxonomy of ‘living things’ has evolved over many years. Many systems have evolved. Taxonomy involves keen observation / comparison / correlation …. of ‘living things’ to provide an orderly, systematic, scientific classification.
In more recent times DNA barcoding has been employed to confirm or revise certain classifications.
Our E. deanei taxonomy (as described in Plantnet)
Source; Plantnet,
Common Name ... Mountain blue gum, Deane’s gum, Round-leafed gum
Size of plant ... E. deanei is a forest giant, a tall straight tree to 60 metres
Form ... Tall straight trunk with an open branched habit forming an open canopy, graceful.
Details of occurrence or origin … deanei is a dominant plant in its community and is now found in small isolated pockets in central-eastern NSW and south-eastern QLD. In NSW occasionally on north coast and some in the Mooney-Mooney creek on the central coast, [under the Mooney-Mooney Bridge]. And also good numbers grow on the shale cap around Springwood and in the Jamieson valley. Has been found east of Tenterfield, an assumption being this tree was once widespread but because of its size was heavily milled. Now is considered rare but not endangered.
E. brunnea is a species of eucalyptus tree found in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. Lawrie Johnson and Ken Hill reclassified the New England population as a separate species, E. brunnea, but the consensus is that the differences are insufficient to warrant separate status. (Source: Wikipedia)
Initial information provided by Monica Nugent
Gang of Red-browed Finch – Neochmia temporalis
Bibliography Key
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Bibliography Key
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In the latter months of 2017, the Deanei Forest Bushcare Group plant 23+ E.deanei seedlings. While the temperature on several days in Dec / Jan peaked over 40C degrees, our little seedlings are thriving.
Several have succeeded in their “attempt to jump the fence !!!”
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