Zion Hill Bushcare Group maintains original remnant melaleuca vegetation, by reducing weed vines, and planting new native plants in what was once an old landfill site. The area has been heavily impacted in past by clearing and weed invasion. The group is undertaking buffer planting around perimeter of remnant in addition to strategic weed control in wetland.
The group is currently working mainly on western slopes to creek and higher flat ground. The site was entirely cleared post white settlement but has re-vegetated mostly in last 40 years or so planting and natural regeneration. The land is unfortunately quite disturbed from original landscape of freshwater holes that where particularly on eastern side of creek, but have since been re-claimed into sport fields. So we can only now work what’s left. There is still some small remnants of original bush vegetation species diversity particularly adjacent dog park at northern end.
There is a low area towards creek and banks that despite drought conditions maintains higher soil moisture and nutrients which may regenerate to a more closed/dry rainforest type gallery forest. It is still possible to regenerate in places out planting but in most locations planting (particularly mid-storey species) is required.
The original forest here would have been a low land coastal hills vegetation consisting of lots of wildlife diversity and habitat. Canopy species for example included Eucalyptus tereticornis, Eucalytus crebra, Corymbia tessellaris, Corymbia intermedia, Elaeocarpus obovatus (creek banks) to name just a few.
In wet times land will flood which original native vegetation is easily adapted too. The vegetation of site is not isolated but connected to vegetation along now known Shultz Canal and Kedron Brook that flows in.
Zion Hill Bushcare Group Facebook page can be found here.
For more information contact Bushcare Group Leader Peter Weir on 0408 119 279 or petercweir@hotmail.com
Bushcare Working Bees
Bushcare Working Bees run from 7am to 9am 1st Saturday of each month off Hedley Ave Nundah, in German Station Park (part of Albert Bishop Park) adjacent Nundah Historic Cemetry.
