The Tarrabora Bushcare Group
Tarrabora Bushcare Group meets every 2nd Saturday of the Month
Situated on Currumbin Creek and outlined by the Gold Coast Highway, Tarrabora Reserve is used for recreational purposes by many residents and offer a range of walking trails throughout. The reserve also provides a visual buffer and a refuge for wildlife, particularly birds and reptiles. This site is made up of a number of communities including important saltmarsh vegetation that supports a range of birds, dunal systems and banksia woodland.
During the 1960’s and 70’s a plan to build a marina, hotel and housing estate were on the cards for Tarrabora. A small group of locals set up a committee known as “The Currumbin Estuary Protection Committee” to campaign against the proposed development. In February of 1980 a packed crowd met at the now demolished Palm Beach Bowls Club to confront the government over the development. It was then the government realised they were outnumbered and withdraw their support for the controversial development.
Tarrabora Reserve was proclaimed a reserve for environmental and recreational purposes in 1980 after a long hard campaign by local residents to save the area from development. The Currumbin Estuary Protection Committee changed it’s name to Friends of Currumbin and has carried out a role of protecting the Currumbin area. The official Tarrabora Bushcare group was formed in March of 1999 and continue works within the Beaches to Bushland program with the reserve also being managed by the Natural Areas Management Unit. On Saturday the 9th of April Tarrabora Bushcare Group, Friends of Currumbin, GECKO and the Natural Areas Management Unit hosted a 30th anniversary celebration which included displays, keynote speakers and tree planting
Currumbin Creek Bushcare Group
Date: Third Saturday of the month from February to November
Time: 8am – 10am
Place: Various locations between Nicholl’s Crossing and Robert Neumann Park (contact prior)
The Currumbin Creek Care Group was formed in 2008 and is a dedicated bushcare group partnered with the Natural Areas Management Unit under the Beaches to Bushland Volunteer Landcare Program.
The group assists with the restoration of these degraded riparian areas along a 1.5 kilometre section public park known as Currumbin Creek Reach that passes through the sustainable living development known as the Ecovillage. The riparian zone has been greatly disturbed by past management practices, high nutrient run-off from surrounding cleared land, high sunlight intrusion and impacts by residential development activities. In some areas very little native vegetation remained and it was the structure of the camphor laurels that has been assisting in providing forest structure, subsequent food sources and bank stability.
More than 60 weed species were also affecting this site and the infestations ranged from severe to scattered. Some of the worst environmental weeds in terms of their impact to forest structure and health as well as the fact they are considered long-term weeds (long seed viability, resilient, hard to control, easily dispersed, labour intensive and therefore more expensive) affect this site. They included, cats claw creeper, madeira vine, trad, camphor laurel, cchna, morning glory and many more including a range of exotic grasses and ground covers.
Works undertaken by the group are enhanced by professional bush regenerators that assist with preparation for planting and follow up maintenance including the control of environmental weeds.
Aims
- encourage active community involvement and ownership
- encourage the germination of native species and promote growth in existing native species by controlling weeds
- provide learning opportunities for local landholders in “ecological restoration”
- expand the width of riparian vegetation and protect creek bank from erosion where possible through revegetation and assisted regeneration techniques
- improve and increase habitat opportunities for native wildlife
- restore and improve the structure of the existing native vegetation within the park using revegetation and assisted regeneration techniques
- strengthen relationships in the community
Group achievements
The group have significantly contributed to stabilising and enhancing this section of Currumbin Creek by planting approximately 11,000 native riparian species and undertaking environmental weed control works. The group were also previously successful in obtaining a grant from South East Queensland Catchments which assisted with funding towards plants, materials and follow up maintenance.
Currumbin Creek Care Group session information:
What to bring: Sturdy shoes, long sleeve shirts, pants, sunscreen, hat, wome water and gloves
More volunteers are always welcome. If this is your first time attending the group, please call in advance to confirm the meeting details as locations vary. If it is raining, the event will be cancelled
Alex Jakimoff, 0419 734 840
astrawforest@bigpond.com
Beaches to Bushland, 5581 1537