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Mona Vale Road to Barrenjoey Lighthouse – We decided to go to the lighthouse for several reasons – the lighthouse and its history, the views, the vegetation, and the challenge of the walk. We weren’t disappointed – each of these objectives was more than fully satisfied.

Walk Cranstons Trail Middle Dural – The Cranstons Trail goes from the end of Cranstons Road Middle Dural to O’Hara’s Creek, a tributary of Cattai Creek. our members identified 61 species.

Relocation of Platycerium superbum – From March to June, 2021, we had 624 mm rainfall in our area, which was too much for the screw (in the stump). It dislodged and dumped the fern without damaging it. I estimate that at that time it weighed 40 to 50 kg and was 1.5 m wide and…

Propagation – trial and (not many) errors. Ricki’s propagating journey with native plants began in June last year whilst studying Horticulture at Wentworth Falls TAFE, when she could not get into the glasshouse as much as she wanted due to the rules around COVID-19.

Lasting effects of a bushfire – On Australia Day in 1975 an intense bushfire swept through parts of Castle Hill, Kenthurst and Glenorie. I know this because we had just bought our block of land at Castle Hill, and it got singed. Fortunately, we hadn’t started to build the house!

Flannel Flowers – Actinotus helianthi grows naturally in my bush, but these don’t have large or numerous flowers. In my garden there are two attractive introduced populations that are self-perpetuating – they flower, shed seed, germinate and flower again without any help from me. They flower best from about September to January, and live for…

Banksias – Plant lovers who visit the south-west of Western Australia tend to abandon good sense. As loudly as their heads tell them that plants evolved for the west’s thin soils, winter rains and dry summers will not survive Sydney’s killing combo of summer heat and rain, their hearts cry out with desire.

Mt Wilson – before and after the fire. On 14th December 2019 a backburn was started during calm wind conditions in an effort to protect communities near the Bells Line of Road from the massive Gospers Mountain fire. However, soon after, the wind turned and blew in the opposite direction. The fire quickly burned through…

Visit to Boongala Gardens in Kenthurst – On a sunny afternoon in March, twelve members of the Parramatta – Hills APS Group visited Boongala Gardens. This is an amazing native garden created over many years by Mal and Jenny Johnston. The land was previously totally-cleared farming land, and the transformation required a huge amount of…

Pink Flannel Flower – Actinotus forsythii is an annual. This means it flowers once and then dies. It only germinates after a bushfire and suitable follow- up rain. Its habitat is on ridges on skeletal soils in the upper Blue Mountains at a few locations such as Mt Hay, Newnes Plateau, Kanangra Walls and Kings…

NSW RFS helps save resilient wattle from extinction – Among the fire-scarred forests and heathlands of the Blue Mountains, sit the hopeful little yellow pom-poms of the endangered Gordon’s wattle, Acacia gordonii.

Group Visit to Mother Earth Nursery – Mark Massey is the owner of Mother Earth Nursery. This is a general nursery which Mark has owned for only 2 years. From the beginning Mark wanted to create a different nursery, selling unusual, rare and endangered plants from all around the world, including Australia. This little nursery…