1990 (Jan) - Pre 1992: Popes Glen Bushcare
This is the 30-year story of Popes Glen in the Blue Mountains, NSW and how a thriving wetland was created from an environmental wasteland at the headwaters of Popes Glen Creek, Blackheath. It is a remarkable demonstration of what can be achieved when a group of volunteers works in a long-term partnership with their local council and with targeted funding support. This project was supported by a number of special-purpose grants over its life, in particular from the Environmental Trust of NSW to enabled contractors to carry out major works beyond the capacity of the volunteer group and council.
Videos, short scientific papers and a complete report describing this transformative project can be downloaded HERE.
Website: https://popesglen.bushcarebluemountains.org.au/
Resources: https://popesglen.bushcarebluemountains.org.au/publications/
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- Popes Glen Site
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- Ca.1992: The newly formed Popes Glen Bushcare Group with our new sign. Yes that’s Alan Lane second from the left, front row. Our very supportive Ward One Councilor at the time, the late Terri Hamilton is second from the right, front row.
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- March 2019: Same sign, different vegetation (without Pines and Cherry Laurel) 27 years later
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- January 2002: How we started the willow forest project. Small plantings in the slime under the Willows, learning as we went
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- April 2005: Making steady progress. The forest of huge Crack Willow is partially cleared and our early plantings are looking encouraging.
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- February 2022: The silt flat is now glorious Carex sp. meadow with patches of Giant Spike Rush
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- August 2004: Blackheath Cubs planting Gahnias in the area we dubbed “The Cubs Patch” supervised and trained by Richard Lee, BCO.
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- March 2022: The Cubs Patch of Gahnias are well established and important in stabilising the silt flat.
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- February 2003: Planting in slimy mud amidst the tangle of dead Salix purpurea
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- October 2022: The same creek bank now a dense community of Bauera (in flower), Leptospermums, Eucalypts, Hakeas and Acacias. The remains of a Willow stump in the right foreground.
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- Mid -1990s: After several years of intense clearing and weed removal, the now -open view from the northern side of the creek to Willis St, with the late Jane Webster, long-time member of PGBG
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- March 2022: The same spot today is totally obscured by vegetation that looks like its always been there! The creek is under the vegetation in the foreground and Willis St is up there somewhere!
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- Mid 1990s: Willis St verge. Heavy machinery used to reduce the slope of the batter and remove Montbretia bulbs
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- Then coir matting is laid on the slope, supervised by Richard Lee, BCO.
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- Intrepid abseiling crew planting into matting on steep slope. Alan Lane Centre, Chris Dewhurst BCO on left.
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- Mid 1990s: The view of northern creek flat from the caravan park up to Willis St, after weeds have been cleared. Chris Dewhurst BCO, is on the left and the matting laid on the steep Willis St batter can be seen at the top.
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- More planting on the top of the slope. Paul Vale in blue checked shirt, Virginia King kneeling in the foreground and Lyndal Sullivan BCO.
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- March 2022: That inhospitable, weed infested batter and roadside verge is now a lovely dense community of Leptospemum, Lomandra, Gahnia, Blechnum, Cyanthea, Hakea, Callicoma and Acacia species
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- 2002: We decided to tackle the Willow forest on the silt flat, in spite of the challenge of nearly impenetrable willows and dense Ivy, Japanese Honeysuckle, Privet and Blackberry.
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- February 2018: After 16 years of dedicated work, its now a glorious meadow of Carex sp. and Juncus sp. there are Eleocharis, Gahnia, Callicoma, and Hakea thriving on the left, the sedimention pond on the right. a single Pinus radiata on the right skyline.
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- September 2013: Our biggest challenge – what to do about the deep and dangerous headwall, stabilised by Willows, Privet and Blackberry, here being photographed by Paul Vale.
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- May 2014: Heavy and skilled work by our contractors, removing all the vegetation, excavating the headwall and using railway sleepers to build a large protective structure, nicknames “The Ark”. The piles of debris and dead Willows in the foreground.
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- February 2022: The Ark performing in high rains
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- March 2022: The Ark quickly became well integrated into the landscape
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- September 2013: This is the dry and stony slope on the south side of the creek, below the caravan park amenities block. Credit: Paul Vale
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- March 2022: The same slope, looking south from inside the caravan park. A dense and diverse planting that is now well-established, thanks to the persistence of PGBG
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- April 2015: The community put in over 400 plants to begin establishing bird habitat on the largely open southern creek flat. Credit: Paul Vale
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- April 2015: The satisfying scene at the conclusion of our community planting. Credit: Paul Vale
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- March 2022: Now excellent bird habitat, with dense and entangled Callicomas, Gahnias, Blechnums, Lomandras, Acacias, Hakeas, Leptospermums, Baueras and Eucalypts. The birds we have recorded since are: Red-browed finch, White-browed Scrubwren, Silvereye, Southern Emu-wren and the beautiful Firetail.
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- May 2016: The berm along the creekbank. This was built to contain floodwater using the silt captured in our sediment pond. The bamboo stakes marking the plantings.
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- March 2022: The berm is now covered in dense Callicomas, Hakeas, Lomandras and Leptospermums.
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- June 2010: This enormous Willow, growing on the steep bank beside the caravan park, threatening the campers below was professionally removed and the PGBG poisoned the stumps to finish the job.
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- June 2010: The PGBG satisfied with the job well done. Peter Chrismas BCO dressed in yellow. “Something attempted, something done hath earned a nights repose.”