Update: Cancelled due to high winds in Area 2 which we deemed to create unsafe working conditions.
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Well done team for tackling the sweet pittosporums on Owl Loop at our Wednesday working bee, and thanks for another wonderful morning tea! Photos by Jackson Spring has arrived in the Bushlands and the season has brought some management opportunities which we will plan to act on next month.
In October we will be holding 3 working bees, with specific focuses. We invite you to participate in line with you interests and availability, and we thank you for any time you can offer. Wednesday 1st October: a morning working bee from 9am - 11:00ish to tackle the sweet pittosporum and angle onion along Ferny Creek track - please bring safety glasses if you plan to work in the dense thicket where the pittos are. Wednesday 8th October: a morning working bee from 9am - 11:00ish we will be working in Area 2 where the environmental burn was conducted last December. Jade of YRC and Gabe of Fairy Wren Bush Contractors will be helping us ID plant species, and manage the recovery of this area. Sunday 19th of October: join us for our usual Sunday morning working bee from 9:30 - 12:20, with morning tea and conversation around 11am. Its a beautiful time to visit the reserve with many indigenous plants in flower. I hope you can join us for a morning and a cuppa in the bushlands one day next month. 🌿 The rain held out on Sunday which allowed us to walk through areas 10 & 11, where we found Pitto seedlings, along with Asparagus fern and the other usual culprits. At morning tea Tim gave an interesting talk about the history of English ivy. It was once used to make pitchforks and dye clothing, and apparently its wood made for good rolling pins as pastry dough sticks to it less than other timbers. It was a good day out in the reserve with new faces. You can join us next time, on Wednesday 1 and 8 October at 9am, and/or Sunday 19 October at 9:30am. Photos by Daniel Dear Friends and Members, You are invited to join the Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushlands for our Annual General Meeting on Thursday October 9th 2025, from 7:00pm at the Upwey Township Hall. The evening will commence with a light supper and brief presentation by Jade Gilburt of the Yarra Ranges Council's Bushlands Team, about our 2024 environmental burn; ecological assessments, post-burn management and observations in the field. The formal AGM process including reporting and election of committee will follow, and then a brief committee meeting. Please find attached the event flyer with more details. We hope you can join us to share in the achievements of our group over the past year, and to welcome in the committee for 2025-2026. Kind regards, Jackson Ellis.  You are all welcome to our weekend Bushland Restoration Morning, to be held on Sunday September 21st, from 9:30am - 12:30pm. We'll meet at the central entrance with the rock wall, to walk through areas 10 and 11. You are very welcome for all or part of the morning; or if you are unable to participate in the work, do feel free to join us at 11am, when we stop for morning tea and an informative talk about a plant, animal, or other aspect of the reserve. If you join us later in the morning, there will be a board at the entrance explaining where we are. Please bring sturdy shoes, gloves, drinking water. We'll provide you with morning tea, tools, and hand sanitiser. 🌿  
You are all welcome to our weekend Bushland Restoration Morning, to be held on Sunday August 17th, from 9:30am - 12:30pm. We'll meet at the central entrance with the rock wall, to walk through area 4. You are very welcome for all or part of the morning; or if you are unable to participate in the work, do feel free to join us at 11am, when we stop for morning tea and an informative talk about a plant, animal, or other aspect of the reserve. Please bring sturdy shoes, gloves, drinking water. We'll provide you with morning tea, tools, and hand sanitiser. Hope to see you there!  
The low winter’s sun cast wonderful shadows across the clumps of grass throughout area 5, where we removed pittos, boneseed and blackberries, to name a few. There was plenty of time to take in the serenity of the day as weeds were few in number. Thanks to our volunteers for coming out to take part in the morning, and for the always-excellent morning tea that was provided. You can join us next time, on Wednesday 6 August at 9am, and/or Sunday 17 August at 9:30am. 🌿 Photos by Daniel You are all welcome at our weekend Bushland Restoration Morning, to be held on Sunday July 20th, from 9:30am - 12:30pm. We'll meet at the central entrance with the rock wall, to walk through area 5. In addition to the usual weeds, Sallow Wattle has been seen in that area. This wattle is native to NSW, but is behaving like an invasive weed in parts of VIC. We'll be shown how to recognise Sallow Wattle at the start of the morning. Its flower spikes are very distinct, and if not flowering yet, the bright colour of the leaves helps to identify it. Parks Victoria has an information sheet on this wattle. You are very welcome for all or part of the morning; or if you are unable to participate in the work, do feel free to join us at 11am, when we stop for morning tea and an informative talk about a plant, animal, or other aspect of the reserve. Please bring sturdy shoes, gloves, drinking water. We'll provide you with morning tea, tools, and hand sanitiser. 🌿  
Last Sunday morning we ventured into areas 12 and 3 where a few interesting weed finds were made. (See the photos below for the juicy details.) We spent morning tea at Jill’s Rest, the lovely flat area at the bottom of Area 12 with a bench seat, close to the Archery Club entrance. A local magpie joined us as Linda gave a talk on Veronica gracilis AKA Slender Speedwell, a lovely flowering perennial herb with a spreading habit. We also were witness to a mob of kangaroos making their way through the reserve. A lovely morning in all, and we give our thanks for the volunteers that helped out. You can join us next time, on Wednesday 2 July at 9am, and/or Sunday 20 July at 9:30am. Photos by Daniel J |
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