17-Oct-2011

Locals in Jimboomba attended a SEQ Catchments led field day on Saturday to find out more on how they could protect endangered Swamp Tea-tree Forest in their backyards. Swamp Tea-tree Forest is unique to South East Queensland and only 8% remains.

SEQ Catchments’ Community Partnership Manager, Colin Hastie for the Logan Albert region, was present to provide guidance and support on how locals can get involved in the Swamp Tea-tree Forest conservation project. The morning included a guided walk through a nearby Swamp Tea-tree Forest area to see some of the wildlife found within these unique ecosystems. 

‘‘This session allowed the local community to see for themselves the great number of plants and flowers that you can find within Swamp Tea-tree Forest. The area we went to see is probably very similar to what people might find in their backyards. As a lot of this forest is found on private property, this project works together with private landholders and depending on their property needs we work with them on a range of management interventions to better protect endangered Swamp Tea-tree forest on their land.” Colin said.

Jimboomba local, Jim Trammell, came along to the field day and is a big supporter of the project.

‘‘I grew up in this area and over my lifetime native bushland, including Swamp Tea-tree Forest in this area has been disappearing at an alarming rate with increasing urbanisation. We use to have a much larger number of plants, animals and birds in the area but the numbers have been dropping rapidly as more and more land gets cleared.’’

Jim owns a 10 acre plot of land, 4 acres of which is protected as part of the Land for Wildlife program. Within this protected area sits a remnant area of Swamp Tea-tree forest.

‘I’d like to do my part in helping protect this forest. As the name gives away, it is found in a swamp area which is low lying. By protecting them we are not only helping preserve all of the wildlife found in these unique ecosystems, but also help minimse against impacts from flooding as these forests retain a lot of water.  

Bird expert from the Bird Observation and Conservation Australia (BOCA), Ivan Reynolds, joined the walk and identified many bird species, including sacred kingfisher, rufous whistler and varied sittella. An amazing array of native wildflowers – scrambling lily, native jasmine, blue trumpet, yellow buttons and blue flax lily – and grasses were found under the Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana). Several large eastern grey kangaroos were seen lounging and feeding in the forest.

If you have Swamp Tea-tree Forest on your property, you may be eligible for funding to assist you with managing this unique community. This project is supported by Logan City Council and funded by the Australian Government’s Caring For Our Country initiative. For more information on how you can get involved, please fill out an expression of interest (available online at www.seqcatchments.com.au) or contact:

• Liz Gould on 0400 748 157, 07 3816 9723 or lgould@seqcatchments.com.au; or

• Community Partnership Manager for the Logan Albert area, Colin Hastie on 0457 109 122 or CHastie@seqcatchments.com.au

Since the project started in 2009, 11 landholders in South East Queensland have received a total $69,000 to help manage Swamp Tea-tree Forest on their properties.

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Further information: Sibel Korhaliller, Communications Officer, 0488 713 340 or skorhaliller@seqcatchments.com.au