To mark National Wattle Day, Queanbeyan Landcare and Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council organised a walk at Mount Jerrabomberra on the Saturday preceding 1st Sep, and Field Naturalists were invited to participate. The walk was so well attended, we split into two groups, one led by Bill Willis and the other by Tom Barker.

Bill and Tom have been involved with Mt Jerrabomberra for decades and were instrumental in its conservation. As such, they have a wealth of historical and ecological knowledge to share, so they provided many insights, particularly botanical.

Appropriately, the bush was ablaze with the national floral emblem, as there was a profusion of Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) in flower. This was quite interesting to those familiar with nearby Black Mountain where the species is not found, yet the geology is similar. The theory for this difference is that Black Mountain was subjected to clearing and grazing, causing its seed stock to be lost, whereas Mt Jerrabomberra was not. Other wattle species were in flower too, including Early Wattle (Acacia genistifolia), Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) and Green Wattle (Acacia decurrens). There was an early Nodding Blue Lily (Stypandra glauca) in flower and masses of mistletoe in bud.

We turned around at a mixed-age stand of Red Stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), comprising some large old individuals. Whilst the trees in the centre were healthy, those on the edge were suffering die-back. Bill explained this moisture-sensitive species was dying from the very top of the crown downward, through a process called cavitation. He speculates that, because of increasing water stress as the climate warms and dries, this species will be one of the early ones (like a canary-in-the-cage) to retreat to refugia such as the centre of this stand on Mount Jerrabomberra.

Thank you so much Bill and Tom, and the council. Q-PRC provided a very generous morning tea after the walk.

– John Stein