Over 400 local residents recently participated in a Bush Food Planting event at Conondale Park, Eight Mile Plains.
This Brisbane City Council event was supported by local community groups including, Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee, Yimbun & Conondale Park Bushcare Group, Rotary District 9620 – Sunnybank Club, Kyabra Community Group, and more.
Yugara traditional custodian Uncle Henry Thompson Jnr (pictured right) opened the event with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with the group.
Participants warmed up for the planting activity with ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes’ in Yugara
language!
A total of 3,000 local native plants were installed by participants during the event, which included a large list of bush food plant species.
The local community also engaged with wildlife displays, environmental craft and education activities, environment and community stalls at the event. Brisbane City Council was represented by Councillor Steven Huang, MacGregor Ward.
The project objectives were to build upon the work and ongoing investment of the Yimbun & Conondale Bushcare Group along the creek riparian onsite, and to embellish the existing Macadamia orchard within a parcel purchased by Brisbane City Council with its Bushland Acquisition Fund.
This planting event area forms part of a larger project within the locality along Bulimba Creek and will be managed for a minimum 5-year period to ensure project objectives are met.
There was important preparation work to get the site ready for the planting. Logs rescued from another location have also been placed around the site, providing further habitat.
B4C Catchment Manager Wayne Cameron said this was an important planting for the wildlife corridor of Bulimba Creek.
“It has many koala and foraging trees that also create habitat for many other native creatures, including a range of native birds,” Wayne says.
“What was different was the inclusion of a bush tucker area, incorporating a past planting of Macadamia nut trees.
“The design of the whole planting is a great credit to Council. A wide floodway was left near the riparian zone, which doubles as an interesting walk for the community.
“There is also interesting access ways and alcoves to make the whole planting a great adventure area for families to use.
“So now locals will have something that is proven to improve public amenity, wildlife habitat, liveability and property values.”
Planting species list:
| Melaleuca quinquenervia | Eustrephus latifolius |
| Eucalyptus seeana | Gahnia sieberiana |
| Banksia integrifolia | Eucalyptus siderophloia |
| Angophora leiocarpa | Lophostemon suaveolens |
| Eucalyptus tereticornis | Corymbia intermedia |
| Melaleuca linariifolia | Ficus coronata |
| Pouteria australis | Allocasuarina littoralis |
| Diploglottis campbellii | Melaleuca salignus |
| Acacia disparrima | Waterhousea floribunda |
| Leptospermum polygalifolium | Araucaria bidwilli |
| Breynia oblongifolia | Micromelum minutum |
| Melastoma affine | Alphitonia excelsa |
| Cordyline congesta | Acacia concurrens |
| Syzygium australe | Acmena hemilampra |
| Pipturus argenteus | Smilax australis |
| Themeda triandra | Rubus moluccanus |
| Dianella revoluta | Lomandra longifolia |
| Austromyrtus dulcis | Castanospermum australis |
| Imperata cylindrica | Cymbopogon refractus |
