By Rowan Jennion, President of Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve
Time flies when you’re having fun and the Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve have just celebrated 30 years of volunteering!
Up until 1994 the native reserve was degrading with invasive weeds and it was not a welcoming place to visit. There was a combined effort from the community, local environmentalists and the Knox Environment Society to work with the local council to prepare a management plan and support a new Friends group.
Since forming, the Friends group has had great success in removing invasive weeds but unfortunately you can’t see them because they’re gone! We still have a weed problem as they spread from neighbouring residential properties into the native reserve eg. English Ivy, Sweet Pittosporum, Asparagus Fern. This increases our workload and volunteers have a constant job to keep invasive weeds out, but we’re still seeing improvements.
The Friends group has also been active in revegetating many areas throughout the native reserve to increase and restore the diversity in species which support the entire food chain from insects, skinks, fish, birds, echidnas and possums. Over the years our group has supported Knox Council and Knox Environment Society with the Rare and Threatened Plant Species program to replant these in our reserve and preserve them for future generations.
Highlights from 30 years of volunteering also include the positive impact for the local community that visit Koolunga Native Reserve to enjoy being out in nature. These include having a bridge installed over the creek for residents to easily cross, arranging for the replacement of old rotting bench seats, and requesting that the waterway running through the native reserve be renamed from the incorrect classification as a drain and changed to Wayut Creek (pronounced ‘wah-yoot’).
To celebrate, the Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve held an anniversary event in September at Knox Council’s recently upgraded Fair Park pavilion with guests from other environmental volunteer groups we work with in Knox as well as Knox Council staff and the Mayor.
The day included a display of the Rare and Threatened Plant Species propagated by Knox Environment Society and a wildlife display by the Black Snake Productions, which were great to connect volunteers to the plants and animals they work hard to protect.
Knox has a number of great environmental volunteer groups that need more volunteers. Joining one is a great way to learn about the local environment and connect with nature and other people in the community. A full list of groups can be found on Knox Council’s website.
The Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve meet on the second Saturday of each month from 10am to 12pm.
