19 May 2024 | Biodiversity
Wonderful wildlife plants series: Sweet Bursaria Are you looking to boost biodiversity and add a touch of native beauty to your garden? A Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) or two would be a great addition. This indigenous small to medium-sized shrub is a powerhouse...
30 April 2024 | Biodiversity
How much do you really know about eastern grey kangaroos? Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Marcrocarpus giganteus) are iconic Australian animals, commonly seen in our area, including at Gresswell Forest and in Banyule Flats. A recent video popped up in my social media feed...
26 March 2024 | Biodiversity
The noisy miner problem In our backyards and parks, there’s a bird causing quite a ruckus: the noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala). These birds are indigenous but have very much made themselves at home in urban environments. Unfortunately, they’re not...
25 February 2024 | Biodiversity
Five reasons why you should plant Billy Buttons Summer is full of amazing flowers – dahlias, alyssum, chamomile, sweetpeas, cosmos, grevilleas, banksias, echinaceas, zinnias, marigolds and so the list goes on. Sunflowers are a long-time favourite summer stunner,...
24 January 2024 | Biodiversity
The ‘devil bird’ has arrived In the mid-2010s when I lived in Indonesia, I learnt the distinctive call of the Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis). The Eastern Koel (also sometimes known as the Common or Pacific Koel) migrates from eastern Indonesia and Papua New...
28 November 2023 | Biodiversity
The beetles bringing some Christmas bling Christmas beetles are a delight to see. They usually appear close to Christmas time and their shimmery, shiny exoskeletons decorate flyscreen doors wide and far as they flock towards any light. Some are metallic green, others...
