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Weeding with a View
Sunday 20 September 1-4pm
View from the track along the ridge line at the weeding site. The land east of the fence on the right of the photo is leased land, not reserve. Note the many large old gum trees. Photo by Jenni Marsh.
Where: Meet at 1pm at Mount Majura Nature reserve gate car park, Mackenzie St near Grayson St, Hackett. Walk together from there for about 30 minutes, along Blue Metal Road then veer right at a large water tank and continue uphill to the ridge top site where there is great view eastward across Majura valley.
If you miss the group at 1pm, use the Google maps link to find the weeding site:
Walking from Mackenzie St car park:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7z7cMU9jddHXhTb76?g_st=am
OR Walking from the Kellaway St car park:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zVpmAnVjiZiJn9uh8?g_st=am
Aim: to remove as many herbaceous weeds as possible before they flower and produce seeds. The main weeds are Horehound, several species of thistles and Buchan Weed (Hirschfeldia incana).
Along the ridge line fence, in 2024 Avery dug out Great Mullein plants in the reserve on the left of the photo, but these weeds remain on the leased land on the eastern (right-hand) side of the fence. Look out for these Mulleins as you walk along. Photo by Avery, courtesy of Canberra NatureMapr.
Bring: Enthusiasm, water to drink, sun and weather protection. Wear gardening clothes, sturdy shoes and gloves.
We share with you: a warm welcome, gloves, tools such as light mattocks, and delicious cake for a sociable mid-afternoon break.
For more information see website here.
If you can’t make it on Sunday, you could give a hand at the Watson Church mulching activity on Saturday 19 Sept 2-4pm; meet at the Tay St entrance to the reserve.
Bird Walk
Sunday 13 September at 8 am sharp
A pair of endangered Gang-gang Cockatoos Callocephalon fimbriatum, often seen and heard in the reserve. Photo courtesy Canberra NatureMapr
Where: Meet at the nature reserve gate near the junction of Ian Nicol and Tay Streets.
Peter Miller, a popular and knowledgeable bird enthusiast, is leading a bird walk and talk on Sunday 13th September, meeting at 8am. The walk will be through the endangered box-gum woodland area where early spring wildflowers will be blooming.
In September birds are returning from their coastal winter migration, and are busy socialising and feeding, re-establishing and defending territory, and beginning to construct nests. This all results in interesting bird watching.
Binoculars and a bird ID app or a field guide would be useful.
For more information and a map of the meeting point see website here.
Reports
Mondays @ The Fair
The Mondays @ The Fair crew have been busy mulching bare patches and whacking out the odd weed while our certified weed sprayers have been tackling patches of Paterson’s Curse and thistles mixed with a few cleavers and other herbaceous weeds. The weeding out of small umbrella sedges continued at the Fair dam, now with much more water in it after a 40 mm rainfall event and a follow- up 30 mm in late August. See the final feature photo.
A novel experience was the removal of the remains of a covid-era camp site – two plastic tubs from under a native cherry tree not far from the Fair dam and Federal Highway. One tub contained foodstuffs with 2021 vintage use-by dates. Ranger Marty completed the removal process very promptly – thanks Marty!
Max and Rohan carrying a tub from a former camp site. Photo by Barb Read
Mondays @ The Fair welcomes newcomers to help with the rehabilitation of what was in 2012 a very degraded site, originally part of the threatened Box-Gum Grassy Woodland ecosystem on which Canberra was built.
Much has been achieved since 2012; our input into weed control, and mulching and targeted planting can continue the improvement we now see. So come along any Monday at 9:30 to the Tay St entrance to the reserve and enjoy a morning in the bush with friends. You don’t need prior experience as the group will help you tell which plants are weeds, and ParkCare offers training opportunities if you want to develop more skills.
See the ParkCare Hub site for more information.
Mulching Arvo @ The Fair
Sunday 16 August
The mulch pile is disappearing into buckets and a barrow as the Sunday session is in full swing. The day came to an abrupt and soaking end when a sun-shower arrived! Photo by Jenni Marsh.
Night Walks
In late August Jenni Marsh led night walks in the reserve for small groups of locals. For the first of these walks, she reports:
“The walk was nice with a beautiful bright moon. not yet full. We saw very little wildlife – a few small moths and a microbat flying around hunting. We heard a boobook owl AKA morepork calling almost continuously in the distance. We also heard something below Mt Ainslie, which sounded like a vixen shrieking. No sign of any marsupials.”
For Jenni’s advice on DIY night rambles see here
Behind the Scenes: FoMM at work in the Community
FoMM’s Annual Planning Meeting with Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) was held on 11 August. The main discussions were on the planning map shown below and about proposals for applications for environmental grants. Two applications have since been submitted by convenor Jochen Zeil: 1. For repairing and planting at the Fair dam and 2. For trial work with Econurture on methods of controlling the main grassy weeds. Both these grant proposals are based on continuing involvement of Mondays @ The Fair people in weeding, monitoring and mapping. So, fingers crossed we get the grants.
The main project sites where FoMM works, showing areas with regular frequent interventions and other larger areas where less frequent work parties tackle invasive plants especially along the boundaries. Also shows in blue patches of serrated tussock. This map is part of the FoMM’s work plan agreed with PCS.
On 12th August at Ecofocus 2026 at the University of Canberra, our Convenor Jochen Zeil presented a talk on Improving heavily degraded Grassy Woodland – A critical assessment. You can see the slides on FoMM’s website here.
FoMM’s Submission Re Urban Forest Act – amendment here
Lyrebird Dreaming Submission – here
History of the Fair
Some history from a submission to the ACT government in 2008 from the Watson Community Association (WCA) opposing a draft variation to the territory plan. The variation eventually rezoned the Fair site for housing. The WCA submission contains much information about the area, including this description and the picture of Clancy’s Inn:
“Clancy’s Colonial Inn: Two story (sic) building of brick and timber construction, with a corrugated iron roof. Georgian coach-house style exterior with beautiful, scrolled cornices and plaster rosettes in the ceiling, especially in the upstairs function room. Clancy’s Restaurant was upstairs. The building had full facilities for a hotel and restaurant including a commercial kitchen.”
Clancy’s Inn at The Fair in 2007 – no longer operating at that time. Screenshot from the WCA submission.
The walking track through the woodland SE of the Tay Street entrance is named after this pub.
2026 Landcare Awards
Innovation Award – recognising FrogWatch volunteers for their contribution to the recovery of a locally extinct species in the ACT by supporting the science-led reintroduction of the Green and Golden Bell Frog through the construction of innovative habitat structures, intensive monitoring, and ongoing environmental stewardship.
For Landcare Awards in other categories, see here. And for FrogWatch events see here
Bird Flu Impact
Bird Flu – vaccine for little penguins – here Hope it works well!
And what about all the other species, birds and mammals, at risk from H5N1? See here for what is needed to minimise the catastrophe and follow the link to the risk listing spreadsheet for species.
See Birdlife Australia article on risk to various bird species, and strategies to help those species most at risk. A link to the same spreadsheet for risk to species is also in this article.
An Urgent Need for Research to Help Species at Risk from H5N1 – see this article in the Conversation.
Climate Impacts
See the Forest – not just the Timber! Read here why native forests are more valuable alive than turned into woodchips. The example is the Great Koala National Park in northern NSW, with the threatened species list here. But all Australia’s remaining native forests need protection. Plantation forests can supply the timber our economy needs.
Win-Win for Wildlife and Forestry! See this story in The Conversation.
Tree Bark impact on climate via the microbial ecosystem bark harbours. Article here from The Conversation.
Science in the Snow here ( This winter was not a good snow year.)
Weather Whiplash here
Aquote from The Guardian in an article about the European wildfires:
“What people are not getting is that we can’t turn this back – the CO2 to a large part remains in the air for thousands of years,” said Rahmstorf. “Some people think we can wait and, when it gets too bad, then we reduce emissions and things will get better again. People don’t realise that we can’t make it get better again. We can only prevent it from getting much worse.”
So why are our governments approving new or expanding existing fossil fuel projects? They set emissions targets but then don’t act to stop the carbon dioxide build up in our planet’s atmosphere.
El Nino Now and Climate Warming Warning here
Butterflies Moving Home Because of Climate Change – read about it in this Conversation article.
Bogong Migration Research Update – recording of webinar here. Bogong moths are endangered because the over-summering habitats (aestivation sites) they need are declining in quality because they are increasing in temperature. Where do the moths go when they leave their mountain summer-hideaway caves? This research aims to find out. Last autumn, lantern-keepers in the area of 150 km radius around Mount Kosciuszko monitored for these moths each night and reported their finds on iNat. This coming autumn the researchers hope to increase the number of monitoring sites to include areas within 250 km of Mount Kosciuszko, which includes all the ACT and beyond. If you would like to be a lantern-keeper or just participate on a more casual basis, see this website.
The moths head off to the alps, probably around early to mid-September in most regions in Australia’s south east, so start looking out for them soon.
Coral bleaching and cilia beating – a new look at a climate change threat. See here.
Climate Denial 4 Ways here “Sometimes it (climate denial) acknowledges the science, announces a distant target – and approves fossil-fuel expansionism until 2070.”
Other Stories
Fruit Flies info here – Canberra gardens are at risk especially as the climate warms.
Eastern Rosella – story here with a song about the bird!
Mistletoe Bird and Mistletoes – see story here and look at the video of the bird in action – a David Attenborough BBC clip. (It is slow to load but be patient – it is worth the wait!)
A Win for Wombats in the ACT – see Conservation Council ACT Region posting here.
Weeds
WeedRemeed Fact Sheet – using drones and AI to good effect in tough terrain.
More on biological control here
Useful information on weeds in SE NSW i.e. the region surrounding the ACT – note what it says about General Biosecurity Duty – ACT also has a general biosecurity duty, but no useful list like this one. Each weed listed has information on it linked to its name.
Estimating Weeds
Steve Taylor wrote:
The modified Braun-Blanquet cover abundance method better reflects the wide range of plant density values for different species at different growth stages. In addition, 5% is regarded as a threshold for weeds. Below that level, maintenance control can be achieved. Above that level invasive weeds are hard to contain, and consequently control costs rapidly increase. In addition, the scientific literature also shows that the next cover-abundance level of 5-25%, is where ecological impacts of weeds often start becoming significant.
Foliage cover is often overestimated. Refer to this chart as a guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/18B3LOWF6Zf3ZXdE5NZDp8x2b9U-GLzv9/view?usp=sharing in Manley, P.N., Van Horne, B., Roth, J.K., Zielinski, W.J., McKenzie, M.M., Weller, T.J., Weckerly, F.W. and Vojta, C., 2006. Multiple species inventory and monitoring technical guide. General Technical Report WO-73.
Our River
Murray Darling Flow-MER Program – Monitoring, Evaluation, Research
Flow-MER is the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s science program, working in partnership with scientists, water managers and communities across the Murray–Darling Basin. The aim is to understand how our rivers, wetlands, floodplains, and the plants and animals depending on them, are responding to Commonwealth environmental water. See website.
Gibraltar Creek – on the outskirts of Canberra, see here for a current project of the Rivers of Carbon, the on-ground program of the Australian River Restoration Centre. Then look for the planting day on Saturday 12 September in the Events section below.
Our Wonderful World
Wild London with David Attenborough and his other documentaries are here on iView. If London can foster its wildlife, surely Canberra can! I particularly liked the Hedgehog Highway which links neighbouring yards. I guess we do have an aerial cable possum pathway linking out backyards!
How Plants “Walk” Across the World here – plant dispersal
Snails back from the brink of extinction here – a rewilding story.
Events
Tues 1 Sep 06:00 PMZoom online with Invertebrates Australia’s Book Club. Dr Jo Wimpenny author of Beauty of the Beasts Rethinking Nature’s Least Loved Animals, selected as a Spotify Editors’ Best Nonfiction Book of the Year 2026, discusses animals people don’t like or actually fear even though they are vital for our life on earth. For more information and to register see here.
Thurs 3 Sep 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM at ANBG theatrette Anthony Hoffman ‘The Illawarra-Shoalhaven shrublands on volcanic outcrops ecological community’. Booking link
Thurs 3 Sep 11:00 PM Webinar by the Society for Ecological Restoration on Native Seed Sourcing: Global Perspectives on Provenancing and Transfer Zones – for more information and to register see here.
Mon 7 Sep National Threatened Species Day – the anniversary of the day in 1936 that the Tasmanian Tiger Thylacine cynocephalus became extinct.
Thylacine family at Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, 1910 © Public Domain, courtesy of World Wide Fund for Nature WWF
Mon 7 Sep 6pm – 8pm Film Screening: TALLAGANDA – Endangered Greater Gliders on the NSW South Coast – lots of information here about this event at ANU Forestry building. Get your tickets for $10 each here. All ticket proceeds will be donated to the Great Southern Forest Campaign.
Tue 8 Sep 6pm – 8:30pm ACT Threatened Species Awareness – Presentation Evening
facilitated by Gregory Andrews, Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner and founder of Lyrebird Dreaming, upstairs at Verity Lane Market, Civic. Hear about Gang-gangs, Green and Gold Bell Frogs, Spider Orchids and more of our local endangered species from the people who work for them. Free event but register here.
Thursday 10 Sept 10am – 1pm Branching Out: The plants and animals of the Cotter walk and beginner photography with ecologist David Cunningham from David Cunningham Wildlife, on a walk at the Cotter. Learn about the ecology of the river and the animals and plants that live there while you also learn how to photograph them to best effect. You don’t need a special camera for this – you can just use the one in your mobile. For more information and to register see here.
Thurs 10 Sep 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM at ANBG theatrette Dr Gavin Smith ‘Some reflections from a decade of working with and learning from one of Australia’s most misunderstood snakes.’ Book here.
Saturday 12 Sep 10 AM – 2:30 PM Community Planting Day at Gibraltar Creek – see here for more information and to reserve a spot.
Saturday 12 Sep 8:30am-4:30pm First Aid training for ParkCarers at Stromlo Depot – to register see MyImpactPage – Training – First Aid Training – involves a login to the Hub.
Sun 13 Sep 1pm – 3pm Canberra’s Western Edge walks – Brown Hill, Stromlo Forest Park A gentle walk to look out over the western edge area, home of wedge-tailed eagles. Learn what new development is proposed, and how we can keep the Western Edge safe for our eagles, kids and grandchildren to explore. See here for details and for free tickets.
Wed 16 Sep 1pm – 2pm Webinar: Understanding H5 Bird Flu with expert presenters Dr Kyeelee Driver, ACT Chief Veterinary Officer and Kim Farley, President of Canberra Birds. Register here.
Thurs 17 Sep 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM at ANBG theatrette Meredith Trinko, exhibition curator at the Royal Australian Mint, talks about ‘Floral Impressions’ Book here
Sat 19 Sep 11am – 12pm Canberra’s Biggest Nutbush: Line Up for Our City Limits! In Civic. See here Don’t know about Nutbush? Look at the video on the site…
Sat 19 Sep and Sun 20 Sep 10 am – 4 pm Open Garden Forrest Bower – see here for details.
Wed 23 Sep 06:00 PM online Book Club with Mel Logozzo (Rewilding Suburbia) Join author Mel for a discussion and Q&A about her new guide to creating a thriving ecosystem at home – get your gardening questions ready! Register here. (Several copies of this book are in the ACT Library.)
Thurs 24 Sep 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM at ANBG theatrette Ben Keaney ‘With a little help from my friends- recovery and rehabilitation of peatlands in the Australian Alps following the 2020 fires.’ Book here.
Friday 25 September 6:30-8:00pm Family Frog Fun (Frog listening evening) at the Australian National Botanic Gardens with Anke Maria Hoefer the Frogwatch Coordinator. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children. More information and to book see here.
Sat 26 Sep and Sun 27 Sep 10 am – 4 pm Open Garden The Garden of Memories at Lyons – see here for details.
Sun 27 Sep 1pm – 3pm Canberra’s Western Edge walks – Molonglo River Reserve, near Ginninderry Stroll at the northern end of the Molonglo River Reserve. Experience the epic scale and the hidden valleys of the Western Edge, and the wildlife that shelters here, and learn why we should not develop such a special place. See here for more information and to get free tickets.
Mon 28 Sept – Jerrabomberra Wetland Frog Census training for new FrogWatchers.
Tues 29 Sept – The Link, Ginninderry Frog Census training for new FrogWatchers.
Wed 30 Sept – Wildbark @ Mulligans Frog Census training for new FrogWatchers.
Get ready for FrogTober! Book for one of these training sessions here. More questions? Email to Anke Maria at frogwatch@ginninderralandcare.org.au for more information.
For October = FrogTober
7 October – Closing date for comments on the on the draft National Recovery Plan for the Gang-Gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum).
Multiple dates in October at 8:30 am at the ANBG for Wake Up with the Birds – see here to book.
More Open Gardens in October and November – see here
Thanks
Thank you to those who contributed stories or photos for this newsletter. For a future newsletter, if you would like to feature a story on your favourite plant or animal, or a walk you would like to recommend or have anything relevant to draw to the attention of the Friends of Mount Majura, get writing and send your story with a pic to the secretary@majura.org
Final Feature
Andrew looks around the nearly full Fair dam, as a washed-out sedge guard floats past. Not quite overflowing. Frogs were noisily happy on 27 August. Photo by B. Read
