Events
For more information on any of the below events, please visit our website at www.majura.org.
WoW! Wild on Weeds Hand Weeding Sessions, Sundays in September
Following terrific hand weeding sessions in June, the Friends of Mt Majura (FoMM) will be hosting another set of hand weeding sessions over the coming weekends to tackle herbaceous weeds at various grassy woodland sites on Mt Majura.
When: Sundays 6, 13, 20, and 27 September, 2020, 1pm – 4pm.
Where: Planned locations below, please check our website for changes;
- 6 September at Majura Paddock (opposite of the lower Hackett water reservoir, map)
- 13 September along gully parallel to blue metal road (meet at Mackency Street park entrance)
- 20 and 27 September at the wider Fair.
What: Removal of herbaceous weeds by hand, primarily Common Storksbill and Capeweed.
Common Storksbill, Erodium cicutarium, rosette with fern-like leaves and flowers (Canberra Nature Map)
Capeweed, Arcotheca calendula, rosette and flowerheads (Canberra Nature Map)
For more information click here.
Wildflower Ramble 11 October 2020
Enjoy the beauty of the Mount Majura reserve, its grasses, trees, and views whilst you go and learn about the different species found in the grassy woodlands and open forest of the mountain.
Early Nancy, Wurmbea dioica, female flowers with developing seeds left, male flowers right (W. Pix)
When: Sunday, 11 October 2020, 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm
Where: Meet at the car park Nature Park entrance Mackenzie Street roughly opposite Grayson Street in Hackett, click on this map to view the meeting point.
What: Explore the wildflowers that bloom in spring on this delightful walk with local ecologist Michael Doherty.
For more information click here.
Mondays @ The Fair!
Our weekly sessions, Mondays 9:30am – 12:30pm, will continue throughout September. Spring is the best time of the year to watch and learn plants, as flowers are their best distinguishing feature! Usually the first plant to flower in the Early Nancy. You may have noticed some already (hint: the photo above)!
When: Monday’s, 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Where: Nature park access Tay Street, The Fair, North Watson; meet at volunteer registration point, click this map.
What: removing weeds, with the occasional mulching
For more information click here.
News
Reflecting on August
August was another exciting month for the Friends of Mount Majura!
Frogs and around the Ditch Working Party, 16 August, 2020
Did you know we have 6 different species of frogs at Mount Majura? They all rely on ground covers such as sedges, logs, rocks and leaf litter, as well as clean freshwater. These areas provide safe places for them to hide from predators (like humans, cats, dogs, and foxes), feed, and breed.
On 16 August, 2020, the Friends of Mount Majura removed hundreds of weeds and planted several Tall Sedge in the Hackett water tank drainage ditch, effectively improving the habitat for many creatures, including frogs! Thank you to everyone who came along to help!
Plains Froglet and Spotted Grass Frog, two of the frog species you might find in Tall Sedge on Mount Majura (L. Jokinen and W. Pix).
Please note that the frogs pictured required emergency relocation, frogs should not be handled with bare hands.
We have now requested the Parks and Conservation Service rangers erect temporary fencing to protect this area from vandalism while rehabilitation is in progress.
Seeding Nodes
After the soil preparation and fencing, three seeding nodes were planted. Each node received 400 plants, of up to 10 different species. Thank you to the Friends of Mount Majura Monday @ the Fair crew, the Australian Conservation Foundation, and the UC Environmental Science Society for coming along and getting muddy!
The final seeding node planting session of 2020 with Justin (Molonglo Conservation Group) and the UC Environmental Science Society (L. Jokinen)
The next step in this project is implementing a monitoring plan to measure the project’s success. If you would like to be involved in the monitoring, keep an eye out for the sessions this time next year! Events will be circulated closer to the date.
Media Presence
WIN News Canberra reported on our Seeding Node Project on 25 August, at our last planting event of the season. Friends of Mount Majura volunteer Lisa, and project initiator Justin from Molonglo Conservation Group, spoke about what this project means for the area, and why it’s essential for regeneration. You can watch the report here.
Radio station 3CR interviewed Friends of Mount Majura volunteer Jenni and Project Manager Waltraud. Waltraud spoke on how and why she started the Friends of Mount Majura ParkCare Group, as well as ongoing issues the group faces, including overgrazing and vandalism. Jenni spoke on why she loves being part of Friends of Mount Majura, some of the work involved in our projects, and some improvements she has noticed since the group started in 2003. You can listen to the podcast here.
Old stock dam assessment
On Friday 28 August, Lori, of GrassRoots Environmental consultancy group, visited the Fair with Waltraud to assess the condition of the old stock dam. Lori concluded that the dam has started to naturally recover from stock use. The water condition was good, with particularly low turbidity for a stock dam. There was woody debris in the dam to provide some habitat for frogs, although the addition of more could provide further benefit.The dam, now at a record high from all the recent rain, will remain as is for now but may undergo some remediation in 2021.
The old stock dam at a record high (L. Jokinen)
