Happy Weeders at the November Horehound Blitz
Welcome to the new year and FoMM’s first working party in 2019. We will continue removing horehound at the old sheep camp and mulching previously weeded sites.
View various stages of the stock camp improvement at the bottom of this blog.
When: Sunday, 20 January, from 9am to about 12noon; give as much time as you like.
Where: “Sheep camp south” Mt Majura ridge; click on this map to view the location of the sheep camp (red marker) and access routes (green lines).
How to get there. (1) From the nature reserve entrance Kellaway Street car park turn left then walk uphill (southeast) on the fire trail named Hancock road; pass the transmission power line easement after about 500m and continue walking uphill close to the saddle; turn left and walk the trail uphill in a northeast direction to access the stock camp. The walk will take about 30 minutes from the Kellaway Street nature park entrance.
(2) From the nature park entrance Mackenzie Street (roughly opposite Grayson Street) walk in an easterly direction along the maintenance road (Blue Metal Road); at the saddle turn right, pass the upper Hackett water reservoir and walk uphill in a southwest direction to access the sheep camp.
Bring: Sun protection, sturdy shoes, drinking water, and gloves if you have them.
Enjoy: Great views over Canberra and Majura Valley.
Inquiries: projects@majura.org; mob 0435 357 172 during the event
Horehound is a common perennial weed often found at old stock camps that have nutrient-enriched soils.
Sheep camp south. The approximately 5 ha area is one of several stock camps located on the Mt Majura – Mt Ainslie ridgeline. In 2014, FoMM member Jochen began work hand weeding horehound, Saffron thistle and other thistles, Buchan weed (previously called Mustard weed), Verbascum, St John’s Wort, Serrated tussock and more.
Below photographs show various stages of improvement; visit https://majura.org/weeding-party-old-stock-camp-18-11-2018/ to see more photographs of sheep camp south before work started.
Stage 3: Most weeds removed and native plants such as the yellow flowering Clustered Everlasting taking over.
Stage 2: Weeds still prevalent and some native grasses take hold.
Stage 1: Most recently hand-weeded and mulched site, some regrowing horehound sprayed.
Stage 0: Weeds untouched.
