By: Michael Fox

Weeds and barbed wire – Brighton Habitat Group

It was a real pleasure to visit the dynamic Brighton Wetlands Habitat Group with group leaders Jenny and Nev Kingdom. I was particularly impressed by the number of volunteers including three first timers. I discuss this with Nev who showed me their Community Access advertisement that appears in the local free newspaper Bayside and Northern Suburbs Star. While the ad does not appear every week there is no cost and the Star simply repeats the ad when space is available. Nev tells me that they receive phone enquiries quite regularly from the ad.

Creek to Bramble Bay

The Brighton Wetlands Habitat is very different to Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Tidal watercourses even bring Mangrove seeds into the habitat. Weeds, of course, like the Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana thrive with plenty of water. However, Nev tells me it is popular habitat for Fairy Wrens.

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Wood Ducks Chenonetta jubata

We also saw two Wood Ducks Chenonetta jubata almost invisible in the rushes. I would not have noticed the ducks if Nev had not pointed them out.

Very different habitat, however, I still saw a number of butterflies like Common Crow, Blue Tiger and Lemon Migrant that we also find on Mt Gravatt.

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Wiry Love Grass Eragrostis elongata

I also found one of my favourite grasses, Wiry Love Grass Eragrostis elongata, which is a caterpillar food plant for Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius.

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Raised garden beds and pond made with old bathtubs edged with recycled roofing iron.

After exploring the habitat and doing some weeding, we returned to an amazing morning tea of chocolate cake, biscuits, slice and more!

Jenny and Nev hosted us in their amazing Certified Pollinator Link™ Garden.

Water from bird baths and frog pond, Food from an amazing variety of native plants and kitchen herbs, Shelter in the form of scrubby small bird habitat, logs and rocks, and Stingless Native Bee hives.

Water Snowflake Nymphoides indica

The pond has native fish to keep the mozzies down and beautiful Water Snowflake Nymphoides indica.

I talked to the group about the Pollinator Link™ project and the potential to link Boondall Wetlands with Tinchi Tamba.