Saturday 19 May, 2018 All day

Who's coming?
25 people are attending Jamison Creek Catchment Annual Get Together
Protecting the Wentworth Falls population of the endangered Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii from the very invasive Montbretia was the name of the game for our Jamison Creek Catchment Care Day this year. It was well received by some keen Bushcare volunteers, BMCC Bushland Operations Team (Bushcare Officers and Bush Regeneration Officers) and the NPWS Ranger for the Jamison Valley.
Having 2 extra Bush Regeneration team members involved for the first time meant we could divide into smaller groups and cover more of the creekline as well as share information about the management of the whole area while we worked.
One group met at Wentworth Falls Car Park, walked to the top of Wentworth Falls and then worked upstream (wading where necessary) to follow up woody weeds in the area worked last year.
The other groups met at the corner of Jamison and Fletcher streets, kitted up and after a short walk down to the creek, with some walking further down the Charles Darwin Track, started target ting Montbretia around the pools and cascades and all woody weeds and the along the track and creek banks. All three groups re-united for lunch and informative talks on the creek bank.
Montbretia is slow going so although the distance covered wasn’t huge, we removed lots of corms and enjoyed the beautiful weather and surroundings while we worked. There was lots of opportunity to discuss the creek condition, learn about the endangered Dwarf Mountain Pine (Pherosphaera fistzgeraldii).
Another target weed in this catchment is Erica lusitanica (Spanish or Portugese heath, often referred to simply as “Erica”, a woody shrub which has a similar appearance to native tea trees so is often mistaken for a native. Both Montbretia and Erica have the potential to establish in the rocky crevices on the cliffline adjacent to the waterfalls – taking up the space where Dwarf Mountain Pine grows. Annual Catchment Care Days are a valuable contribution to the ongoing work of Council’s Bushland Operations Team, contractors and the volunteer Bushcare Groups. Charles Darwin, Jamieson St Landcare, Wentworth Falls Lake, Water Nymphs Dell and Valley of the Waters groups were all represented this year and together we not only dealt with Montbretia and Erica but as Tutsan, Japanese honeysuckle and Small-leaf Privet as well.
Jenny Hill from Council’s Healthy Waterways Team delivered a very informative talk about the issues affecting the water quality of the catchment and the work underway to improve stormwater management.
Good food, good company and good work resulted in a very enjoyable and productive morning – made possible through funding from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage “Saving Our Species” program. A huge thank you to SoS and the dedicated volunteers of Wentworth Falls!
Join with all the Bushcare Groups, Council staff and interested residents who are working to look after the Jamison Creek catchment, improve the water quality the creek which flows over Wentworth Falls and is the habitat the Threatened plant species, Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii.
¨ Work together in this beautiful creek removing Montbretia and a range of other woody weeds
¨ Help protect the catchment from invasive weeds while enjoying good company
¨ Morning tea and lunch all provided
¨ Tools and Training provided
¨ Talks on our Healthy Waterways project and the Jamison Creek catchment health by Geoffrey Smith and Eric Mahony
Registration is essential. Please RSVP to Monica Nugent mnugent@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or phone 4780 5528 before Monday 6 March 2017 for more information about where to meet and what to expect.
The Catchment group is ready to start another year of looking for solutions to problems affecting the quality of Jamison Creek!
Meet at 2:50pm in the foyer of Council’s administration building. An agenda will be sent out approximately one week prior.
Meet in the foyer at 2.50 pm. Our newest Catchment Group meets to explore the environmental issues impacting on the Jamison Creek ecosystems and to implement strategies to improve the overall catchment health. For more information please get in touch with Lachlan Garland 0415 317 078 or email lachlan.a.garland@bigpond.com
There are currently five active Streamwatch groups in the Blue Mountains: Fitzgerald Creek, Gordon Falls Creek, Leura Falls Creek, Popes Glen and South Lawson Bushcare Group.
Streamwatch is coordinated by the Australian Museum. Members of Streamwatch register with the Museum and are provided with training, water testing kits and support. The Museum also does a visit to a newly proposed site. Streamwatch groups commit to doing water testing at a regular time once a month and uploading the data onto the Streamwatch website. Groups are also encouraged to take part in the Autumn Waterbugs Watch and Spring Waterbugs Watch run by the Museum.
BMCC Bushcare Officers have done the Streamwatch training.
If your Bushcare group is keen to get involved in setting up streamwatch at or near your site please let us know. You can contact your Bushcare officer or Jenny Hill email: jhill@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
Further information can be found at http://www.streamwatch.org.au/streamwatch/
This newly formed catchment group are meeting to to explore the environmental issues impacting on the Jamison Creek ecosystems and to implement strategies to improve the overall catchment health. The group will be meeting monthly for the set up phase of the group. Meet in Blue Mountains Council Administration building foyer 2.50 pm for a 3pm start.
Contact Lachlan Garland to express your interest to come along.
BMCC Council’s Aquatic Systems Officer Amy St Lawrence presented this paper at National Conference.
Amy St Lawrence1, Ian A. Wright2, Robert B. McCormack3, Christina Day1, Geoffrey Smith1 and Brian Crane1
Key Points
Download the full Jamison Creek paper at:
http://7asm-2014.m.asnevents.com.au/information#/schedule/abstract/11636