Maurice Smith sent us some photos of a new footpath being laid at Wireless Hill and the view from the top of one of the towers.
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Maurice is a local resident who often walks in Wireless Hill. He has recently sent us some photographs we would like to share, showing some beautiful views of and from the Park. Another series shows the heritage listed radio station buildings after their recent renovations.
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If you have photos or news to share about Wireless Hill please let us know.
ANNUAL PLANTING DAY – We are holding our planting day on Sunday April 13th from 8.30am. We will meet at the main car park at Wireless Hill (off Almondbury Road). Please wear long pants and long sleeves and closed shoes. Bring a hat and wet weather gear (if we are really lucky it might rain!), some water to drink and a cup for morning tea. Please let us know (Margaret on 0402 105 649 or s3mmatthews@hotmail.com) if you will be attending so we can organise morning tea.
Planting days are great fun and very rewarding. We will plant in bare areas of the Park and its great to watch your plants grow through the year.
Our Summer Newsletter highlighting plants in flower and reptiles at Wireless Hill is now available through the link below.
One of the artists exhibiting in this exhibition was inspired by the flowers of Wireless Hill. The exhibition open this Friday night (30th August) and runs until 22nd September. Make a day of it and enjoy the wildflowers on the Zig Zag Walk!
We are holding our annual Wildflower Walk at Wireless Hill on Sunday 8th September (yes, the day after the election!)
Meet at the main car park in Wireless Hill park on your right off Almondbury Road just before 9am.
The Friends of Wireless Hill will be assisted by members of the Murdoch Branch of the Wildflower Society of WA. We aim for a maximum of ten people per guide so that everyone can hear and see the guide, so we will stagger the starting time to allow space between the groups.
Bring your camera, wet weather gear and a hat. We ask for a gold coin donation.
The distance is approx 1km, but the walk takes an hour to an hour and a half. Feel free to come for a shorter time and leave when it suits you. The walk is accessible by wheelchair and prams.
There is no need to book but for further information: Kate Creed 9316 8109, Margaret Matthews 0402 105649, s3mmatthews@hotmail.com
A guide explaining the biology of plants at Wireless Hill
Spider orchids at Wireless Hill
The Friends of Wireless Hill have an agreement with the City of Melville that the Friends will manage the area of best condition bush land at Wireless Hill (Bush Forever site 336) by hand weeding. This area covers almost 7 hectares and includes the Wildflower Walk with a great diversity of orchids and native herbs. Since 2010 the Friends have paid skilled bush care contractors to assist us with this hand weeding. We have had grants from the Swan Alcoa Landcare Program, the DEC Environmental Community Grants and the Commonwealth Caring for our Country program to undertake this work, generally paying for two workers for six hours (one day) per fortnight.
Recently the City of Melville agreed to extend the no-spray area to include the area between the Wildflower Walk and the Council offices. The Friends will manage this area by to be hand weeding. This area is valuable as it was the only part of the bushland not totally cleared when the Wireless Station was built in 1912 and still has some reasonably large trees as well as pink fairy orchids which have become scarce in the Park in recent years.
The Friends applied for a grant through the City of Melville’s Community Partnership Funding to pay for fortnightly weeding of this area over the next year. We are pleased to hear we have been successful and the City of Melville has provided almost $11,000 (including GST) for this project. Having paid professionals to assist our volunteers makes a huge difference to the rate at which we can remove weeds and allow regeneration of the native flora to begin. We are grateful for the support of the City of Melville in this project. The weeding will be undertaken by Tracy Evans and John Maliunas from SERCUL (South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare).
Of course all urban bushland will need to be constantly defended for threats such as weeds, feral animals and arson, but our experience is that once the native plants are able to fill the gaps left by weeding it is difficult for weeds to reinvade. The practice of removing the weeds from the bush rather than leaving them to decompose on the soil is also beneficial in preventing the ready access to nutrients that enhances weed growth.
The 6.94 ha area the Friends of Wireless Hill have managed by hand weeding since 2009, which includes the Wildflower Walk.
The area adjoining the Wildflower Walk and the City of Melville Council car park, now being managed by hand weeding by the Friends.
The Melville Times recently published an article about the tree plantings at Wireless Hill being undertaken by the students of Applecross Senior High (attached). The school has been involved in this program now for several years and is highly valued by the Friends of Wireless Hill. Die-back resistant Jarrah and Marri tree seedlings are grown at the school’s nursery by the students and Bruce Iver, then planted into sites selected by the Friends of Wireless Hill. The generous loan of a mechanical post hole digger by Kennard’s Hire in Myaree is greatly appreciated.
To view our latest Newsletter please click here
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To view our latest Newsletter please click here Newsletter Winter 2013
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To view our latest Newsletter please browse to our Newsletter page.
