Over the past 25-plus years, Big Scrub Landcare has cared for more than 50 remnants of subtropical lowland rainforest as well as establishing new patches of rainforest from replanting. During this time, our team has worked with countless experts, spent innumerable hours in nurseries and in the field; and through plenty of trial and error,...
A personal contribution from Big Scrub Landcare member Ken Dorey. The Black Bean, or Moreton Bay Chestnut, (Castanospermum australe) is a common Big Scrub tree and, as it is easy to recognise, it is often one of the first trees that rainforest enthusiasts learn to identify. What’s not as obvious on first glance is the...
June 5 marks the launch of the UN’s ‘Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’, a worldwide initiative aimed at preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems. The initiative emphasises the link between ecosystem destruction and the health of livelihood of humankind: “Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet...
A personal contribution from Big Scrub Landcare member, Ken Dorey. The common carpet snake is a usually placid, frequently encountered member of the Big Scrub. That’s always how I’ve seen them, until I stumbled across a 10-foot specimen that wasn’t too happy to be found. This snake coiled and struck out at me, unprovoked –...
Big Scrub Landcare’s President Dr Tony Parkes AO today announced the appointments of two new part-time managers following a change in the role of Kirralee Donovan from Manager to a volunteer role as Manager, Projects. The two new appointments are Tess King to the role of Events Manger and Chris Byrne to the role of...
Photography and words by Charles Hunter I am in the ancient Big Scrub rainforest of Nightcap National Park near Nimbin in the Byron Bay Hinterland, north-eastern NSW. It’s 5.00am and I’ve just crossed shallow Rocky Creek. I start walking up Gibbergunyah Range Road. The air becomes thick with moisture and the temperature drops. It’s still dark but...
Original version of story published in Byron Magazine. In 1989, Pamela and Martin Brook purchased a run-down dairy farm in the Byron Bay hinterland to live their dream of moving to the country. Over the decades since, they tirelessly converted the desolate farm into a thriving orchard, hilltop distillery and towering rainforest – an achievement...
A personal contribution from Big Scrub Landcare member, Mike Delaney. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the past 43 years living where the Big Scrub once stood. I came to the North Coast of NSW with a friend to start a native plant nursery and a different life. It wasn’t until I picked up a booklet...
A personal contribution from Big Scrub Landcare member, Ken Dorey. While there are many who find fault with Byron Bay, there are few who don’t appreciate the historic charm and community spirit of Bangalow; good food, good vibes, good people. Amazingly, our Bangalow has appeared, and is evolving, all within our lifetimes – a virtual...
A personal contribution from Big Scrub Landcare member, Dr Kristin den Exter. Bruce Pascoe and Vicky Shukuroglou recently wrote that we can better learn to love our country – I agree. This is one reason why I am so committed to the community landcare movement. Studying environmental science in the 1990’s it was clear to me that...
