Science & Nature

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Science & Nature

Science & Nature

Flowering now, the spectacular Swamp Lily

With the warm and now wet spring we’re having, many local plants are flowering and fruiting brilliantly. It’s an excellent time to observe local native plants and see what they’re up to. One local plant that is doing particularly well is the Swamp...

Science & Nature

Future Proofing the Cabbage Tree Palm

Cabbage Tree Palms are very significant to local First Nations Peoples. They are also immensely important to many fruit-eating birds, particularly but not only local pigeons and doves. For this reason they are a really valuable element of local...

Science & Nature

Handsome huntsmans: the misunderstood, family-oriented spiders who make ideal housemates

Spring is peaking, summer is coming, and this week in Wollongong, the humidity is stifling. Though the wet, warm air may make us humans a little crabby, other creatures revel in it, breed and thrive in it. An arthropod’s biggest fear is as...

Science & Nature

Croom BioBlitz an opportunity for budding citizen scientists

This Friday and Saturday, local citizen scientists have the chance to explore and document the amazing biodiversity of Croom Reserve in Shellharbour. Croom Reserve is a precious remnant of the Illawarra’s original vegetation, a beautiful place to...

Science & Nature

Whale season wraps up

Ah November, the month where whale tragics everywhere begin to feel the pull of their obligations, work, family and friends. As daily whale sightings begin to thin out, the spell lessens and then finally breaks and we rub our eyes as if we have been...

Amanda De George

Science & Nature

Bird of the Month: Sooty Oystercatcher

Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) The bird of the month for November is a shorebird species that inhabits rock shelves and rocky beaches and is found along almost all coastal areas of Australia. They can typically be seen in the Illawarr...

Science & Nature

Snow-in-Summer, a local tree showing off right now

I found it almost impossible to choose a plant to feature this week, as there are just so many species looking absolutely spectacular around the region. Wildflowers are still doing wonderfully in areas such as Maddens Plains, Sublime Point...

Science & Nature

Tree of the Month: Native Peach

Trema tomentosa (Native Peach) can grow into a small shrub or tree, and grows right throughout the Illawarra area, within rainforest and on the coastal plain. When small it is easily confused with lantana because of the similar serrated shape and...

Science & Nature

The Shield Ferns share centre-stage

Illawarra is home to an immense range of fern species, and we are lucky to live in the midst of massive fern abundance and diversity. New species are added to the list occasionally, such as when Dr Kevin Mills recently published his book South Coast...

Science & Nature

Birdwatchers, grab your binocs

Noisy Pitta (Pitta versicolor) The Noisy Pitta is a rainforest-dwelling species found along eastern Australia and southern New Guinea. The Illawarra is close to the southern extent of their range, and although rare can be occasionally observed on...

Science & Nature

The Illawarra branch of the Native Bee Association buzzes to life

Any doubt that the Illawarra was full of native bee enthusiasts was put to rest after October’s sold out stingless bee workshop with entomologist Dr Tim Heard and the successful launch of the Illawarra Branch of the Native Bee Association. Over 50...

Amanda De George

Science & Nature

Alyxias: rare in Illawarra, all around on a nearby paradise island

A week’s holiday on Lord Howe Island, thanks to a wonderful raffle prize, has given me a bit of an insight into the vegetation and ecology over here, and how it relates to those of Eastern Australia, Southern Africa and the Pacific islands. One of...

Science & Nature

In flower now: Branching Grass-flag

It’s always enjoyable to look around and see what local native plants are in flower. An edging bed of Branching Grass Flag (Libertia paniculata), showing the scrappy leaves and the overall habit of the plant. The flowers are not particularly showy...

Science & Nature

For the birds: Why wind research should be shared

Offshore wind farms might affect seabirds. But we don’t know how much or what to do about it. And if Australians don’t fight for their right to know, then the unique environmental data gathered during feasibility research could remain the...

Genevieve Swart

Science & Nature

The cart-rut shell: a common local you’ve definitely seen before

This week’s muse is a mollusc whose shell you’ve undoubtedly encountered if you’ve ever walked a beach anywhere on the south coastline of Australia. It’s an off-white shell around six centimetres, but can grow to double that and can live for...

Science & Nature

Oh my darling Turpentine!

The Turpentine trees (Syncarpia glomulifera) are in flower right now around the region and looking pretty spectacular. Turpentine is a tall, robust tree in the Myrtaceae family (related to Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora), and it is widespread...

Science & Nature

Flowering now: the incredibly decorative Tall Rice Flower

If you go down to Saddleback Mountain today, or to Mount Keira (Djeera) or Mount Kembla (Djembla), you might be lucky enough to come across a truly incredible flowering experience of a local plant that’s almost unknown on the coastal plain, or in...

Science & Nature

3 unexpected visitors to your Spring garden

Spring has sprung and you’re probably getting your plants in, ready to attract native bees, bugs and butterflies. By encouraging these invertebrates you’re encouraging other native animals, those a little higher up the food chain, to also visit...

Amanda De George

Science & Nature

Get the buzz: Workshop on keeping stingless bees coming to Thirroul

Christie Peters has always had a love for animals. When I visit, I’m greeted by a big, boofy bunny and seven silkie chickens free-ranging in the front yard. Winnie, Christie’s rescue dog, comes to say hello before settling down onto a chair on...

Amanda De George

Science & Nature

The right time for the White Cedar

The White Cedar Melia azedarach is one of the loveliest of the local trees, and also one of the toughest of the rainforest species. And it’s flowering (and in some cases fruiting) right now across the Illawarra region. The beautiful picture below...

Science & Nature

Bird of the Month: Rufous Fantail

The bird of the month for September is the Rufous Fantail. This species occurs along eastern and northern Australia and will migrate south in early spring becoming common in rainforest areas of the Illawarra from September through to autumn. They...

Science & Nature

Dry times call for tough ferns

The current dry, warm and often windy weather is a huge change from the rains that dominated must of the last four years. It’s been a bit of a shock to gardens, parks and natural areas, and many places are looking dry, with lots of fallen leaves...

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