Mighty flower continues to bloom

By Greg Warburton

The final excursion for the year saw a group of TNC members spend a weekend in Wongan Hills.

As spring morphs into summer, most wildflowers are starting to wane, but not so the Feather Flower (Verticordia) species, which are at their blooming best during late October into November.

One place where no less than seven different species of these beautiful plants can be found (along with many other native flowering plants) is at Reynoldson Reserve in the Wongan-Ballidu Shire. This famous flora reserve is named after William Reynoldson, a remarkable man who was a pioneer farmer and conservationist in the Wongan Hills district. Prior to that, he was appointed chief engineer of the Coolgardie Goldfields Water Supply project after the death of CY O’Connor. Reynoldson donated land for the reserve but died before it was gazetted.

It took a campaign by local nature lovers to prevent the land from being cleared. Now, the reserve attracts many visitors and is celebrated every year with the Reynoldson Reserve Festival. We were fortunate to have with us local farmers and plant experts Rob Boase and Lyne Phillips, who were a constant source of information about the plants and ecology of the district.

The Wongan Hills Shire boasts a number of reserves. Several have interpretive walk trails. The Gathercole Nature Reserve, which covers 141 hectares, contains extensive granite outcrops and spectacularly eroded boulders.

Many rare and unique plants favour this rocky environment and provide for more fascinating insights into the extraordinary flora of the Wongan Hills area. Only a few kilometres south of Wongan Hills, a copper ore body has been identified. Flora surveys and seed collecting are currently underway in preparation for a potential mining operation. After the highly publicised critical mineral deal between the Australian and United States governments was announced recently, we can expect to see increased exploration for these minerals.

TNC’s subgroup, the Julimar Conservation and Forest Alliance (JCAFA), will be closely monitoring the situation.

I joined that group last month for a meeting and presentation by the Department of Bo-diversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) at their district headquarters in Mundaring. The subject was prescribed burning in Julimar Forest. Staff were welcoming and informative, and we appreciated the extended time allowed. Presenters did admit that planned burns can go horribly wrong and also acknowledged there is a groundswell of science-based studies that no longer support the current methods.

Last month saw the passing of member John Zawada, after losing a brave battle with aggressive cancer. John was a very popular member of our community. His colourful life included many years as a conservationist and environmental activist. We will miss him greatly and extend our love and support to Despina and family at this time.

The club’s final meeting for the year will be held at Bob and Beth Frayne’s house, 12 Drummond Street, on Saturday, November 15, commencing at 5pm. Afterwards, we will celebrate the conclusion of a busy and productive year for the club, along with the 90th birthday of our cherished former president Bob Frayne.