Crowdy National Park Bush Regen Camp
Monday 8th to Tuesday 14th May

An update from Tom Clarke

Recently  Sue Baker, Ranger Ben and myself systematically visited all the volunteer sites in Crowdy Bay NP and the great news is that everywhere is just going off and responding to our previous efforts like mad.

“Nothing to do then?” I hear you say. Well there will be plenty of searching for those isolated seedlings that will amount to most of our time this May. We will be sending small groups out with a particular focus over various hot spots (nothing too scary) around the place. Having said that we have identified a couple of “new” areas where people can go gung-ho if they wish.

The littoral rainforest at Kylie’s Beach has pushed up with a fair bit of the new canopy now at over 3m and some trees have shot up to over 6m. Still a way to go to reach the ultimate 20m and closed canopy stage but the place is giving every indication that this will be achieved. Mostly our work here will be searching for isolated woody weeds and chasing down the odd new growth of morning glory and cape ivy. Of course there remains some challenges up the steep slopes (more robust lantana and crofton) that will suit intrepid types.

Golden Arch will only require a small crew to account for the recruitment of bitou but if additional people wish to scramble down (and don’t forget the scramble up) there is plenty of marine debris to collect.

Diamond Head is becoming “impenetrable” with native regen and offers a challenge to go seek out the woody weeds and isolated crofton weed. Just wait till you see how advanced the trees and shrubs are here; they are slowly but surely taking over that open ground we were so worried about last year.

Small groups will be able to follow-up the morning glory around the creek and go bag mother of millions along the back of the beach.

Then we will send all the mob out to that northern most site where we have found gloriosa lily and after sweeping over ground previously treated we can go and push this site further south.  Small groups will be the standard just so we can keep in visual contact. It will be fun.

So if you are keen to join us again, please mark your diaries for May 8^th to 14^th (with the following week as emergency backup) and send a message to Sue Baker suebaker15@bigpond.com to confirm.

Volunteer bonuses

Volunteers receive an exemption from camping and park entry fees.

A trailer with bbq hot plate, urn, sink, all cooking and eating utensils and communal tea and coffee will be onsite plus dinner will be provided on Saturday night.

Requirements for volunteering with NPWS

NEW VOLUNTEERS NEED TO REGISTER WITH NPWS

To register, email the NPWS Volunteer Coordinator : Victoria.Hickin@environment.nsw.gov.au  and include your best contact phone number. Vicky will guide you through the registration process.