A3 fold DL Barolin Nature Reserve.indd
Transcription
A3 fold DL Barolin Nature Reserve.indd
Website: bundaberg.qld.gov.au Bundaberg 4670 190 Bourbong St Bundaberg Regional Council Please contact the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Natural Resources Department on 1300883699. For Further Information DISCOVER OUR NATURAL SPIRIT Bundaberg Regional Council welcomes you to Barolin Nature Reserve – a large area of natural bush, grassy plains and wetlands right next to the coastal town of Bargara. The Reserve has pockets of rainforest, an abundance of bird life and a fascinating history. It is managed by Bundaberg Regional Council for environmental purposes and has a long history of cattle grazing which is slowly being phased out to protect the high conservation value of its plant life. It was formerly known as the Pasturage Reserve and was renamed by Council in July 2013. How Barolin got its name People have admired this area for thousands of years. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation can still be found in shell middens and stone flakes along the coastline. The name “Barolin” comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “land of the kangaroo”. In 1863, prior to the founding of Bundaberg, European explorer Nugent Wade Brown adopted this word. Nugent Wade Brown was the station manager for Arthur and Alfred Brown who were the owners of Gin Gin Station, the first station established in the region. This area had only recently been settled by Europeans in 1847 and Bundaberg did not exist. Imagine what the area was like - no roads or tracks, just original bush and rainforest. According to Nugent’s memoirs, which you can now read on the internet, he befriended a young Aboriginal man whom he named “Captain”. Captain often spoke about a big flat area near the “Salt Water”. The area has a long history of cattle grazing which is being phased out to protect the high conservation value of its plant life. “He it was, who induced me to ride to the coast and discover ‘Borolin’ and the Woongarra Scrub, which later became the great sugar cane growing centre.... In the beginning of 1862 we rode away, camped at the edge of what is now Woongarra, where there was a water hole. During the night we could hear the waves rolling in. At daylight we started and got to within sight of the sea in time to see the sun rising over a watery horizon. We saw a beautiful volcanic open country running for miles along the coast. The country had been burned and the emerald green grass was eight inches long. The plain was crowded with kangaroos, native companions, emus, plain turkey. They all looked at us for a moment with amazement and then scampered off. As I looked over the lovely spot, I thought it must be the most beautiful place in the world. Arthur Brown was absent from home at the time but I sent him a description of the country from the Elliott River at the south then north along the coast to the Burnett River Heads 12 miles by 3 miles wide, an area of about 36 square miles. ... I named the place “Borolin” meaning in the black’s language – ‘The land of the kangaroo” Nugent Wade Brown was the station manager for Arthur and Alfred Brown who were the owners of Gin Gin Station, the first station established in the region. The word “Borolin” later was corrupted to Barolin and the area was leased by Arthur Brown becoming known as Barolin Station. The name “Barolin” comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “land of the kangaroo”. The declaration of the Pasturage Reserve If it wasn’t for a government decision in 1879, the Barolin Nature Reserve would probably be covered with houses instead of trees. In 1868, the Queensland Government introduced the Crown Land Alienation Act to help create closer settlement in suitable areas and to encourage agriculture. Under this Act, large areas of leased Crown land such as Barolin Station could be resumed, surveyed and then sold to create smaller freehold properties for crops like sugar cane. Although Arthur Brown retained much of Barolin Station, one block of 1200 acres was reserved by the Government on 19th November 1879 for “Pasturage” and became known as the “1200 Acre Pasturage Reserve”. Since then, the land has been available to the public for grazing stock. Local farmers, butchers and residents have all agisted cattle on the Reserve. Telegraph station Because no individual person ever owned this land, it couldn’t be sold and most of it was never cleared. This Reserve played a vital role in the development of Australia’s international communication network. The Woongarra Tramway In the 1800s, Australians were extremely isolated. All overseas news came first by sea, then by horse or train - it could take a year or more to exchange letters. The invention of the electric telegraph revolutionised communication, reducing the turn around to about seven hours. Suddenly, international trade was possible, and Australia could take its place on the world stage. By the late 1890s Australia sent more telegrams per person than any other nation in the world. The Woongarra Tramway railway line once ran through the Reserve. It opened in 1912 and connected Bundaberg to the localities of Nielson Park, Bargara, Windermere and Pemberton. The trains carried goods, sugar cane and passengers. The section of the railway line which ran through the Reserve closed in 1948 as it became economically unviable. A fettlers’ camp including huts and sheds was located in the Reserve next to the railway line. Fettlers were railway track workers responsible for maintaining tracks and other railroad equipment. These buildings are now gone but you can still see a pink flowering oleander bush which was planted nearby. Many older Bundaberg residents can recall the famous “Railway Picnics”. Once a year from 1922 until 1972, trains came through this Reserve to Nielson Park for the Railway Picnic. Up to 15,000 people from as far as Gladstone and Maryborough attended. Initially for railway employees and their families, these picnics were gradually opened up to the general public. A highlight of the day was the popular “Siren of the Surf” competition. The event involved groups of girls and women marching, lifesaver-style in teams along the beach. One woman was then judged the “Siren of the Surf” for that year, based on style and appearance. The event was described by Herbert Turner in his 1955 book “Rural Life in Sunny Queensland” as “one of the most beautiful scenes to be seen on any beach in this fair land.” In 1893, the French Government built a telegraph cable from New Caledonia which came ashore in the north east corner of the Reserve. It became the first stage of the Pacific link which eventually connected Australia with Britain and Europe via Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii and North America. This site was chosen because at 1500kms it was the closest point on the Australian coast to New Caledonia. The Post and Telegraph Department annexed 50 acres from the Pasturage Reserve for a cable house. The cable continued all the way to the top floor of the Bundaberg Post Office. It was operated by the French until 1925 when it was superceded by a radio service. The cable house was then demolished. The telegraph used Morse Code which was invented in 1844 by an American man named Samuel Morse. The system works by an operator tapping code on an electric switch called a “key’, which sends pulses of electricity along the telegraph cables. At the other end, these impulses are converted into sound or a visual display. The receiving operator then translates the Morse code. Each letter of the alphabet has a unique combination of short and long electric signals. For example, the letter “A” is represented by a dot and dash while the letter “B” is a dash then 3 dots. It was very important for the telegraph operators to be accurate, because a single error could totally change the meaning of the message. South Sea Islander wall On the northern boundary of the Reserve is a stone wall which was built by South Sea Islanders. These people were brought to Queensland from the Pacific Islands such as Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. The South Sea Islanders made a huge contribution to the sugar industry. The farming paddocks between the Elliott and Burnett Rivers were strewn with volcanic rocks and clearing the rocks and creating the walls was very hard work and often done in hot conditions. Woongarra Scrub farmers could not have created labour intensive sugar farms without the availability of indentured labour. This 1.5km long wall was built around 1884 by South Sea Islanders, some as young as 12 years of age. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register as a fine example of their hard manual labour and contribution to the sugar industry. With over 300 hectares of land to explore, it’s easy to feel like you are far from civilisation. Council has provided nearly 5kms of paths for walking or cycling, helping you discover the beauty of the bush. There are 5 main entrances to the Reserve: • Bargara Road near the Bargara State School. This entrance has a large information sign and is next to some old cattle yards. Please do not enter these yards as historic use has left the area contaminated. From here, the hiking track runs across open grassland and along a drainage line towards a wetland. • The end of Davidson St. This is the quickest way to see the rainforest and paperbark trees. After about 1km the track intersects with a creek and is close to the site of the fettlers hut. • The Turtle Trail (2 entrances). This very well maintained coastal trail connects Mon Repos Environmental Park with Nielson Park, near the tennis courts and caravan park. A hiking track intersects this trail near the wooden foot bridge and goes past the location of the fettlers hut. • From Mon Repos Road. This track allows you to explore the north-west section of the Reserve and is close to a beautiful semi-permanent waterhole. Council is committed to developing extra facilities such as footbridges, seats and car parking areas as visitor numbers increase. Toilets are located at Mon Repos Beach and Nielson Park. • Stay on the formed hiking tracks, ensure you take adequate water an a mobile phone, and let someone know when you expect to return. • Do not approach the cattle which roam freely in the Reserve. • Be aware that dangerous snakes live here - do not attempt to catch or kill them. • Please remember to leave nothing behind but your footprints. Contact Council’s Natural Resources Department on 1300 883 699 Several different types of vegetation grow in the Barolin Nature Reserve. The most widespread type is open forest of Paperbarks (Melaleuca) and Eucalypts with an understory of rainforest plants. Forests of mangroves and salt tolerant she-oaks grow close to the Mon Repos Conservation Park near a tidal creek. Historical tree clearing has created areas of open grassland with isolated trees and in low lying areas, freshwater lagoons are fringed with bullrushes and sedges. Over 120 species of native plants are found in the Reserve and the most common are two species of Paperbarks. Very tall trees include Moreton Bay Ash (Corymbia tessellaris) and Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia), both producing blossoms that feed honeyeaters, flying foxes and other wildlife. Lowland rainforest species include Yellow Kamala (Mallotus discolor), Native elm (Aphananthe philippinensis) and Scrub Ironbark (Bridelia leichhardtii). Several large White Figs (Ficus virens) grow near the Nielson Park entrance to the Turtle Trail. These rainforest plants all produce berries which are favoured by birds. Woongarra Scrub Woongarra Scrub once grew on part of the Barolin Nature Reserve. Before white settlement, around 4000 ha of Woongarra Scrub grew on the rich red and brown soils which formed from the basalt of the ancient volcano known as The Hummock. It was very dense rainforest known as microphyll vineforest. Explorer Nugent Wade Brown who named “Barolin” walked into the Woongarra Scrub in the 1860s trying to reach the summit of The Hummock. He recalled that “..the scrub was so dense we could scarcely make headway and ultimately got lost and spent the night there, getting back to our horses at 10am the next day.” As Bundaberg developed, the Woongarra Scrub was a source of timber, with some trees shipped to Maryborough for milling. However the white settlers were mainly interested in clearing for agriculture and by the late 1870s, most of the Scrub had been destroyed. There are some tiny patches left in the Barolin Nature Reserve, but the largest remnant is at The Hummock. Silver-leaved Paperbark The Barolin Nature Reserve represents the largest stand of Silver-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca dealbata) in South East Queensland. When Bundaberg Regional Council invited suggestions for a new name for the Reserve, Silver-leaved Paperbark was one of the names considered. The new leaves of this tree are an attractive silver-blue colour and the branches have a “weeping” habit. The trees are fairly slow growing and have scented creamy-white flowers. Smyrell’s Clausena One of the rarest plants in the world is associated with the Reserve. In the 1990s, Queensland botanist Greg Smyrell discovered a new rainforest species in Hervey Bay and later a small number near the Barolin Nature Reserve. The species is named Clausena smyrelliana in honour of his discovery. Unfortunately the trees in the Reserve died, possibly due to a drought, and today only the individual original tree in Hervey Bay still exists in the wild. Luckily this single tree has produced many fruit and the tree is now well established in botanic and private gardens. In recent years Council has re-established this species in the Barolin Nature Reserve. The fruit has a citrus flavour and the crushed leaves smell of lemon. Barolin Nature Reserve is a very popular location for birdwatching. The diversity of vegetation provides a habitat for a wide range of birds. Over 135 species have been recorded in the Reserve, including the colourful but shy Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. Common birds include Sacred Kingfishers, Red backed Wrens and Spangled Drongos. Waterbirds such as Spoonbills, Ducks, Herons and Egrets are commonly seen after rain. Keen birdwatchers have noticed rarer birds which visit the Reserve occasionally, including the Oriental Cuckoo, a visitor from New Guinea and the Black Bittern, a secretive water bird. The “native companions” which were seen by Nugent Wade Brown in 1863 are now known as Brolgas and are uncommon around Bundaberg. Other wildlife which can be seen in the Reserve include butterflies. All butterflies have four major changes during their lives, undergoing a metamorphosis from egg to larva (caterpillar) to pupa (chrysalis) and finally to adult. Most butterflies have only a few specific host plants that are suitable food for the caterpillar. For example, the Swamp Tiger butterfly which is found in the Reserve uses the Mangrove Milk Vine as a host plant. Adult butterflies also need to feed on nectar, and use a long tubular proboscis to probe flowers. After heavy rain, many frogs can be heard calling in the Reserve. Their calls are very distinctive, and are often the most reliable method to identify them. The Dainty Green Tree Frog (Litoria gracilenta) has a call described as a long, growl-like ‘aarrrc’ repeated frequently and males form noisy choruses during the summer breeding season. This species is one of the prettiest frogs in the Reserve, with a rich green colour on the back, yellow underbelly, bright orange eyes and purple-maroon thighs. It is not widely known that the Barolin Nature Reserve is right next to a coral reef! The coast from the Burnett River to the Elliott River is diverse and interesting, and was formed by volcanic activity. About 1 million years ago, molten rock flowed over the coast into the sea, drastically altering the shore forever. The basalt rock created an ideal environment for coral reefs. Nooks and crannies in the rock provide perfect anchor points for marine organisms such as sponges, algae and corals. Over 300 fish species have been identified, from tiny iridescent damselfish to wobbegong sharks. Turtles shelter under rock ledges and vividly coloured nudibranchs can be seen. Sea snakes are common and usually docile and inquisitive. Other marine animals which add to the diversity of the coral reef include starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, molluscs and crustaceans. It is easy for snorkellers and divers to explore the reef which is only metres from the shore. The water visibility is best in winter and on most days there are easy entry and exit points. As trustee of the Barolin Nature Reserve, Bundaberg Regional Council takes responsibility for its management. In 2003, a management plan was adopted following extensive community consultation and this forms the basis for its management as a “Reserve for Environment and Drainage”. The Reserve has a long history of being managed for cattle grazing, with areas cleared of trees and drainage channels constructed. A small number of cattle are currently being agisted to assist with managing the growth of exotic grasses. A proposal has been developed to restore the wetlands in the Reserve, and this is dependent upon funding. A major project is to revegetate bare areas with trees or encourage natural regeneration. Private companies and community organisations have already assisted with this, providing trees, mulch and fencing to restrict cattle. Council is carefully using “cool fires” in certain areas to promote regeneration. Many woody weed species are also found in the Reserve and the worst ones are Pigeon Berry, Brazillian Cherry and Broad leaved Pepper. Council has established a Community Environment Program whereby keen volunteers remove weeds using chemical and physical control methods.