Monthly Archives: June 2017

Garguree Swampcare Sunday July 2 from 9am.

This Sunday we are back Garguree Swampcare at the Gully in Katoomba. We start the regeneration work at 9am and finish up at 11.30am to then gather for a cuppa and some morning tea.

The current weather prediction is for a minimum of 1 degree to a maximum of 12 degrees with a chance of precipitation.
If you drive the place to park is the cul-de-sac next to the Gully Heritage Centre, 23 Gates Avenue Katoomba.

Please have a look at the progress of the Bush Tucker Garden thanks to BMCC for setting up the sandstone edge, it looks brilliant.

Please follow the Gully walk up to middle swamp and we will gather near the covered sitting area. Current plans are to work the middle swamp area for the next 3 workdays before moving to the top area around the big swamp for the final 3 workdays of 2017.

Sunday July 2 – Garguree Swampcare Middle Swamp 9am to 12pm.

Sunday July 2 – Garguree Swampcare Middle Swamp 9am to 12pm.

Well we are back to a BAU (Business As Usual) workday on July 2. So weeding and regenerating with Jane from 9am to 11.30am in and around middle swamp. At around 11.15am we aim to clean up and have everything back into the truck by 11.30am which includes the washing of the tools.

A change to our photo policy can we please take flora, fauna, bush regeneration or selfies. Thank you.

At 11.30am until 12pm we will gather for our morning tea around the campfire. Please bring your own cup. Morning tea will be back to its normal place which is next to the work area. This means we won’t be near a toilet so please go before you leave your place of abode or on your journey to Garguree. I like the Woolies Katoomba car park toilet because it has hot water when you wash your hands.

I think we will work the middle swamp area for a few months as it is a gathering place for a large amount of weeds. When the race track destroyed the area drains were placed in strategic areas around middle swamp. So we will strategise minimising the impacts and look at ways to use our on site materials to do this.

I’m keen to gather sticks to filter the water through the drains, mark native seedlings and growth so I can mow around the area to give us clearer and better access. The downside to better access are people who leave rubbish, dog poo and maybe wreck some of our work. I’m fine with this for the short term as the native bush will kick in and minimise this issue.

I like to look at new ideas to encourage better regeneration. It is interesting that we (GAHAI and GTO) find artefacts of glass and pottery. So using modern items to do the job is not an issue as long as the earth isn’t damaged. I have a personal preference to try not to poison the land (weeds). We have developed a methodology of using plastic tools on rock sites to minimise impact and risk. We always encourage people not just to look at items as rocks and antiques as there could be a long term relationship with that item to Aboriginal history.

So I look forward to working on Middle Swamp for the next few months before the summer growth and heat where we will head for the shady areas.

Feel free to share this post on your timeline.

David King
Garguree Swampcare Tea Maker.

Wednesday, 21 June Celebrate 10 years of Swampcare Swamp Symposium and field trip. Venue Blue Mountains Cultural Centre 30 Parke Street Katoomba.

Greetings Swampcarers,

Wednesday, 21 June Celebrate 10 years of Swampcare Swamp Symposium and field trip. Venue Blue Mountains Cultural Centre 30 Parke Street Katoomba.

An exciting all day Swamp Conference and field trip in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the foundation of Swampcare and the listing of Blue Mountains Swamps under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.

Please go to this webpage to review the presentations happening at the event and it would be great if you can register for the day:

Celebrate 10 years of Swampcare! Swamp Symposium and field trip

The presentations will be followed by a field trip to visit the latest soft engineering innovations being developed and/or adapted to local conditions by Eric Mahony and his team from Blue Mountains City Council to protect swamps from stormwater by controlling, slowing, cleansing and infiltrating stormwater flows prior to them entering swamps as well as now tried and trusted techniques for rehydrating and repairing damaged and channelised swamps.

Book early to avoid disappointment at the website above. Looking at the website I’m guessing you e-mail or call Michael Hensen the organiser.

Hope to see you there,

David King
Garguree Swampcare Tea Maker

Congratulations on achieving the LLS Indigenous Land Management Award.

From Dave the Tea Maker –  I didn’t get to take any photos until it was all over yesterday but thanks to everyone who came to Garguree Swampcare and made it another awesome workday. I’m always amazed at how brilliant and functional this group is. Yesterday we managed to run a weeding session, a morning tea session, a presentation with multiple guests and then sit back around a campfire looking relaxed with no hint that around 50 people had been with us. Congratulations on achieving the LLS Indigenous Land Management Award.

Congratulations to local volunteer group Garguree Swampcare!

From Blue Mountains City Council – The group won the prestigious Indigenous Land Management Award from the Greater Sydney Local Land Services for their hard yakka over many years to restore the natural ecosystem and Connecting to Country by sharing cultural knowledge & practice. Council is proud to continue supporting Garguree Swampcare.