Join us at the Killarney Show!

Grab yourself a bird-attracting tree for your garden and learn to dye paper and fabric with plants. The Killarney Bushcare group will once again be hosting an informative stall at the Show. Stop by for a chat and learn about our local plants and animals.

When: from 9am Saturday 22 February 2025

Where: Killarney Showgrounds

Platypus watch

2:00pm Saturday 1 March 2025
Killarney Senior Citizens Hall

Come and hear Dr Tamielle Brunt talk about the secretive lives of platypus. 

Discover what regular community platypus surveys in the Upper Condamine and other Queensland river systems can tell us about them.

Get your free tickets for the event and afternoon tea:

https://events.humanitix.com/platypus-presentation

If you would also like to help us undertake the Autumn platypus survey
(Sunday 2 March 6.30 - 8:00 am)
Please contact Barbara George-Jaeggli 0408873334 or
georgejaeggli@gmail.com by 22 February

Exciting Bushcare plans for 2025!

Yesterday the group met at Penny Frederiksen's to discuss what inspires us to be part of the Killarney Bushcare group, and plan the year ahead.

Over the coming months we plan to continue the valuable platypus watch, continue to care for existing regeneration projects, host public education events and explore opportunities for new projects - so watch this space!

We also took the opportunity to check on the native plantings the group helped Penny with in 2022. Penny talked about what has made these plantings so successful, including selecting the right plants for the blacksoil site, good planting technique and consistent care for the first year. The result is the beginning of a beautiful grove of trees!

Thank you Susan!

For over 10 years, Susan Savage has led the Killarney Bushcare Group with seemingly endless energy, wisdom and commitment. From the Group’s inception, to biodiversity events, public education and successful planting projects, Susan has been our driving force.

At this weekend’s AGM, Susan announced it was time to pass on the baton as President. The group took the time to reflect on her important legacy and regretfully accept her decision to step down.

Congratulations to Susan Birtles, who stood unopposed for the President role. Susan began by thanking our outgoing president and outlining some exciting ideas for the year ahead.

Thank you to Marcus and Deb Barlow, who again hosted a tasty and relaxed gathering, and generously gave us a tour of the amazing progress their garden has made over the last 5 years.

We’re bats about bats

This weekend 40 people joined us to learn about our local microbats, small mammals and frogs, thanks to zoologist Harry Hines and Bellbird Nature Refuge.

Over the evening we saw:

Microbats

* Vespedelus darlingtoni ((Large forest bat)

* Vespedelus pumulis (Eastern forest bat)

* Vespedelus vulturnus (Little forest bat)

* Rhinolophus megaphyllus (Eastern horseshoe bat)

* Nyctophilus gouldi (Gould’s long-eared bat)

* Miniopterus australis (Little bent wing bat)

* Cholinolobus morio (Chocolate wattled bat)

* Phoniscus papuensis (Golden-tipped bat)

Frogs

* Stony creek frog (Litoria wilcoxii)

* Tusked frog (Adalotus brevis)

* Great barred frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus)

* Broad palmed rocket frog (Litoria latopalmata)

* Emerald spotted tree frog (Litoria peronii)

* Bleating tree frog (Litoria dentata)

Reptiles

* Robust velvet gecko (Amalosia robusta)

Small mammals

* Yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes)

* Bush rat (Rattus fuscipes)

* Australian swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus)