The ABC’s Scribbly Gum column has a great new post about rainforest plants with edible - and very healthy - fruit. A lot of those plants you’ll find in the nursery - so if you’re interested in giving them a try, why not drop in and have a look around. Our knowledgeable staff and helpful volunteers are ready to assist!
One of our hard-working volunteers, Lisa, recently headed north to begin her studies at James Cook University in Townsville. We asked her how she would sum up her experience as a Kumbartcho volunteer and she wrote:
I can honestly say that my decision to become a volunteer at Kumbartcho Sanctuary was probably one of the best choices I ever made. I began my time at Kumbartcho as ‘one of the Saturday people’ as I was still at high school, but could often be found there on week days during my vacations. That was one of the attractions of being a volunteer: the hours were flexible, but no matter how much or little time you could spare you always felt that you were contributing to something worthwhile. Not only that, but the people I met were amazing: almost every volunteer either had an unstoppable sense of humour or optimism, or had interesting stories to tell. It was these people that ‘kept me sane’ during times when I felt like I desperately needed a break from the responsibilities of school and studies. I also learnt a lot from them, although – looking back – a large portion of what I was taught apart from how to handle seedlings, propagate seeds, exterminate weeds etc would be difficult to describe. I have a lot to thank everybody for, and it is because of my own experiences there that I would recommend Kumbartcho to anyone with an interest in native plants, the environment, and making new friends.
University may have taken me away from Brisbane and Kumbartcho, but whenever I come home – I’ll be back!
We wish Lisa all the best with her studies and the exciting career she has planned, and hope she’ll drop in from time to time to keep us up to date!
Pine Rivers Shire Community Nursery will be closed on Saturday, 25 April, 2009, for Anzac Day.
Kumbartcho Sanctuary is open as usual.
The nursery will reopen on Thursday, 30 April, so see you then!
“Back to Basics” Workshop series for 2009 are now open for bookings!
Get in early for these workshops that will give you hands on skills and great knowledge to save money at your place and freshen up your backyard.
Watch Gardening Australia on January 10th and 11th to see a rerun of the story featured in August about the South Pine River Project, Pine Rivers Community Nursery and Kumbartcho Sanctuary.
The nursery will close for the Christmas/New Year break at noon on December 20th and will reopen to the public on Thursday January 8th.
The Kumbartcho team would like to thank all customers and volunteers for their support and we look forward to a great year in 2009.
Visitors have just a day and a half to enjoy our great plant sale! All tubestock is just $1 until end of business, Saturday, 13 December (we’re open from 8am to 12 pm).
We have a wide range of local native species, so come in and browse.
Kumbartcho Sanctuary has gained a Caring for Our Country Grant for $50,000 through the Federal Government. The grant will fund a new series of 10 community and 20 school workshops in 2009 called “Back to Basics”. It will also support Jann and the River Warriors in their revegetation of the South Pine River with 12,000 native plants to be planted and numerous community tree plantings. Thank you to the Federal Government for this opportunity.
We have been also successful in our grant application to the Moreton Bay Regional Council under the Community Assistance Scheme to the value of $4850. This will cover the costs of repair of a large area of paving that is in disrepair and poses an OH and S issue to the public and the community volunteers. Thank you Moreton Bay Regional Council.
Moreton Bay Regional Council has announced extensions to Osprey House. These exciting additions will include a 32 seat theatrette, additional display areas plus more toilet and storage facilities.
To find out more and see the building plan and photos go to the Osprey House website.
Osprey House has launched an expanded 2009 School Program.
Along with the existing “Living with the Environment” activities there are new additions covering “Endangered Species”, “The Insect World” and “Wild about Wildlife”.
A new program on “Investigating Sustainability” has also been introduced covering such topics as “Water”, “Solar Energy”, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, “Native Plants” and “Worm Farm / Composting”.
For further details and bookings go to the Osprey House website.
All plants $1 !
The Pine Rivers Community Nursery and our volunteers will help the members of our wider community re-vegetate their properties after the recent destructive storms. So come and look at our wide range of native plants, and help your garden recover!
Congratulations to the Kumbartcho Team! Whilst not winning the Regional and Community Awards we were one of the 3 finalists in our category out of 354 entries. Well done vollies!
“Local kids making a difference!”
The Gum Trees for Koalas Community Fundraiser for 2008 has been a great success. Moreton Bay Regional Council, Pine Rivers Community Nursery and Koala Action Pine Rivers would like to thank all the schools and community groups which have participated for their wonderful effort. This year has seen Bald Hills S/S, Eatons Hill S/S, Petrie S/S and Strathpine West S/S take up the challenge to sponsor gum trees to support our local koala population. The final results are as follows:
Champion School for the total number of trees sponsored was Petrie State School with 1053 trees - they received $500 as their prize and $1 for each tree sponsored - a total of $1553.
The Champion Individual Sponsor was Cameron Stockwell also from Petrie State School who sponsored 90 trees. He received a Family Pass to Australia Zoo donated by the Australian Wildlife Hospital, book and timber shield engraved with his name.
The total number of trees sponsored was over 2700 and these will be planted throughout the Moreton Bay Regional Council in Koala corridor areas.
Pine Rivers Community Nursery President Kim Pantano said, “The local school students have sponsored more gum trees this year than ever before. Local members of the community are really concerned for the future of our local koala population and this has motivated both young and old to try and make a difference. Loss of habitat is the biggest issue facing our local koala population and as a community we must restore gum trees to the local area or we will lose our local koalas forever. We look forward to our schools and community groups continuing their great efforts in future years to support our local koala population. Since Gum trees for Koalas began 6 years ago nearly 13,000 trees have been sponsored”
The Campaign is an annual event so get your school involved in this positive, local community fundraiser in 2009.
Osprey House’s website has been updated to provide a list of all birds sighted over the current 12 months, The birds are listed as per Christidis and Boles (2008) and sighting regularity by season is show as either common, occasional, unusual or rare.
The website also gives ideas on how you can help koalas in the Pine Rivers District and lists areas where can have a good chance of sighting wild koalas.
Our lovely year 12 volly Lisa was featured with her sisters on A Current Affair last night as they were announced joint Dux of Wavell State High School. They also featured on the front page of last Saturday’s Courier Mail. Congratulations Lisa, Amy and Kate!!