Men of the Trees - Cedar Creek & Keperra Picnic Grounds

Mid-morning sunshine brightens Cedar Creek

Men of the Trees (MOTT)
Cedar Creek
Keperra Picnic Grounds
Bushcare activities
Contact us

Men of the Trees (MOTT)

Men of the Trees (Qld) is part of a non profit, non political, International society dedicated to fostering a tree sense, and the planting, maintenance and protection of trees. Check out our web site.

Although we work outside the Habitat Brisbane and similar Moreton Bay Regional Council structures we keep close contact with relevant bushcare staff from both local government bodies.

In particular, we have a long history of service along Cedar Creek and Keperra Park at Ferny Grove in Kedron Brook Catchment. Both of these sites have suffered from storms and resultant flooding over the last two years. Mature trees and river bank revegetation beds have been severely damaged and there is a huge task for MOTT to repair the damage. In September 2011, MOTT became closely involved with the Queensland Rail Keperra to Ferny Grove upgrade project - Habitat enhancement project at Cassimaty Park, Ferny Grove. See the project for details.

We work hard to maintain a well organised and sociable organisation, and to provide a loyal group of volunteers enjoyment and satisfaction as they continue to maintain and protect our trees in the SE Qld. Region.

Cedar Creek

Early progress along the banks of Cedar Creek (Photo: Tristan Peach August 2004)

Cedar Creek, a major tributary of Kedron Brook, drains parts of Brisbane Forest Park, Upper Kedron, northern slopes of Camp Mountain and Ferny Grove. It then joins with Kedron Brook at Cassimaty Park, Ferny Grove, eventually emptying into Moreton Bay.

The main area being revegetated and maintained is north of Tramway St, Ferny Grove, along the eastern banks of Cedar Creek. (See UBD Map 137 ref M2). The western bank of this Creek adjacent to Arbor Park is maintained by Ferny Grove Bushcare Group.

Initial site development

In late 2000, local residents Tristan Peach and Andrew Burrows started the Cedar Creek Bushcare site by planting a single hoop pine next to a lantana-infested creek bank. Inspired by the work of Christine Milne and Ferny Grove High School students further up the creek, they soon had the bushcare bug and spent many afternoons weeding and planting native plants in an unplanned but enthusiastic manner.

They sourced their native plants from the Greening Australia nursery at the Gap, and this is where Andrew met Fran Gilje from Men of the Trees. This would prove to be a valuable connection. As work progressed in 2001, Andrew and Tristan were approached by Council parks officers and offered assistance under the Council bushcare program. They also received unofficial assistance from neighbours and friends as well as from Derek, a retiree from Keperra who used the nearby dog off-leash area.

The pair became more organised with their activities and began to hold working bees. The site was now expanding around the bend in the creek to a huge madeira vine infestation. Council Habitat Officer Jenny Leask organised for this area to be excavated so that madeira vine tubas buried deep in the soil could be removed. After the excavation a big planting day was organised. Other groups inclduing Men of the Trees and students from the Grovely TAFE were instrumental in the preparation and execution of the event.

Despite the increased energy and resources being invested in the site, there was still a continuing major madeira vine problem and floods had badly damaged some sections. In 2006, both Tristan and Andrew were no longer living in Ferny Grove and they stood down as the site coordinators. It was at this time that Men of the Trees informally took over management of the site.

Natural environment

A number of projects occurring along Cedar Creek aim to achieve a greater integrity along the riparian (streamside) zone. The vegetation along the upper part of Kedron Brook has changed dramatically with urbanization and the introduction of weeds. The riparian zone of Cedar Creek is relatively healthy compared to other urban creeks, but is still degraded compared to its natural state. 

Cedar Creek is still lucky here to have natural creek lines with a good canopy overhead. (See photo below left) However there are segments that have been cleared for a number reasons and are therefore prone to weed invasion. 

The diversity of this catchment is substantial, with over 250 plant species recorded from the upper catchment of Kedron Brook. The drier hills contain Eucalypt forest, with gallery rainforests containing Waterhousia floribunda and Figs occurring along the creek line. An example of the health in the upper reaches of Kedron Brook in the 1930’s is well described by William J Lines (1998):

The group weeding and replanting along Cedar Creek (Photo March 2011)

'Large eucalypts overhung the water. Their roots penetrated deep into the banks and even under the creek. Stands of blue gum and spotted gum, along with bloodwood and stringy bark, grew adjacent to the creek. Casuarina trees and narrow leaf wattle, which bloomed in August and loaded the air with a nutty gorse like scent, studded the flood plain.  The narrow leaf tea tree grew among the wattle and flowered in early November. Its crushed leaves smelled like thyme. Violet blossomed Sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violaceae) trailed across the ground in swathes seven metres long. Purple flowered Hovea blossomed in late winter. Ground orchids grew there as well. Butterflies – imperial blues and occasionally a Richmond birdwing (one of Australia’s largest and most colourful butterflies) – flitted between sun and shade.

Top

Red crowned pigeons, golden bronzed cuckoos, kookaburras, a variety of waterbirds, including herons, egrets, spoonbills, water fowl and ducks, and between September and April, the migrating rainbow bee eaters, which nested in metre long tunnels dug into the bank or bare ground, and other birds of the Australian bush gathered by the stream. Black bitterns foraged along the creeks edges and perched on rocky outcrops. Colonies of flying foxes hung from the trees over the brook and fed on native blossoms.

Overhanging trees added leaf litter to the creek, which became food for yabbies, dragonfly larvae, mussels, and insects. Frogs croaked their mating calls after the first heavy rains. Tadpoles appeared. Turtles, bobbing in the water or sunning themselves on logs and sandbanks, were common. The web footed water rat and the platypus borrowed in the banks and fished the streambed for freshwater shrimp. The cool depths of the deep pools harboured native fish, freshwater cod, catfish and gudgeons. The most colourful form of the crimson spotted rainbow fish came only from the Kedron Brook. In season, mullet swarmed upriver. The mullet, large eels, freshwater prawns and lobbies (species of crustacean), as well as pigeon and duck, provided food for hungry out of work families and sport for boys and girls.'

Keperra Picnic Grounds

Keperra Picnic Grounds is situated at the junction of Upper Kedron Road and Samford Road and technically is just within the suburb of Ferny Grove. ( See UBD Map 137 ref N6) It also runs along the western side of Samford Road and up the hill to a large elevated sports ground area.

For many years, there was a large garbage waste dump on this hill. Now, this dump has been closed, covered with soil and a comprehensive Transfer Waste Depot placed along Upper Kedron Road just up from the bottom playground area. The reclaimed land has also been used for the formation of the sports area mainly situated on top of this hill.

The revegetation area (see panorama right) is located mainly near the road junction detailed above. Besides a small children's playground, there's lots of walking and running space along Samford Road and up the hill including the two sports ovals. Toilet facilities are located near the road junction and up the hill near the ovals. Vehicular travellers often use the convenient carpark near the road junction for a pit stop or lunch stop, or merely to enjoy the rejuvenating bushland present.

Fran Gilje, in March 2011, weeding one of the revegetation plots set up in August 2009 at the Keperra Picnic Grounds Top

Natural environment

In the past, the general bushland around this locality consisted mainly of open Eucalypt forest with some denser growth along Cedar Creek up towards Upper Kedron. The expansion of Samford Road from two lanes into four in 2005 cut out a large number of the eucalypts along both sides of the road.

Late in 2008, a series of huge storms beset the area, one of which cut through a wide area of housing and bushland from The Gap through Keperra, Ferny Grove and Arana Hills. In particular, it felled many mature trees, many branches were ripped off, most of the leaves were stripped off and the bushland atmosphere was greatly destroyed. This severely affected Keperra Picnic Grounds and the sparce bushland setting remaining is a poor reminder of past years. Housing settlements have expanded in the adjacent areas within Keperra and Upper Kedron further reducing the past bushy atmosphere of the area.

Given the previous destruction of remnant forest land, MOTT recognised the importance of a succession of fresh plantings to renew the natural habitat for wildlife as well as enhancing the forest atmosphere, yet without encroaching upon urban facilities and infrastructures.

Bushcare activities

The visions seen in the 1930’s are one of our great aims for revegetation of Cedar Creek and Keperra Picnic Grounds. We hope to increase the health of the Cedar Creek through replanting of the creek banks and attempting to control and limit the effect of the exotic weeds. This will in turn help with providing a creek line that has a greater ecological integrity and thereby providing more habitat and natural values.

Volunteers working at Keperra Picnic Grounds in December 2010

In the bigger picture, we hope to improve water quality by increasing the shade over the creek and reducing erosion. This will improve the water quality in Cedar Creek, Kedron Brook, and Moreton Bay. 

We also feel revegetation is an important community activity. Relating to, and knowing, your local environment is an important aspect of sustainable communities. It is an opportunity to meet new people and learn from working on such a project.

Our present revegetation along Cedar Creek occurs in Council-owned bushland located behind the Ferny Grove Police Station. We have been working on the site since at least 2004. This has mainly involved weed clearing and tree planting. The specific sites we have worked contain no overhead canopy and therefore have become completely weed infested.

Following the savage storm in late 2008 at the Keperra Picnic Grounds, most of the existing mature tree lost branches and leaves, and many were actually felled and completely lost. Our efforts at this park have been directed to provide suitable replacement plants to quickly grow and fill in the bare areas with suitable trees, consistent with the park’s location and use.

We have had a good deal of help from a number of organisations. Brisbane City Council has provided plants, mulch, herbicide and advice to help us carry out the revegetation of both parks successfully.

Chris Milne, who had experience in an adjacent revegetation site, provided guidance and plants for our site for some years. Various friends and community groups including Men of the Trees have helped to plant trees and do weeding. In particular, the leadership of Tristan Peach of our bushcare group at Cedar Creek over many years was inspirational and contributed greatly to the number and health of the major areas of new forest here. John Jordaan, current Bushcare leader of the adjacent Ferny Grove Bushcare Group, has been most cooperative with common matters of concern with adjacent bushland alond Cedar Creek.

Next working bee:

These are organised from time to time with details placed in advance on the local information boards. See also the news section of the MOTT web site.

Contact us

If you are interested in participating in or finding out more about MOTT and the work at Cedar Creek and Keperra Picnic Grounds, you can contact Men of The Trees via Fran Gilje by and on phone 3851 0858 or Marion Goward on 3366 1448.