Table of Contents:

• Bushcare Information
• Glenthorne - Park of the Month
• Survey - Bushcare Days & Times
• Heysen Kitchen Cafe
• Tours of Glenthorne
• Majors Road Update
• Acknowledgement of Country

This Sunday, (4/2/2024) is the next Friends Bushcare Day.

We will meet at 10am at Carpark 1. To get there, follow the Park Road down from the Ranger’s Station to the T Junction then turn right into Carpark 1, which is behind the Shearing Shed and Main Shed.

We will work on Pods, 24 and/or 29. With recent rain, these are looking really good, but need a weed-tidy-up.   (Grid Ref: M:6, M:7)

Be mindful of our Hot Weather Policy.  If the forecasted temperature is 34 degrees or higher, the Bushcare Day is cancelled, and if you are unwell, please do the right thing and stay at home.

If you need any help finding us, then please ring one of the following.

Alan:     0411 595 910
Karen:   0479 048 394
Martin:  0403 804 306

Please remember that we hold Bushcare Days on the first and third Sundays, second Saturday of each month, and on each Wednesday morning. All are welcome.

February Bush Care Days are:

At Glenthorne NP-IY:

• Each Wednesday at 9am
• 1st  Sunday, 4th February, 10-4pm  (Pods 24 & 29)
• 2nd Saturday 10th February 10-4pm (Second Reveg)
• 3rd Sunday, 18th February, 10-4pm (Native Grass Compound)

At RDA (Riding for Disabled) 

• 4th Saturday:  24th February, 9-12pm. 

In recent days, the Dept of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) has been meeting with the Dept of Environment and Water (DEW) to work out the legal details of the promised Friends of Glenthorne National Park / RDA SA Native Plant Nursery.

You may recall that on the 18th of July 2023, Minister Tom Koutsantonis announced funding of up to $200,000 for a new native plant nursery to be funded and built.

“The nursery will be operated and maintained by the Friends of Glenthorne, in collaboration with RDA SA”.

Planning is well under way, with a draft initial nursery design being drawn up by the Friends, following collaborative meetings with DIT, the RDA SA and others and meetings are being planned to further this design and initiate construction works.

It is important that with such an important project, that this preliminary planning is undertaken with due diligence and that the necessary agreements between all parties are well thought through before being signed off.

The Friends understand that this may take a little more time than first thought, but we are very happy with the progress being made and the wonderful working relationships being formed, especially with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport and Acciona, the interchange contractor.

Our great relationship with DEW and the rangers is continuing.

As we work through this process, it is important that we start to gather the names and contact details of those individuals and organisations who are keen to be involved with this wonderful project.

If you wish to be involved, in whatever capacity, please send your name and contact details (mobile number and email address) to the following email address, and we will be in touch, in time, to provide further details.

This could include individuals, schools, other environmental groups, even community groups such as scouts.

If you have limited capacity or limited knowledge and experience, don’t be put off.

We hope that once the nursery is constructed, that training will be offered and much of the work can be learnt by simply being involved with those who do have knowledge and experience.

If you have skills that you think we can use, please send us your details.

The Friends of Glenthorne look forward to an exciting year ahead.

Each month this year the National Parks & Wildlife Service have a "Park of the Month"

Glenthorne has this prized title for the whole of February.

There are a number of organised events for this.  See the links below for more information, and to register.

Birds for Beginners - Glenthorne

See https://events.humanitix.com/birds-for-beginners-at-glenthorne-national-park-ityamaiitpinna-yarta

Art in the Park

See https://events.humanitix.com/art-in-the-park-gumnuts-eco-watercolour-workshop

Birds for Beginners - O'Halloran Hill

See https://events.humanitix.com/birds-for-beginners-at-glenthorne-national-park-ityamaiitpinna-yarta-o-halloran-hill-section

There has been a total of 6 Responses so far.

Results of the Bushcare Day Survey:

• 3 for Sunday
• 3 for Monday
• 1 for Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
• 3 for 9am
• 1 for 10am
• 1 for 12 noon
• 1 for 3pm
• 4 want an earlier summer start time
• 1 wanted After Work Bushcare
• No-one wanted After-School Bushcare
• No-one wanted Bush Kindy

Do you want your view counted too?  Then please fill out this On-Line survey of six multiple choice questions.

The survey is at this link:  https://www.friendsofglenthorne.org.au/bushcare-survey/

Have you visited the Heysen Kitchen Cafe? It is one of the shops on Heysen Drive, Trott Park. If you do, say "Hi" to our good friends, Rusty and Narina. Their fare is very good (they catered for our Butterfly Planting event) and they have an extensive menu.  Their opening times are:

• Sunday              8 am–2 pm
• Monday         7:30 am–2 pm
• Tuesday        Closed
• Wednesday   Closed
• Thursday      7:30 am–2 pm, 5–8 pm
• Friday          7:30 am–2 pm, 5–8 pm
• Saturday      8 am–2 pm

If you mention that you are a "Friend of Glenthorne", then they will give you 5% discount off your bill.

David Speirs is still offering guided Tours of Glenthorne, covering the Past, Present, and Future of the Park.

Click this link to register to join one of these tours.

Vegetation removal and some earthworks has begun.  We did a frantic effort to save as much Dianella as we could. All up, nine trailer loads of Dianella Plants were rescued and moved to a safe spot. The majority of it went to Glenthorne, a significant amount went to the RDA (along Majors Rd), and the remainder is in pots, waiting to be planted out after the first Autumn rains.  Many thanks to all of those who helped. 

For any further information regarding updates for Majors Road please visit the DIT website.

https://DIT.sa.gov.au/majorsinterchange

The Friends of Glenthorne acknowledge that Glenthorne National Park - Ityamaiitpinna Yarta is part of the traditional lands of the Kaurna people and we respect them and appreciate their innate and spiritual connection with the land and waters of Glenthorne.

We aspire to work alongside them in taking care of this land and community to restore Glenthorne to be once again, a healthy native habitat.