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Table of Contents:

• Bushcare Information
• Fun Day Market Stall at Trott Park
• Upper Field River Planting Day (Saturday)
• Glenthorne Bird Sightings
• Why we don't go to the Gym
• Ecological Burn at Glenthorne
• Rail Care - Seacliff
• 2025 AGM
• Tackling Feral Cats
• Credit Card Payments
• Glenthorne History Book, 2nd Edition
• COOTS Plant Sale
• Community Grassland website
• Recent Activities Report
• Tours of Glenthorne
• Nature Revealed Exhibition
• Native Plant Nursery Update
• Friends of Sturt Gorge News
• Acknowledgement of Country

Glenthorne is an ideal place to research nature.

"Research is formulised curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose" - Zora Neale Hurston

We have changed to the 1st & 2nd Saturdays, 3rd Sundays, and each Wednesday morning at Glenthorne.

This Sunday, is the Third Sunday of the month, and is our last Bushcare Day for May.

For those not going to the Fun Day, can meet at Carpark One behind the Shearing Shed. (To get there, follow the Park Road down from the Ranger’s Station, then turn right into Carpark 1.)

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

Martin:  0403 804 306
Alan:     0411 595 910
Bob:     0419 408 851

Bushcare Events at Glenthorne NP-IY:

• Each Wednesday - 9am to noon.
• 1st  & 2nd Saturday 10-4pm
  (Note: This has changed from First Sunday to the First Saturday.)
• 3rd Sunday 10-4pm

At RDA (Riding for Disabled) 

• 4th Saturday:   9-12pm  (RDA Front Garden) Volunteers from the Riding For Disabled will be joining us for these Bush Care days at RDA.

Always be mindful of the forecast weather and our Hot Weather Policy.  If the BOM forecasted temperature is 34 degrees or higher, the Bushcare Day is cancelled. See the BOM O'Halloran Hill Forecast Information here

If you are unwell, please do the right thing and stay at home.

Bushcare Mailing List

If you want to receive irregular Bushcare Notifications, subscribe to our BushCarers E-Mailing List. To do this, just send an email to BushCarers-Join@FriendsOfGlenthorne.org.au

Bushcare: It’s not Rocket Science, it’s much more difficult than that.

This Sunday there is a Family Fun Day & Buy, Swap, Sell Market.

When: Sunday 18 May.

Time: 2:00PM - 4:30PM.

There will be a Market, and Stalls for local community groups, and the Friends of Glenthorne will be there. Come along, say hello, and stay awhile to help the the others if you wish. Your help, and conversations about Glenthorne, will be much appreciated.

This Saturday (for those not attending Glenthorne BushCare) the "Friends of the Upper Field River" will be planting! See this Map Link to see where they will be: google maps link

They will be planting plenty more grasses, plus some shade trees for the bench, and small shrubs like Lavender Grevillea and Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea, which is critical food for the Golden Pea Bee.

In the past month or so a number of bird walks have been completed in the park with a number of new birds sighted.

On the 12th of April a group of Birds SA members competed a walk along the creek line, from the hub area down past the last dam and back again. Having a good number of experienced birders in the group, all keen to spot anything that moved, proved extremely valuable.

New birds sighted included:

    • Purple-crowned Lorikeet x2

    • Red-browed Finch x8

    • Rufous Whistler x1

Other birds of note included:

    • Black-shouldered Kites – 4 including 2 young birds calling to be fed

    • Peregrine Falcon x1 – cruising through the park looking for prey

    • Little Wattlebird x2 – these are occasionally seen, mainly across Majors Road in the IQRA College grounds.

    • Golden or Western Whistler x2 – an occasional visitor at this time of the year

    • Grey Fantail x2

In all 50 species were sighted, possibly a record number seen on any one day and testimony to the growing revegetation across the park and the permanent water in the main dam, although waterbird numbers were down significantly and didn’t add much to the total count.

There was also a public event held on 27th of April and a good number of birders attended, many coming along for the first time.

The other sighting of note was a Square-tailed Kite, seen while the volunteers worked on a revegetation pod in mid-March. These birds nest in the Belair National Park and may have raised young who are seeking a territory of their own. I understand that these birds head north for the winter, but we may see this species back in the warmer months of spring and summer. We had a good look at this bird as it flew low overhead, a first for those who saw it. This species has also been seen in Happy Valley recently.

The great bird watching is testament to the revegetation efforts to date and with more plant species to be grown in our nursery, due to be built by 31/12/2025, and added to the existing understorey, the bird numbers and species diversity should keep on increasing, so keep your eyes on the skies and please report any interesting sightings.

We enjoy attending bushcare as it is an outdoor event blending with nature and working to support the development of our environment. In a way it resembles an outdoor gym.

Elisabeth and Graham Maddison 

Do you know of a tree that deserves this award? Submit your nomination on the Marion Council Website: https://www.marion.sa.gov.au

Yesterday (Wednesday, 14th May) an Environmental Burn was conducted at Glenthorne by DEW, members of the CFS and the Park Rangers. The burn was along the creekline between the Playground, and the large Glenthorne lake.

The Friends have often referred to this area as "The Second Revegetation Patch", and we have been battling Phylaris along this area for quite a long time. Other priorities have not allowed the Friends to re-visit this area regularly, which has allowed the Phylaris to dominate in some areas there.

This area contains some good quality sedge patches, and the established trees are maturing quite well.  The cool burn will really help to get on top of the Phylaris again.  

This is the first significant burn on Glenthorne for many years, so this development is quite exciting.  Other burns, in other places on the Park are already being planned for next year.

Of course, after a Burn, it will be very important to do follow-up weed spraying, for at least the next two seasons, to keep the Phylaris under control, and hopefully eliminate it in this creek line.

You may find it difficult to get to Glenthorne for Bush Care. You may not get to BushCare as often as you'd like.  Either way, "Rail Care" may be your thing!

Rail Care - Seacliff, will be planting out the Pocket Park (Next to the Seacliff "To Adelaide" platform) on Saturday 14th June at 10.15am followed by a free sausage sizzle and tea and coffee.  If you would like to attend, and help, then please go to the City of Holdfast Bay website to register, if you are able to attend. Registrations are essential for catering purposes etc. 

Registration link is:  https://www.holdfast.sa.gov.au/discover/whats-on/community-planting-seacliff-2

The 2025 "Friends of Glenthorne" AGM will be held on Tuesday 9th September. 

Please put this in your diary now.

Did you know that Feral cats kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs, and 1.1 billion invertebrates in Australia each year?

Read more about DEW is working to beat feral cats, and other invasive pest species, in South Australia.

See https://www.environment.sa.gov.au

We are now able to accept Secure Credit Card Payments from our Website.

This is easier than having to make Bank Transfer payments to our Bank Account, but it will attract a 2.2% surcharge.

Click on these links to make these Credit Card payments:

• https://www.friendsofglenthorne.org.au/heritage/book/
• https://www.friendsofglenthorne.org.au/membership/

The much awaited Second Edition of our history book, "Glenthorne - A definite history, an indefinite politics" was launched on Sunday 21 July, 2024.

Cost: $35.00
Postage: $15.00

If you would like to purchase your own copy of this book, then please reply to this email, or click the link below to go to our website, to purchase this book on-line.

http://friendsofglenthorne.org.au/heritage/book/

On each First Sunday of the Month, the Australian Plant Society COOTS(*) group host a Plant Sale at their Clubrooms in Goodwood.

Where: 1 Minute Walk from the Goodwood Railway Station.  21a Richards Tce. Goodwood.

When: 12 noon to 3.00pm.

There will be knowledgeable environmentalists attending so if you have any questions about native plants, birds, insects and other such matters, please come along and have a chat with the COOTS team.

The Glenthorne History book will also be on sale for just $35. Cash and credit card facilities available.

* COOTS = Conservation Of Our Threatened Species.

Over the last few years, Adelaide University PhD student Max McQuillan has established a Community Grassland at Glenthorne.  Learn more about this at https://www.glenthornegrassland.com

The past month has been rather busy.

• Slashing around the Charlotte Tree area, and Shearing Shed Pond, and Native Grass Compound.
• Weeding and Watering around the Munitions Hut plantings.
• Seed Collecting.
• Strategic Planning Meeting with Park Ecologist, Angus Droogan-Turniski

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

David would love to see you.

To register for a tour, either

• Click this link , or
• Point your phone camera to the QR Code below, and then go to the Webpage that the QR code identifies.

A "Development Application" needs to be submitted to the Council (City of Marion).  DIT have engaged an Engineering firm to progress the necessary engineering activities required for the nursery site.  This firm have a comprehensive engineering team that can assist with all elements of the design required to push the DA forward.  

To complete the Development Application, further research is needed at the RDA site to understand the ground conditions for the footing and slab design for the shed.  

Assessment is needed for the the existing Grey-waste Water system to see if any amendments are required to accommodate the nursery.  If amendments are required, an approval with SA Health may be needed.

Once these things are done, we can expect another get together with DIT is expected, to work through the next level of detail, and to discuss the timeline for the Development Approval and the construction in more detail.

DIT remain committed to completing the construction of the nursery as part of the Majors Road Interchange project, which is on track to be completed by the end of 2025.

Nature Revealed: Rosa Fiveash & Ellis Rowan

A new exhibition is blooming at David Roche Gallery in North Adelaide until Saturday 24 May, which explores South Australia’s rich botanical collections.

Where: David Roche Gallery, 241 Melbourne St, North Adelaide

When: Until Saturday 24 May – open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm (closed Sundays, Mondays, Public Holidays)

Cost: Adult $12 | Concession $10 | DRG Member $9 | Children U12 Free

For more information and events, visit rochefoundation.com.au

Would you like to know what is happening with the Friends of Sturt Gorge? Subscribe to their eNewsletter at this webpage: Friends Of Sturt Gorge

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.