10 minute read
Take a Hike with Andrea Taylor
TAKE A HIKE IN THE HINTERLAND with Andrea Taylor Cooloola Sandpatch
COOLOOLA GREAT WALK - UPPER NOOSA RIVER
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THE Cooloola Sandpatch is along the 102km Cooloola Great Walk, a walking track from Noosa North Shore to Rainbow beach. This track takes you through the most pristine rainforest, tall eucalypt trees, and wide open spaces, past perched lakes and over the Cooloola Sandpatch.
I haven’t yet done the five day trek but have done a couple of bits and this is definitely Mother Nature’s finest.
Mother’s Day last year Hubby and I visited the Cooloola Sandpatch, by kayaks. We started early, as Pete says “This is when the magic happens”, and he is 100% right. We drive to Harry’s hut and put our kayaks in the upper Noosa River on a cool misty morning, waiting for the sun to pop up over the trees. As the sun hits the water the reflections are just incredible. This is truly my favourite place. Around every corner is another surprise, from massive eagles flying over, fish jumping out of the water, snakes skimming across to the other side, black cockatoos and kingfishers with their bright blue head and wings.
It’s a 6.3km approximately 2 hours paddle down to Campsite 3, where we tie up our kayaks. The campsite has toilets and a day use area. The hike to the Sandpatch is 12km return, allow 5hrs walking time. The walk in is slightly up hill, but good news this means it’s downhill on the way back. Hahaha! The trail takes you through scribbly gum and blackbutt forests, with grass-trees underneath the canopy. In Spring time it is abundant with wild flowers. When you reach the 2km long Sandpatch, the views looking over Lake Cootharaba and back towards Mt Coorooa are spectacular. And I have heard sunrise and sunset are breathtaking. We went prepared enjoying a cup of tea and scroll for brekkie, as we took in the views.
The flora and fauna is beautiful with the banksia being the star of the show. There are around 170 species of banksia ranging from a low shrub to trees up to 30m tall. You could also see goanna’s, snakes, and I always hear more birds then I see.
The State government proposes to build eco-tourism accommodation in this National Park. If you would like any more information on this you can go to https://www. protectparks.net where there is also a link to sign a petition. Please help save this beautiful part of our Sunshine Coast.
This adventure is not for everyone, and give yourself a whole day. You are going to need to take a back pack with food, and plenty of water. You can camp overnight at Harry’s Hut or Campsite 3 but remember you are roughing it, no showers or open fires, and everything you take in you take out.
As always remember your sunscreen and hat - happy hiking enjoying the great outdoors.
Some of Mother Nature’s finest!
‘We genuinely give a SHED!’
THE weather over past weeks has been tough on people and animals. Let’s hope the experts have it wrong in predicting a wet winter.
The WILVOS 5441 6200 Hotline has had so many bird calls as the heavy rain interferes with food supply and mobility. This is another reason why it is important we keep our pets contained as birds often can’t escape from that over-enthusiastic pounce! Noooo, it is not ‘just nature’ to have an introduced animal kill a native animal! There have also been seed eating birds come into care from eating seed which has turned mouldy and toxic when left out.
Possums regularly seek shelter on patios. Ringtail possums think behind an airconditioning unit is a safe place to build their possum drey. It is so important to provide homes for our wildlife. Shelter is difficult to find.
Adolescent possums are sent off to find their own place in the world, and it is not easy for them to find a safe environment. We can never provide too many nesting boxes (or hollow logs) for possums and birds. It is wonderful to see wildlife inhabit them if installed in a sheltered, easy to access spot.
A ringtail possum drey is a cylindrical ball of leaves carefully built in the branches or palm fronds. A drey is easy to make by fastening one hanging basket on top of another. Remove one hanging chain and keep the other there to suspend the drey in the trees. An entrance and exit hole is cut out, and the liner inside is fastened to the top of the drey so it doesn’t cave in. We do like to then interweave foliage around the baskets so they are completely covered in leaves. Unfortunately some possums delight in removing all the foliage. So there’s a project for the dismal days!
Ringtails pulled all foliage off their drey before moving in
YOUR LOCAL WILDLIFE
with Donna Brennan
Wilvos Hotline 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au
PERMACULTURE NOOSA PLANT OF THE MONTH
LEMONGRASS Grow Your Own Mulch! (and enjoy a cup of tea). Lemongrass is a perennial clumping grass to 100cm. There are several types of lemon grass: • Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardusand Cymbopogon winterianus) grow to about 2 metres with magentacolored base stems. These species are used for the production of citronella oil • East Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), is native to Cambodia,
Vietnam, Laos, India, Sri Lanka,
Burma, and Thailand • West Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is native to Malaysia. While all can be used interchangeably, West Indian lemongrass is more suitable for cooking. Propagation is by the division of the bulbous base with roots in spring, summer and autumn. Drought tolerant, dislikes frost. Uses in the Garden • Mulch: chop and drop (lower dependence on outside resources) • Living fence: plant on garden edge,
dense roots act as a weed barrier and inhibit grass sneaking into garden beds; planted densely, a protective buffer from bush turkeys • Erosion control: slows water and stabilizes slopping land • Insect repellent: crush the plant to release the oils in the garden
Permaculture Noosa Club Night: Guest Speaker: Tiny Homes and Eco Villages with Jimmy Hirst & Ahtee Chia. Tuesday June 7, 6pm. Cooroy Memorial Hall www.permaculturenoosa.com.au or facebook @permaculturenoosa
DOONAN PLANTING FESTIVAL IS ON!
JOIN in to plant 1000 food trees for grey-headed flying-foxes, glossy black cockatoos, koalas and other wildlife. • Get up close to a koala and sugar glider with Wildlife HQ • Be serenaded by SoLar while planting • Enjoy a free sausage (veg option available) and small coffee from Deadly
Espresso • Take a selfie with Frankie the Flying Fox
With only 75 car parking spaces onsite and no on-street parking or public transport it’s important to register per vehicle/group and then fill out the details of who will be coming in your vehicle.
The plants have been provided by Healthy Land and Water with grant funding from the Australian Government’s investment in bushfire recovery for wildlife and their habitats.
This is a World Environment Day Festival event. Doonan Planting Festival, by Sunshine Coast Council - BushCare Sunshine Coast Sunday June 26, 8 – 11am Doonan Creek Environment Reserve, 219 Doonan Bridge Road (adjacent Dahlia Road intersection Verrierdale, QLD. FREE Event. Registration Essential
Cooroy Service Centre
Your One Stop Auto Shop
9 Diamond Street, Cooroy • 5447 6125 info@cooroyservice.com.au • www.cooroyservicecentre.com.au
EV EXPO TO SHOWCASE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
THE popular Noosa EV Expo is happening once again on Sunday June 19, and the theme of this year’s event is ‘Living in the Decarb Decade’.
Coordinator Vivien Griffin explains that decarb is not short for the latest diet, but for the decarbonisation of everything which must happen in the decade to 2030.
“Transport emissions must be tackled as a major element in climate action, so a key focus for the Expo this year is to showcase the amazing career opportunities for young people in the renewables economy. We really hope that many of our Hinterlanders will come along and be inspired by the positive and amazing transformations in sustainable transport options which are happening right now,” she said.
“We are particularly excited that University of Technology and Queensland University students will be bringing their electric racing cars to the Expo. It will be a great opportunity to meet personally with these inspirational students and hear of their experiences and passions.”
QUT Motorsport incorporates students from a range of disciplines such as Engineering, Software, Business, IT and many more. QUT Motorsport paves the way for future careers in industry and members get a chance to apply and develop the skills they have acquired at university in a real-world project. “The team is described as a dedicated group of people who are passionate and committed to producing the best, most innovative solutions and refining their expertise through the design and fabrication of a Formula SAE* car.”
Ms. Griffin said that the EV Expo has grown from humble beginnings in 2018 to 2022, when the Expo will take over the entire main street of Noosa Junction. “Yes, we will showcase electric cars, but we will also be celebrating e-bikes, e-scooters, mopeds, motorbikes, trucks, buses and even electric racing cars. Add to that a speakers’ forum, buskers, a face painter for children and trial e-bike and e-scooter rides on a great course, and great food from the cafes along the street.”
“As Sunshine Beach Road will be closed for the event, we recommend planning ahead for getting there. The free weekend buses will be running, and the first 250 to arrive by bus will receive a voucher from Noosa Landcare for two free trees.” The Expo is proudly supported by Noosa Council and Noosa Junction Association. More information can be found at noosaevexpo.com.au or info@noosaevexpo.org.
QUT Motorsports team electric racing car
THE HOW AND WHY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES - COOROY
Wondering about electric vehicles?
Join Vivien Griffin to hear about the benefits of electric vehicles and how
usage can help our community and shire reach net zero emissions by 2026.
June 7, 11am to 12pm
Cooroy Library
Event Free, bookings required.
AGRICULTURE MARKET SURVEY
Growers, producers and farmers are invited to respond to this online survey conducted by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation at the request of the Noosa Shire Council as part of the Noosa & Region Agri-Hub Program. This survey is designed to collect accurate information about the current and potential economic value of agriculture in the Noosa Shire Council local government area, to provide a basis for supporting further development of farming and food production in Noosa Shire and to assist in furthering those aims in the region.
To complete the survey, scan the QR code or visit noosaregionagrihub.org
Survey closes on 15 June 2022.
Sunday 19 June, 10.00am - 2.00pm Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Junction
Proudly supported by Noosa Council and Noosa Junction Association
For full details check out
www.noosaevexpo.com.au
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Sunshine Beach Road will be closed for the event, so plan ahead to get to the event. Why not take the free bus? The first 250 visitors who arrive by bus will receive a voucher for 2 FREE TREES from Noosa Landcare.
