Great rain!

Setting out on Sunday morning I wondered if we were going to get soaked - but the rain cleared and we had a good couple of hours pulling out Freesias, Lachenalias, and Geraldton Carnation Weeds that are sprouting like mad.

Click here to view live map Click here to download the GPX data for this map. Note, this data is an XML file - change the name to .GPX to upload to your GPS.

Black flag - what should we do?

I feel like we are a bit stuck with the black flag infestations - it feels like we have an opportunity to do something about them while they are still small and not infesting good bushland areas - but what? Nothing kills them. Maybe we should just cover the ground with carpet or something for a few years.
We also went to have a look at the proposed site for the re-location of the Radiology Clinic from QEII Medical Centre - to enable Colin Barnett to shoehorn two more hospitals into the QEII site and flog off their existing sites to get some revenue - typical short-term thinking from Barnett ...

View Radiology Clinic Proposal in a larger map
The bushland is responding well to rain - lots of flowers on the way - hovea, greenhood orchids, acacia , daviesia ... it is all happening!

Click here to view live map Click here to download the GPX data for this map. Note, this data is an XML file - change the name to .GPX to upload to your GPS.

Back to the bulbs

Good rains (200mm) over past few weeks have brought the bushland back to life - and brought up the bulbs as well.

I read recently in a scholarly article by Bill Scott and Alan Hill that Perth's rainfall patterns have long cycles, and that the dry period we have recently experienced is a normal part of Perth's climate - not necessarily a reflection of Climate Change. I guess our bushlands are adapted to this kind of dry spell - I just hope they are resilient enough to survive them...

John and I focused on Freesia and Lachenalia along the fire access track along the western boundary of the bushland.

Click here to view live map Click here to download the GPX data for this map. Note, this data is an XML file - change the name to .GPX to upload to your GPS.

Yet more dumping

Yes, it is hard to believe ... or maybe not. John and I came across some rubble dumped just near where the branches were ... no idea how long it has been there, or where it came from.

Now that the rain has come the bushland is looking green again, and much healthier. But, there are some worrying patches of dead trees and shrubs.

Click here to view live map Click here to download the GPX data for this map. Note, this data is an XML file - change the name to .GPX to upload to your GPS.