Peonies and Orchids - photographs by Denis Wilson

An excellent crowd of friends turned up to see my little exhibition of photographs of Peonies and Native Ground Orchids.






Jim gave a most entertaining introduction, where he strayed into some lesser known moments of my "background".
He made great play of my having "kissed the Pope's Ring".

Thanks for that disclosure, Jim!



I know these two groups of flowers are not well matched, but I love them both dearly. Peonies are exotic plants - originally from China, (these ones). I had several dozen cut flowers - all herbaceous Peonies, mostly the old fashioned "lactifloras". These are the traditonal Peonies which most people know and love. Several of them were really well developed, and the fresh flowers had wonderful fragrances.

The largest, deep pink Peony I had on display is, I believe "Sarah Bernhardt". Scroll down to 11 November for my photo of a bunch of these flowers, last year, on my Peony Diary on Anni's Blog. It has a lovely, but heavy "old rose" perfume. To me, smelling this flower always transforms me to my childhood, beside my Mother's dressing table, where she had a crystal talcum powder bowl, complete with a rose scented "Powder Puff".





Duchesse de Nemours was generally voted the nicest perfume, having a lighter perfume, with less "musk" scent, and perhaps a lighter, but slightly citrus aroma. It is also a lovely cupped flower, in pure white, with a green eye, hidden deep within the flower.







I urged everyone to take the opportunity to sniff the flowers, as that is one thing which photographs cannot capture.

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I spoke briefly about the lovely Native Ground Orchids which I had photographed this season. My personal favourite photograph is this little shot of a Flying Duck Orchid, complete with a "Flower Spider" hiding inside the flower, on her web. She is waiting for an insect to be attracted to the flower.
(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

*****

Thanks to the CTC for the use of their facilities, and especially to BJ, without whose urging, this display would not have happened.

Tourist Road Leek Orchid - a new species.

The "Leek Orchid" which I have written about on this blog, previously, is apparently an as yet undescribed species.

The experts tell me it is not the Wingecarribee Leek Orchid - based on microscopic analysis.

Prasophyllum appendiculatum
(Amended ID, by Dr Mark Clements)

(DJW EDIT 7 March 2012  
Identification subsequently confirmed on 7 March 2012 as Prasophyllum appendiculatum). At the time I originally published this blog, it was believed that this plant was so rare that the National Parks and Wildlife Service has listed it on the Endangered Species List, and it was thought, therefore. to be protected by legislation. 
References to this plant as an endangered species are no longer supported.

Bugger!

Prasophyllum appendiculatum
(Amended ID, by Dr Mark Clements)

When I was talking to David Tranter about this, the other day, he pointed out that if it is not yet described in the scientific journals - it is new to science.

A new species.

I guess that's not a bad result.

Prasophyllum appendiculatum
(Amended ID, by Dr Mark Clements)

Shame that the SCA is constructing the newest bore, on Tourist Road smack in the middle of the Leek Orchid colony.

You can just make out one of these plants here, beside my camera case. The case is there in an attempt to make the Leek Orchid stand out.







Riddle: When is a Leek Orchid not endangered?

When it is new to science, and and is about to be exterminated before it can be described. (DJW: no longer supported - 7 March 2012)

Without being described, it cannot then be classified as an endangered species.

*****

I understand this new bore is to be a "large diameter Production Bore".

Of course it will be, as that will enable them to take as much water as possible from under the farming land across the road - with their "draw down" of water expected to extend at least 2Km.

By one of those strange co-incidences of Nature, Tourist Road is about to be closed for a period of six weeks, for reconstruction of a bridge. Strangely, this bridge (which has always been noisy) suddenly is classed as being in need of urgent repair. It is to be replaced by a nice new concrete bridge, capable of handling heavy traffic.

Why would heavy traffic want to travel along the picturesque Tourist Road?

Well, just possibly it has got to do with the SCA wanting to do even more construction work in the bore field.

Isn't it interesting how, suddenly, the RTA, or the Wingecarribbee Shire Council, has found the money to do this construction right now - when that bridge has been deemed adequate for country traffic, for as long as anyone can remember.

Amazing what can be done when serious politics gets involved in an issue.

Trust me, this is serious politics.

This is a desperate Government, determined to get its own way, no matter at what cost - either in fiscal terms, or in terms of the environment.

It all goes back to Mr Iemma's simplistic and naive announcement back in February that he has "discovered the underground lakes".

Remember that?

I do, I have been blogging about it, since 13 February.

It is time some serious people stated to listen.

Matt Brown?
Peta Seaton?
Pru Goward, Liberal Party Candidate for the seat of Goulburn is starting to take an interest. This was reported in the Southern Highlands News on 10 November.

It is interesting that the SHN has a pathetically poor representation on the Web. You can get only a few headline stories, and then not always the full text of an article. For example, the article about the next member of parliament's views on the Kangaloon Aquifer did not make it to the web. Surely anything she says is newsworthy in Bowral. Sorry. Pru's statement only made it to page 5. What a hopeless "Newspaper".
It is just a local rag.

Robertson's "Walk against Warming" on the Net.

Well, we made it to the GetUp website.
(Photo by David Young).

Robertson is not just on my little blog, but we are on the GetUp website, along side other Walk against Warming reports from Sydney (40,000 people walked), Melbourne (40,000 people walked), Hobart (3000 people walked), Brisbane (1500 people walked), Canberra(2000 people walked) , Port Macquarie (130 people walked), Byron Bay 200 people walked, Rylston (NSW) , and Wollongong (1000 people walked). By the way Robertson walk is officially recorded as 45 people walked. As I said previously, I made it to be 30 adults, 15 kids and 5 dogs! But we did get support from the Bikers too.

Rylstone's walk seems to have been even smaller than ours. 5 people in the photo - no report of numbers, unfortunately. But like us, they obviously had a nice time. Good on them.

*****

Where is Rylestone? I seem to think it is in the Hunter Valley or Mudgee areas. If anyone who reads this has ever been there - please let me know.
It is south east of Mudgee, in the Central Tablelands of NSW. Have a look.

*****

Harriet has advised (see the comments section below) that Rylstone had 250 people "Walk against Warming". Well done them!

Kangaloon Aquifer - Iemma Government's response

The Iemma Government has responded to the people of the Southern Highlands' objections to the Kangaloon Aquifer borefield proposal.

After months of considered discussion; after months of study of hundreds of pages of documents supplied by the Sydney Catchment Authority, the people of the Southern Highlands have been told that the Kangaloon Aquifer has been deemed a "Project of State Significance". That means it has been exempted from all normal requirements for environmental assessment, and other precautionary controls.

These normal requirements are intended to subject Government agencies, such as the SCA to scrutiny, and indeed to require these agencies to follow "due process".

The SCA set up the "Upper Nepean Catchment Community Reference Group" (CRG) as part of a process of "community consultation". Well the CRG sent in its considered response. It caned the SCA for not having done enough scientific investigation. It criticised the haste with which the SCA was pushing ahead with test boring (while the supposed "community consultation" was still being pursued).

Drill rig on Tourist Road, 14 October 2006

Obviously the CRG was right on the money. Obviously, these criticisms hurt the SCA and the Iemma Government.

How do we know?

The response of the Government is a classic "bully boy" response - equivalent to saying: "Well, if that what you think - take this." They have effectively slammed the door on the local community. Consultation is over. They don't want to hear another word from us.

"Its all over, folks" - that's what they are saying - "We are going to start pumping, no matter whether or not it harms the environment. Stuff You" - that's what they are really saying.

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This is my own "graphic" interpretation of the Iemma Government's response to the people of the Southern Highlands. It does not necessarily represent Government Policy. You make up your own mind.

Does the Iemma Government care about farmers in Kangaloon?
Does the Iemma Government care about the general environment in the Southern Highlands?
Does the Iemma Government care about endangered plants and animals in the Kangaloon Aquifer?
Does the Iemma Government care about YOU - THE VOTER?

Make up your own mind.
You be the judge.
You are, after all, the final judge - as a voter!

Bikers supported the "Walk against Warming"

Support from an unexpected quarter is always welcome.

(Photo credit: David Young)

At the end of our Walk against Warming, in Robertson yesterday, we lined up in front of the Community Technology Centre in Robertson, on Hoddle Street (the Illawarra Highway). We were facing a large group of Bikers. They were waiting for a break in the traffic, in order to make their departure in unison.

As they took off down the road, we waved our placards stating: "Ratify Kyoto Now"; and "No More Politicians Hot Air". The Bikers got our message, and noisily supported us by sounding their horns, and waving, as we, in turn, saluted them with the waving of our banners, orange ribbons, etc.

Thanks to the Get Up organisation for planning this national day of climate action, and also for sending us promotional material, placards, petitions to sign, and cool bumper stickers saying:
"An Inconvenient Prime Minister".

Robertson helps save the planet

In cool, foggy conditions in Robertson, on Saturday morning, about 45 Southern Highlands district people (*) took part in the "Walk against Warming". They walked around the village of Robertson, carrying posters and placards, and wearing various bit of orange coloured clothing and ribbons, to symbolise their concern about the state of the environment, and particularly Global Warming.

This walk was part of the Australia-wide display of solidarity against an apathetic Government, which does not yet comprehend the damage which its inactivity on global warming issues will inflict on the planet, and specifically on future generations of Australians.
(Photo credit: David Young)


If you missed out on Saturday's walk, but still wish your opinion on this matter to be counted, you can go to the Climate Action Now! website, and fill in your details to "Put yourself on the map", to register your support for this campaign to tell the Government that you want them to take serious action now, to limit further environmental damage to the climate.

(*) On my calculations there were 30 adults, 15 kids (including Tilly, with a broken leg, who was pushed in a wheel chair, by Boney), and at least 5 dogs. It was a very "Robertson" event!

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Some 30 adults at the "Walk against Warming" also signed a petition to the NSW Minister for the Environment, Mr Bob Debus, calling on him to use his authority as Minister for the Environment, to prevent the Sydney Catchment Authority damaging the environment by pumping water from the Kangaloon Aquifer.That pumping risks causing major environmental damage, by lowering the water table in the Kangaloon area. It also risks causing economic damage to the livelihood of local farmers as well.

The pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer is the biggest environmental issue facing the Southern Highlands - owing to Sydney's failure to manage its requirements for water. The drought is making this issue worse than previously, but the underlying problem is the failure of Government to manage water demand, and wastage, in Sydney.

Orchid Ramble went off well

Today I led a National Parks Association walk "with a difference" - an Orchid Ramble.

While the numbers were not great, we did have some enthusiasts who travelled to the Southern Highlands to join us. We had a lady from Sydney and a guy from Wollongong. There was a couple from Moss Vale, and 4 people from Robertson and one from Carrington Falls. Anyway, those of us who did turn up had a lovely time.




We started in the tall forest along Kirkland Road, and we found lots of Flying Duck Orchids (in a very restricted area, where obviously the conditions are "just right" for this species). In the same area, we found two species of Bearded Orchids (similar plants, but with subtle differences, in the way the petals are held wide open on one species, and half-closed over on the other).






In the same area, we also found a white flowered Caladenia (White "Ladies Fingers" Orchid).










Then we moved into an area where there were many stunning blue "Sun Orchids", of two different species. (Only one species shown here.)










Then we moved out onto Tourist Road, and immediately we were into Tiger Orchids, more Sun Orchids (though with less intense colours, but seemingly the same species, with the same basic structures inside the flower, perhaps just different because they were growing in poorer soils.

Prasophyllum appendiculatum
(Amended ID, by Dr Mark Clements)

Then we found the Wingecarribee Leek Orchids. They are still flowering, but the flowers are starting to fade now.

On 7 March 2012, I received advice that his plant has now been formally identified as Prasophyllum appendiculatum.










We then found many more of the Bearded Orchids, of two species. This photo is of the Purplish Beard Orchid (Calochilus robertsonii) - the species which stays less "open" than the other species.









Along the way, we also noted many plants of the Proteacaea family. At one stage, I asked the group to each stand beside a particular plant. We had Woody Pear, Persoonia (3 species), Banksia (one species), Waratah, Lomatia (2 species), and a Petrophile. All these nine related plants, all members of the Proteacaea, were growing side by side, within a circle of 15 metres. Not bad biodiversity that. Later on, in the same are, I was able to add a Grevillea, and another Persoonia, , and another Banksia.

When we went to the Tourist Road, I was able to show the group 5 different species of Persoonia growing within a 10 metres circle. There was also a prostrate Persoonia growing about 200 metres away. These species were P. linearis, P. levis, P. glaucescens (an endangered species - the "Mittagong Geebung"), P. myrtilloides (not previously recorded in this district), and P. mollis. The prostrate species is P. oxycoccoides. Furthermore, in this area, we added another Grevillea, a Hakea, a Conospermum, and an Isopogon to the previous list of Proteacaea plants (bringing that related group of plants to 18 species on our walk).

Along the way, we saw many wonderful wildflowers, especially the lovely purple Native Irises (Pattersonia sp), and literally thousands of the Sowerbae (Vanilla Rush-lily), numerous different low growing Pea flowers, Trigger Plants, "Yellow Candles" and the showy pinkish-purple "Match heads".

At the very end of the walk, I was able to show the group a single plant of the miniature fern the Forked Comb Fern. A nice little "find" - an uncommon plant, just 4 inches high, growing amongst some dry grass.

This photo shows a single frond, which always seems to remain closed, unlike the more familiar ferns, such as Tree Ferns and Bracken Ferns, which have a flattened frond. This has the same structure, it just does not open out flat. This photo shows the fern at about twice life size (even before clicking to show the photo at maximum resolution).