Biorch plantations blog - Biorich plantations – mimicking nature to integrate conservation & production

Spraying of gorse around mullock heap in autumn 2023

28/4/2023

Autumn spraying of gorse by BRT on and around the mullock heap. We're trying to keep it at bay where we've planted. In keeping with the Bradley method of weeding – moving from the best areas to the worst. Far too much gorse on the steep west slope – almost over head height.

Team of four this time using two long hoses that Gary has fixed to the BRT 200 litre spraying unit. We also spot sprayed the potential banksia seed orchard area and followed up gorse regrowth on the NW corner of ImLal South.

Top of the hill plantings taking off

28/4/2023

Hakea and callitris are growing strongly on top of the hill this autumn 2023 after good rains and now a mild,settled autumn.

Our first koala sighted among the red gums

31/12/2021

A visit to ImLal with my sister Jane on a cold and blustery day. The koala seemed quite unconcerned. Spear grass and banksias in splendid condition after all the spring and early summer rain.

Spring spraying of gorse – ongoing

8/11/2021

Annual spraying of gorse on the mullock heap top. Hakea decurrens still going strong (middle). Last of the black wattle going in (bottom). Not much gorse left to spray in ImLal South.

Spraying gorse on mullock heap

22/1/2021

Gorse on ImLal South is under control. It's harder on the steep slopes of the mullock heap where we're trying a combo of digging, chainsaw cutting and spot spraying.

New guards on what's left of the sequoia

12/10/2020

Only seven of the original plot of 52 sequoias has survived the onslaught of the bouncing roos on the ImLal North site. They don't seem to like the swampy conditions much either. The sequoia pictured is as old as the young Nate on the left – 10yo and way behind Nate in the growth stakes.

Phil on the right shows his patented ring of steel guard for keeping the roos at bay – for now.

Building bridges on the bird survey transect

5/10/2020

Phil continues high pruning of the ironbark

5/10/2020

Culprit found who's churning up the earth

5/10/2020

On the west side of ImLal South the ground is so holey, it's difficult to find a clear path in some places.

Gary was out measuring tree plots and came across the culprit attempting to hide – as suspected, an echidna.

Endangered hakea flourishing on the mullock heap

20/7/2020

There’s still 28 of the locally endangered Hakea decurrens flourishing on the top of the mullock heap at ImLal. Everything else is taking a beating from the roos, wind and poor mullock heap soil (or lack of). They seem to have been flowering for ages.