Northern Beaches District Group

Activities

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What we do

The group's meetings and talks resumed monthly at Stony Range Botanic Garden from May 2022. Covid-19 and storm damage to first the Garden on 19 Dec 2021 and then the meeting room in 2022 had thwarted our program! However the members have greatly enjoyed Anne Gray's bushwalks and more recently other excursions. The morning tea or lunch that follows has also given us a relaxing debrief and social time with fellow members.

The beautiful Staghorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) grows at Stony Range. The Garden is open to the public and APS Northern Beaches meets at the Corkery Building within the grounds.

APS NORTHERN BEACHES SCHEDULE 2023

2 Feb 2023 - Landscape historian Stuart Read - A history of garden design, using Australian native plants. Details here.

22 Feb 2023 - Paul Nicholson Plants in Peril - rare & threatened plants & plant communities. Details here.

15 Mar 2023 - Visit to Cicada Glen Nursery. Details here.

6 Apr 2023 - Helen Smith from the Australian Museum - Huntsman spiders + spider Q&A. Details here

15 Apr 2023 - Plant identification walk & visit to Aboriginal engravings Elvina Track, West Head. Details here.

4 May 2023 - Harry Loots, Northern Beaches group member - Plants hidden in the clouds. Details here.

20 May 2023 - APS NSW Gathering & AGM. Hosted by APS Central Coast.

1 Jun 2023 - Vanessa McPherson & Michael Gillings Fungal species, their ecology and their interaction with plants. Details here.

21 Jun 2023 - Visit to Harry’s prize-winning garden, as featured on Gardening Australia.

6 Jul 2023 - Wendy Grimm A beginner's guide to native orchids. Details here.

22 Jul 2023 - Plant identification walk, Ralston Ave track Belrose. Followed by lunch. Details here.

3 Aug 2023 - Angela Michaelis Plants for gardens in the shade. Details here.

19 Aug 2023 - Plant identification walk, Heath track, Allambie Heights.

7 Sept 2023 - Brian Roach Beside the seaside.

9 Sept 2023 - Members set-up for Festival. 10 Sept 2023 - Stony Range Spring Festival. Details here.

15 Oct 2023 - Visit ‘Cumblerland Plain Woodland’, Cranebrook. Followed by lunch.

2 Nov 2023 - Gracie Liu Creating a frog-friendly garden. Details here.

15 Nov 2023 - Macquarie University Arboretum Guided walk with Sam Newton. POSTPONED.

9 Dec 2023 - Members' end of year PARTY! Stony Range, 12.00 for 12.30. Bring a plate. Details here.

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APS NORTHERN BEACHES SCHEDULE 2022

With activities finished for 2022, the group celebrated the end of the year in December. Details here.

Feb 2022

Talk by Graham McLean at the Australian Museum

The Evolution of Plants in Australia - a private viewing of plant fossils stored at the Museum was a unique privilege. We enjoyed lunch afterwards at the Museum. Details here.

Mar 2022

Paul Nicholson guided us on a tour themed The evolution of Australian flora - before and after the triumph of the gum trees

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

a convivial lunch at the cafe followed Details here.

Oct 2022

National Herbarium of NSW, Mount Annan.

Guided tour by Collections Manager Hannah McPherson.

Members only. Details here.

Oct 2022

Stony Range Spring festival

Plant sales, walks, kids activities, coffee & homemade cakes

Open to the public. Details here.

Thanks to all members who worked on the event.

Walks & garden visit 2022

April Plant I.D. walk North Head Sanctuary & cafe lunch. Details here.

June Turimetta Headland & cafe lunch. Details here.

July Challenger track, West Head & cafe lunch. Details here.

Aug The Bluff track, Bantry Bay & cafe lunch. Details here.

Sept Slippery Dip Trail, Belrose & pub lunch. Details here.

Nov Visit to Pam & Valmai's garden, Allambie Heights. Details here.

Meetings 2022, first Thursday of the month -

Presentation, minor plant family & Annual General Meeting May 2022

Ian Thompson Garden insects & bugs - a close-up look Details here.

The AGM convened after the break.

Presentations & minor plant family 2022

Mar Bill Dobson Native orchids of the Northern Beaches Details here.

Jun Trevor C Wilson What is the Australian Bugle? Details here.

Aug Penny Hunstead Bush Tucker Details here

Sep Hannah McPherson 1.4 million plant specimens make their way to Mount Annan. Details here

Nov Sean Granger Weeds. Details here.

Jul, Oct 2022

7.15 minor plant family 7.30 show & tell 8.30 committee meeting

Local Gallery

Actinotus helianthi

Image: Russell Beardmore. Taken at North Curl Curl.

An eastern species that grows in shallow, sandy soil . A bit tricky in cultivation.

Epacris longiflora

Image: David Drage

A local favourite found in sand, cliff faces, heath and woodland margins.

Platylobium formosum

Image: David Drage. Taken at Katandra Wildflower Reserve.

Local species. Straggly hardy understorey species up to 2.5m. Bright flowers in Spring.

Enquiries to: northernbeaches@austplants.com.au