REFUGE ROCK WALK Sunday 26 April 2pm – 4pm

Leader: Jennifer Farrer
Distance: 2.3km
Track Conditions: Fire trail and rough bush tracks.

 Refuge Rock is an outcrop of several hectares which came to be used as a safe haven for firefighters during control burns. The walk commences through typical Sydney woodland which has a great diversity of species. We should see some flowers, especially Banksias. As we get closer to Refuge Rock we will enter Sydney sandstone flora. The actual rock platform is very interesting to observe the plants which have gained a foothold in a very harsh environment. Hopefully there will still be some flowers on Leptospermum squarrosum which is one of the special species to be seen here.

The walk can be undertaken as a walk-in walk-back on the same route which is 2 km long. But it would be good if we can take in the whole circuit which includes a walk along the cliff edge above Berowra Creek and a track through some lovely Sydney Sandstone heathland. 

Please register your interest in attending this walk at apsparrahills@gmail.com or text Jennifer 0407 456 577

Members' meeting - Speaker
Jim Cootes “Native Orchids”

Native orchids will be the topic at the next meeting of the Parramatta Hills Group of the Australian Plants Society which will be held on Saturday 23 May at 2 pm.

The speaker will be Jim Cootes, a well known orchid expert and popular speaker on orchids. An enthusiastic amateur botanist, he is an international expert on the orchids of the Philippines and has published two authoritative books on this subject. He is also very knowledgeable about Australian native orchids and is active in the Macarthur Australasian Native Orchid Society (ANOS). Jim is an accomplished photographer and undertakes many field trips in the Macarthur area. He makes many contributions in ‘Out and About in Macarthur’, which appears within the Macarthur ANOS Facebook page. Jim’s topic will be on native orchids native to the Macarthur LGA and will mention some of the rarities he has found in his adventures with other native orchid enthusiasts. There will also be mention of the conservation efforts being made to protect these species.

The meeting will be held at Gumnut Hall, Gumnut Place Cherrybrook. Native plants will be for sale and afternoon tea will be provided after the meeting. Visitors are very welcome to attend.

Enquiries to Jennifer Farrer 0407 456 577 or apsparrahills@gmail.com

Location of Gumnut Hall

Gumnut Hall, Gumnut Place, Cherrybrook.

Gumnut Hall is at the closed end of Gumnut Place, a side street off Gumnut Road, Cherrybrook. On weekdays this hall is used by Cherrybrook Community Preschool, so on maps it is often referred to by this name. Gumnut Place is narrow and winding, and parking is limited, so it is best to use any parking space you see, and walk the short distance to the hall. Gumnut Road is much larger and parking is easier.