Annandale on the Web
Established 1998

Local Provenance Plants for Sydney's Inner West

Local Provenance Plants are those that have evolved to suit a location's natural unique conditions. Lots or little rain some years, every year or throughout the year or just when it is cold or hot. Levels of sunlight and temperature variations. Alkaline or acidic, clay or sandy soil with an abundance or low levels of phosphate, iron, calcium, nitrogen, humus, rocks, underground water reserves. Plants may rely on a particular insect, bird, possum or the wind for cross polination, heat to open pods and wood ash, rain and light to germinate (propagate). Plants have adapted to live in shady gullies, or salty tidal wetlands or Sunny well drained spots.

Since 1995, the Rozelle Bay Community Native Nursery has collected seeds and cuttings from the closest remnant bushland, to propagate and reintroduce Local Provenance Plants to Annandale and the Inner West of Sydney.

Rozelle Bay Bush Care Group Community & Native Nursery 1998-2010

The Rozelle Bay and Callan Park Bushcare groups, in particular, use the Rozelle Bay Community Native Nursery to propagate plants for Local Provenance Plant corridors around Annandale. These corridors provide habitat for a wide variety of native birds and other animals.

The nursery is currently located at the end of Chapman Rd. Enter Chapman Road from the roundabout at intersection of Nelson St and the Crescent and it is just past the self storage. map A permanent purpose built nursery has been proposed in Wisdom St Annandale.

Get Involved - The Nursery is always looking for new volunteers!

No experience is necessary, but please wear closed sturdy shoes and a hat. Groups meet at the Nursery or at various sites around the Leichhardt Municipality.

"Volunteers from the Rozelle Bay Community Native Nursery (RBCNN) have been propagating and planting locally-indigenous species, weeding, and mulching in parks near the Glebe and Rozelle foreshores for more than 10 years, to restore some of the area’s original plant diversity and wildlife habitat...." - National Trust, Bush Week in the City 2010

Activities

• 
  View A Wander through Annandale (Walk) in a larger map
  8.30am - 12.00pm on Wednesdays and Fridays
  Meet and work in the Nursery:
• 9am-1pm Fridays
  Meet at Nursery then go to Callan Park
• 9.30-12.00 First Sunday of Month
  Elkington Park "Weeding with a view" (Morning Tea at Frog Pond)
• 9.30-12noon Third Sunday of Month
  Balmain High end of Bayville St (Traditional Morning Tea served on a log!)
• 9.30-12noon First Sunday of Month
  Callan Park, west of King George Park (Morning tea with renowned Chef!)
• 9.30-12 First Saturday of Month
  Mort Bay Cnr Cameron/McKell Sts Birchgrove:
• 9.30-12.00 Third Saturday of the month
  Whites Creek Bushcare Group, meet Cnr Railway Pde and Hutchinson St Annandale

To learn more: just turn up, phone Doug Anderson 9367-9326 or email: douga@lmc.nsw.gov.au.

Projects

Local Provenance Plant corridors and pockets have been established at 25 sites in the Leichhardt Municipality, in addition to plantings on the Rozelle Bay foreshore:

Piper St Reserve, July 2002

• at the entrance to the Harold Park pedestrian underpass;
• around the Pumphouse at the end of Rose St;
• in Hogan Park along Nelson Lane, at the end of Taylor St;
• around the Federal Park Wetlands;
• in the White's Creek Wetlands and Parklands; and
• around the lightrail station at the junction of the Crescent and Western Distributer.
• Breillat St
• Along Western side of Johnston St, towards the Crescent

Activities

• Piper Street Reserve - Sydney Harbour Catchment grant to continue the indigenous plant corridor with turpentine and ironbark trees.
• Plant Identification, Seed & Cutting Collection
• Propagating and Planting
• Operation of the nursery
• Seeking Funding to undertake major projects such as the regeneration "the Hill" behind Harold Park and creating a site for the reintroduction of Turpentine trees.

The nursery exists through the voluntary efforts of individuals, in particular the tireless leadership of Beth Buchannen. It also benefits from the support of Reg Richardson and his staff Betty and John, from Self Security Storage who have provided free water and electricity since 1997.

The nursery is also supported by The City of Sydney, Leichhardt Council, Landcare, Government grants, Volunteers from The Body Shop, Westpac, American Express,Starbucks,local schools and Green Reserve from Conservation Trust for Volunteers. Ramin Communications has provided the nursery with a web presence since 1998.

A Finalist in Keep Australia Beautiful's 1999 Metro Pride Award, the Nursery has received a variety of grants. Including:-

• the final grant made by the Port Jackson Catchment Management Committee. The grant will assistthe Nursery to erect interpretive signage and perimeter plantings for the Federal Park Wetland. The grant will be administered by the newly created Sydney Harbour Catchment Management Board, which is replacing a number of harbour catchment committees including The Port Jackson Catchment Management Committee.
• a Federal Government Grant for small equipment which was matched by Leichhardt Council to construct new Nursery Benches
• a 9/11 commemorative grant from the US Consulate.

The Federal Park Saltmarsh Wetland, close to Rozelle Bay, has great significance as a prototype for ecological restoration in an urban setting. It reinstates a simulated tidal estuary, lost when the Johnson's Creek estuary was landfilled.

This page www.ramin.com.au/annandale/rbcnn-2.shtml last updated 8 July 2011