Sue Baker, Mid North Coast Branch
This article first appeared in Mid North Coast July 2023 newsletter. Reprinted with permission.
AN EXCITING FIND: Great excitement in the NSW orchid world and amongst rangers in the Hastings Macleay NPWS office has been aroused by Tom Clarke’s discovery of an unusual orchid in the northern section of Crowdy Bay NP during the bush regen camp that he ran in September on behalf of our branch. Tom has become my invaluable right-hand man in our ongoing project for some years now.
The Black Bootlace Orchid, (Erythrorchis cassythoides), exists mostly in a small number of scattered near coastal locations from Royal National Park north to the inland Blackland Tablelands in Queensland. It has never been officially recorded anywhere between Foster and SW Rocks and only 308 known occurrences have been recorded. Tom’s finding has now been recorded in the Atlas of Living Australia. The orchid is one of only 100 species in the world that root into the ground and then climb up trees. The most famous of these orchids is the Mexican Vanilla Orchid, a major source of vanilla.
The leafless Bootlace Orchid only climbs up eucalypts, dead stumps or logs and is named for its black, spongy, water absorbing stems that rise up from roots that are parasitic on certain soil fungi. It also gets nutrients from decaying stumps.
Crowdy Bay camp 2024
CROWDY BAY NATIONAL PARK BUSH REGENERATION CAMP MAY 19– 26th
Sue Baker, Mid North Coast Branch
This year marks the 45th anniversary of NPA Mid North Coast branch’s bush regen program at CBNP. And what achievements have been made! Beginning as a small project aimed at eradicating Bitou Bush from just a few hectares on Diamond Head, the project has grown to cover almost 300 ha of varied habitats across the park, including endangered littoral rainforest.
A precious patch of this habitat on the northern end of Kylie’s Beach was decimated in the 2019 fires. Experts estimated it would take 10 years for a reasonable canopy to re-establish but La Niña stepped in and blessed it with years of good rain, and with help, the canopy cover has shot up metres high and native regrowth is such that it is now somewhat difficult to get access through it! It has been an utter joy to witness this transformation as well as near eradication of Bitou Bush in many areas.
This year’s annual camp will be held in the week beginning 19th May with the following week as back up in case of bad weather. Last year, between the week-long camp and the, now annual, September three-day follow up camp, a massive 641 volunteer on-ground hours was chalked up.
The effort from our dedicated volunteers was backed by contract work funded by an Environmental Trust grant and other grants raised by hard-working, committed and proactive park ranger Ben Stevens. Special mention needs to be made of Tom Clarke, a retired professional regenerator, who by a stroke of luck became involved in 2020 and continues to make a huge and invaluable contribution.
The achievements would be nowhere near what they are without the support of the Environmental Trust who have funded three grants; their assistance has also been invaluable.
The camp is held at the great spot of Kylies Beach, the campground being tucked in just behind the dunes of this beautiful, untouched stretch of beach. As all people involved in bush regeneration know, follow up must continue in perpetuity. Volunteers can attend for however long they like during the week. The volunteer team is a friendly and welcoming group. For information ring Sue on 02 6559 7134.