Crowdy Bay National Park update

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.  

Crowdy Bay Recovers

Sue Baker, Mid North Coast Branch of NPA

If I was ever asked what is the greatest miracle that I have witnessed in my life, the answer would be the post-fire regeneration in Crowdy Bay NP. Earlier in the year I wrote an article for the journal describing the sickening devastation, the deathly silence and lack of life in the park, 84% of which was burnt last November including the most precious patches of littoral rainforest.

Crowdy Bay Bush Regen Site Devastated by Fire

Sue Baker, Mid North Coast Branch

This time last year we were celebrating 40 years of bush regeneration work by the Mid North Coast Branch at Crowdy Bay. In December 2019 the area was hit by devastating fires, which also destroyed the new hut facilities at Kylie’s Beach. There is, however, good to come from the ashes. This year’s bush regen camp will be able to make a strong impact on previously difficult to access weed infestations.

The following article first appeared in the Mod North Coast Branch newsletter. This version has additions from Sue Baker.

Crowdy Bay National Park Bush Regeneration – 40 years of progress

Mike Dodkin & Sue Baker, Mid North Coast Branch, National Parks Association of NSW

In May of this year the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and NPA Mid North Coast Branch celebrated forty years of habitat restoration, focusing particularly on Bitou bush removal in Crowdy Bay National Park, north of Taree, making this Australia’s longest-running Bitou eradication project.