Everywhere a Waterfall

Lamington Falls Drops 300m

Just thought I would share with you a before and after of our clearing on Waterfall Creek.

Waterfall Creek comes out of the Macpherson Ranges which rises out of our property, just to the south, and are part of the Boarder Ranges. Lamington Falls introduces Waterfall Creek and from the falls to Christmas Creek there is but 1200m and a drop of 500m - that's almost 1 in 2. You can know why this is called Waterfall Creek. There are many rocks and rock pools on the way down this spring fed creek that has never dried up. But beware the wet season as its flow can be as  treacherous as it is sedate and persistent for most of the other times.

Creek to Creek

Where it meets Christmas Creek, in the shadows of Buchanans Fort, it forms an effective link between two national parks. the Fort being in Lamington National Park. Our ambition to restore this as a wildlife corridor has finally completed its first major stage. The first 400m of Waterfall Creek, from Christmas Creek, is now cleared and many plantings have been complemented by a blossoming of trees unburdened by lantana and a massive regrowth of native riparian vegetation. We are really stoked. It is trully a beautiful environment to enjoy.

What is encouraging too is that there are only a few places in the National Park where we have to further clear it of weeds as the rainforest invariably reasserts itself if given the chance. Its been a little different in the area we have just cleared as this was once in the way of a dairy farm till the early 90's and before that it has been clear felled for its timber - the last being in the 60's. It's hard to fine a tree here older than 50 or 60 years. It gets dramatically different the further you go up the creek. Despite this it is remarkably pristine and marked by quite distinct and different forest types as the creek decends.

Now it is a matter of following the broad clearing we have done (limited judicious poisoning followed by our LF brushcutter) and stop the vines from strangling new growth and young trees. Also to be monitored is any comeback by lantana and kroften weed. Fortunately, both are relatively easy to deal with and I now go into the creek armed with little more than my hand clippers. When I get the time, as often as I can squeeze in, I get into the creek and tidy it up. It's the most satisfying time I spend on this property.

I hope you enjoy the photos. But I also hope that people who stay here will enjoy the walk up to Lamington Falls from our waterfall creek and enjoy the myriad of  niche environments and abundant bird life that our riparian restoration continues to open up.