Paten Park Native Nursery

GROW NATIVE
Why grow native plants?
Plants endemic to SE Qld are well-adapted to their local environment, so they are generally easy to grow here (in SE Qld).

💦Conserve water: Endemic plants generally need less water and less maintenance than non-native/exotic plants.

🐨Attract wildlife: Native plants provide food and habitat for wildlife.
They attract a vast array of pollinators including moths, hover flies, birds, bats, native bees and butterflies to spread pollen and help maintain genetic diversity.

🦇Habitat for Australia’s unique pollinators: Australia’s pollinators differ from those in the northern hemisphere and are uniquely adapted to pollinate specific groups of Australian plants.
They include vertebrates such as bats and pygmy possums and a vast range of local insects.
For example, Australia’s 1,500+ species of native bee are very efficient pollinators of plants in the family Myrtaceae (including eucalypts and Melaleucas).
Other key pollinators include bats (eucalypts); birds such as honeyeaters and lorikeets (banksias, grevilleas); and insects including hover flies, nocturnal moths, native wasps and butterflies (woodland and heathland flora).

🪺Enjoyment: Birds, butterflies and other wildlife add life and colour to any garden.

🌿Adapted to survive: By cross-pollinating native flowering plants so they produce seed, pollinators contribute to the natural seed bank of seeds in the soil and leaf litter.
Dormant seeds help plants survive harsh environmental conditions such as drought, flood or fire.
These seeds may germinate to produce more plants when conditions improve.
This also aids genetic diversity and the survival of rare and endangered plants.

Wildlife corridors: By growing native plants in your garden, you can help create wildlife corridors to link areas of natural bushland.
This enables animals such as koalas, birds, bats and butterflies to move safely between areas of natural habitat.

Fresh air: Trees and other native plants provide shade and privacy,
Reduce glare, dust and noise pollution
Filter pollutants from the air and water
Mitigate flooding and help prevent erosion, reduce run-off into creeks.

Natural air-conditioning: Trees provide shade and add moisture to reduce air temperatures by up to 7°C on hot summer days.
They mitigate heat and glare reflected from concrete surfaces such as carparks and city buildings.

Save on groceries: Grow your own native edibles in a garden or in pots on a balcony. Try native citrus including Finger Limes (Citrus australasica), Midyim (Austromyrus dulcis), Ooray (Davidsonia pruriens), Angular Pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens), Aspen (Achronychia spp.), Warrigal Greens (Tetragonia tetragonoides) and more. See Bush Food Plants for Queensland Backyards, available at PPNN.

Promote health and wellbeing: Save on going to the gym!
Gardening is a great workout for strength, flexibility and weight-bearing exercise.

Rest and recharge: Switch off and get outdoors. Reduce screen time and rest your eyes. Get outdoors for fresh air and exercise.

Forest bathing: Enjoy the serenity of the natural environment.
Green spaces help reduce stress and anxiety and inspire creativity.

Come and see some of SE Qld’s beautiful native plants at PPNN.
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ON THE CARDS
It only takes a few key plants to attract more birds, butterflies or frogs to your garden.

If you don’t know where to start, these three Bring Back the Birds, Butterflies and Frogs cards are the way to go.

They list just a few native plants to plant and simple steps to take to create habitat for wildlife in the garden.

The cards have been produced by The Gap Sustainability Initiative Inc. in partnership with PPNN.

PPNN manager Paul Ryan is shown with the Bring the Birds Back card and one of the suggested native shrubs for birds: Orange Thorn (Pittosporum multiflorum).

Each card keeps it simple, with just two suggested trees, 2 shrubs, 2 herbs and 2 climbers for birds or butterflies, and pond plants for frogs, as well as ways to provide water and create habitat for wildlife.

The Orange Thorn is a small shrub up to 2m tall, with tiny, toothed foliage and edible orange berries.

It provides food and shelter for a multitude of birds and its tubular white flowers attract insects which are eaten by other birds.
See bird list at https://ppnn.org.au/plant-info/pittosporum-multiflorum/

The spines along its branches make it an ideal habitat for small birds such as wrens and finches.

It’s also a host plant for Bright Copper butterflies.

Other bird plants include Flat-stem Wattle (Acacia complanata), Creek Lilly Lilly (Syzygium australe), Blue Flax-lily (Dianella caerulea), Native Sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violacea) and the edible Native Raspberry (Rubus probus).

For free local advice about SE Qld plants, call in to PPNN and take a look at our range of beautiful native plants.

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Paten Park Native Nursery will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, August 12, for the Brisbane Ekka public holiday.
We’ll reopen as usual from 9am on Thursday, August 13.

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SECOND CHANCE
Meet Electra and Cardamom.
These two Little Red Flying Fox orphans set hearts aflutter on National Tree Day recently at Paten Park Native Nursery.

As rescued flying foxes, they now have a second chance at life thanks to their dedicated, experienced carers, Rebecca Appleton and Ali Hoeger, from Conservation and Rescue QLD, who brought them along to highlight the importance of bats in Australian bushland.

Like all babies, Electra and Cardamom can be demanding - especially when they get a whiff of nectar-laden native flowers - and they each have unique personalities.

Electra, 10 weeks, is living up to her name as a bit of a diva, according to Rebecca, and didn’t mind being centre of attention at PPNN, while Cardamom is more retiring.

“This one in particular, she’s a giant sook,” Rebecca said.
“They’re amazing animals to work with, really intelligent and really loving.”

As trained carers, Rebecca and Ali are fully vaccinated but anyone else finding an injured bat should never touch it but ring Bat Conservation and Rescue QLD’s rescue hotline on 0488 228 134.

Bats are major pollinators and seed dispersers, vital for the survival of Australia’s eucalypt forests and other habitats.
By spreading seed and carrying pollen over vast distances, they also aid revegetation and maintain genetic diversity.
They need to be abundant as they’re also prey for Powerful Owls, White-bellied Sea Eagles and Crocodiles.

Threats include cats and dogs, powerlines, barbed wire, large-gauge fruit-tree netting, Cocos palms, land clearing and loss of habitat (including tree hollows), drought, floods and disturbance of flying fox camps.

Little Reds are among SE Qld’s 40 bat species.
Insectivorous Microbats make up about 35 species, with the remainder being fruit bats including Black Flying Foxes, Little Reds and Grey-headed Flying Foxes (which look like giant teddy bears with fur right down to their ankles, Rebecca says).

Little Reds are nomadic nectar-eaters and follow the flowering of eucalypts.

The orphans are fed a special milk formula. Once they’re about six weeks old, they’ll start licking nectar from flowers.
“I collect a lot of native flowers (for them) and as soon as I bring them into the house they’ll start yelling at me,” Rebecca says.

So far it’s been a good maternity season for SE Qld’s main flying fox species, with eucalypts in full flower following recent rain, but things may change with the forecast El Niño conditions.

“The bats are all healthy (now) but they’re not going to go into birth until September or so. We’ll have to see how that plays out.”

For more, see https://bats.org.au/

Support Bat Conservation & Rescue QLD’s
BAT BENEFIT BONANZA trivia night
Thursday, August 13
From 6pm
Archer Brewing, 1/277 Newmarket Road, Wilston.
$15 Tickets
https://events.humanitix.com/bat-benefit-bonanza-for-bat-conservation-and-rescue-qld?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0edsqrxl

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FRAGRANT FLOWERS
The Corduroy Tamarind (Mischarytera lautereriana) is a beautiful Queensland rainforest tree with fragrant flowers, ornamental, glossy green leaves and edible fruit.

Although its flowers are only tiny, this lovely tree is a memorable sight in full bloom (as pictured recently) when its masses of white flowers fill the air with an ethereal perfume.

The delicate, sweet scent is redolent with the freshness of bushland, particularly in the twilight as nocturnal wildlife emerges in the treetops from nests and hollows.

The orange flesh (aril) of the fruit surrounding the seeds has a tart, acidic flavour and can be used to make tangy drinks or eaten raw.

This fast-growing tree reaches 10-25m tall in subtropical rainforest and attracts dozens of birds including King Parrots, doves and honeyeaters. See bird list at https://ppnn.org.au/plant-info/mischarytera-lautereriana/

It’s a lovely tree for rainforest gardens, for screening or shade.
Its new leaves are also decorative, in sunset shades of pink, orange and red.

The Corduroy Tamarind likes moist, well-drained soil, full or filtered sunlight and is sensitive to drought and frost.
It’s found in mountain rainforest from NE Qld to SE Qld.

It belongs to the family Sapindaceae which includes lychees, maples and native plants including Hop Bushes (Dodonaea spp.), Tuckeroos (Cupaniopsis spp.), Tamarinds (Diploglottis spp.) and the Foambark Tree (Jagera pseudorhus).

See PPNN on Instagram

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PLATYPUS PLAYGROUND
If you’ve ever seen a platypus in Enoggera Creek, you’re one of the fortunate few.

Platypus sightings in the creek have been rare since the early 2000s and platypus are now believed to be locally extinct, according to The Gap Sustainability Initiative Inc. (TGSI).

No trace of platypus DNA has been found in recent eDNA (environmental DNA) tests of creek water samples collected by TGSI and Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN).

Now TGSI aims to reintroduce platypus to Enoggera Creek by 2032 and restore and protect their habitat.

To help raise funds, TGSI has toy platypus, made locally from recycled materials, for sale.
Pictured at TGSI’s stall National Tree Day at PPNN was TGSI’s secretary and SOWN volunteer Monika Janda.

TGSI has also produced a series of 3 free cards listing ways to Bring Back the Birds, Butterflies and Frogs, with information supplied by PPNN.

PPNN manager Paul Ryan is shown with the Bring the Frogs Back card, which lists native plants for frogs and other ways to create habitat.

Threats to platypus include loss of habitat, changed water flows due to development, pollution including toxic run-off and platypus entanglement in rubbish, according to TGSI.
Water flow and quality are among key issues.

Simple things can make a difference, such as putting rubbish in bins, reducing run-off by using water tanks and making verge gardens, removing weeds or joining a bush care group or SOWN.

According to SOWN’s free booklet, The Creek in our Backyard by Robert Whyte, (available at PPNN), nothing symbolises healthy waterways more than the platypus.

“A common aim in creek restoration is to improve waterways to the standard of a happy platypus playground,” he writes.

Each platypus needs to eat the daily equivalent of about 20 per cent of its body weight in worms, insect larvae, shrimps and yabbies.

So creeks have to be healthy with abundant habitat and locally native creek bank vegetation for platypus to survive.

Find out more at the Brisbane West EcoFest on Sunday, August 16 (10am-3pm) at The Gap State High School.
PPNN will also be there.
See https://thegapsustainability.org/brisbane-west-eco-fest/

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Community spirit was alive and well at National Tree Day at Paten Park Native Nursery last Sunday.

The theme for the day at PPNN was Creeks - and volunteers from local bushcare and other environmental groups were out to celebrate and encourage care for local creeks, bushland and wildlife.

National Tree Day was also the launch for a trio of practical information cards listing ways to Bring Back the Birds, Butterflies and Frogs.
The cards, as shown by PPNN manager Paul Ryan, list native plants to plant for wildlife and other ways to create habitat.
They were produced by The Gap Sustainability Initiative Inc. (TGSI) with information supplied by PPNN.

Rescued Little Red Flying Fox babies, with their carers Rebecca Appleton and Ali Hoeger, drew at crowd of fascinated children and adults to Conservation and Rescue Qld’s stand.

Nature-based activities including children’s craft, ink drawing with artist Lesley Kendall and presentations by native fish expert Steve Baines, author of the Rodney Rainbow Fish series of children’s books, kept everyone enthralled. (Pictured with Steve are Remy, 9, and Sienna Heyen, 7, with their mother Emily Callahan.)

Also popular were tastings of Margo Walter’s native fruit jams with scones made by Jan Hutley and Sandra West (Sandra made sure everyone was included with her gluten-free, nut-free, vegan scones. She's pictured with PPNN staff Helen Croaker). Gwyneth Blundell, 7, is pictured with her mother Tazia Gaisford.

Our neighbours Save Our Waterways Now (SOWN) were there to talk about their local revegetation and creek catchment projects.

TGSI, Men of the Trees and ANGFA Qld (Australia New Guinea Fishes Association) also had stalls and time to chat about the work they do to promote sustainability, plant trees and study and conserve the region’s freshwater fish and aquatic habitats.

At TGSI’s stall, TGSI secretary Monika Janda had toy platypus, made locally from recycled materials, for sale to raise funds for TGSI’s Platypus Project to reintroduce platypus to Enoggera Creek by 2032.
She’s also pictured with Janet Mangan, John Rohde, Tim Whyte and SOWN president Ed Bennett at SOWN’s stand.

MOTT volunteers included Janet Mangan, Marion Goward, Gary Marsh, John Donovan, Judith Bellapart and Danya Jassim.

No-one went hungry, with a PeakerBoo Coffee van on site and a sausage sizzle (pictured are PPNN volunteers Jan Hutley, Elise Williams and PPNN president Judy Nolan).

To taste what you missed, we still have some delicious native fruit jams (as shown by PPNN staff Kathy Langford) so call in to PPNN before they’re gone.

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A BIG DAY OUT
Give a dog a break!
It was a busy day for Spot on National Tree Day at Paten Park Native Nursery today.

Spot was constantly on the ball - supervising all the activities - enough to make anyone dog-tired.
So when he finally had the chance, he took a well deserved (cat)nap in the sun, with some traffic cones to keep the crowds at bay!

With blue skies and sunshine, it was a great day out for everyone, with free children’s activities, bush food tastings,

Talks by Rodney the Rainbow Fish author and native fish expert Steve Baines

Ink drawing with artist Lesley Kendall

Baby rescue flying foxes with their carers from Conservation & Rescue QLD, and the chance to chat and find out more at

Displays by Save Our Waterways Now
The Gap Sustainability Initiative Inc.
Men of The Trees
ANGFA Qld (Australia New Guinea Fishes Association)

All this and some delicious food including scones with native fruit jams, a sausage sizzle and PeakerBoo Coffee van

Thanks to everyone who came along to celebrate National Tree Day in PPNN’s beautiful bushland setting.

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Join us on Sunday (July 26) for NATIONAL TREE DAY at Paten Park Native Nursery (10am-2pm)!
FREE entry, bush food tastings, bush walks, children’s activities, Free talks by native fish expert and Rodney the Rainbow Fish author Steve Baines. Book your place at
11am https://f.mtr.cool/xyrjetppuh
1pm https://f.mtr.cool/mdvfooftrn
Ink drawing with artist Lesley Kendall (adults 16+) lesleykendall.com
Wildlife presentations and displays by
Save Our Waterways Now
The Gap Sustainability Initiative Inc.
conservation.rescue.qld
ANGFA Qld (Australia New Guinea Fishes Association)
Men of The Trees
Sausage sizzle
Coffee van on site
Native plants, books and bush food condiments for sale.
See PPNN on Instagram
National Tree Day

Balaangala Community Group
The Gap 4061

Brisbane City Life
Brisbane Kids
Brisbane Catchments Network
Land for Wildlife South East Queensland
Native Plants Queensland



Queensland Environment
The Queensland Naturalists' Club Inc
National Parks Association of Queensland