Perth Voice Interactive

NORTH Perth resident MARY GRAY is a long-time advocate for bushland and its inhabitants. While many of us are focused on Christmas trees, this celebrated and seasoned scientist is urging us to take a moment to appreciate Perth’s unique local trees and the creatures that rely on them.

PERTH is the only city in the world built in Banksia Woodlands –  an iconic and unique feature of Perth.

In this festive season, let us promote and enjoy our world-class heritage.

The Swan Coastal Plain has 2100 native plant species, of which 86% per cent are endemic to WA.

In the western suburbs for example there are nearly 700 species.

Surely now, we must protect the bushland we have left.  

To celebrate and enjoy our Banksia Woodlands, each one of us is encouraged take our kids and/or grandkids on a gentle walk in a local bushland reserve to give them the experience of being in nature.  

Children are great at spotting interesting things.   

They may see little ants that, as they move along their ant-made pathway, create a depression in the sand through their hundreds of feet-falls. 

Where are they going? It’s hard to say.

The purple leafless Fringed Lilies (Thysanotus) are flowering now.

These plants may grow to 1.5 metres.

The flowers take time to open in the mornings and gradually close up as the light fades in the evenings.

If you look closely into the centre of the flower you will see that three of the stamens are much shorter than the other three.

The pink Calytrix flowers right through from November to August.

Also flowering now are Banksia attenuata trees, and you will see that all the flowers are on the tops of branches –  presenting themselves above the leaves to birds and insects.

Sometimes walkers may find a tiny birds nest fallen from a Jarrah tree after the birds have flown.

The parents must have made hundreds of journeys to find and gather grasses, feathers, spider webs and other building materials to build the nest.

Walk slowly and stop frequently to look at the different species of plants, insects, little reptiles and ants and more which may be on the plants or on the ground.  

It is so good for our human health to engage with nature this way. Taking young children under the age of ten out into nature is especially beneficial.

This ‘passive recreation’ will also help raise community awareness and promote our Banksia Woodlands.

And it will also help connect young people to nature and this is a health benefit. So please do this!

Early mornings or late afternoon times are best.