With 19 local groups around NSW, there is always a lot of regional activity – bushwalks, meetings, talks, garden visits, plant sales, bush care and propagation. Here are some highlights from 2025.
Blue Mountains
The year began with a visit to Wallaroo, a private nature reserve in the Mulgoa Valley owned by the Cumberland Land Conservancy. This valuable 38-hectare bushland gem contains vegetation communities listed as endangered, including Shale-Hills Woodland, Alluvial Woodland, and Riparian Woodland. Forming part of the Cumberland Corridor Strategy, which links the Cumberland Plain and the Blue Mountains, Wallaroo provided an incredible opportunity for twenty attendees to explore and appreciate its unique landscape.
Jill Dark presented a fascinating slideshow and discussion on Blue Mountains orchids, drawing from an extensive study she conducted during COVID. Her research uncovered over 90 of the approximately 200 known orchids in the area, offering attendees a deep dive into the region’s remarkable flora.
In September, the Spring Fair was another record-breaking event, drawing in the broader community. Featuring a Bush Tucker stall, guided walks through the reserve, and well-attended propagation workshops, the fair was a tremendous success. Over 30 APS volunteers contributed, making it the biggest annual event on our calendar.
One of the year’s standout moments was a garden visit to Werrington Downs, showcasing a native floral cottage garden that combined garden beds and display pots. The visit demonstrated how vibrant colour patterns can be incorporated into native gardens, offering inspiration for attendees looking to enhance their own landscapes.
An excursion to Pierces Lookout provided a chance to explore the Upper Mountains wildflower display while taking in breathtaking views of the Grose Valley. Meanwhile, an interview and cover story with the Blue Mountains Gazettehighlighted the history of APS Blue Mountains from its beginnings in 1967 to the present day, while also promoting the many opportunities available for community participation.
2024 also saw the launch of a dedicated APS Blue Mountains Facebook page, developed by three active members. With regular posts on nursery updates, plants, and community events, the page now receives over 2,000 views each month and has grown to 683 followers. It has also become part of a dynamic network of 25 Blue Mountains community groups, many of which regularly share our content.
The APS plant nursery continued to thrive, with an increase in plant sales driven by new residents eager for advice on how to establish and maintain their Blue Mountains gardens. The recent purchase of a propagation unit will further support these efforts, allowing the production of local provenance, low-cost tubestock for sale.
The year concluded with a well-deserved Christmas barbecue gathering in the reserve, bringing members together to celebrate a successful and rewarding 2024.
Coffs Harbour
A significant event this past year was the revision of the Memorandum of Understanding, which formalised the relationship between APS Coffs Harbour and the Far North Coast (FNC) Group. It is hoped that this will create opportunities for cooperation and growth for both groups.
There has been a small increase in membership, but unfortunately, this has not translated into active participation. If this trend continues, the increased workload on Committee members will become unsustainable. In the coming year, both sub-groups hope to offer more meetings and activities to engage members and encourage greater involvement. We are particularly keen to expand activities that share the expert knowledge of both our members and the wider community interested in native plants.
In 2024, the Coffs Harbour group held four outings but no meetings, while the FNC group organised ten outings. The FNC group also had to clarify APS guidelines regarding group outings, as some participants expected a bushwalk while others wanted to focus on plant study. The APS Coffs Harbour Committee held four meetings at various venues, including Lorikeet Park and Coramba, with the FNC liaison member attending via Zoom whenever possible.
Due to various challenges, we were only able to produce one newsletter this year, which was disappointing, as it is an important way to maintain contact with members and share information. However, moving forward, we have reached an arrangement for the two groups to share the effort of producing four newsletters annually, ensuring more consistent communication.
Over the years, we accumulated a collection of reference books, many from bequests by members. To find homes for as many as possible, we partnered with the Friends of North Coast Regional Botanic Garden for a botanic book sale. This event turned out to be our biggest income earner for the year.
I would like to thank the following members for their significant contributions to the group’s activities: Gwyn Clarke, Andrea Plant, and Barry Kemp. We also farewelled Morrie and Fiona Duggan, who returned to Canberra, and we sincerely thank them for their many years of contribution to the Coffs Harbour group.
Finally, I extend my gratitude to all members of the Committee for their dedicated work throughout the year.
Kevin Lownie
President, APS Coffs Harbour Group
Hunter Valley
Participation in the Bushland Festival in Cessnock generated huge interest, with the sale of flowers donated by members proving to be a great success.
Members visited two ambitious riverside farms undertaking rainforest regeneration—one on the Hunter River and the other on the Williams River. The owners greatly appreciated the advice provided, and offers of plant stock will be taken up once they are further along in their projects. The visits were supplemented by a talk from the organizer of a riverside regeneration project, providing further insights into the restoration efforts.
A fascinating talk on bush tucker food was delivered by a local Indigenous educator, complete with culinary examples that showcased the diversity and richness of native foods.
Illawarra Group
APS Illawarra continues to grow and develop, with the launch of our bi-monthly newsletter in January 2024. The Vice President and I were invited as guest speakers at the West Wollongong Garden Club, where we spoke about all things Illawarra APS and native plants.
Throughout the year, we organised a series of walks and excursions:
- In January, we visited the University of Wollongong for a guided walk led by a UOW horticulturist.
- February took us to Thirlmere Lakes National Park for an exploration of its unique landscape.
- In March, we walked the Otford Coast Track, covering the southern part of the Royal National Park.
- April’s excursion led us to Killalea Regional Park.
- In May, we visited Tallawarra Wetlands, a prospective conservation project on Energy Australia land. Birding groups from the Illawarra, along with our APS group, are advocating for the wetland’s protection.
- June saw us at Stanwell Tops (IESCA), where we created a species list for this special area.
- July’s highlight was the Providential Loop Track in the Royal National Park, a joint walk with Sutherland APS. This outing combined fascinating history—featuring Bass and Flinders—with the unique flora of the area.
- In August, we visited Dharawal National Park. Unfortunately, track maintenance had cleared vegetation on both sides, making orchid spotting difficult, but it provided a great opportunity to connect with fellow members.
- September took us to Croom Reserve in Albion Park for a joint walk with Nowra/Bomaderry APS. We discovered several wonderful plant species that added to previous survey records.
- In October, we explored Barren Grounds alongside the Southern Highlands APS.
- November featured a joint walk with Sutherland APS along the Bungoona Track in the Royal National Park.
- December wrapped up the year with our Christmas party festivities, where members also planned the 2025 program.
Our conservation project at Robins Creek gained momentum by becoming part of Illawarra Landcare. We applied for two grants—one from Landcare and one from Wollongong City Council. While we were only successful with the Council grant, the funding allowed us to install a rabbit-proof fence in December.
We look forward to strengthening our connections with neighbouring APS groups in 2025.
Michael Swire
President, Illawarra APS Group
Macarthur
Our small group continues to decline and, as our members age, this has greatly restricted any proposed activities.
In March, we gathered at the Picton Botanic Garden to plant a memorial tree in honor of our late life member, Ron Davies. The chosen tree, Corymbia ficifolia ‘Summer Red,’ now stands as a tribute to his contributions. Wollondilly Shire Council has since installed a plaque at its base.
April saw us hold our AGM, but unfortunately, no one volunteered to take on the role of President.
In June, we met for a social morning tea at a café before holding our meeting, providing an opportunity for members to connect in a relaxed setting.
August brought us to the Wattle Garden at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, where we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, admiring the many species in bloom.
September took us to the always impressive Sylvan Grove Native Garden. After an enjoyable morning tea, we explored the entire two-kilometre network of winding sealed paths, taking in the beautifully maintained garden. It was particularly encouraging to see so much new signage identifying the plant species.
Later that month, just two of our members attended the APS Quarterly Gathering at Oatley. Following lunch, Rhonda Daniels delivered an impressive presentation on wattles, making the event a valuable experience despite our small turnout.
We finished the year with an enjoyable Christmas morning tea at a café, where, among other discussions, we reflected on the future of our group.
North Shore
Once again, the dedication and hard work of a very small group of convenors and volunteers allowed us to offer a wide range of activities for members and finish the year in a strong financial position. A big thank you to our convenors and active volunteers for their ongoing efforts!
However, member participation in some activities was disappointingly low, and very few new members became actively involved. Of particular concern was the poor attendance at our monthly Friday night meetings. It seems that members are either unable or uninterested in attending evening meetings. The 2025 Committee will need to address this issue and explore viable alternatives for member gatherings.
The group will be able to continue offering activities as long as there are convenors and volunteers willing to run them, but this will need to be reviewed as key contributors step back. To all new members—please consider becoming active to help ensure the group’s continued success!
I have greatly enjoyed serving as President and Vice President over the past six years, and I wish the group all the best for the future.
Northern Beaches
Members enjoyed a walk along the Chiltern Track, taking in the natural beauty of the area. Another highlight was a visit to the garden of one of our members, Lorna Scott, where we had the opportunity to appreciate her dedication to native plants.
Nowra
For a small core group of volunteers, we managed to hold a great variety of activities throughout the year—each reflecting our main aims as an APS group by showcasing the beauty of our natural flora and educating the public on growing and appreciating Australian native plants.
The spectacular natural environment of the South Coast provided opportunities for walks through diverse plant communities, from forests to saltmarshes. Highlights included walks at Abraham’s Bosom (Currarong), Booderee National Park, the Grotto (North Nowra), and Pointers Gap Lookout (near Ulladulla).
Fascinating talks by experts in their fields further enriched members’ knowledge, covering topics such as What is Ecosystem Communication?, the vegetation of Armidale and its surrounds, native ferns of the South Coast, and an overview of the ANPSA Biannual Conference.
Our dedicated volunteers continued to maintain the native Wirrecoo Wildflower Garden, ensuring it remained a beautiful space for visitors to the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum.
The annual Propagation Day and three-day plant sale, held as part of the Berry Garden Festival in the excellent facilities of the Berry Plant Prop Nursery, provided a great opportunity to encourage the public to grow and appreciate our remarkable native flora.
A year well done!
Parramatta Hills
Our group had the honour of hosting the NSW Region Gathering again this year, which proved to be a very successful event.
We also had a well-attended meeting in November for our final gathering of the year, during which one of our members, James Indsto, gave an intriguing talk about his experiences as a forensic botanist with the NSW Police Service. He shared some of the techniques he has developed to assist in criminal investigations.
While we have a dedicated core group of members who participate in most activities, we’ve noticed that some members only engage in specific events such as meetings, bushwalks, or propagation activities. This highlights the importance of continuing to offer a mix of activities in 2025.
An analysis of our membership database shows that 40% of our members do not participate in any activities.
In 2024, we organised two trips away from Sydney: one to Wollongong, which included a visit to Bulli Grevillea Park, and another to the Crommelin Arboretum at Pearl Beach. Both trips were enjoyable and informative but did not attract many members. From this experience, we now understand that our members are not particularly keen to travel, as very few also attend the Region Gatherings.
Southern Highlands
Our monthly get-togethers consist of either a talk or an outing.
In February, committee member Jen Slattery spoke at our first meeting, outlining procedures for establishing bush regeneration projects. With years of experience working for Wingecarribee Shire Council, Jen’s talk was both informative and insightful.
In April, our next presentation focused on developing new plant varieties and the process of bringing them to the public. Graham Brown, a scientist and plant breeder from the company Nuflora, provided context and background on the industrial-scale activities involved in producing the rows of plants found in retail nurseries.
In August, with the help of local environmental groups and other interested parties, we held a community forum on dying trees in the district and the pathogen Phytophthora. A wide cross-section of the public attended to hear expert Dr. Brett Summerell and others discuss “What’s Killing Our Trees.”
Our garden visits began with a local APS member’s home. Erica Rink has been joyfully converting her established garden to native plants over recent years.
Other excursions included visits to wildlife-friendly properties at Bundanoon, the Walcott Garden in Canberra, and the Wollongong Botanic Gardens. At these locations, we were joined by members of our neighbouring APS groups: Southern Tablelands, Canberra, and Illawarra. In October, we collaborated with Illawarra members for a walk at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve. That month also featured a fascinating “Fern Walk” at Mt. Gibraltar, Bowral, led by Dr. Kevin Mills, which more than made up for its previous weather-related postponement.
Sth Highlands APS made a submission regarding the Biosecurity Weed Control Program 2024-2029 and an assessment of the potential impact of the Bowral South New Living Area on the site’s ecological features. Both submissions were sent to Wingecarribee Shire Council during the year.
The committee has also been involved in planting and ongoing maintenance at the CWA rooms in Moss Vale, where we meet every second month.
Southern Tablelands
We had about six members attend the APS Victoria gathering during the year, and from their feedback, it was nearly a life-changing weekend for them. They all thoroughly enjoyed it.
Unfortunately, we don’t have many members participating in our activities—it’s the same few each time.
We were delighted, however, when a member introduced herself at a plant stall during the year. She expressed interest in becoming involved in our APS Wetlands Garden, only to later discover that she wasn’t a current member but a lapsed one. She did, however, receive her member discount for the plants she purchased.