Growing local

CREATE MORE BUTTERFLIES

Compared to Brisbane, there aren't many gardening related workshops on offer at Bribie so I was keen to support this one run by Helen Schwencke at the local library yesterday.

Helen has put out a wonderful little book full of colour photos with a pic for each butterfly in adult, caterpillar and chrysalis stages called Create More Butterflies

Available on her website Earthling Enterprises it's not cheap at $34 but worth it to have this terrific resource.

Helen's talk was about providing host plants for the complete life cycle of the butterfly not just nectar plants for the adult.

TOP 10 BUTTERFLY PLANTS

Climbing Senna (Senna gaudichaudi)

Corky Milk Vine (Secamone elliptica)

Emu Foot (Cullen tenax)

Karamat (Hygrophila augustifolia)

Love Flower (Pseuderanthemum variabile)

Mangrove Wax Flower Vine (Cynanchum carnosum)

Native Mulberry (Pipturus argenteus)

Thornless Caper (Capparis lucida)

Zig Zag Vine (elodorum leichardtii)

Finger Lime (Citrus australasica)

+Citrus of any type

I didn't take copious notes, preferring to rely on the book and a few important pointers:

there are 360 known butterfly host plants
create water features/soaks
leave areas in your garden as natural as possible
interplant your garden with local and regional native plants

Helen suggested the Queensland Naturalists Club for meet ups and outings. Sounds like a nudist meet up but it's about insects and the environment! Really :)

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Comment by Dave Riley on October 22, 2018 at 9:44: The Mosaic Club, which gathers here at home each week, did the mosaic on the butterfly house door.

If you go to Bribie and Op shop -- which you gotta do -- the first stop has to be Busy Fingers. Helen is currently working on mosaic projects with the kids at the award winning kindergarten next door. Even the staff came over here to do mosaic workshops.

Remember too that the Community Nursery is in the same bock as the B. House -- next door. It closes at 11 am and used to be absolutely great for local flora, but they have unfortunately changed their focus.

Comment by GayleD on October 22, 2018 at 9:32: Sounds good to me. Only Wednesday I can't make it 21 November

Comment by Elaine de Saxe on October 22, 2018 at 9:14: The Queensland State school term time for the 4th quarter are: Monday 8th October to Friday 14th December. I am sure that we could fit in both visits during school times.

Comment by Elaine de Saxe on October 22, 2018 at 9:10: How would this be then: those of us who can make the Wednesday see the butterflies and repair to the seafood cafe for an early lunch?

Then there could be a Sunday gathering for the members not able to make the Wednesday.

Make it all the same week.

Comment by Lissa on October 22, 2018 at 5:02: Wednesday definitely quieter unless it's school holiday time. I've been told by Ray the guy who runs it that the arvos are the quietest but who wants to go in the afternoon. I've found that by turning up at opening time I can beat the worst of the crowds.

Many places to eat on Bribie and on Sunday it will be busy there's no getting away from that. In fact everywhere on Bribie on a Sunday will be busy. It's a tourist resort.

I would suggest Sylvan Beach Seafood. Lovely outlook over the passage and good food at a reasonable price and it's a little out of the tourist way.

Fish 'n' chips and house made burgers, plus salads, in an easygoing venue overlooking the water.

11, Marine Parade, Bellara, Bribie Island QLD 4507
Opens 10AM

3408 8155

Menu: sylvanseafood.com.au

I would suggest aiming to be at the Butterfly House close to opening time, 10am. An hour/hour and a half then on to an early lunch at the cafe.

Comment by GayleD on October 21, 2018 at 22:59: Sounds good to me. It's one of those places I've always meant to visit. Can do Wednesday or Sunday. I suspect Wednesdays would be much quieter.

Comment by Christa on October 21, 2018 at 21:05: We could go both days Dianne, but Wednesday would be quieter overall. We could have a meal anywhere, no worries, fish and chips on beach or b.y.o meal (some places let you phone and order F & C). We recently went to surfside hotel for lunch with a respite group and had a mid week meal which was a special price for seniors, just a suggestion.

It is mainly to see butterflies and have a meal and a chat that appeals to us.

Comment by Dianne Caswell on October 21, 2018 at 20:25: I know there used to be a 2 great Fish and Chip shops near a park on beach front, calm side. We took 2 bus loads of people from OS there around 10 years ago so it may have changed. We could perhaps take a picnic lunch to share or not.

Also there was a Coffee Shoppe there around 7 years ago that was good. Not on the beach though.

Comment by Elaine de Saxe on October 21, 2018 at 19:52: Oh dang. Means crowds especially at any eatery. I know most BLFers are still working, cutting out Wednesdays. The pub at Sandstone Point is a top eatery but expect it would be very crowded on Sundays. The pub on the passage side is a poor place to eat (first-hand experience quite recently) but have not been to the pub at Woorim. There are other eateries on Bribie but quite small from memory. Lissa would know better about that.