Black Mountain: a natural history of a Canberra icon
Celebrating 50 years of being a conservation reserve
The reserve is part of Canberra Nature Park. It epitomises the image of Canberra as the ‘Bush Capital’.
Its rich diversity is a delight for local residents and visitors.
Black Mountain is home to numerous bird species. Some live in Canberra all year round and others are seasonal visitors.
Look and listen as you walk, run and enjoy the slopes of Black Mountain.
Walk to the top and admire the views
See and hear the birds
Enjoy wildflowers, especially in spring
Jog or cycle along the formed roads
Hello Wonderful Weeders!
A big thank you for removing lots of woody weeds at the June weeding work party; many of them were tough and we could see the progress that we have made.
We are looking forward to seeing you at the next weeding work party doing more in this area, which is planned for 9:00 to 12:00 Saturday 4 July 2020 and the Meeting Point will be Caswell Drive carpark again.
Black Mountain: a natural history of a Canberra icon is for everyone to enjoy.
Black Mountain, geographically and metaphorically at the heart of Canberra, is celebrating 50 years of being a conservation reserve. Based on a series of scientific papers prepared by local experts, richly illustrated with maps, diagrams and photographs, this book is a go-to for current knowledge about the area's biodiversity and ecology.
Black Mountain is regarded as a “hotspot” for butterflies, and we have enjoyed the Butterfly Walks led by Dr Suzi Bond.
Butterflies go through different stages; egg, caterpillar, pupa and butterfly. As caterpillars they enjoy food plants but when they become butterflies, they seek nectar.
Caterpillars enjoy being on Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) and Black Wattle, Green Wattle (Acacia mearnsii), Hickory Wattle (Acacia implexa), in mistletoe (Amyema miguelii, Amyema pendula), grasses such as Spikey-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia), Grasses and Sedges e.g. Poacea spp Hooked Sedge (Carex appresssa) and ground cover such as False Sarsaparilla, Purple Coral pea (Hardenbergia violacea)
Butterflies are interested in nectar from acacia, eucalyptus, tea-trees and other plants. On Black Mountain this includes the acacia trees mentioned above and Hickory Wattle (Acacia implexa), the Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossii), Brittle Gum (E mannifera), Broad-leaved peppermint (E. dives), Red Box (E. polyanthemus), Prickly Tea-tree (Leptospermum continentale), and Silver Tea-tree (Leptospermum multicaule).
It is good to look for clusters of flowers because the butterflies love blue, yellow and red flowers. You might see butterflies on native Bluebells (Wahlenbegria spp), daisies such as the Sticky Everlasting (Xeroshrysum viscosum), Yellow buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), and Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum semipapposum), or the red flowers of the Mountain Grevillea (Grevillea alpina).
Butterflies also like Australian Blackthorn shrub (Bursonia spinosa), and the climber Small-leaved Clematis (Clematis leptophylla), as well as the purple pea flower ground-cover (Hardenbergia violacea).
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Friends of Black Mountain is an energetic local community group of volunteers who help conserve and promote Black Mountain's biodiversity and values now and for future generations.
New members are always welcome.
