Herring Island Park
Then and Now

"Of the 125 vascular species recorded on Herring Island, 97 (77.6%) are exotic. Highly invasive species which threaten both existing indigenous vegetation and revegetation plantings ... represent nearly half (49.5%) of Herring Island's exotic vegetation." (Herring Island Management Plan (Flora), 1991)

BEFORE

AFTER

A 'lawn' of kikuyu grass outside the gallery entrance
Before

A 'lawn' of kikuyu grass outside the gallery entrance.

is turned into an area of native grasses, flowers and shrubs
January 2009

is turned into an area of native grasses, flowers and shrubs.

A 'lawn' of kikuyu grass outside the gallery
Before

A 'lawn' of kikuyu grass outside the gallery.

is turned into an area of native grasses, flowers and shrubs with the bank covered in grasses and saltbush
January 2009

is turned into an area of native grasses, flowers and shrubs with the bank covered in grasses and saltbush.

The path between weeds
Before

The path between weeds

becomes a densely planted native grassland
January 2009

becomes a densely planted native grassland.

 The ground is covered sparsely with exotic weeds
Before

The ground is sparsely covered with exotic weeds.

weeds are replaced with native species
January 2009

The weeds are replaced with native species, including Stipa, Everlasting daisies, Pigface, and Wattles.

A levee bank after planting with natives
Before

A levee bank after planting with natives.

A grassland of native grasses and wildflowers
January 2009

The levee bank has been stabilised and covered in indigenous trees and shrubs.

A lone river red gum and a few shrubs on a 'lawn' of exotic weeds
July 2001

The eastern bank of the island. A lone river red gum and a few shrubs on a 'lawn' of exotic weeds.
A woodland of river red gum and native grasses
March 2006

A woodland of river red gum and native grasses. The river bank lined with a thicket of swamp paperbark, silver wattle, hemp bush, and river bottlebrush.
Cape Ivy, an exotic weed smothering native plants
1998

Cape Ivy, an exotic weed smothering native plants.
Cape Ivy is removed, revealing a native lightwood tree
2005

The Cape Ivy is removed, revealing a native lightwood tree, still alive but permanently bent by the years under the weight of the vine.
Falling Fence sculpture
2000

"Falling Fence" sculpture set into a steep, dry bank prone to erosion.
the bank is planted with dry-tolerant and soil binding species
January 2005

The upper sections of the bank are planted with dry-tolerant and soil binding species, including several types of saltbush, boobialla, prickly speargrass, drooping Cassinia and Golden Wattle.
Lower down is riparian scrub. Ground level plants are Hop Goodenia, Dianella, Matrush. Large shrubs are prickly Moses, Tree Violet, Spreading Wattle, Burgan, Swamp Paperbark, Tree Everlasting. Upper storey is Manna Gum, River Red Gum, Silver Wattle and Blackwood.
 The ground is covered with exotic weeds
July 1997

"Stone House" sculpture. The ground is covered with exotic weeds. The artist asked that the area be surrounded with a dense thicket so that the sculpture can be approached only from a single path.
a thicket of Hedge Wattle, Paperbark and Prickly Moses
January 2005

The area is surrounded by a thicket of Hedge Wattle, Paperbark and Prickly Moses. The exotic weeds have been removed and replaced with native species, including Wallaby Grass, Weeping Grass, Dichondra, and Dwarf Skullcap.
A 'lawn' of non-native grass
June 1999

A 'lawn' of non-native grass.
A grassland of native grasses and wildflowers
December 2001

A grassland with a diverse range of native grasses and wildflowers, including 3 types of spear grass, 2 types of wallaby grass, 4 types of everlasting daisy, 4 types of saltbush, flax lilies, bluebells, blushing bindweed, blue devils, cotton fireweed, pussytails, wild parsnip, running postman, small-leafed eutaxia, wattle lomandra, and austral storkbill, providing habitat for native birds, insects and lizards.
area is mulched and planted
July 1997

The area is mulched and planted. Tree seedlings are inside plastic tree-guards.
drooping sheoke, lightwood, and sweet bursaria, with an indigenous understory
December 2001

A woodland of drooping sheoke, lightwood, and sweet bursaria, with an understory of austral indigo, kangaroo apple, rock correa, rosemary grevillia and small leafed clematis. A ground layer of tussock grass, flax lily, creeping saltbush, austral storksbill and sprawling bluebell. In the damp depressions are golden spray, spike rush and slender speedwell.
area is mulched and planted
September 1997

The area is mulched and planted.
Shelter is provided for small birds in dense and/or prickly shrubs
December 2001

Shelter is provided for small birds in dense and/or prickly shrubs, including hedge wattle, sweet bursaria, treee everlasting, small leafed clematis, rosemary grevillea, tree vioet, twiggy daisy bush, prickly moses. The ground layer consists of tussock, spiny mat-rush, small leaf eutaxia, flax lilies, creeping saltbush, and native raspberry.
area is mulched and planted
July 1997

The area is mulched and planted. Tree seedlings are inside plastic tree-guards.
drooping sheoke, lightwood, and sweet bursaria, with an indigenous understory
December 2001

A woodland of drooping sheoke, black wattle, sweet bursaria, with an understory of austral indigo, rock correa, rosemary grevillia and small leafed clematis. A ground layer of wallaby grass, spear grass, bluebells, flax lily, austral storksbill, button everlasting, warrigal greens, creeping saltbush, and ruby saltbush.

Pictures and text by Damian Curtain

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