History

Below is a list of the projects the Consortium has been involved with or completed over time.

Timeline

2023

2023 projects included:

Publication of the 1st edition of the Plants of the Traprock list.
Publication of the 4th edition of the Eucalypts of the Granite Belt book
Completion of the project surveying two endangered boronia species.

2022

2022 projects included:

Working with officers from the Threatened Species Unit in the Dept. of Environment and Science on draft recovery plans for the critically endangered Greviilea scortechinii subsp. scortechinii and Eucalyptus dalveenica.
Survey work on Boronia repanda and Boronia granitica continued.
Attendance at the Qld Fire and Biodiversity Consortium workshop, Property planning workshop, Landcare adventure, Gardenfest and Eco Expo.
Working with a team from the Southern Downs Industry Education Association to weed around Grevillea scortechinii subsp. scortechinii populations.
Publication of the 4th edition of Wildflowers of the Granite Belt booklet.
Publication of the 2nd edition of the Wattles of the Granite Belt book.
Grant received from Acciona to support the development of a traprock flora list.

2021

2021 projects included:

The Consortium was successful in obtaining a grant from the Council’s Community Grant program to produce a range of new display posters, the printing of more handout material and the purchase of a new digital frame for use at our displays.
Comments on the draft Invasive pests strategic plan were provided to Southern Downs Regional Council.
Comments were made on the Council’s draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
Suggestions of what additional threatened plants needed to be surveyed on the Granite Belt were provided to the Qld Herbarium.

2020

2020 projects included:

Publication of the Wattles of the Granite Belt book.
A submission was made to the review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
3rd edition of the Eucalypts of the Granite Belt reprinted.
The Consortium became a member of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation.
Members assisted the QPWS with assessments of the flora in 20 fire monitoring sites within Girraween National Park.

2019

2019 projects included:

Survey work was undertaken and a nomination prepared to increase the status of Grevillea scortechinii subsp. scortechinii from ‘Vulnerable” to “Endangered” and to list Eucalyptus dalveenica as “Endangered”.
Members participated in a post bushfire assessment in Girraween National Park.
A second edition of the Eucalypts of the Granite Belt was produced.
The Consortium applied for a grant from the Department of Environment and Science to undertake surveys of Boronia granitica and Boronia repanda.

2018

2018 projects included:

Publication of the Flora of the Granite Belt book.

2017

2017 projects included:

Start of work on compiling a Wattles of the Granite Belt book.
Working with Ergon to ensure threatened plants were not impacted by powerline construction and maintenance.
Members were involved in assessing the potential impact of the proposed mountain bike trail network on Mt Marlay on any threatened plants there.

2015

2015 projects included:

Eucalypt identification workshop.

2014

2014 projects included:

Publication of the Eucalypts of the Granite Belt book
Publication of the Wildflowers of the Granite Belt - 3rd edition booklet
Creation of the Stanthorpe Rare Wildflower Consortium web site.
Creation of the Stanthorpe Rare Wildflower Consortium Facebook page.

2013

2013 projects included:

Production of the Wildflowers of the Granite Belt e-book
Work commenced on a comprehensive guide to the flora of the Granite Belt, a plant list and on a eucalypt book.
The Consortium developed a constitution and became incorporated.
Members undertook a botanical training course.

2008

In 2008 funding through the Caring for Our Country grants program provided for:

Additional survey work.
Training and extension activities.
Identification of roadside conservation areas.
Increased community participation.
Creation of a monitoring manual.
Publicity material including a pull up banner and wildflower walk signage.
Publication of Wildflowers of the Granite Belt - 2nd edition booklet (which now includes 270 species)
Development of Rare plants of the Granite Belt.
Publication of leaflet series.
Interpretative Guiding Workshop – wildflower walk leaders can plan and host a wildflower walk safely and informatively.
Weeds Workshop – top 10 weeds of the Granite Belt and their control.
Planned Burning Workshop – tips on using fire as a management strategy to achieve the most effective outcome.

2007

In 2007 the Threatened Species Network grant provided for:

Initial survey work to identify priority rare and threatened species.
Development of a recovery plan.
Development of a native vegetation management manual (= Stanthorpe Nine publication).
Fire and Biodiversity Workshop – managing fire and native vegetation on private property.
Recovery Plan Workshop – meeting with community members to identify recovery plan objectives.
Publication of the first edition of Wildflowers of the Granite Belt booklet which is a photographic guide to 170 wildflower species you may encounter in Stanthorpe's Granite Belt region.

2005

In 2005 the then Qld Murray Darling Committee and the Worldwide Fund for Nature provided funding for the first large awareness project which provided for:

Development of the SWRC awareness brochure.
Development of a training package for local volunteers.
Running a Botanical awareness workshop for community and council members covering Granite Belt ecology, ID of major plant species, habitats, threats, management strategies.
Identification, categorisation and mapping of roadside reserves.
Development of a management strategy for roadside reserves administered by the council.