The unknown caterpillar is revealed after a two year mission - The story of the Wattle Cup Moth (Calcarifera ordinata)

The creeks are dry except for a few shallow pools. We set up a sensor camera on one of these refuges and watched it disappear. The wildlife visiting this small waterhole was extraordinary. A great number of birds, a water dragon, giant water spider, many Red-necked Wallaby’s, a feral cat and feral pigs!

We had seen them around this area but didn't really know what they meant apart from the obvious. It wasn't until our local council, while searching for an endangered plant species in our area, put us in contact with The Clarence Environment Centre.

The Community Environment Network (CEN) and specifically in this region the Clarence Environment Centre (CEC) run the "Land for Wildlife" project. It aims to encourage and assist private landholders with nature conservation.

One of our most common trees found growing around the house and surrounds is the narrow-leaved apple (angophora paludosa).

The young forest is cool. The swamp turpentine and the flooded gums fight for the light forming a protective canopy. The forest ferns love the shade too, flourishing this close to the creek. The path winds through the trees following the creek.

Winters on the north coast of NSW are usually beautiful blue sky days and we have already had quite a few of them already.

Black swans arrive. Purple swamp hens are mating. Plumed whistling ducks fly in each morning and fly out at night. Red-necked wallaby mother and joey play. Echidnas are found and the beautiful five finger orchids are in bloom.

Black She-oak (allocasuarina littoralis)

As the autumn moves into winter, along the roadsides and scattered throughout the bush, splashes of rusty brown appear. The casuarinas are flowering. At times an individual appears so completely brown you could mistake the trees for having died but the vibrant colour reveals it far from dead.