The Australian bush is under constant threat of invastion from weeds of all types. There are a number on Istari including camphor laurel, moth vine, mist flower, crofton weed, lantana, mickey mouse plant, senna and cats claw creeper vine to name a few. It is a long list!

Cats claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati) is one of the worst of the environmental weeds found in this region. It gets its name from the claw like tendril which attaches to the host vegetation, enabling it to climb and run up the trees.

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.

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.