Cooloola Coastcare September 2022 Update

Wildflowering at Cooloola

Despite a rainy start, over 30 people from around southeast Queensland gathered at the Rainbow Beach Community Hall on 6 August. Cr Jess Milne opened the event with fitting poetry and humour.

Representatives from sponsoring Bendigo Bank launched the booklet, Cooloola Wildflowers and Walks. Rae Gâté recognised its benefits to the community since publishing a year ago.

Linda Tabe gave an overview of the ecology and diversity of the Cooloola area, followed by artist Sue Davis’ presentation about the efforts of writer/poet Judith Wright and artist Kathleen MacArthur in saving the Cooloola Wilderness from development.

Small groups of people were led on walks in the morning and afternoon. The booklet was helpful in finding the locations of the sites and to help identify the variety of plants with blossoms of gold, pink, and lavender. Artists Sue Davis and Joolie Gibbs had their art and merchandise displayed.

Lunch prepared by local business Soul Food was well-appreciated, and the visitors to Rainbow Beach enjoyed delectable dinner at Quay Carlo.

On Sunday, the event was held in the rural corner of Cooloola Cove. Participants were guided around several homes where native wallum habitat has been preserved. Joolie and Sue demonstrated techniques using botanical inks and inspiration from nature to create our own artwork.

Cooloola Bioblitz 2022: November 4 – 6

This popular event will be returning to Rainbow Beach soon!

Team leaders will be specialists in the fields of plants, fungi, insects, frogs, and more. They will each take a group of interested people to sites in the Great Sandy National Parks, looking for new species.

We also anticipate having groups learning to document our special area through nature photography and nature journalling.

Registration information will be available on the website: cooloolacoastcare.org.au

Nancy Haire