The late Lloyd Bird suggested it, the late Arnold Rieck instigated it and the dream of two environmental legends became a reality when the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum opened in Peace Park more than 30 years ago. On Saturday, one of the original volunteers, Andy Nesbitt, shared the honour of cutting the 30th anniversary cake with Arnold’s wife, Joyce Rieck. The current arboretum co-ordinator Col Thompson, at right, MCed the celebration of the past and the future of the ‘museum of living trees’. Photo: LYLE RADFORD
The gathering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum.
THE late Lloyd Bird spent 44 years working in the coal mines around Ipswich and much longer on a passion for regenerating the local dry vine scrubs and rainforests. He became a revered botanist and environmentalist.
It was Lloyd who put forward the idea of an arboretum dedicated to the plants found in the Rosewood Scrub.
The late Arnold Rieck, a retired Rosewood school teacher, amateur botanist and naturalist, who was already highly knowledgeable in the propagation of the local plant species, was inspired by the idea.
It was due to Arnold’s passion and drive that the idea became a reality.
Col Thompson, who led the 30th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum in Peace Park on Saturday, said the work began in 1994.
The initial funding came from the National Heritage Trust for the first six years.
The arboretum was established by Arnold with help from fellow members of the Ipswich branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants in partnership with the Ipswich City Council.
Col and his wife, Bern, became involved when they met Arnold in 2006, joined what is now Native Plants Queensland and attended the working bees at the arboretum and Mason’s Gully.
“Arnold was the chief propagator and seed collector in those days,” Col recalled in talking about the band of volunteers. “Working bees involved weed control, collecting seed, propagating and planting.”
Col learned from Arnold and in his words, continues the tradition set by his mentor.
When Arnold retired from leading the group after more than 20 years, Col took on the role as co-ordinator of the arboretum project for the Ipswich branch of Native Plants Queensland and Chris Reinhardt heads up the Landcare volunteers working on Mason’s Gully.
Col recalled how the January 2011 flood caused significant damage to the gully plantings and scoured the banks.
“In the northern gully, channel erosion has been repaired three times,” Col said.
The third and last attempt used a different formula for the repair work and it seems to have stabilised the area.
The work on stabilising the southern gully offered an even greater challenge but it too, has successfully withstood recent floods.
He told those gathered in Peace Park on Saturday about how the Woogaroo Bushcare Group ceased operations in 2015, offered the arboretum volunteers a shed and tools and after securing a grant from the Ipswich City Council the shed was opened at its new home in Rosewood, the following year.
Col lamented the continuing ‘shrinking’ of the Rosewood Scrub.
Originally, it grew almost uninterrupted from Rosewood to Lowood and from Haigslea to Hatton Vale.
“Now, the Rosewood Scrub has been reduced to around 2.5 percent of its original expanse,” said Col.
“Some estimates put it as low as 1.2 percent and it is highly fragmented.”
