Govetts Leap Catchment Group

01/10/2026

Help us to search for Dianella tenuissima!
In the spring of 2026, we at Blue Mountains Wildplant Rescue are doing something a bit new and different. We are asking our members and friends to help us to find, and to document, a very special and little known plant that is living in our midst - Dianella tenuissima.

This little plant is very clever at keeping a low profile. Because it flowers only for a very short time, the best time to look for it is in the first two to three weeks of October.
Please visit our website for more information
https://www.wildplantrescue.org.au/projects

29/09/2026

We have released our Spring newsletter. Read it or download it on our website:

This is the first of a what we hope will be a regular newsletter on the activities of Govetts Leap Catchment Group and the Blackheath catchments.

25/09/2026

These are flowering currently in Blackheath.

The Gorse, the bad and the ugly!

Can you tell the difference between Gorse, Cape broom and Scotch broom? 🤔

All have yellow pea flowers and are on our Priority W**ds List. Gorse (right) flowers early spring with second bloom in mid to late autumn. Cape broom (middle) flowers late winter to summer and Scotch broom (left) flowers from spring to early summer.

For more information on identification and control of w**ds, head to w**ds.dpi.nsw.gov.au or contact council at [email protected] and request to have a W**ds Compliance Officer for a property check and complimentary compliance advice.

Image credit: NSW DPI © State of New South Wales

17/09/2026

The Blackheath Golf Club is currently undertaking the development of new holes to enhance the appeal of the course. This includes the removal of 46 mature native trees and substantial earth works.

Govetts Leap Catchment Group is very concerned about the impact of this development in this critical area of the catchment. The tree removal will destroy valuable habitat for native species in an already degraded area and the earthworks may result in increased sedimentation of the Brook which is already suffering the impact increased sediment from upstream.

For more details and how to make a submission to Council see

The Blackheath Golf Club is currently undertaking the development of new holes to enhance the appeal of the course.  This includes the removal of 46 mature native trees and substantial earth w…

24/07/2026

Have you noticed our signs at the Prince George Street Bushland Reserve?

The BMCC Upper Braeside Bushcare Group has been working on this site for a few years now and we've made great progress working from the edges bordering the National Park up. We're now moving towards the road edge but it's slow going. Under all that jasmine is layers of holly, years of rubbish and dumping.

We put a barrier up on one particularly bad section using a large NZ pittosporum and some of the holly we removed last Thursday aiming to slow and protect the bush from the high nutrient run-off from dumping.

BUT the good news is under it all there are still some lovely natives just waiting for some TLC to recover. We freed a little eucalyptus on Thursday and skirted the larger trees of Jasmine to give them a chance.

If you'd like to join in - it's the fourth Thursday of the month 9-12. Details can be found on the QR code on the sign, or BMCC website.

16/07/2026

Another w**d that is common in Blackheath.

09/07/2026

Did you know some plants sold as cut flowers are actually prohibited w**ds? 🌿

Thanks to the Strathfield Council Biosecurity Officer for showing some of our BMCC W**ds Compliance Team around the Sydney Flower Market to learn more about the cut flower industry and the important role it plays in preventing the spread of invasive plants.

Some plant species are prohibited and must not be sold, bought or moved in NSW. Before purchasing cut flowers or foliage, take a moment to check you're not bringing a Priority W**d into your home or garden.

When you're finished with cut flowers, dispose of them responsibly. Never dump garden waste in bushland, as even small plant cuttings can spread invasive w**ds.

Before you buy, check the NSW w**d rules: https://www.dpird.nsw.gov.au/dpi/biosecurity/invasive-plants-and-animals/w**ds/rules

21/06/2026

A fascinating and informative talk was given by Michael Dear at our meeting today. Michael has been undertaking a citizen science project studying the rare and endangered Carex klaphakei ( a sedge) which we are lucky enough to have growing in our swamp. He and other bushcare volunteers have been studying and w**ding the area.

After setting up a trail camera he was able to reveal some exciting news: a very healthy looking wombat, and a spotted quoll have been found using the trails. Judging by the number of burrows it appears there are a number of wombats in the vicinity along Hat Hill Creek.

Such fantastic news for the Rhodo Gardens! Not only are we providing beautiful gardens for the public’s enjoyment, but also preserving and protecting precious flora and fauna habitat.

19/06/2026

Ivy (lower pic) is one of the w**ds we commonly find in bushcare sites around the catchment. The seeds are carried by birds. Ivy grows up trees and can cause them to fall because of its weight. It also develops seeds when it grows up trees.
https://w**dsbluemountains.org.au/w**ds/english-ivy/

Hey, Australia's nursery industry, when are you going to stop selling w**ds? 🧐

Did you know escaped w**dy garden plants are the primary source of new w**ds in Australia?

Sold to unsuspecting shoppers at nurseries or online, w**d plants like English ivy, Amazon frogbit or pretty gazanias can quickly spread and devastate our precious places and wildlife.

It's time we stopped the sale of these plants. Like if you agree 👍

19/06/2026

This is often seen in gardens in Blackheath.

How do you identify an Evergreen Dogwood? By its bark 😂

This invasive woody w**d is most commonly found in the Upper Blue Mountains. It has grey green leaves and, unlike its ornamental relatives, it holds onto them through the colder months.

After flowering in summer, it produces red fruit that birds love, spreading the seeds deep into surrounding bushland. Left unchecked, it can grow up to 12 metres tall, outcompete native vegetation, damage built structures, and gradually take over natural areas.

It might look harmless, but this is one plant you don’t want settling in.

For more information on this local priority w**d, read the fact sheet here:
https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/documents/local-priority-w**d-dogwood