Welcome to the first of a monthly column showcasing local bushland and what it has to offer. Bushland reserves within the Hills and Hawkesbury and Hornsby Shire Council Regions and adjacent areas are available for public access at any time of the year.
Each month we will introduce some not so well known, and even hidden, features of local bushland areas.
For example, there are hundreds of wildflowers that come into bloom throughout the year. There are walking trails and tracks following fire trails and creeks with some passing through some quite rugged locations.
Many birds, no longer seen in built-up residential areas, are easily located residents in most bushland habitats.
Wildflowers currently in flower, somewhere in local bushland, will be illustrated, along with other features typically found in bushland environments. But you need to visit bushland reserves fairly regularly to see them and the changes that occur during the seasons.
When out bushwalking, you meet some very interesting people, such as bush care volunteers, photographers, bird watching enthusiasts, some just enjoying the environment as well as those simply discovering where a particular track leads. There is much happening too, to help preserve our bushland fringes by dedicated bush care volunteers.
We will share some of these encounters throughout each month.
It is hoped too, that this column will increase a deeper community interest in the value of preserving local bushland habitats.
A large proportion of the Hills and Hawkesbury Shires’ residents are not aware of the recreational facilities that are available not too far from their doorstep.
So, keep your eye out for this column each month and gain an understanding of some of the interesting happenings that are Hidden in the Hills.
