Barry Stone and his wife Christine are members of Friends of the Grange.By Sarah Schwager
NATIVE bushland reserve, the Grange, is having its annual open day next week.
The Grange, in South Clayton, is a 6.6hectare heathland reserve and a suburban refuge for native animals and plants.
It is home to some of the most beautiful and smallest native fauna and flora species, such as the spotted pardalote, a small bird that burrows its nest into sandy banks, and the red beak, a tiny orchid that is stimulated into flowering by fire.
Friends of the Grange president Thelma Spice said it was amazing the resources that came up over 20 years.
The Grange nearly became housing blocks 30 years ago when it was used as a tipping area.
Friends of the Grange treasurer Gloria Fleming said the new streets even made it into the Melway directory.
In 1980, a group of local residents, along with the Australian Plant Society, lobbied to save the area. The former Oakleigh Council bought the Grange from the developers and set in place a detailed plan that remains the basis for management of the reserve.
The Grange is now managed by Kingston City Council.
Rangers from the council spend a couple of days a week maintaining the area, regularly weeding and burning off when needed.
Ranger Tim Hilton said the Grange had three different types of plant communities – sandy heathland at the highest point, stringybark woodland, and swamp vegetation in the lowlying areas.
“The Grange can be really diverse with different plant and animal species in each,” he said.
The Grange is home to about 230 indigenous plant species, more than 48 bird species, and a range of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects. Friends of the Grange secretary Theresa Battaglia said the distribution of plants and animals in the area was very rare.
“To have so many in the one place is very unusual,” she said.
“There are not many patches of bush in this area. That’s why it is so diverse.”
Mr Hilton said once visitors were in the middle of the Grange, it was easy to forget they were in the city.
“You could be in the middle of a national park,” he said. “You wouldn’t know you were in the suburbs.”
Friends of the Grange vicepresident Barry Stone said the open day, on Saturday, 8 October, would be a chance for visitors to have a guided tour by volunteers and to help plant 2000 plants around the outside of the fence line.
Friends of the Grange, formed in 1995, is a group of volunteers that works under ranger supervision to help maintain the area. The group is also looking for new members.
To become a member, which costs $5.50 a year for a family including a newsletter subscription, or to find out more information about the open day, call Theresa on 9547 0614 or Thelma on 9544 7576.
People can also help out at the Grange by attending a working bee, held on the second Saturday of each month from 9am to noon, followed by a sausage sizzle.
