Stringybark Nursery
Open Tuesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm and
Thursdays 10:30 am to 12 noon
Open Tuesdays from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm and
Thursdays 10:30 am to 12 noon
Or email stringybarkcommunitynursery@gmail.com for questions/appointments (when available)
Latest News
25 March 2023
Here at the nursery we have been battling a most determined and hungry ring-tailed possum for months. He – or she – seems to have a particular appetite for young acacias, prickly or not. He/she also liked tender young eucalyptus. We have repaired all our netting, blocked up holes in the fence, put up game cameras to monitor visits, tried Poss-Off, resorted to putting plants under extra guards and finally invested in an ultra-sonic deterrent. Interestingly the drey, perched on top of some of the netting, fell down after high winds and we discovered possum had used all the lovely tender shoots of gold-dust wattle to line the nest. Why, when possum has acres of Diamond Creek frontage to nibble, does it choose us?!
At the moment we are still open Tuesdays (3.30-5) and Thursdays (10.30-12) and have a core of around 10 regular volunteers. As always though, we would love to see some new volunteers to help out, especially when some of us are away. Drop us a line on stringybarkcommunitynursery@gmail.com if you’re interested. We’d love to hear from you.
We’ve supplied plants to Allwood House and the Rob Roy Hill Climb this year. We’ve also had a few people coming in and sowing then pricking out their own seed for a particular project. This works well if you’re prepared to put in the work and costs are minimal compared to purchasing from other suppliers, who charge around $4 per tube.
We have lots germinating at the moment (Indigofera, black wattle, gold-dust wattle, Hardenbergia and more) and have been experimenting with a new seed raising mix after a slow year. Sometimes native seed can be unreliable and different years seem to have different germination rates. Fingers crossed. Here is our current stock list, but please bear in mind this changes very quickly due to sales and stock becoming ready for sale.
Here at the nursery we have been battling a most determined and hungry ring-tailed possum for months. He – or she – seems to have a particular appetite for young acacias, prickly or not. He/she also liked tender young eucalyptus. We have repaired all our netting, blocked up holes in the fence, put up game cameras to monitor visits, tried Poss-Off, resorted to putting plants under extra guards and finally invested in an ultra-sonic deterrent. Interestingly the drey, perched on top of some of the netting, fell down after high winds and we discovered possum had used all the lovely tender shoots of gold-dust wattle to line the nest. Why, when possum has acres of Diamond Creek frontage to nibble, does it choose us?!
At the moment we are still open Tuesdays (3.30-5) and Thursdays (10.30-12) and have a core of around 10 regular volunteers. As always though, we would love to see some new volunteers to help out, especially when some of us are away. Drop us a line on stringybarkcommunitynursery@gmail.com if you’re interested. We’d love to hear from you.
We’ve supplied plants to Allwood House and the Rob Roy Hill Climb this year. We’ve also had a few people coming in and sowing then pricking out their own seed for a particular project. This works well if you’re prepared to put in the work and costs are minimal compared to purchasing from other suppliers, who charge around $4 per tube.
We have lots germinating at the moment (Indigofera, black wattle, gold-dust wattle, Hardenbergia and more) and have been experimenting with a new seed raising mix after a slow year. Sometimes native seed can be unreliable and different years seem to have different germination rates. Fingers crossed. Here is our current stock list, but please bear in mind this changes very quickly due to sales and stock becoming ready for sale.
Stringybark - June 2020 - June 2022
An amazing job keeping open and growing plants during so many lockdowns we’ve lost count. Our tasks, as always, have included sowing seed, pricking out seedlings, propagating cuttings, general maintenance and cleaning, sorting and checking stock, inventories, dealing with customers, collecting, cleaning, sorting and filing seed, keeping supplies topped up, banking, admin work – there’s probably more! We have lost and gained volunteers during this period; we have regular
core of 7/8. We continue to be auspiced by Wadambuk St Andrews Community Centre. The nursery covers membership fees for volunteers. Opening hours continue as Tuesdays 3.30-5pm
and Thursdays 10.30-12 noon - when volunteers are available.
Volunteer hours
These figures are conservative estimates based on multiples of 1 person by 1.5 hours.
June 2020 – December 2020 – 321 hours
Bear in mind we had a long lockdown during this period. Volunteers took home seeds to sow and prick out so hours may be underestimated.
January – December 2021 – 336 hours
Again, disruption by lockdowns
January 2022 – June 2022 – 200 hours
Lots of working alone and doing online orders during lockdown.
Collaboration with Men’s Shed @ St Andrews. This included improving the tension and height of the netting over the annexe and main areas, levelling the central table and setting up a contact with the shed for assistance for jobs to be done.
Developed resource manual for nursery volunteers covering most areas of operation. Emailed to volunteers and hard copy in nursery shed.
Future
Some of the challenges facing the nursery are as follows:
Availability of volunteers, especially now travel is permitted
Limited opening hours
Promoting the nursery
Moving/selling stock
Finances
Between July and October 2021 we donated $1,000 each to St Andrews PS, Strathewen PS, Wadambuk St Andrews Community Centre and Arthurs Creek Mechanics Institute for environmental projects.
An amazing job keeping open and growing plants during so many lockdowns we’ve lost count. Our tasks, as always, have included sowing seed, pricking out seedlings, propagating cuttings, general maintenance and cleaning, sorting and checking stock, inventories, dealing with customers, collecting, cleaning, sorting and filing seed, keeping supplies topped up, banking, admin work – there’s probably more! We have lost and gained volunteers during this period; we have regular
core of 7/8. We continue to be auspiced by Wadambuk St Andrews Community Centre. The nursery covers membership fees for volunteers. Opening hours continue as Tuesdays 3.30-5pm
and Thursdays 10.30-12 noon - when volunteers are available.
Volunteer hours
These figures are conservative estimates based on multiples of 1 person by 1.5 hours.
June 2020 – December 2020 – 321 hours
Bear in mind we had a long lockdown during this period. Volunteers took home seeds to sow and prick out so hours may be underestimated.
January – December 2021 – 336 hours
Again, disruption by lockdowns
January 2022 – June 2022 – 200 hours
Lots of working alone and doing online orders during lockdown.
Collaboration with Men’s Shed @ St Andrews. This included improving the tension and height of the netting over the annexe and main areas, levelling the central table and setting up a contact with the shed for assistance for jobs to be done.
Developed resource manual for nursery volunteers covering most areas of operation. Emailed to volunteers and hard copy in nursery shed.
Future
Some of the challenges facing the nursery are as follows:
Availability of volunteers, especially now travel is permitted
Limited opening hours
Promoting the nursery
Moving/selling stock
Finances
Between July and October 2021 we donated $1,000 each to St Andrews PS, Strathewen PS, Wadambuk St Andrews Community Centre and Arthurs Creek Mechanics Institute for environmental projects.
A bit about us
Stringybark Community Nursery was established following the 2009 bushfires with funding from the foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal (FRRR). It was intended at first to help fire-affected landowners in St Andrews, Christmas Hills, Strathewen & Arthurs Creek source free plants that were of local provenance for revegetating gardens and bushland. Over the first three years we distributed around 3,000 plants.
While we were lucky to secure funding to prepare the site, erect the shed and build the fence, all other work has been undertaken by amazing volunteers – installing watering systems, building shelves, stocking the nursery with pots, potting mix etc as well as regular weeding, gutter cleaning and other ongoing maintenance.
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We have also supported several local Landcare groups, schools and kindergartens by supplying them with plants for various projects. We hope to be involved in propagating and supplying plants for landscaping around the Blacksmiths’ Tree in Strathewen.
Tube stock now costs $1 per tube. We are situated behind the Community Centre in St Andrews (The Old School), next to the multi-purpose room of St Andrews Primary School. There is parking on the left immediately before the bridge off School rd. To view our current stocks click on the link below – please note they change quickly. If you have a specific revegetation project come and talk to us. For further information regarding the nursery please contact Sue Aldred 0409 409 288
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Current Plants Available
