If you were thinking that it was about time to wind down from all the recent social events and outings at Paluma, well think again Paluma residents…..!
You are reminded that next Saturday night, 14 August is International Night in the village. This annual social is to be celebrated at the Community Hall, commencing at 6.30 pm.
Come as you are, or come dressed to reflect your heritage, nationality, your favourite country, place or culture. Everyone is welcome and it will be a celebration of multiculturalism – Paluma style.
Please bring a plate to share – hot or cold, sweet or savoury. International dishes to reflect the theme of the night are encouraged. The PDCA Bar will be open for beverages on the night.
Paluma gardens have a pretty wide variety of both native and exotic orchids and at least one or two species can usually be seen flowering during most seasons. Over the last month, two striking but relatively uncommon native orchids have flowered around the village: the spider orchid (Tetrabaculum cacatua) and the orange blossom orchid (Sarcochilus falcatus).
Michele has written about the spider orchid previously, but it’s great to see it again in full splendor and flowering at nearly the same time of year (July 20 in 2019 and July 14 in 2021). The orchid flowers lasted only a few days and are gone now, although there might be other speciments around the village or tracks. These orchids have unusual pseudobulbs (“stems”) that are square in cross section.
Orchid names have been in a state of flux recently. While this specimen was identified as Dendrobium tetragonum in the original post this species has been devided into 4 species in the genus Tetrabaculum, two of which can be found in Paluma. The one posted here (T. cacatua or the yellow tree spider orchid) has light yellow to white flower petals with few or no reddish spots and is restricted to forests above 900m). The other one to look out for (occurs below 900m) is T. capitisyork or the blotched spider orchid, which – you guessed it – has conspicuous red blotches on the petals. But for most of us, it’s just a gorgeous flower no matter what its official name is, and I am sure Shakespeare would agree!
The other beautiful orchid in flower at the moment is the orange blossum orchid (Sarcochilus falcatus). This delightful dainty orchid has a white flower with red stripes and yellow margins on the labellum (lower petal). It also flowered at nearly the same time last year. It is endemic to east and southeast Australia and favours cool moist forests. In north Queensland its temperature preferences restrict it to higher altitude rainforests. Although it is listed as being wide-spread and common in Austraian Tropical Rainforest Orchids, I have not seen this before during my frequents walks along the tracks.
Other fairly common native orchids that are currently sending out flower spikes and should be in full bloom during August in Paluma gardens or along the tracks are the rock orchid (Dendrobium speciosum, the slender cane orchid (Dendrobium adae), the buttercup orchid (Dendrobiumagrostophylla), and the green catepillar orchid (Plexaure crassiuscula). The first three are described in the 5 easy species article on orchids. The last is illustrated here.
A reminder to all interested Paluma residents that Colwyn Campbell will host a Watercolour & Wine Workshop at 4 pm on Saturday 21 August 2021 at the Community Hall.
If you are planning to attend this fun workshop, please contact Colwyn in the coming week to RSVP your attendance. The number of attendees is required so that Colwyn can arrange materials for the Workshop – paints, brushes and paper, etc. If you have some of your own materials, please bring these along.
Process: The listed items are made available for sale by Paluma Environmental Education Centre via Sale by inviting offers (tender) process. Offers must be submitted on the attached Sale by Inviting Offers document.
Timeline: Offers will be accepted from Monday 9nd August to 3pm Friday, 13th August 2021. No offers will be accepted after this date. The person submitting the successful offer will be notified as early as possible from Monday, 16th August 2021 and then invoiced. Once an invoice has been raised, payment by Bpoint or EFT is preferred. Payment should be finalised prior to collection of goods no later than Friday 20th August 2021. Delivery charges are the responsibility of the purchaser.
Tenders must be submitted via email to: Gail Gannon – Business Manager, Paluma Environmental Education Centre, admin@palumaeec.eq.edu.au
Condition and Inspection of Goods: Goods are offered on an “as is” basis only. Goods can be inspected by arrangement with the Barry Smith, Unit Support Officer from Monday, 9 August 2021. Please phone Barry on 07 – 4770 8528 to arrange inspection
After the Sale: No warranty or backup service is available, either implied or stated. Paluma Environmental Educational Centre cannot and will not provide any support either by way of parts or expertise after items have been removed from the centre.
Conditions: The Department of Education reserves the right not to accept an offer and may set a reserve price. Whilst all care has been taken, the Department of Education disclaims all liability for loss or damage to person or property arising from the removal of the items for offer.
Last Saturday (July 31st) there was a great turnout of locals to the gardening working bee at the Community Hall. Graham Pope brought his mini-tractor along and quickly ensured that the huge pile of mulch near the kiosk was distributed among the Trees of Memory and along the freshly weeded garden beds around the Community Hall. With over a dozen pairs of hands, the mulching was quickly finished and we then got to work digging trenches for a new irrigation system for the garden beds. Using a hose and a piece of conduit to create a channel under one of the concrete paths resulted in a few muddy hands and trousers but we soon got the piping laid and the earth and turf replaced into the trenches. While all this was going on some of the group carried out a bit of vegetation trimming along the road.
As soon as the work was complete it was time for the Paluma Push Thankyou Drinks and BBQ hosted by Paluma RFS. This was a great success, although it’s hard to fail when the drinks and food are free!
Before everyone got down to eating we were very fortunate to have Felicity and Josh from the Mt Zero -Taravale Sanctuary gave a very informative talk on the great work being done by the Wildlife Nature Conservancy just down the road from Paluma. The new $1.5 million project to build a predator-free safe-haven for the endangered northern bettong was a highlight of the talk. Judging by the number of questions flying during and after the talk it was clear that their work generated a lot of interest and possibly some new volunteers to help out.
After the meal, Sam Stedman from Outerlimits gave a brief talk on the outstanding success of this year’s Paluma Push and highlighting near-record number of participants, the quality of the challenging tracks, and the funds raised for our local SES and Rural Fire Services. He presented substantial cheques (both in size and dollars) to the two RFS branches and the SES, and expressed his gratitude to all the volunteers who helped to make this year’s push such a success.
Paluma is one of the wettest places in north Queensland (see post from 2019) and most residents take an active interest in annual, if not monthly or daily rainfall records around the village. After many years of faithfully recording official daily rainfalls at the Ivy Cottage, Ian Marshall is no longer able to fulfil this volunteer role. Many thanks to Ian and Sandy for performing this important and valued service to Paluma.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) originally decided to close the official Ivy Cottage rainfall station after they received notice that observations were no longer able to be provided. However, after repeated representations from several Paluma residents, the BOM has agreed to relocate the rain gauge to the village green while keeping the old “station identification” so that a continuous record going back to 1969 is maintained.
Our new rain gauge on the Village Green
The Paluma Environmental Education Centre (PEEC) has agreed that Barry Smith will officially take on responsibility for recording daily rainfall from our new gauge during normal workdays. On weekends Colwyn Campbell has agreed to take the readings. Thanks to both of them for agreeing to take this on!
There will still occasionally be times (especially over the summer holidays) when neither Barry nor Colwyn will be available to take readings. We are therefore seeking additional “backup volunteers” who are willing to be called when needed. If you are interested in helping us keep a continuous official rainfall record for Paluma please contact Jamie. He will draw up a list of residents who can be called on when needed.
Yellow Pittosporum (Pittosporum revolutum) is also known as Hairy Pittosporum, Brisbane Laurel and Lemon-fruit Pittosporum, the tree is a member of the family Pittosporaceae. World-wide there are up to 200 species of Pittosporum; 16 species within Australia with six occurring in Tropical Queensland.
The name derives from pitys (pine or resin) and spora (seed), referring to the sticky seeds. Revolutum derives from revolutus, (rolled back) referring to the leaf margin.
Yellow Pittosporum usually remains a shrub, growing to around 3 metres but occasionally will grow to a small tree. There are separate male and female plants. Yellow Pittosporum occurs naturally from Queensland to Victoria in rainforests as well as in wet sclerophyll country at altitudes up to 1100 metres. It is an attractive shrub, eye-catching when bearing its bright orange or yellow fruit.
Yellow Pittosporum leaves are simple, alternate or opposite; they have wavy edges and are clustered towards the ends of branches, making them appear whorled. Leaf size can be 50 -220 mm x 15 – 70 mm. The upper side is slightly hairy but the underside is covered with dense, rusty hairs. Small scale-leaves are usually present. Lateral veins on the leaf curve well inside the lateral margin, forming distinct loops. Small white or brown lenticels (small raised, corky areas) are usually visible on the twigs.
Fragrant, yellow flowers are carried on axillary or terminal umbels or racemes during August to October. They are partly tubular, opening to five petals. The calyx can be green, yellow, red, purple or brown.
The yellow to orange fruit capsules appear from April to July. The capsules are warty or lumpy surfaced, about 12-25 mm x 11-21 mm in size and may be two or three valved. These carry 20 to 76 red, sticky seeds.
The seeds are eaten by Satin Bower-birds and Figbirds while the flowers attract bees, butterflies and other insects. Although the seeds are bitter it is known that they were eaten by Aborigines. Uses for the plant range from hedges and screening, erosion control (it germinates readily and is fast-growing), and for fragrant oils.
Fruit, Seeds and Flowers of Pittosporum revolutum (photos by Russel Cumming on Flickr.com)
Around Paluma, I have found the Yellow Pittosporum growing in the re-vegetation area just outside the village and among the plants along the roadsides. Flowering could be any time now, and there may be some late fruit clinging to the branches, so keep a lookout for this attractive plant.
On Saturday, August 7th, Paluma will host a “Freedom of Entry Parade” to celebrate the decommissioning of the HMAS Paluma (IV), a Navy hydrographic survey vessel that is (indirectly) the source from which our village got its name.
The original Paluma in ca 1890
Paluma IV ca 2010
When the vessel was originally commissioned in 1989 it was granted “freedom of the city” of Thuringowa at Paluma. This included an official ceremony in which armed navy officers marched into Paluma, where challenged by Police and, on producing an official scroll that authorised their entry, were formally granted permission to continue marching through the village. Following other formalities and speeches, refreshments were served and there was a cricket match between the Navy and villagers that was handily won by the village!
Some three decades later the HMAS is now to be decommissioned and the Navy has suggested that one final march through city would be a fitting part of its final days in service. It promises to be quite a spectacle!
The ceremony and parade will be similar to the one in 1989 and all residents are invited to attend as spectators. The event will start at 11am. Food and refreshment will be provided afterwards at the Community Hall.
The original vessel that Paluma was named after was a gunboat built in 1884 in response to a perceived threat to the colony of Queensland from the Russians. Upon its arrival in 1885 its defence capabilities were considered redundant and it was converted into a hydrographic survey vessel. During its early surveys, it named the northern extension of Hervey Range as the Paluma Range. Our village was subsequently named after the mountain range it is embedded in. There have been four vessels bearing the name Paluma. The most recent is the HMAS Paluma (IV)
For a more detailed and highly readable account of the history of all the Paluma vessels, Linda Venn’s book on “Paluma, the first 80 years” has a section dedicated to this topic. You can read this section here.
The Paluma Rural Fire Brigade would like to thank all volunteers who helped during the Paluma Push by hosting a BBQ and drinks at the Community Hall on Saturday July 31, at 4pm.
This year’s Push was a great success due, in no small part, to the wonderful effort of the many volunteers who help to man checkpoints and attend to various logistical tasks leading up to the event. We hope you will be able to come along for a drink and a feed as a token of our appreciation.
There is a huge pile of garden mulch at the Community Centre which we would like to move onto garden beds and other more useful areas. Also, a bit of weeding and planting in the garden bed wouldn’t go astray. So if you would like to help out, we are planning a working bee the Saturday after next, from 2pm to 4pm.
If you would like to help out in beautifying our Village Green and Community Hall surrounds please come along.
This will be followed by a BBQ hosted by the Paluma Rural Fire Brigade to thank all volunteers who helped out during the Paluma Push.
