2012 Annual Report - Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia

Thursday Mob ReportThe Thursday Mob consists of mobsters with a diverse range of skills whichcontribute to the successful management of the native plant environmentsof Hunter Wetlands Centre Australia (HWCA).Basically Mobsters are divided into two congenial and synergistic groups.The first consists of members of Newcastle Group of the Australian PlantsSociety. This group propagate Australian Native Plants in their nursery. Theplants grown are sold to the General Public on Thursdays throughout theyear and at various shows – such as Tocal Small Farms Exhibition. Manyplants are donated to our Wetlands for planting in the gardens surroundingthe Visitors Centre and adjacent developed areas such as our EducationCentre and the car parks. Monies raised are used to assist the Group,Hunter Region Botanic Gardens as well as HWCA.The second group of volunteers, who have various interestingbackgrounds, prepare and plant new areas as well as maintaining existingplanted sites. As well these men are experts in bush regeneration overexisting sections of naturally occurring vegetation. The group includes twodisadvantaged men and their hard working carer, Branko.This year has seen our CEO, Ken Conway, successfully obtain an AustralianBiodiversity Fund Grant. The grant has as its purpose re-establishing localAustralian plant species over our weed infested site. The Thursday Mob hasassisted by preparing and planting areas to complete the requirements ofthe grant.Following initial plantings last spring, the weather turned hot and dry oversome months necessitating continual watering up to the end of the year.Most plants were saved and in early 2013 sites such as that surrounding theoverflow car park are looking wonderful.The Mobsters are proud of their considerable contribution to therestoration of the environment and ecology of HWCA for the benefit of allNovocastrians and their visitors.17