Lane Cove Bushland Park

This article is about the natural bushland area in suburban Lane Cove. For the National Park to the north west, see Lane Cove National Park.

Lane Cove Bushland Park is located in suburban Lane Cove, 5 kilometres from the centre of Sydney, Australia. It is regarded as one of the more interesting areas of fungi in the country. In the year 2000, Bushland Park was placed on the Register of the National Estate, under the Australian Heritage Commission Act, 1975.^[1][2] Average annual rainfall is 1220 mm. Soils are moderately fertile, based on Hawkesbury sandstone and Ashfield Shale. The climate is warm and humid.

the creek at Bushland Park

Fungi

rare fungi at Bushland Park

fungus at Bushland Park

This reserve contains the highest number of the family Hygrophoraceae found anywhere in Australia.^[3] With some species listed as threatened. Lane Cove Bushland Park is home to a species of fungus, Hygrocybe lanecovensis, which is found nowhere else.^[4] The species was discovered in the 1990s. Common fungal species include Auricularia auricular-judae, Nidula emodensis, Trametes versicolor, Mycena clarkeana, and Mycena viscidocruenta.

Flora

Trees such as blackbutt, Sydney red gum and turpentine dominate the higher areas. It is not considered part of the Blue Gum High Forest or the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest.

Gully rainforest contains trees such as cheese tree, lilly pilly, ironwood and pittosporum.^[5] Other interesting rainforest plants include tree heath, native crabapple, milk vine, orange bark, jungle brake and brittlewood. There is a disputed record of the prickly tree fern in a creekside gully.^[6][7]

Fauna

Ring-tail possums, brushtail possums and grey-headed flying foxes are common. Birds such as rainbow lorikeets, Australian king parrots, crimson rosellas, currawongs, koel, tawny frogmouth and powerful owl are some of the many found here.

Bush Regeneration

This area has a high conservation status, and conservation work is in progress. The weed trad is particularly troublesome. The shady areas form excellent habitats for fungi and rainforest plants, but disturbed areas are suited to invasive weeds.^[8]

References

1. "Lane Cove Bushland Park, River Rd, Osborne Park, NSW, Australia". Australian Heritage Database. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
2. "Hygrocybe lanecovensis, Fungal Studies". Lane Cove Bushland Park. Fungal Studies. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017.
3. "Case Study for Conservation - Lane Cove Bushland Park". Fungal Biology. University of Sydney. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
4. "Hygrocybe lanecovensis - profile". Hygrocybe lanecovensis. DEC - NSW Threatened Species.
5. "Lane Cove Bushland Park". Bushwalking. Lane Cove Municipal Council. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
6. Lynne McGloughlin. "The Natural Environment of Lane Cove -" (PDF). Native Ferns (Appendix One). Lane Cove Municipal Council. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
7. NSW Native Plant Identification Facebook Group suggests the only tree ferns present are Cyathea cooperi & Cyathea australis. The gully surveyed by Van Klaphake currently has no Cyathea leichhardtiana. Location as advised by a local resident who was with Van Klaphake at the time.
8. Information sign by Lane Cove Council

33°49.369′S 151°10.754′E