For all activities check the noticeboard for dates and times.

weeding

This activity sounds boring, but the weeds we attack are not your small home garden type of weed. The main weeds we eradicate are woody plants, usually over a metre tall, requiring a variety of strategies to remove. These include:

• Hand pulling
• Ring barking
• Poisoning - when all else fails
• Overall spray
• Frilling and filling with poison
• Biological control

Seedling planting - required for rehabilitation of denuded areas

Raising seedlings - for planting

The Park has been divided into 52 vegetation management units (blocks). Once one of these blocks has been thoroughly weeded, those members who are familiar with a wide range of weeds can adopt a block and work in their own time to remove subsequent weed growth.

monthly meetings

Meetings commence with a guest speaker - subjects are usually related to the environment but with other topics of interest from time to time. The monthly meeting proper follows the speaker and includes reports on various aspects of our work.

nature walks/strolls

These walks are usually aimed at viewing plants that are currently in flower.

At present the group is carrying out a significant tree identification program. This includes trees which are significant because of their beauty or have historical meaning.

Belair National Park was declared a National Park on the 19th of December 1891. On this day each year a birthday tea is held to celebrate this event.

forum

There are about 135 Friends groups across the state who can get together at the annual forum. This includes awards for members and groups, discussion session and tours of the local parks. The forum is held in a different district each year providing members with a chance to find out what is in other parks and to share ideas and fellowship.

Prior to the formation of the Department of the Environment in the seventies the National Park was run by a group of Commissioners. John Cleland was Deputy Chairman for five years from 1931 and was Chairman from 1936-1956. During this period of office, Cleland undertook the self-imposed task of inspecting Belair National Park on foot, during the period between Christmas and New Year's Day. It was his purpose to assess the management of the park, in relation to weeds, firebreaks, fencing and anything else that came to his attention, so that he could advise park staff more specifically as to how they could best discharge their duties. While regular inspections with the other Commissioners generally occurred within Belair, John Clelend at this time set out to walk around its boundaries.

It is this action of his that the Friends of Belair National Park seek to commemorate with the Professor Cleland Walk. By doing so it is hoped to draw attention to the history of Belair National Park, and the role of one highly significant person in the managing, developing and appreciation of this Park.