The Friends
The Friends are people who:
- Care about natural and built heritage
- Enjoy the friendship of others
- Share their skills and talents
- Help to preserve the Park for future generations
- Feel concern for the plight of nature
- Seek to protect and promote flora and fauna
- Have an appreciation for history and folklore
- Help others to learn about the Park
- Locally contribute to the preservation of the Park
History of The Friends
4th May 1989:
- The Department of National Parks and Wildlife convened a public meeting at One Tree Hill for those interested in forming a Para Wirra Friends Group. Ted Hughes was elected President,and,with his wife, Molly, led the newly formed group for 18 years with great dedication and leadership.
- The Friends started to collect seeds and propagate plants to revegetate degraded areas in the park, and attacked boneseed and bridal creeper, which were major weed infestations. They became involved in the construction of the walking trails.
In 2002:
- Member activities expanded and a quarterly newsletter was set up.
- The Friends hosted the annual Friends of Parks Forum, with delegates from every part of the state.
- Sampling the river and lake on behalf of Water Watch, visits to the South Para Biodiversity Nursery to help propagate seedlings , and wildflower walks became regular projects.
- Members set up a Herbarium, hosted school and club visits, catered for functions at the park, monitored visitor numbers in Hale and Warren Parks and became involved in heritage conservation.
Until Now, 2015:
- Current membership is 25, covering a wide range of ages.
- The Friends continue to be an active friendly "family”.
What do the Friends do?
Volunteer to assist in fields such as:
- Revegetation and weed control
- Information and guiding
- Maintenance of walking trails
- Environmental education
- Wildlife and flora research and monitoring
- Friends' brochures and displays
- Restoration, maintenance and presentation of heritage sites within the Park
- Fund-raising for projects in the Park
- Befriending and encouraging the staff of the Park
- Historical research
The Friends' Meeting
The Friends meet at Para Wirra on the first Wednesday and third Saturday of each month at 9:00 am, usually at the Park Office, 2 km from main entrance off Humbug Scrub Road, Humbug Scrub.
At the Wednesday meetings we have a working bee from 9.00 am to 12.00, and at the Saturday meetings we have a working bee (9.00 to 12.00), followed by lunch and a meeting. Lunch is BYO unless members otherwise notified.
2016 Program
You can download (right click, Save Target As...) this PDF file of Friends of Para Wirra Meeting/Program (subject to change)
Para Wirra news Vol 20 No 4 (Opens as a PDF)
Para Wirra news Vol 20 No 3 (Opens as a PDF)
Para Wirra news Vol 20 No 2 (Opens as a PDF)
Para Wirra news Vol 20 No 1 (Opens as a PDF)
Para Wirra news Vol 22 No 4 (Opens as a PDF)
Para Wirra News Vol 21 No 3 (Opens in Drop Box)
Para Wirra News Vol 20 No 2 (Opens in Drop Box)
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