Rattray Road Reserve

This 1.87 hectare reserve is one of the smaller conservation reserves found in Montmorency. It protects and enhances indigenous vegetation, and helps encourage local fauna to thrive. There is a walking track through its middle and a mown firebreak around its border. It is managed by Banyule's Bushland Management Unit with assistance from local volunteers. If you are interested in helping out, join the Friends of Montmorency Bushlands.

History

The reserve was originally part of a local farm called Montmorency Estate, owned by Stuart Donaldson, a merchant and first premier of NSW. It was used for grazing cows during the 1930s and 1940s.

During World War II, it was used as a storage area for army supplies. In the 1950s, it was a convenient dumping place for building rubbish.

In the mid-1970s housing was proposed for the area. However, as a result of public opposition and a university study that found it was a haven for birds, with over 100 species recorded, it became a reserve. The reserve was neglected for many, with grass fires in the 1980s.

Many woody weeds, broom and ivy have been removed. Since 2004, there has been regular planting days.

Historical information supplied by Allan Garbutt.

Video

Flora and fauna

The reserve has 2 types of vegetation community; the top of the hill is grassy dry forest/box stringybark woodland, yellow box dominated and the lower half of the hill is valley grassy forest, longleaf box/candlebark dominated. Both are considered regionally threatened.

There are many species growing here, including purple coral pea, chocolate lily and bulbine lily.

Fauna

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Common name	Scientific name
Australian magpie	Cracticus tibicen
Brushtail possum	Trichosurus vulpecula
Common ringtail possum	Pseudocheirus peregrinus
Eastern blue tongue lizard	Tiliqua scincoides
Musk lorikeet	Glossopsitta concinna
Rainbow lorikeet	Trichoglossus moluccanus
Sugar glider	Petaurus breviceps
Tawny frogmouth	Podargus strigoides

Flora

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Scientific name	Common name
Acacia acinacea	Gold dust wattle
Acacia implexa	Lightwood
Acacia pycnantha	Golden wattle
Arthropodium strictum	Chocolate lily
Bossiaea prostrata	Creeping bossieae
Bulbine bulbosa	Bulbine lily
Bursaria spinosa	Sweet bursaria
Caesia calliantha	Blue grass lily
Cassinia longifolia	Shiny cassinia
Clematis decipiens	Slender clematis
Correa glabra	Rock correa
Dianella amoena	Matted flax lily
Dichondra repens	Kidney weed
Eucalyptus camaldulensis	River red gum
Eucalyptus macrorhyncha	Red stringybark
Eucalyptus melliodora	Yellow box
Hardenbergia violacea	Purple coral pea
Kunzea leptospermoides	Yarra burgan
Microlaena stipoides	Weeping grass
Pterostylis curta	Blunt greenhood
Rytidosperma sp.	Wallaby grass
Themeda triandra	Kangaroo grass
Tricoryne elatior	Yellow rush lily
Xerochrysum viscosum	Sticky everlasting

Location

127 Rattray Road, Montmorency 3094  View Map

-37.7188707,145.1275822

127 Rattray Road , Montmorency 3094

127 Rattray Road , Montmorency 3094

Rattray Road Reserve