Learners explore Bendigo Nature Reserve
It's pretty amazing to have this four hectare botanical reserve in the heart of Southport.
A group of learners from Creston College had a wonderful introduction to the magical Bendigo Nature Reserve recently.
Members from the Rotary Club of Port Shepstone, Bendigo Conservancy Group (BCG) together with a delightful group of the learners had a fun morning exploring and working in the special reserve. The aim was to remove alien invasive plants and clean the old ‘name tags’ of the trees within the coastal forest.
“A huge thank you to the Bendigo stalwarts, namely Paddy Norman, Joan Gallagher, Clive Collier, Helen Dodge and Mbekezele Ngcobo, with a courtesy call from Robin Eccles. It was a hard-working, fun, and harmonious time for all,” said Dee Dickens of Rotary.
It’s pretty amazing to have this rectangular-shaped four hectare botanical reserve in the heart of Southport.
Dickens gave an interesting introduction talk before everyone equipped with spades, gloves and buckets, set off to carry out their assigned tasks.
Paddy Norman, branch chairperson at Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), encouraged the teens to have fun, as forests are full of exciting discoveries.
“Stick to the path, take nothing with you and let the forest fuel your soul,” added Dickens, before setting the learners their tasks.
Here are some facts you might not have known about the reserve:
* In the 1870s, the name ‘Bendigo’ came from an Australian chap called Charles Knox unsuccessfully looking for gold in Umzinto. He named his farm ‘Bendigo’ after his home town in Victoria in Australia. Ironically, Bendigo is listed as the seventh largest gold producer in the world.
* Around 1911, Sabronanthu Naidoo bought the farm, and in turn sold it to TG Smith and Leuchars, who renamed it Bendigo Estates and subdivided it in 1917; one of these divisions was Sunwich Port. Jack Clarens took over the remaining area for development in 1931, and with town planner Harold Porter established the township of Southport, setting aside a small area in the heart of the suburb as a botanical reserve.
* The Bendigo Nature Reserve was formally proclaimed as a Site of Conservation Significance in 2005 by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
* The reserve is home to 75 species of trees; protected and indigenous trees, with some endemic to this specific area. There are even a few 100 year old trees. And, 50 species of non-woody plants.
* It also has nine species of frogs, 10 species of snakes, 8 species of lizards and 25 species of mammals.
* Some 70 species of birds breed in and around the reserve, 11 of these, are endemic to South Africa.
This incredible natural asset is managed by the BCG and currently relies totally on public donations and members’ annual subscriptions for funding.
Contact Joan on 083 2667953.
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