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The early days saw blackberry and broom growing to shoulder height.  The goal of the Pembroke Scouts was to keep the walking tracks navigatable.

Eventually, as the walking track were cleared of overgrown blackberry, the project parameters expanded and further weed control occured pushing the blackberry and broom further and further away from the walking tracks, exposing hawthorn, olives, rhamnus and desert ash trees, which in their turn were also controlled.

As the weedy plants were removed, local seed was collected and additional plants grown and planted to accelerate the recovery of the natural landscape.

We found the bell flower hyacinth orchid in 2008, but initially there was a lot of confusion about the identity of this orchid.

It is now recognised as Dipodium campanulatum a rare orchid not previously found in the Adelaide Hills.  The closest known population is in the Naracoorte region. The photograph on the right was taken 30 December 2024. This special orchid has no leaves. It lives solely in association with a fungus which is associated with strinkybark eucalypts.  It is entirely dependant on the ecosystem that supports the species it relies on.

We know there are a number of other nspecial species that call Hornsell Gully Conservation Park home.

We have records of the yellow-footed antechinus and caught them on our wildlife camera out in the park. There are nearby records of the southern brown bandicoot (no records yet actually in the park) and we know the chestnut-rumped heathwren call sections of the park home.

Our work is far from complete.
The ongoing list of threats to the park seem endless.

Like so many of our parks, it is a victim of the proximity of Adelaide, with many species invading from outside the park in addition to challenges caused from the historic use of the area.

We can only manage these threats little by little and one pest plant at a time.  Nature needs time to restore and adapt to the changes and repopulate the space the pest plants were occupying. But at the moment our resources dictate the slow pace of our work.

There is room for everyone to help.

We hold a habitat restoration event in the park on the third Saturday of the each month from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

We would like to increase our capacity for work at these events. Perhaps we can expand the hours we spend in the park.

Please contact me if you can help, but find this time unsuitable for you. Perhaps we can organise to work in the park at another time that is more convenient.

John Fleming
041 849 5834 
secretary.fobhm@gmail.com