Community & Business
25 November, 2024
A visit to the Irongate Conservation Park
The Walter family, which was once instrumental in lobbying for the Irongate Conservation Park alongside Pittsworth Landcare, recently returned to the site after the family reunited.
In the mid-1970s a small 29 hectare conservation park on Wallingford Road was created out of Brigalow-Belah scrub that had been part of the property at the time called Karinya at Irongate, just outside Pittsworth.
Along with others, John and Ruth Walter had been instrumental in lobbying for the park and working with Landcare to build amenities such as a walking circuit with gravel surface, along which significant plant species have been marked with name plaques and a description of each stage of their life cycle.
There is a picnic table and a composting toilet.
Brigalow-Belah scrub is increasingly rare and in need of protection, and at Irongate is associated with notable biodiversity.
You can admire mountain coolibahs, black orchids and leopard trees, as well as Pittosporums, wild orange (caper) trees and native broom.
Also remarkable is the number of butterflies you will see at Irongate, with the Caper White being particularly abundant.
The Walter family is scattered all over nowadays, with one of John’s daughters living in Canberra and the other in France.
Recently, they had the rare opportunity to all get together, and one of the things they were keen to do together was to visit Irongate Conservation Park.
The whole family has an interest in wildlife, biodiversity and the environment.
Ruth died last year and John is now wheelchair bound so some careful planning and the invaluable help of Lana from Landcare, and Roz from Black and White Taxis, was needed to achieve an outing to the site.
Armed with binoculars, cameras, and the family’s combined natural history skills, they were able to complete the circuit around the park and were reminded of just what a haven for a disappearing habitat this park is.
Some excitement was provided along the way by having to dodge meat ant nests with the wheelchair, and at one point having to clear up a tree that had fallen over the path.
The park makes a great short walk through the bush for birdwatchers, butterfly enthusiasts and anyone interested in local native plants.
- Susan Walter
