Guest speaker for Orbost Probus Club’s monthly meeting was Frank Greehalgh who lives in Metung, and has a very special interest in ancient plant, the endangered Bolwarra, which is unique to far East Gippsland.
Bolwarra was named by
the Aboriginal people who used it for medicine and
fishing lines.
It grows exclusively in Marlo to Mallacoota has been found on the banks of the Snowy and Brodribb, as well as in the Bete Bolong rainforest.
Bolwarra is pollinated by weevils and it was first recorded in 1814 by R. Brown who sailed with Matthew Flinders who navigated Australia in 1801-1803.
Frank explained when Australia was attached to Gondwana it broke off due to the Earth’s plates and drifted up to warmer waters.
It is one of the reasons Australia has unique animals and plants.
The Friends of Mallacoota group found a few species of Bolwarra after the 2019 Black Summer Bushfires, and have carefully taken care of this plant because it is so rare and grows only in this region.
Members thanked Frank for his interesting presentation.
Probus held its AGM for
this year kindly monitored
by Bev Farley.
A special presentation was made for Audrey van den Berg who is stepping down as secretary and will be taken over by Lorraine Joiner.
Jan Lynn was re-elected as treasurer and Ros Berns re-elected as president.
