Nature Discovery at Cottesloe

We know that many city children have little exposure to their natural world. So CCA volunteers are very excited about our involvement in a restoration project on the north side of Vlamingh Memorial. A wonderful nature discovery space will be created by Terry, Angus and the inspired team Nature Based Play. This area will provide kids with a place to explore, find, touch, climb and make things from sticks or gum nuts. Town of Cottesloe has agreed to fund the first stage. Cottesloe Coastcare, Perth NRM and community groups including Cottesloe Scout Group and Christchurch Grammar School boys will soon plant local native plants as part of Stage 1.

If you haven’t visited Russel Brown Adventure Park in Mosman Park see the great video at Nature Based Play. Our space will be more about discovery and it’s a much smaller project. In Mosman Park community groups and individuals all came together with donations of time and equipment. Perhaps this can happen in Cottesloe too?

Terry Farrell of Nature Based Play presented this concept drawing. You can see the ‘Hump’Back’ timber structure that little kids will love and a central structure made from limestone based on rhizoliths found on the beach nearby. A rhizolith is a circular structure in limestone which often has shells and coral, sand and interesting bits of flotsam in its centre.

Here are a couple of photos of progress at the site to date – including removal of much of the weedy Victorian teatree ready for planting with local native plants including Rottnest pines, Tuarts, Fremantle mallees and lots of low plants native to Cottesloe. The project will take at least 2 years to complete and extra funding will be needed.