Image Library

Flora and Fauna resources

The Adelaide Hills is home to some remarkable plants and animals.

Talented photographer Marianne Broug has generously provided a series of information posters providing a snapshot of some of the distinctive species found in our area.

: Sap sucking lerps

: Native bees

: Native orchids of the Adelaide Hills – courtesy Marianne Broug photography

: Native flowers of the Adelaide Hills – courtesy of Marianne Broug photography

: Birds of the Adelaide Hills

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Members’ photographs – local flora and fauna

New Springs Landcare Group Members have access to a variety of habitats across their properties and surrounds. From thick scrub to wooded grassland, pastures to roadside verges and conservation zones, each can feature different kinds of plants and animals. Here are some of the species you might spot in our area.

Flora

: lemon sun orchid (thelymitra antennifera) at Charleston CP

: Christmas Bush (bursaria spp.)

: spotted donkey orchid (diuris pardina)

: Yellow star (pauridia vaginata) near Charleston CP

: Slender blue spotted sun orchid (thelymitra juncifolia)

: purple cockatoo orchid (glossodia major), common.

: Grevillea lavandulacea can sometimes be seen on roadsides.

: Milkmaids (burchadia umbellata)

: Nodding vanilla lily (arthropodium fimbriatum)

: A stand of small greenhood orchids (pterostylis nana) in wooded grassland prior to the Cudlee Creek bushfire.

: Running postman (kennedia prostrata)

: creamy candles (stackhousia monogyna)

: King spider orchids (Caledenia tentaculata) at Charleston Con Park

: Yellow cowslip (diuris behri) is vulnerable.

: bulldog orchid (diuris spp)

: Rush fringe lily (thysanotus racemoides)

: King Spider orchid are also known as Arachnorchis sp.

: A big stand of chocolate and vanilla lilies.

: Early Nancy (wurmbea dioica)

: Blue grass lily (caesia calliantha) has twisted spent flowers.

: Blue pincushion (Brunonia Australis)

: Buttercup (ranuculaceae lappaceus)

: Bulbine lily (bulbine bulbosa)

: Fan flower (scaevola albida)

: The distinctive red pea flower of kennedia prostrata.

: tall sundew (drosera acriculata) can be topped with small pink or white flowers.

: Silky guinea flower (hibbertia crinita) forms a small bush with bright yellow flower in winter.

: Donkey Orchid (diuris spp)

: Chocolate lily (arthropodium strictum)

: Blue Squill (Chamaescilla corymbosa) is a common, small, bright blue lily

: pink sun orchid (thelymitra rubra)

: Billy-buttons (crespedia variabilis)

Fauna

: An echidna searching for its favourite food – ants.

: blue tongue lizards have a sleek body with buff stripes

: The Cudlee Creek bushfire affected food sources for many animals.

: Echidnas have extremely effective defences

: These striped caterpillars will metamorphose into monarch butterflies.

: The brown tree frog is the only tree frog native to our area.

: Huntsman spiders can get big – this one spans the holes in a dropper.

: laughing kookaburras pair for life and have strong family groups

: Monarch butterflies produce a jade green, domed chrysalis around 30mm to 40mm long

: a stumpy tail completely dusted with grass pollen

: This particular koala is often spotted along Warmington Run, so keep your eyes peeled!

: stumpy tails, shingleback, sleepy lizards – all the same!

: Echidnas can be well camouflaged in summer grass.

: Bearded dragons are making a comeback post-bushfire

: Monarch butterflies feast on Bursaria in summer.

: spotted marsh frogs are common in the Adelaide hills

: Koalas are recovering after taking a hit in the wake of the Cudlee Creek bushfire.

: another giant – a hairy fly bigger than a fingernail

: Known for burrowing, Eastern Banjo frogs can get to 90mm.

: yellow tailed black cockatoos are fond of pine nuts and hakeas.

: giant Mt Lofty earthworms can grow to nearly a metre – this one’s a baby.

Tree Seeding Workshop

New Springs Landcare Group is the custodian of a purpose-built tree seeder.

Direct seeding has a range of benefits – trees tend to thrive faster than seedlings or more mature transplants. It’s also a good way of planting a mix of species and can achieve a more natural result.

The group was given a demonstration of just how easy it is to use, courtesy of local expert Wayne Brown.

: New Springs Chair Kym Gladigau welcoming members to the seeder demonstration

: Alan Brice (seated) explaining tree seedings done 30 years ago

: A range of seeds can be used

: The seeder (pre renovation!)

: Getting seeding underway

: Local expert Wayne Brown discussed pre-seeding planning and prep

Edwards’ Tungkillo property visit

On a gorgeous autumnal April morning New Springs members visit the Kersbrook Landcare Group nursery followed by a field trip to Paul and Michelle Edwards’ farm at Tungkillo.

KLG’s long standing commitment is absolutely inspiring – from seed collection and storage, to propagation and maintenance, to sales – their nursery initiative is helping to preserve and extend locally sourced native plant species. More information can be found at kersbrook.landcaregroup.org.au.

Paul and Michelle Edwards were formerly members of the now defunct Tungkillo Landcare Group (ed. update – Paul and Michelle joined NSLG in 2025). They hosted our fledgling New Springs Group on a property-wide tour to see revegetated areas, weed control, water management and erosion reduction projects.

Paul provided a hands on demonstration of weed species identification and different eradication techniques, from selective herbicide, cut and swab, chainsaw and burn, to total removal.

A bang-up lunch in their shearers quarters was the perfect end to a fantastic day!

: majestic grass tree (spp. xanthorrea) are welcoming sentinels at the Kerbrook Landcare Group nursery

: Inspecting a regeneration project some decades since planting

: The renovated shearers quarters being put to good use with a delicious lunch

: KLG’s cute and useful bee nursery – after all, the plants can’t flourish without the bees.

: care attention has been given to erosion control to maintain watercourses while reducing degradation

: Paul about to demonstrate a woody weed cut and swab process

: A great turnout for the tour of Paul and Michelle’s place

: A new regeneration project with fresh plantings

Direct seeding demontration

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: Planning and preparation