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Raven Street Reserve is a 24.3 hectare bushland area surrounded by urban housing and busy roads. It is part of a long stretch of forest and green areas going from the mountains in the west to the mangove areas on the coast.
It has many species of wildflowers and grass trees (see image below) which when in flower have a long central flowering stem that attracts bees.
Trees include Weeping Myrtle and Native Blueberry Ash with creek fauna such as water dragons, turtles and native fish including the crimson spotted rainbow fish. There are also squirrel gliders, possums and scrub turkeys with occasionally a swamp wallaby being sghted. The bird life is abundant and in keeping with its name has a significant crow or raven population.
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The first white settlers appeared in the mid 1800s. As the area was hilly and full of gullies, there was little scope for farming and was later used as a cattle holding yard, slaughterhouse, and rubbish dump.
The bushland was protected by Greenbelt designation in 1950s when the local area was subdivided, and has been managed by council since 1972.
A Bushland Centre was created in 1988 which features displays, playground, educational lectures, night walks and regular functions.
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Sheltered picnic tables, BBQ, toilets, playground, basketball court, many walking trails and bikeways.
The walks include a short senses trail and walks through banksias , heath land, grass trees and groves of Cauarinas.
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Raven Street Reserve and The Downfall Creek Bushland Centre,
815 Rode Road,
McDowall 4053
Brisbane
Queensland
Australia
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Xanthorea Walk by Michael John Peters.
Author's Web Site
Short Extract follows:
The xanthorhea or black boys as we call them are black fibrous stumpy plants that have thin tubular leaves spreading out in all directions and a tall spear shaped seed that reaches up almost seven feet. Its the time of the year when they are just sprouting and the new ones are green, but they turn hard and brown over time.
When we were kids we used to use them as swords, but they didn't care. Now that I'm older, I have to show more respect. They line the paths and dot the bush.
Down on the other trail, the Casurina Walk, there's a place I call the well of souls, where there are about thirty of these Xanthohrea all atop a little hill, the elders of the tribe. One, possibly the leader, had it's seed spear shaped liked a curved staff."
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