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Self seeded Spinifex found at Sumner Beach - first time in decades!
(Before and after photos to come)
Spinifex has been extinct at Sumner beach for decades - until now. Through the well planned and determined efforts the local Sumner Environment Group, restored ares of sand dune are now producing viable Spinifex seed and seedlings are reaching up out of the sand.
Dune degradation has occurred over many years at Sumner Beach as a result of urban development and encroachment. For many years the dunes were largely absent with remaining patches covered in Lupin (Lupinus arboreus) and marram ( Armophila arenaria). In addition to biodiversity losses, this degraded beach system offered less protection from coastal inundation events, and sand frequently blew onto local roads.
To address this, the Sumner Coast care Project was established with a focus on fore-dune restoration. The project began with restoration of a section of the beach where the dunes had disappeared, creating a prominent low spot in the coastal margin. Planting activities in this area are now essentially complete and the good news is that the indigenous species are faring well. In monitoring completed in May 2013 the growth and seaward advancement of Spinifex was particularly noticeable from the same time a year before.