2CRU walk with John Brock

Date of walk – 13 October 2026

This post contains information and findings from a plant identification walk in 2CRU. Plants were identified by John Brock; well-known author of “Native Plants of Northern Australia”.

 

Figure 1.  At 2CRU (from left): Graeme Sawyer, David Percival and John Brock.

 

Figure 2.  2CRU offset area is in green, western edge is 1.7km.

Aim of the walk was to improve knowledge of plants in the 2CRU offset area* (Area A and C) and development area (Area B).

Survey methodology – The survey consisted of a two-hour walk that visited three areas, refer Figure 3. Plants species (excluding grasses and herbs) were identified in the field by John Brock.

People on the plant walk were; John Brock, Graeme Sawyer, David Percival, Gayle Laidlaw and Ian Redmond.

*Technically the 2CRU offset cannot be an offset because the offset area is part of 2CRU that has already been set aside for conservation – the “2CRU offset area” term is already in common use.

 

Map of surveyed areas in 2CRU

 

Figure 3. White Area A & B were surveyed for plant species, yellow pins are large eucalypts from a 2023 survey.

Stage 2 and 3 was bulldozed in 2023-24.

 

Survey Results

 

Figure 4. Cypress Pine (Callitris intratropica) in Area B regrowth.

Area A – 2CRU offset area – woodland, survey distance ~0.7 km

Recorded 41 plant species. The survey went through a small seasonal creek. Previous photos relevant to Area A and C are posted here.

Area B – 2CRU development area – woodland, survey distance ~0.4 km. Recorded 33 plant species. The area has had few fires. The understorey in regrowth areas (no large eucalypts) and non-regrowth areas (have large eucalypts) was similar.  Previous photos are posted here.

Area C – 2CRU offset area – monsoon rainforest, survey distance ~0.1 km. Fading light prevented a plant survey being undertaken but it was possible to confirm Area C as Monsoon Rainforest – an area without Eucalypts, Grevilleas, or Acacias (except Acacia auriculiformis).

 

Plant species recorded

Habitat	Genus	Species	Common Name	Area A offset	Area B project
Overstorey	Acacia	auriculiformis	Black Wattle	YES	YES
Overstorey	Alstonia	actinophylla	Milkwood	YES	YES
Overstorey	Blakella	bella	Ghost Gum	YES	NO
Overstorey	Blakella	polysciada		YES	NO
Overstorey	Brachychiton	diversifolius		YES	?
Overstorey	Callitris	intratropica	Cypress Pine	NO	YES
Overstorey	Canarium	australianum		?	?
Overstorey	Corymbia	polycarpa		YES	?
Overstorey	Erythrophleum	chlorostachys	Ironwood	YES	YES
Overstorey	Eucalyptus	miniata	Woollybutt	YES	YES
Overstorey	Eucalyptus	tetrodonda	Stringybark	YES	YES
Overstorey	Melaleuca	leucadendra	Weeping Paperbark	YES	NO
Understorey	Abrus	precatorius	Crab’s Eye Vine	?	?
Understorey	Acacia	dimidiata		YES	?
Understorey	Acacia	holosericea		YES	YES
Understorey	Acacia	lamprocarpa		YES	NO
Understorey	Acacia	latescens		NO	YES
Understorey	Acacia	mimula		?	?
Understorey	Acacia	oncinocarpa		?	?
Understorey	Alyxia	spicata		YES	YES
Understorey	Auranticarpa	melanosperma		?	?
Understorey	Brachychiton	megaphyllus	Red-flowered Kurrajong	YES	YES
Understorey	Breynia	cernua		YES	YES
Understorey	Bridelia	tomentosa		?	?
Understorey	Buchanania	obovata	Green Plum	YES	YES
Understorey	Calytrix	achaeta		NO	YES
Understorey	Calytrix	exstipulata	Turkey Bush	YES	YES
Understorey	Capparis	umbonata	Wild Orange	YES	YES
Understorey	Cochlospermum	fraseri	Kapok Bush	YES	YES
Understorey	Cupaniopsis	anacardioides	Tuckeroo	YES	NO
Understorey	Cycad	armstrongii	Cycad	YES	?
Understorey	Denhamia	obscura		YES	YES
Understorey	Diospyros	calycantha		YES	?
Understorey	Dolichandrone	filiformis		YES	NO
Understorey	Drypetes	deplanchei		YES	YES
Understorey	Exocarpus	latifolius	Native cherry	YES	YES
Understorey	Flagellaria	indica		YES	YES
Understorey	Glycosmis	trifoliata		NO	YES
Understorey	Grevillia	decurrens		YES	YES
Understorey	Grevillia	dryandri ssp dasycarpa		YES	YES
Understorey	Jasminum	molle	Jasmine	YES	?
Understorey	Livistonia	humilis	Sand Palm	YES	YES
Understorey	Micromelum	minutum		NO	YES
Understorey	Pandanus	spiralus	Pandanus	NO	YES
Understorey	Parsonia	velutina		?	?
Understorey	Persoonia	falcata	Milky Plum	YES	YES
Understorey	Petalostigma	pubescens	Quinine Tree	YES	?
Understorey	Sersalisia	sericea	Pouteria	YES	NO
Understorey	Smilax	australis		YES	YES
Understorey	Stenocapus	acaciodes		NO	YES
Understorey	Sterculia	quadrifida	Peanut Tree	YES	YES
Understorey	Strychnos	lucida	Strychnine Tree	YES	YES
Understorey	Syzygium	eucalyptoides ssp bleeseri	White Bush Apple	YES	NO
Understorey	Tabernaemontana	orientalis		NO	YES
Understorey	Terminalia	ferdinandiana	Billy Goat Plum	NO	YES
Understorey	Tinospora	smilacina	Snake Vine	YES	?

 

Discussion

Woodland plant species – More plant species were recorded in Area A than Area B because a greater area was surveyed – per hectare, plant diversity is expected to be similar.

Gamba Grass – Both Area A and B had patches of high-density Gamba Grass that need to be eradicated.

Regrowth Areas – In 1944, 2CRU had nearly all of its woodland. Most of the land clearing at 2CRU took place in the early 1960’s, approx. 65 years ago, refer Figure 4 below.

 

Figure 5. 2CRU in 1963 (white dashed line), Area A is in offset area, Area B is in planned development area.

Area A – the northern part had no large eucalypts (refer Figure 3). This may be due to shallow soils observed in the area. Past clearing was not evident on aerial photography – refer: old growth trees.

Area B – consisted of regrowth areas and areas not cleared (still had large eucalypts) based on aerial photos and tree diameter. As of 2026, the current tree diameter at breast height for a regrowth eucalypt was generally less than 20cm… read more

Understorey habitat was similar in regrowth areas and areas with large eucalypts (areas not cleared).

 

Findings

• Areas A and B (refer Figure 2) was woodland and held a similar diversity of plant species.
• Regrowth areas – Understorey habitat was similar in regrowth areas and areas with large eucalypts (areas not cleared).
• Area C was Monsoon Rainforest.