2022 fire. image L. Fitzpatrick A side effect of agriculture in the district has been a lack of regular fires to regenerate vegetation on unmanaged reserves. They become weedy and clogged with dead material for decades then razed by devastating bushfires.
Unfortunately bushfires are becoming more common and more intense. After the February 2022 wildfire, which started near North Yiiliminning Nature Reserve, I established photomonitoring sites at Birdwhistle, North Yilliminning, and Ockley nature reserves to record landscape changes.
The Birdwhistle Rock site monitors recovery of a predominantly granitic rock lansdcape. I only have one pre-fire image below of this reserve because it was weedy and overgrown. Vegetation on the rock had not been burnt for decades and the mostly Rock Sheoak vegetation areas were clogged with dense wild oats and dead sheoaks.
Unfortunately bushfires are becoming more common and more intense. After the February 2022 wildfire, which started near North Yiiliminning Nature Reserve, I established photomonitoring sites at Birdwhistle, North Yilliminning, and Ockley nature reserves to record landscape changes.
The Birdwhistle Rock site monitors recovery of a predominantly granitic rock lansdcape. I only have one pre-fire image below of this reserve because it was weedy and overgrown. Vegetation on the rock had not been burnt for decades and the mostly Rock Sheoak vegetation areas were clogged with dense wild oats and dead sheoaks.
2016 on rock summit. Mature sedge and resurrection plant cover with mature Rock Sheoak areas with wild oat and dead tree understorey 
April 2022 incinerated landscape
The intense heat incinerated all surface life and even caused cracking and exfoliation of outcropping rocks. The heat caused the equivalent of thousands of years of erosion in a single event as flakes up to one centimetre thick fell off to reveal unweathered underlying granite.
Granite flakes shed after 2022 fire
Resprouting Hakea petiolaris Succeeding years have been a revelation. I found fire ephemeral species previously unrecorded in this area, and am intrigued by soil specific species remergence, dominance, and succession.
Within two months some Hakea petiolaris plants were resprouting. Note the swollen base on the following image, which indicates considerable age. Other shrubs such as Calothamnus quadrifidis, and Balga grass trees resprouted a bit later. Wandoos completely lost their bark and took much longer to resprout at ground level. Images below show Hakea and Stypandra glauca regrowth
Within two months some Hakea petiolaris plants were resprouting. Note the swollen base on the following image, which indicates considerable age. Other shrubs such as Calothamnus quadrifidis, and Balga grass trees resprouted a bit later. Wandoos completely lost their bark and took much longer to resprout at ground level. Images below show Hakea and Stypandra glauca regrowth
 April 2022 |  Sept 2023 |  Oct 2024 |
Ash beds from burnt trees were rapidly colonised by a bright orange flowering moss, which is gradually declining after the third year.
Stypandra glauca (Lamb Poison) regrew from tubers in the 2022 season, as dense colonies in rock cracks and shallow rocky soil. Before the fire it was relatively inconspicuous. This is another tough plant. The fire was so intense that it burnt surface soil organic matter, but didn't phase the Stypandra.
Stypandra glauca (Lamb Poison) regrew from tubers in the 2022 season, as dense colonies in rock cracks and shallow rocky soil. Before the fire it was relatively inconspicuous. This is another tough plant. The fire was so intense that it burnt surface soil organic matter, but didn't phase the Stypandra.
 Surface soil carbonised |  Thick Stypandra regeneration |  Stypandra glauca |
Images below are from the base of the rock where the soil is shallow with numerous rock fragments and flakes washed down after the fire.
 April 2022 no life |  April 2023 thick stypandra and moss |  Sept 2023 sheoaks wattles showing |  Oct 2024 rapid sheoak growth |
Rock cracks and the main channel contained Stypandra glauca and shrubs before the fire, but Stypandra is now dominant.
 April 2022 |  Sept 2023 |  Oct 2024 wider view |
Deeper soil areas were mainly ash and moss in the first winter/spring with orchids (mostly red beak and cowslip orchids, a few Caladenia integra and a profuse germination of Kennedia prostrata (Running Postman).
 Caladenia integra |  Kennedia prostrata and Trachymenes |  Pyrorchis nigricans |
I wish I paid more attention to other usually insignificant resprouters that popped up sporadically, as they included bush tucker plants. Shown below are
 Bulbine semibarbata (Leek Lily Native Onion) |  Trachymene pilosa Native Parsnip |  Trachymene ornata Spongefruit |
Gyrostemon subnudis Gyrostemon subnudis is a wiry fire ephemeral shrub, which usually lives for less than ten years. It completely took over some rocky sandy soil areas. It has male and female plants (dioecious). Female flowers and fruit resemble minipumpkins. By spring 2024 many plants were being eaten by spittlebugs and Rock Sheoaks were overtaking them.
The sequence below is a Rock Sheoak thicket adjoining the parking area.
 April 2022 |  April 2023 Gyrostemon dominant |  Sept 2023 Stypandra glauca emerged |  Oct 2024 Rock Sheoaks emergimg |
Deeper loamier soils in valleys suffered soil erosion initially, but species that germinated grew very quickly, particularly grasses, Acacias (mainly Acacia saligna and Acacia acuminata) and rock sheoaks. Wild oat seedlings in the occasional less burnt spots are growing profusely, and will gradually spread throughout these areas.
Valley on east side of the rock.
Valley on east side of the rock.
 April 2022 mossy landscape |  April 2023 mixed species germination |  Sept 2023 rapid growth |  2024 sheoaks, acacias dominant |
This site on the old sandalwood collectors track was Rock Sheoak /Wandoo / Acacia woodland. It is being populated by a wider range of species.
 October 2022 |  April 2023 |  October 2024 |
A big surprise was the appearance of native grasses and Kennedia prostrata on sandy soils on the west side of the rock. Kennedia seeds were more fire resistant than the grass. There are dense patches of mainly Austrostipa species in less severely burnt spots.
