100 Years of the Field of Mars
The definitive history of the Field of Mars is now available free of charge.
100 Years of Field of Mars Reserve, 1887-1987, Written and compiled by Rod Wallace, has now been digitized and can be viewed or downloaded on this website.
Published in 1987 by the Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society, the book is a fascinating and informative chronicle of the century prior to that date.
The print version is still available in the Visitor Centre.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE FIELD OF MARS
Track Works
Contractors have begun construction of paved paths around the former landfill area between Buffalo Creek and the Pittwater Rd carpark. This includes the saltmarsh walk. A temporary works shed is parked just below the Kennedy St steps.
Wildlife
Photo: Erin Turner
The wet weather of winter dried up and spring came early! This red-bellied black snake on the Sand Track between Cemetery Creeks 2 & 3 obligingly moved off the track to allow us to pass.
There must have been snake sightings in the Field of Mars Cemetery too:
Photo: Pamela Ward
Of greater concern for bushwalkers is that there have been several reports of ticks.
TICKS IN THE BUSH
Ticks live anywhere, not just in bushland, and are active all year round, but mostly populate the east coastal areas of Australia. Bushwalkers in the Field of Mars Reserve have reported discovering ticks on themselves, We advise sensible precautions including the use of insect repellent. At the Visitor Centre we have information leaflets and first aid equipment. For more information, see
https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pc/ASCIA_PC_Tick_Allergy_2024.pdf
Sensible Precautions
Before any outdoor activity, especially where your body may contact grass or bushes, be sensibly dressed and treat exposed skin areas with an effective insect repellant. Shower afterwards.
Be aware that tick bites are painless at first, but as soon as you suspect you have a tick on you, it is important to follow the following advice…
How to Safely Remove a Tick
When removing ticks, it is important that embedded ticks are not removed or touched. Disturbing a tick may cause more tick saliva to be injected into the body by the tick.
“ FREEZE IT, DON’T SQUEEZE IT! ”
Ether-containing sprays* freeze and kill the tick.
If you do not have ether-containing spray, seek medical help to remove the tick.
1. Take the ether-containing spray and place it about 1 cm above the tick.
2. Using the ether-containing spray, spray the tick 5 times.
3. After a few minutes, if you have a magnifying glass, check if the tick is still moving its legs. If the tick has stopped moving, it is dead.
4. If you don’t have a magnifying glass or if the tick is not dead, spray the tick 5 times again. The dead tick should drop off.
5. If the tick does not drop off, have it safely removed by a health professional using fine-tipped forceps. Do not use household tweezers to remove the tick, as this will cause it to squeeze allergen-containing saliva into your body, even if the tick is dead.
6. If the patient has a tick allergy, follow the instructions on their ASCIA Action Plan.
* Medi Freeze Tick Off or Wart-Off Freeze are types of ether-containing sprays. These, and other brands of ether-containing sprays can be purchased over the counter from your local pharmacy.
Pets and Other Animals
Many Australian native animals are not severely affected by tick bites so, if you see one with ticks on it, your best action is to leave it alone. If you are unsure, contact Sydney Wildlife Rescue (02)9413 4300 or WIRES 1300 094 737.
Non-native animals ARE affected by tick bites, often fatally. Keep pets away from places where
they may come into contact with ticks and, if you suspect your pet cat or dog has been bitten, take it immediately to a vet.
Bushcare
With few recent wet weather delays, work on most sites has continued apace … and we have good news! Our Society was recently successful in obtaining a $5000 grant from the NSW Government, to buy a water testing kit which we may use for Streamwatch monitoring. In the Reserve, this is done regularly by bushcare groups working in the vicinity of Buffalo Creek and Strangers Creek.
Are you interested in this exciting project? We seek volunteers to help do regular testing at local sites. The data will be a useful tool to help improve the environmental value of our waterways.
Please let us know: email rhhffps@gmail.com
The Cemetery Creek 2 bushcare area was impacted by construction of a vault on the south-eastern boundary. Adjacent bushes were damaged, the wire fence to stop rubbish blowing into the Reserve torn down in several places, and debris from building operations left lying along the Fire Trail and in the bushland beyond. A group of enthusiastic East Ryde Cub Scouts recently collected 8 large bagfuls of rubbish from around the Fire Trail. There could have been more, but some of the rubbish was concrete rubble which would have been too heavy for boys and girls aged 8 to 10 years old to lift and carry.
We are also aware of various bushwalkers and Sandy, one of our volunteers, plogging (collecting rubbish as they walk along the tracks). These bags left behind the Visitor Centre are awaiting disposal.
Visitor Centre
Being in high demand, the Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre sometimes makes use of the Visitor Centre for extra sessions. This photo was taken on 27 August, when participants enjoyed the use of technology in the outdoors setting.
On weekends, our volunteers often see a swamp wallaby as it comes across the grass from the bushes behind the Centre, to graze along Buffalo Creek. It crosses the creek via the footbridge, but it is a bit shy and will go another way around if there are too many people around. Ducks are breeding too, and we have identified three separate families of ducklings.
Our maps remain ever popular with visitors, along with the range of leaflets containing track notes and other information. A recent addition has been a leaflet about ticks – see page 5.
JOIN OUR VISITOR CENTRE TEAM! to keep the Visitor Centre open 9am-5pm on weekends and public holidays. Our roster of 4-hour shifts is negotiated according to members’ availability.
No specialised skills are required, and Alfred happily provides the training needed. Most visitors’ questions are answered in the maps and range of free leaflets we have available.
Field of Mars Reserve and Wildlife Refuge
Dry eucalypt woodland covers much of the Field of Mars Reserve. This vegetation is typical of the dry, infertile sandstone soils found in Sydney's north and is known as dry sclerophyll woodland. Many of the plants in this area have hard, waxy leaves that tend to be small and narrow, features which help to reduce moisture loss.
Despite being only 56 hectares in size, the reserve contains around 300 species of plants. These plants support an even greater array of animals from the tiniest spiders to large possums and birds.
Surveys conducted in 2006 found evidence of animals that were believed to be missing from the reserve. These include Sugar Gliders, Echidnas and Long Nosed Bandicoots. Control of pest species like foxes may be contributing to the return of animals to the reserve. Also Brush Turkeys are seen regularly and a swamp wallaby was observed in the reserve in 2012.
Along Buffalo and Stranger's Creeks there are long pockets of moist gully vegetation, known as wet sclerophyll forest. Different plant species flourish in the moist conditions found here. Wet sclerophyll forest is characterised by moist rich soils, shadiness and plants with dark green, soft leaves. The cool, moist conditions found within these gullies create the perfect habitat for some of the reserve's animals like finches, wrens, whip birds and ringtail possums.
The location of the Field of Mars:
Google Maps Location
You are very welcome to explore the Reserve using the walking tracks at any time of the day. The walking tracks of the Field of Mars: Field of Mars Walking Track System
The walking tracks map includes several distinct walking tracks. You can find specific information on each of these tracks by downloading the following brochures:
Track notes - Boardwalk
Track notes Doyle-Kunzea
Track notes Doyle-Warada
Track notes - Kunzea
Track notes - Warada Kunzea
Track notes Warada Strangers Creek
Information on birds of the Field of Mars is also available on Birds in the Field of Mars
The Field of Mars is a Wildlife Refuge gazetted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Dogs are not allowed in the Reserve. Riding of all types of bikes in the Reserve is also not allowed.
On weekends the RHHFFPS staffs a Visitors Centre in the Field of Mars (see opposite).
Click Here for information on the Plan of Management of the Field of Mars.
Visitors Centre
The Visitors Centre can be found in the Field of Mars off Pittwater Road. Parking is available in the carpark at the front. Volunteers open the centre each Saturday and Sunday.
Drop in to discover more about the environment and the Field of Mars Reserve before you explore and experience it for yourself!
The Visitors Centre can be reached on foot via a number of nearby streets. Car access is via Pittwater Rd. (opposite Buffalo Reserve). ph: 9816 1068
Opening Times
Winter schedule (April to August): Saturday and Sunday 9am - 4pm.
Summer schedule (September to March): Saturday and Sunday 9am - 5pm.
Enquiries from groups or individual wishing to visit during the week are welcome. Guided bush walks are available by arrangement when volunteers are available. Contact through email address: rhhffps@gmail.com or phone 9817 4935.
The Visitors Centre contains maps, brochures and information on local and wider community environment issues.
Visitors using prams, strollers, walking frames and wheel chairs have easy access to the Centre toilets. The boardwalk provides a short, easy bushwalk.
INVITATION! - JOIN OUR VISITOR CENTRE TEAM ! We have a small number of members on a roster of 4-hour shifts to keep the Visitor Centre open on weekends and public holidays.
Our roster of 4-hour shifts (3½ hours in winter) is negotiated according to members’ availability. No specialised skills are required, and Alfred happily provides the training needed.
Most visitors’ questions are answered in the maps and range of free leaflets we have available.
If interested please email Alfred: alfred.vincent@bigpond.com(phone 02 9879 6067).