Bushfire aftermath: Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden Part 2 - Survivors

 

Amidst the devastation, the visitor centre and cafe survived, along with part of the nursery, the wooden deck of the lunch room, the Wallace herbarium, and a lovely stand of Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gums), and some kangaroos. 

Bushfire aftermath: Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden Part 1 - casualties

I am a volunteer at the Botanic Garden, and on the committee of the Friends of the Botanic Garden. Committee members were able to visit on 16 January 2020, under the guidance of the Manager, in order to see first-hand the damage the bushfire of 31 December 2019 had caused. 

The fire ripped through the entire site, burning all the vegetation, the manager's house (which was being used for storage), all of the equipment and storage areas, much of the nursery, bridges and walks. The newly developed Visitors' Centre and cafe, which had opened the month before, and the state-of-the-art Wallace Herbarium escaped the carnage. 

Much of the wildlife - animals and birds- was affected, although some kangaroos survived. 

The fire melted all the underneath soft fall base of the children's playground.

The orchid house

Orchid house

Tool shed and containers. Everything was lost,

About two-thirds of the nursery was lost.

Part of the nursery and propagation area was spared. 

The Pavilion

 

Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden

 

Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden - Orchids

 These native orchids were looking beautiful on 11 October 2019. The orchid house was damaged in the 31 Dec 2019 bushfire. It will be revived, however. 

Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden - Orchid House

The orchid house was destroyed in the 31 Dec 2019 bushfire, but there are plans to revive it in another location. These dendrobiums were at their peak in September 2019.