By ANEEKA SIMONIS
PEOPLE trailing through Mt Cannibal will soon have the convenience of their own virtual tour guide following an exciting state grant.
Friend of Mt Cannibal Secretary Sue Harris said the group was awarded $49,500 to create an interactive trail to engage walkers and explain the history of the bushland reserve.
“It’s a relatively new and exciting idea. We hope the virtual ranger will engage them and make them want to find out more. I can imagine them wanting to find the next one (information station). This is an important development for Mt Cannibal… we need to let people know how wonderful it is,” she said.
“We think there will be six different information stations and people can use the QR reader on their iPhone to reveal information about the area. It’s like having a virtual ranger there with you talking about the area… it’s quite fantastic.”
The 53 hectare reserve is covered with over 50 species of orchards, native trees, shrubs as well as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and echidnas.
Ms Harris said the grant will also go toward helping Friend of Mt Cannibal to weed the area and caution people about the consequences of an unkempt garden.
“The friends group has been working in the reserve for over 20 years mostly weeding and it is disheartening to see weeds being reintroduced from neighbouring properties,” said Ms Harris.
“Our worst weeds are Pittosporum and Berry-flowered Heath, a rather pretty weed from South Africa that has pink flowers. The weeds’ seed is spread by birds in the case of Pittosporum and by wind for the Berry-flowered Heath.
“Once people value the reserve we hope they will then help to look after it by controlling weeds on their own properties,” she said as she described the booklet which will educate people about weed control.
The interactive ranger in Mt Cannibal was inspired by a similar installation along Kooweerup’s Rail Trail.
