Native to NSW, Grevillea iaspicula, also known as Wee Jasper Grevillea is one of Australia’s rarest plants.  It is estimated only 100 plants are left in the wild, with the surviving shrubs mainly growing in rocky areas away from grazing sheep and goats.  Wee Jasper Grevillea is recognisable from the pink spidery flowers that grow from the shrub - a vital food source for many native birds. It was listed as endangered in the 1990s when feral goats almost grazed it into extinction and drought and bushfires had killed many seedlings.  After much hard work, conservationists have produced some amazing results.  In August 2017, the Wee Jasper Grevillea flowered in the Burrinjuck Nature Reserve for the first time in almost two decades, the result of almost 30 years of action to save the species.  The results have come from specially tailored conservation efforts including fencing the area to protect the seedlings and undertaking feral goat control measures.  More seedlings are emerging as well which conservationist teams on site believe will greatly increase the Wee Jasper Grevilleas’ survival.

Image of the Grevillea iaspicula by photographer John Briggs.