There has been wild weather over the last couple of weeks with plenty of rain, causing floods in streams and rivers. Rain is made up of many raindrops, and each raindrop has travelled from distant shores to land here. And they are most welcome.

When we see rivers in flood, we are really seeing the ditch at the bottom of the catchment. Excess water has run off the mountains and hills, down gullies and into streams which feed into the river. Although it appears to be water wasted, it has travelled far, and before its journey to the sea it has already completed  a great service within the landscape.

Large rainfall events are necessary to fill underground springs and aquifers. These are important to provide water for plants and animals on hillsides as they trickle out water all year, and are especially valuable during summer months.

Large rainfall events also fill wetlands Wetlands can be swamps, marshes, billabongs or any low-lying areas that hold water. Wetlands don't have to be large and impressive like the Tamar Wetlands, even small depressions are important as they hold up water in the landscape. These wetlands eek out water slowly and are valuable for providing ground moisture during the summer months. Wetlands are vital to feed water into streams and keep them flowing during low rainfall periods.

Rushes and reeds mark areas that lie wet and have the ability to trap and store sediment.  Rushes and reeds act as natural filters around wetlands by absorbing excess nutrients, thus preventing algal blooms. Within wetlands there are a variety of plants that are adapted to various levels of water. These plants also filter the water and keep it clean for the many animals and birds that use these wetlands. The greater the number of plant species, the better the wetland operates and functions.

Cities on the other hand have many hard surfaces including roofs, roads, pavements and driveways. Rain can't penetrate these surfaces, so excess water runs into concrete gutters which empty into stormwater drains. Because wetlands are so efficient as water filters, some cities construct wetlands as a water treatment system. Melbourne Water, for example, manages 450 wetlands throughout Melbourne to naturally treat water. They use plants and naturally occurring microorganisms to remove sediment, pollutants and pathogens from their stormwater, before the water enters creeks, rivers and oceans.

It's amazing to think how worldly each raindrop is and  how far it has travelled, and will continue to travel on its journey to the ocean. 
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Swamp Paperbark or Melaleuca ericifolia is a tough, versatile all-round good guy. It's hard to go wrong with this plant even if gardening is not your thing. If you garden by neglect, forget to water or love your plants too much, and they die from too much water, Swamp Paperbark is the perfect plant for you.

Swamp Paperbark is an incredibly hardy, fast-growing plant, prized for its ornamental values. It has dense, bushy appearance with dark green, narrow needle-shaped leaves. The bark is pale and papery, peeling off in layers. Swamp Paperbark produces masses of creamy-white or pale yellow bottlebrush-like flower spikes, usually in spring and early summer. These flowers are fragrant and attract honeyeater birds, bees and insects. Its dense foliage makes ideal habitat.

Swamp Paperbark is able to withstand permanently wet soil, salt, coastal exposure, shade and frost. It can be seen growing along many rivers and coastal estuaries and swamps. If allowed to grow to full size it will reach 4 metres, and in swamps, may reach 5-6 metres and form dense thickets. However, it is very hardy in dry frosty areas, including the Midlands, where it can be found growing along some rivers as a shrub.

As Swamp Paperbark is very adaptable to a wide range of soils and conditions. It makes an excellent species for shelter, soil stabilization, salt areas, hedging, screening and wildlife habitat. 

Aboriginal people used the bark of this tree for paintings, blankets, and roofing for shelters. The wood was used for spears, clubs and digging sticks. Oil from the leaves was used for medicine and nectar from the flowers was used to make sweet drinks.

​If using the flowers to make a sweet tea, place flowers in a teapot and pour over boiling water and allow to steep for a few minutes. Dilute to taste. Older trees produce paperbark that can be used in wrapping meats and vegetables. This gives the food a rich smokey flavour.

The wattles are bursting into bloom, with their blast of yellow publicizing spring has arrived. The birds are busy making their nests and plants are starting to stir into new life. There is something truly remarkable about this time of year, a relief after such a cold winter, a sense of renewal. Nature has its own calendar, a rhythm that is comforting and reassuring, and it says Spring has arrived.

Winter has gone, and so have the Olympics and all those magnificent athletes who have trained so hard for the last four years for the honour of competing for the country. The women's marathon with four competitors sprinting the last 100 metres to try and win a gold medal was truly inspiring.

And in the Ironman Competition held earlier this year in Far North Queensland, magnificent men and women athletes swam 3.8 km, then a 180km bike ride and if that wasn't enough, they ran a marathon to get to the finish line. That also was truly inspiring. But perhaps the most inspiring , was the Japanese contestant, Hiromu Inada competing at age 91 years.

But for me the most inspiring athletes are the swallows returning here to celebrate spring. They have  flown thousands of kilometres, without a map, flight instruments or in-flight service. These athletes weigh in at just a few grams, to land safely back home. What a privilege to witness their Supreme Olympian Challenge.

And yet perhaps all these efforts pale in comparison to the Shearwater, the Mutton Bird. They are extreme athletes, competing in some crazy ultimate challenge. These birds weighing 500 grams are returning home from the Aleutian Islands near Alaska, and Kamchatka in the Russian Far East. They come home via the tourist route, travelling down the coast of california