New Phascogale brochure: hot off the press

Posted on 31 January, 2024 by Ivan

It’s been some time since Connecting Country developed a new brochure, but here we have it, hot off the press – and it is all about the mighty cute, and threatened, Brush-Tailed Phascogale!

The brochure is aimed at educating our community and raising awareness of the Brush-tailed Phascogale and their habitat needs. It is available for download immediately – Click Here, or you can pick it up from the Connecting Country office in Castlemaine VIC.

The brochure is part of our ‘Habitat trees for Phascogales’ project that aims to protect and enhance habitat stepping stones for the Brush-tailed Phascogale and other native fauna, by protecting existing large old trees on grazing land.

We know that much of central Victoria’s native woodland has been heavily disturbed by a long history of mining, clearing, woodcutting, grazing, and changes in fire and water regimes. The local Box-Ironbark landscape provides habitat for many threatened species, including the Brush-tailed Phascogale, but much of the remaining woodland lacks complexity and is missing hollow-bearing trees that are important for foraging and nesting sites and protection from predators.

Tuan in a nestbox at Welshmans Reef. Photo Jess Lawton

Scientific studies demonstrate an alarming acceleration in the decline of most species within this community over recent years, including the Brush-tailed Phascogale which has experienced localised extinctions in some regions and has undergone a substantial range contraction and decline in numbers overall.

The Mount Alexander region is a likely stronghold for the Brush-tailed Phascogale and is important for the species’ future survival (Lawton et al. 2021, Austral Ecology). However, our region’s woodlands are heavily degraded and large old trees with hollows are now scarce and not being replaced.

Our project aims to protect large old trees from early senescence and facilitate natural regeneration. Over time, other key elements of phascogale habitat, such as fallen logs and leaf litter, will return to these areas.

The new brochure looks amazing, thanks to the hard work and creative magic of the Connecting Country team. In the brochure, you’ll find gorgeous images from some wonderful local photographers, as well as a summary of our how we can help the Phascogale thrive in our region.

Click here to download your very own copy, or drop into the office to pick up a free hard copy. We’d love to hear feedback on our brochure and any other information you may require into the future.

The Habitat Trees for Phascogales project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Nature Fund as well as the Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation.

Muckleford Catchment Landcare pay tribute to David Griffiths

Posted on 19 December, 2023 by Hadley Cole

On Sunday 19 November 2023, Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group held a memorial for long time Landcare member and landscape restoration specialist David Griffiths. The group rallied together with other community members and friends of David to pay homage to the legacy that he has left. Beth Mellick secretary of Muckleford Catchment Landcare has shared the below tribute.

David Griffiths planting in Muckleford. Photo by Beth Mellick.

Muckleford annual general meeting and memorial to David Griffiths

We decided to go ahead with our planned annual general meeting in November, but to also make it into a memorial day for our good friend David Griffiths.

Dave died of cancer recently. Although we knew he was ill, his death still came as a shock and for many of us, we still can’t believe he is actually gone.

He left a huge legacy across central Victoria, having planted hundreds of thousands of trees on private property. He really knew all about this landscape restoration stuff – his favourite phrase was ‘landscape function’. 

We were so lucky that Dave was willing to share his knowledge and expertise with Muckleford Landcare. The amazing success of our plantings is because of his famous yeoman’s plough!

During the AGM we decided to leave Dave in the Vice President role. His dying was still too new, it was (and is) too soon to move on. He can’t be replaced. Members of our Landcare group and the Muckleford community got up and spoke about Dave, our comrade, and how he affected their lives, and their properties. We then planted a tree in his honour down at the Muckleford train station.

Thanks to the Goldfields Victorian Railway for being so amenable to our request for this memorial.

People say “gone but not forgotten”, and in Dave’s case this is so true because wherever we look, we see his work, and some of us believe if we look closely, we can see Dave.

Words by Beth Mellick

The Connecting Country team send deepest condolences to the friends and family of David.

Photos below show Muckleford Catchment Landcare members and community members paying tribute to David Griffiths. Photos by Beth Mellick.

Attracting native pollinators to your garden: new indigenous plant guide

Posted on 7 December, 2023 by Ivan

Ever wondered how you can attract more native pollinators to your garden, and which plants would be the most suitable for our region’s climate? Well, hot off the press is our latest brochure, ‘Attracting Pollinators to your Garden in the Mount Alexander region‘, which is now ready for download or print and it looks fabulous. 

Pollinators can range from bees, butterflies, flies, wasps, moths, birds and even bats and are crucial to the successful reproduction and conservation of many of Australia’s native plant species. With reports of decline of pollinators across the globe due to land clearing and climate change, now is the time to plant, create and nurture habitat for our local native pollinators.  

The Common Halfband Hoverfly is a slim-bodied fly with reddish eyes. Photo by John Walter.

Resin Bees get their name because they build their residences out of resin. Photo by John Walter

Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee pollinating a native pea. Photo by Karen Retra.

The Imperial Jezebel, is a gorgeous Delias butterfly. Photo: John Walter

Throughout 2023, Connecting Country has been rolling out The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria. The project is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators.

In the brochure, you’ll find gorgeous images from some wonderful local photographers, as well as a summary of why it is important to create habitat for our native pollinators. You will also find a table containing our favourite twenty indigenous plants that will be sure to attract some native pollinator heroes to your garden.

Click here to download your very own copy, or drop into the office and we can print you a hardcopy. We’d love to hear feedback on our brochure and any other information you may require into the future.

Special thanks to our generous volunteer photographers – Geoff Park and Bonnies Humphreys – who freely donated their images. Without your help and generous donations, such a professional product would not be possible.

The Buzz Project is funded by the 2022 Victorian Landcare Grants through the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Common Halfband Hoverfly

Posted on 30 November, 2023 by Ivan

With spring upon us, now is the perfect time to take a closer look at the smaller pollinator heroes of our region! There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats across central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. Throughout the warmer months the bees are buzzing, butterflies are fluttering, beetles are looking for mates and wasps are making nests. There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats in central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. These wonderful pollinating creatures are the heroes of the bush, grasslands, our gardens and waterways.

The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria, is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators.  As part of this project, we have explored the lives of some of our most loved native pollinators from across the local region through a series of blogposts throughout November. This is the final blogpost in this series, with the hero of focus from the endearing hoverfly family.

Dr Mark Hall, local entomologist, has kindly shared his extensive knowledge on some of the local pollinator heroes that are so important to the health of our ecosystems. 

Common Halfband Hoverfly (Melangyna viridiceps)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

Hmm, is this a bee? It certainly looks a bit like one with those bright yellow bands. And it is visiting lots of flowers. No, this is actually a fly trying to mimic a bee. Thankfully there are some tell-tale signs to tell the two apart. See those really big eyes, and the very short antennae? Unlike bees that have oval eyes on the sides of their head, fly eyes are typically much larger and rounder, sometimes taking up most of the head. And the antennae are shorter in flies, whereas bees have longer, segmented antennae. And that’s not where the differences end.

Flies are often more abundant in cooler climates, such as higher-up mountains, and can forage in colder weather (so can be more active than bees in early spring in this region). Whereas bees will often be more direct in their fight for flowers, hoverflies spend a lot of time flying above flowers, seemingly surveying for the perfect one before landing. Like bees, they feed almost exclusively on flowers (their larvae eat aphids) and are very good pollinators. They are fast flyers like bees, but they do lack the branched hairs that make bees exceptional pollen carriers.

The Common Halfband Hoverfly is a slim-bodied fly with reddish brown eyes, dark thorax and black and yellow banded abdomen. Photo by John Walter.

The Common Halfband Hoverfly can be found across most habitats in south-eastern Australia and in the southwest, including quite arid environments. They will feed on the nectar and pollen of many different types of plants and can also be confused with other hoverfly species, most typically the Yellow-shouldered hoverfly (Simosyrphus grandicornis), which is also common and abundant.

Why not take the opportunity to slow down this spring and take a look in your local bushland or garden and see what pollinator heroes you can find?

Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Resin Bee

Posted on 29 November, 2023 by Ivan

Spring is here which means the bees are buzzing, butterflies are fluttering, beetles are looking for mates and wasps are making nests. There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats in central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. These wonderful pollinating creatures are the heroes of the bush, grasslands, our gardens and waterways.

The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria, is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators.  As part of this project, we will explore the lives of some of our most loved native pollinators from across the local region through a series of blog posts throughout November.

Dr Mark Hall, local entomologist, has kindly shared his extensive knowledge on some of the local pollinator heroes that are so important to the health of our ecosystems. 

Resin Bee (Megachile ferox)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

One of at least 169 bee species in the family Megachilidae, which include the leaf-cutter and resin bees, Megachile ferox can be found across southern Australia.

It has a very hairy head, body, legs and abdomen that are perfect for pollen-carrying. It also has large mandibles (jaws) for chewing nest holes in wood. The bright red tip on its abdomen may be what you see first though.

Resin Bees get their name because they build their residences out of resin. Photo by John Walter

The Resin Bee is most active during spring and summer, particularly from November to February, visiting a range of important flowering plant species, including Eucalypts, Dillwynia and Bursaria. It nests in woody structures, such as trees and shrubs and can make a home in insect hotels in gardens if they are designed and placed correctly.

With extensive and prolonged habitat clearing occurring through much of central Victoria, this and other wood-nesting species have become less common. However, where woody nests and good floral diversity are available, this species will provide an excellent pollination service.

The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of Central Victoria, Landcare planting

Posted on 28 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

Victoria Gully group members planting away. Photo by Victoria Gully Landcare.

Pollinators can range from bees, butterflies, flies, wasps, moths, birds and even bats and are crucial to the successful reproduction and conservation of many of Australia’s native plant species. With reports of decline of pollinators across the globe due to land clearing and climate change, now is the time to plant, create and nurture habitat for our local native pollinators. 

Throughout 2023 Connecting Country has been rolling out The Buzz Project: promoting pollinators of Central Victoria. During the winter months, while the pollinators were lying low, Landcare groups from across the region were busy planting pollinator-attracting plants at their sites. Connecting Country distributed 240 plants to Landcare groups from the region, including species such as; Chocolate Lily, Matted Flax-lily, Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea and Sticky Everlasting-daisy.

Landcare groups added the plants to their existing sites, adding a greater diversity of flowering plants and encouraging our native pollinators to move through the landscape.

Victoria Gully Landcare Group considered sites across the gully carefully when finding a home for the pollinator-attracting plants. They looked for areas that were protected from kangaroos, sites that provided dappled shade and were protected from recreational activities as well as having reasonable soil, and manageable weeds. The group planted within the protection of a 4m diameter temporary chicken wire fence and chose to plant nice and early in the planting season to give the plants the best chance of survival. 

Muckleford Catchment Landcare tackle grazing pressure with large wire guards. Photo by Muckleford Catchment Landcare.

Group members of Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group planted the pollinator species across properties in the groups’ area including Walmer, adding a diversity of understory plants to their existing work. To protect the plants from the grazing of curious animals, the planters used large chicken wire guards to give the plants the best chance of thriving.

Local Aboriginal Landcare group Tabilk Mooroopook Upper Loddon Landcare Group, who are auspice by Nalderun, planted their pollinator plants at Me-Mandook Galk, Nalderun’s ancestor tree property in Chetwon. They reported a successful planting day with Nalderun’s young First Nation leaders.

 “Many thanks from us here at Nalderun (and from the native pollinators at Me-Mandook Galk!) for the plants. They were planted by our School-based trainees (SBATs) out at the Ancestor Tree, both in and around the Bush Tucker beds, on one of their TAFE days studying Certificate II in Horticulture. The students had only just finished creating bee-hotels the week before, so we’re looking forward to attracting & hosting lots of amazing pollinators out there! “

Photos below show the Nalderun First Nations youth planting pollinator species at Me-Mandook Galk, in Chewton. Photos by Nalderun.

Harcourt Valley Landcare group added their pollinator plants to an existing work site along Barkers Creek in Harcourt. Volunteers enjoyed a chilly morning out planting at one of their treasured sites on Barkers Creek in Harcourt. The pollinator-attracting plants added value to existing understorey plantings the group have been carrying out over the years at this site. The group noticed Eastern Yellow Robins and Grey Shrike Thrush at the site on the day of the planting and they also spent a little time learning how to identify the local River Red Gums.

Photos below show the Harcourt Valley Landcare group members busily planting along Barker Creek in Harcourt. Photos by Bonnie Humphreys.

Elphinstone Land Management Association planted their pollinator plant species at a new experimental site along a seasonal creek in Elphinstone. The group have formed a ‘Cool Places Project’ where they are aiming to restore sites that already provide shade and protection from the heat with indigenous plants. As the site is along a creek line there are challenges with Gorse and Blackberry invasion, however, the group are working slowly to get rid of the weeds and replace them with indigenous flora, 10 square meters at a time by trialling solarisation of the weeds. The aim over time is to build the biodiversity at the site by adding layers of indigenous flora to fill the ground cover, lower and middle stories.

We are delighted to see local Landcare and friends groups volunteering to plant and provide food sources and habitat for our local native pollinators across the region. By planting local indigenous plants we can provide greater biodiversity and connectivity of pollinator corridors that will see our local pollinators thrive and survive. And when they are doing well so are many of our other local fauna and flora! Thank you to all the groups who volunteered their time to plant these pollinator species across the region. We look forward to watching these plants grow, recruit and continue their ecological cycles.

The Buzz Project is funded by the 2022 Victorian Landcare Grants through the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee

Posted on 23 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

With spring upon us, now is the perfect time to take a closer look at the smaller pollinator heroes of our region! There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats across central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. These are the heroes of the bush, grasslands, our gardens and waterways.

The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria, is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators.  As part of this project, we will explore the lives of some of our most loved native pollinators from across the local region through a series of blogposts throughout November.

Dr Mark Hall, local entomologist, has kindly shared his extensive knowledge on some of the local pollinator heroes that are so important to the health of our ecosystems. 

Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee (Trichocolletes venustus)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

Perhaps the most striking thing about this larger bee is the vivid gold bands on its abdomen that glint in the sunlight as it flies between Hardenbergia flowers. Along with the golden orange hairs across the rest of its body and head, this is a far more attractive bee than the European Honeybee, which it may be mistaken for. And this species is native! It also sounds quite different once you learn to recognise its buzz. That hairy body is perfect for carrying the pollen of many native pea species, such as Daviesia ulicifolia and Gompholobium huegelii, and the orchid Diuris maculata among others.

Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee pollinating a native pea. Photo by Karen Retra.

The Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee is one of 40 species of Trichocolletes, an endemic bee genus, occurring nowhere else except the southeast of Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia. It is active from July to January, so can be one of the earlier bees seen visiting flowers in early spring. It nests in the ground, often in groups but with each bee having a separate nest entrance and looking after its own eggs. Perhaps there is simply safety in numbers, or good real estate is hard to come by? And as its name suggests, it produces a cellophane-like substance which it uses to seal its nest to protect its precious cargo from pests and parasites.

Why not slow down and take a look in your local bushland or garden and see what pollinator heroes you can find?

Pollinator Week 11-19 November 2023

Posted on 13 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

This week marks 2023’s Australian Pollinator Week. Australian Pollinator Week acknowledges our important and unique insect pollinators. It is a designated week when community, business and organisations can come together to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and support their needs. As we are now in the full swing of Spring weather, it is a perfect time to take a moment in nature to pay attention to the smaller creatures in our ecosystems. There are a number of events across the state celebrating Pollinator Week, including a pollinator discovery walk with Dr. Mark Hall in Heathcote VIC on Saturday 18 November and an online webinar hosted by the Wheen Bee Foundation on ‘integrated pest and pollinator management’ on Wednesday 15 November. For more information on events – click here

Common Halfband (hoverfly). Photo by John Walter.

Throughout the week (November 11 to 19) you can also take part in a ten minute pollinator count and record the pollinator life forms you observe in your garden, favourite nature place or Landcare site. For more information on how to take part in the pollinator count -click here

A tribute to David Griffiths Sunday 19 November 2023

Posted on 13 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

The Landcare community has sadly lost dedicated and incredibly knowledgeable Landcare volunteer and restoration specialist David Griffiths. David was a long term member of Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group and has contributed to countless restoration projects across Central Victoria. Muckleford Landcare have released the following statement;

‘It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that our Vice President, David Griffiths, has died.

Dave was a long time Landcare member, and landscape restoration practitioner. We have all learnt such an awful lot from him, and we will carry his wisdom with us. He became a great friend and mentor to many of us and we will miss him terribly.

As one of our committee members said, he has left a huge legacy – all we have to do is look around us, in the Muckleford region and central Victoria.

We will have a tribute for Dave at our upcoming get together on 19 November 2023, 1.00 pm at the Muckleford train station.’

Landcarers and community members are welcome to join David’s tribute on Sunday and pay their respects.

The Connecting Country team send condolences to Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group and to David’s family and friends. His dedication, knowledge and friendship will be missed greatly by the Landcare community.

David Griffiths working across various Landcare sites. Photos by Beth Mellick. 

2023 Great Southern BioBlitz November 24-27

Posted on 9 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

The Buzz project: iNaturalist workshop success

Posted on 6 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria, is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators.

The project has been running throughout 2023 and has included a presentation with local entomologist Dr Mark Hall covering ‘Native pollinators on your property: who, where and what they do?’ followed by a field trip that took a further look into ‘promoting native pollinators from property to landscape.’

Eager participants focussed on Euan’s presentation. Photo by Connecting Country.

The final event for the year was held in early October 2023 and was an iNaturalist workshop with local naturalist Euan Moore. This was the perfect opportunity for pollinator enthusiasts to learn how to record their data on the online iNaturalist platform.

Fifteen eager participants came along to the workshop armed with cameras and laptops for a four-hour workshop. Euan talked us through the basics of the iNaturalist platform such as how to create an account, how to upload an observation, and how to have your observations verified by experts from across the globe. We then investigated how to join iNaturalist projects where users have the opportunity to contribute to local projects such as the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club project or the 2023 Great Southern Bioblitz: Castlemaine region, or nationwide projects such as Wild Pollinator Count Australia.

We took some time to wander around the Castlemaine Community House garden and gather images of pollinators to upload onto our iNaturalist accounts. Euan talked us through the important aspects to include in our photos to provide ample visual information for iNaturalists users to identify the species in question.

Participants searching for pollinators to photograph. Photo by Connecting Country.

Participants Frances and Bev chat with Euan the workshop presenter. Photo by Connecting Country.

Participants reported that they enjoyed a lovely day of learning and some were very eager to get out there and record their local sightings!

Connecting Country would like to give a huge thank you to Euan Moore for his time and dedication in teaching community members these wonderful iNaturalist skills.

This event was made possible due to funding through the 2022 Victorian Landcare Grants. We are grateful to our funders for making this interesting event possible.

Wilderhoods: rewilding urban neighbourhoods presentation

Posted on 2 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

Our friends at Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA) are hosting a presentation by Dr. Cassia Read which will delve into a project she has been delivering across the Mount Alexander Shire on rewilding urban neighbourhoods. The event will follow the groups Annual General Meeting (AGM) and is on Saturday 11 November 2023, 10am at the Maldon Community Centre.

Dr. Cassia Read, plant ecologist, writer, educator and garden designer.

Cassia will be talking about Wilderhoods, an urban greening initiative of the Castlemaine Institute that empowers neighbours to work together to create thriving neighbourhoods for people and wildlife in a changing climate. Cassia will provide an overview of the Wilderhoods Process for neighbourhood engagement in habitat creation, and learnings from their pilots that ran in the West End and South Side neighbourhoods of Castlemaine in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Cassia Read is an ecologist, educator and garden designer, and is the Principal Ecologist and Co-Founder of the Castlemaine Institute. Wilderhoods has been developed with her colleague and fellow ecologist, Ada Nano. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from Cassia on the actions that neighbourhoods can take to provide wildlife habitat in an urban environment.

When: Saturday 11 November 2023, 10.00am

Where: Maldon Community Centre, Francis St. Maldon VIC

Cost: Free

Contact: Bev Phillips, ph. 0407 770 350 or email maldonurbanlandcare@gmail.com for information.

No bookings required.

The Hidden Life of Skinks with Dr. Anna Senior

Posted on 16 October, 2023 by Hadley Cole

Our friends at Newstead Landcare are holding their Annual General Meeting this coming Tuesday 17 October 2023 and to celebrate will host special guest Dr. Anna Senior who will present on The Hidden Life of Skinks.

So many small things make our world tick, all interacting and keeping ecology in balance. Often hidden under a rock or small plant, or darting between cover, skinks play a pivotal role in our natural systems, but we rarely get a glimpse into their lives. Local ecologist Dr. Anna Senior will present on the fascinating world of skinks with a special focus on two threatened species that were the subject of her thesis. One of these, the Mountain Skink was recently discovered in the Wombat Forest.

When: Tuesday 17 October, 7.30pm

Where: Newstead Community Centre, 9 Lyons Street, Newstead VIC

All are welcome to attend and gold coin donations are appreciated. No bookings required.

Mount Skink. Image by Gayle Osborne.

National Threatened Species Day 2023: Central Victoria’s Ballantinia

Posted on 7 September, 2023 by Hadley Cole

National Threatened Species Day on 7 September each year aims to raise awareness of plants and animals vulnerable to extinction across Australia. According to Nature Conservancy Australia, we have 100 endemic Australian species that have been declared extinct as of March 2021.

Threatened Species Day offers a moment to pause and reflect on how we can conserve and protect Australia’s vulnerable and often unique species from becoming extinct. Many of Australia’s threatened species have become so due to human activity such as land clearing, the introduction of non-native pest and weed species and climate change which has lead to the fragmentation of native species populations. Often the solution to protecting threatened species is through human intervention in the conservation, restoration and enhancement of habitat and biodiversity.

Ballantinia antipoda is a tiny annual plant growing among moss. Photo by Aaron Grinter.

Sadly, in Central Victoria we have numerous threatened species including flora and fauna.  A lesser known but precious endemic threatened species in the region is Ballantinia antipoda or Southern Shephard’s  Purse.  Ballantinia is a tiny annual brassica, less than 5cm tall, with striking delicate white flowers.  It has a very limited habitat range across the highest points of Leanganook (Mount Alexander).

Ballantinia was endemic to south-eastern Australia, being found through parts of Victoria and Tasmania. Around the 1800s, it started disappearing and was presumed extinct for most of the 20th century until it was rediscovered at Leanganook (Mount Alexander) in 1983.  With much of the wider environment heavily modified for development and agriculture and invaded by weeds, the plant found refuge by growing in delicate moss mats on granite outcrops on the mountain. Surveys across the species’ historic range have failed to locate Ballantinia at other sites, and so it is believed that the only surviving population of the species is on Leanganook (Mount Alexander). Accordingly, its status is extinct in Tasmania, and critically endangered in Victoria.

In order to continue to preserve the species, annual surveys are undertaken to locate these refuges and note their condition, including current threats.  In late August 2023 volunteers from across the Mount Alexander region joined Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action’s Natural Environment Programs Officer, Aaron Grinter, to survey for Ballantinia across Leanganook (Mount Alexander).

Aaron reported that” the survey was attended by 15+ volunteers including Harcourt Valley Landcare and Metcalfe and Sutton Grange Landcare groups, as well as Parks Victoria field staff, Threatened Species Conservancy, Bendigo TAFE, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and Connecting Country. All recently recorded population patches were surveyed except 1 due to time constraints. The plant was absent in 3 of the 8 remaining areas, and, where it was found, it was in significantly reduced numbers. One of the most important sites in particular that has previously recorded more than 1000 plants, only recorded 65. While climatic variation between warmer and cooler seasons is expected, a warming climate poses a significant threat to the species.

Volunteers survey for Ballantinia antipoda at Leanganook (Mount Alexander). Photo by Aaron Grinter.

As Ballantinia is a cool climate annual, it germinates at 14 degrees Celsius,  so we speculate that because of this warm, short winter, it hasn’t has the opportunity to fully sprout, which means the seed bank is not being sufficiently replenished. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria have collected seed from the Ballantinia population in the past and have successful grown plants in a controlled environment. They will be returning next month to collect seed to bolster diversity in the population they have grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens.”

Thank you to Aaron Grinter, Natural Environment Program Officer at DEECA for the information and photos for this article.

2023 National Tree Day: Community planting a huge success!

Posted on 14 August, 2023 by Hadley Cole

To celebrate 2023 National Tree Day, Connecting Country teamed up with Mount Alexander Shire Council, Mount Alexander Youth Advisory Group and the Post Office Hill Action Group to host a community planting day on Sunday 30 July 2023.

Community members had the opportunity to take local on-ground conservation action to protect and enhance biodiversity by planting indigenous plant species across sites at Post Office Hill Reserve in Chewton.

A recent Council survey found that the younger generations of our community are seeking opportunities to plant trees, make homes for wildlife and to undertake practical actions to address climate change. In response to this call for action, the community planting idea was conceived and the younger generations of our community came along in hordes to connect with nature and plant trees for generations to come.

Over seventy community members of all ages attended the event and enjoyed a range of activities from planting to badge making, colouring and bird walks.

Andrew from Post Office Hill Action Group gives young participants a run down on best planting practices. Photo by Connecting Country.

A young community member gets down and dirty with nature. Photo by Connecting Country.

Young Post Office Hill Action group member and budding bird watcher Tavish, teamed up with Jane Rusden from Birdlife Castlemaine to guide a bird walk for aspiring bird watchers. Youth Advisory group members, Thea, Billy, Lucia and Tanisha, set up a badge-making station to create badges promoting woodland birds of our region. The friendly Post Office Hill Action Group members worked enthusiastically to guide participants in the best planting practices for the site. It truly was a team effort!

Bird watchers taking a guided stroll with Tavish and Jane Rusden from Birdlife Castlemaine. 

The Connecting Country team greatly appreciate all the many hands that made light work out of a busy morning. A special thank you to Post Office Hill Action Group for hosting the event and for their commitment to protecting and restoring the Post Office Hill Reserve over many years. We know the plants planted on the day are in good hands and will be nurtured over the coming months.

Attendees reported that they enjoyed a wonderful morning out in nature, as well as the free lunch provided by Mount Alexander Shire Council.

This event was made possible due to the generous contribution from community members who supported our ‘Trees for the next generation’ GiveNow campaign throughout June and July 2023.  We know that our local community cares deeply about biodiversity conservation for future generations, but we were still blown away by the generous donations. A big THANK YOU to our generous members, supporters and the broader community who supported this event.

We look forward to doing it all over again in 2024! See you there.

Connecting Country staff welcome participants to Post Office Hill Reserve. Photo by Connecting Country.

A job well done! 300 indigenous plants find a new home. Photo by Connecting Country.

2023 Landcare Week August 7 – 13

Posted on 9 August, 2023 by Hadley Cole

This week marks 2023’s Landcare week from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 August. The theme for this year is:

Be inspired, be empowered, be a Landcarer

Landcare Week is a time for Landcarers to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work they achieve in protecting, enhancing, restoring and promoting local biodiversity. Without Landcare in our region much of the local natural landscapes would be left forgotten and degraded.

As a local resident of the Mount Alexander/ Leanganook region you may frequent Landcare sites on your regular adventures out into the natural world without even realising it. As you walk the dog along Campbells Creek, ride your bike around Harcourt, go for a run along Forest Creek, enjoy the peacefulness of the Loddon River in Newstead or Guildford, take the kids out adventuring around Maldon, chances are you will regularly come into contact with conservation works that have been lovingly carried out by the many and dedicated Landcare volunteers of our region.

This Landcare Week we encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the many hands that have cared for and continue to care for the lands across our beautiful region.

Being a Landcarer can be extremely hard work, but there are also many rewards. There is the satisfaction of contributing to a healthy landscape, creating habitat for native plants and animals. We also recognise there are benefits from connecting to the land, meeting people, making social connections and learning new skills. New research now shows Landcare can also improve personal wellbeing. To read more about the benefits of being a Landcarer – click here

To discover your local Landcare group head to the Connecting Country website – click here

Or get in touch with our Landcare Facilitator Hadley; hadley@connectingcountry.org.au

To learn more about Landcare in our region and to discover the benefits of working to nurture and protect the local environment please see the Landcare video below.

Reminder: ‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’ event: Tuesday 1 August 2023 (8 tickets remaining)

Posted on 1 August, 2023 by Ivan

Connecting Country is excited to announce a special free upcoming event, ‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’, on the evening of Tuesday 1 August 2023, at the Anglican Church Hall, Castlemaine VIC. The event will address how we plan revegetation in a changing climate and has been designed to support our community, land managers and Landcarers to have greater success in restoring our natural landscapes. We only have eight tickets left, so get in quick to avoid missing out!

The event will feature presentations from Sasha Jellinek (University of Melbourne), DJAARA and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), and a Q&A panel session to finish. 

Join us to learn about how we can plan successful revegetation and restoration projects, using a combination of climate predictions and sourcing seeds from a variety of climatic zones, to future-proof our landscapes.

This event is part of a larger project, called Future Proof our Forests, where Connecting Country has established Climate Future Plots to monitor the success (or otherwise) of revegetation sourced from a variety of climates.

• Click here to book, tickets are limited, so get in quick.

Our very special guest speaker is Sasha Jellinek, an experienced ecologist with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Ecology from the University of Melbourne. Sasha has worked across many fields and was involved in the production of Greening Australia’s ‘Establishing Victorias Ecological Infrastructure; A Guide to creating Climate Future Plots‘. Sasha is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, with skills in ecological resarch, wetlands, forest ecology, data analysis and restoration. He relishes collaborative ecological work, and is passionate about empowering communities to plan revegetation that will be more resilient in a changing climate.

We are also very lucky to have two further presentations from DJAARA and the NCCMA, who will both talk about how they are planning for climate change to ensure the greatest success in landscape management and restoration.

For catering and logistical purposes, please register your attendance – click here

• When: Tuesday 1 AUGUST 2023 6.30-8.30pm
• Where: Anglican Church Hall (at the rear of the Church), 8 Mostyn St, Castlemaine VIC

We would like to thank the Ross Trust for their generous funding for this important project. The Ross Trust is a perpetual charitable trust with a vision to create positive social and environmental change so Victorians can thrive.

Learn more about climate future plots

For more information on climate future plots, see:

• https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/climate-future-plots/
• https://connectingcountry.org.au/what-is-a-climate-future-plot/

We need you! Community planting event: National Tree Day 30 July 2023

Posted on 3 July, 2023 by Ivan

We did it! We raised enough funds for our Community Planting Event to go ahead! We are now inviting our community to a Family Planting Celebration on  National Tree Day on Sunday 30th July 10am – 12noon.

We are partnering with Mount Alexander Shire Council, Post Office Hill Action Group, Mount Alexander Youth Group and Birdlife Castlemaine to deliver the National Tree Day event.   The day is open to all ages and will include planting indigenous plants for habitat and interactive activities to learn about our local landscape including bird spotting, scavenger hunts and kids craft.

The tree planting event is answering a call from the younger generations of our community who, in a recent Council survey, asked for more opportunities to plant trees, make homes for wildlife and to undertake practical actions to address climate change.

A big THANK YOU to our generous members, supporters and the broader community who supported our ‘Trees for the next generation’ campaign to make this happen.

Photo by John Ellis

We need you! 

Now that we have the local indigenous plants ordered and on their way, along with tree guards, we need your help to plant them into the degraded bushland in Chewton VIC. The planting event is open to all ages, and is a chance to take action to address climate change and restore habitat for our wildlife.

Let’s work together to protect and restore our local biodiversity and nurture the land for our future generations!

When: Sunday 30 July, 10am to 12pm 

Where: Railway Street, Chewton VIC (Post Office Hill, Chewton)

What to bring: All ages are welcome, with a supervising adult. Bring water, suitable clothes for cold weather and the desire to regenerate our bushland. We will provide a light lunch following the planting day.

Photo credit: John Ellis

All plants purchased using from our fundraiser have been sourced be from local nurseries that specialise in indigenous plants to this region. This is vital to ensure plants are adapted to local conditions, support local wildlife whilst supporting local businesses. Experienced volunteers from Landcare will be supporting the planting, making this an effective and highly efficient project.

Photo Credit: Leonie van Eyk

The background story: Degraded bushland

The Mount Alexander region of central Victoria has a long history of removing native vegetation for gold mining, agriculture, and timber and firewood harvesting, leading to many areas of degraded bushland, with little understory, or suitable habitat. In Australia, it can take hundreds of years for trees to form natural hollows. Due to the profound environmental change caused by European colonisation and the gold rush, many trees in our region are still young and have little understory or ground cover. Connecting Country has nearly two decades of experience in restoring these landscapes, and will oversee the event, to ensure the maximum benefit for our local wildlife and community.

Much of our bushland has been turned over and lacks understorey species. Photo: Asha Bannon

‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’ event: Tuesday 1 August 2023

Posted on 27 June, 2023 by Ivan

Connecting Country is excited to announce a special free upcoming event, ‘Revegetation Success in a Changing Climate’, on the evening of Tuesday 1 August 2023, at the Anglican Church Hall, Castlemaine VIC. The event will address how we plan revegetation in a changing climate and has been designed to support our community, land managers and Landcarers to have greater success in restoring our natural landscapes. 

The event will feature presentations from Sasha Jellinek (University of Melbourne), DJAARA and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), and a Q&A panel session to finish. 

Join us to learn about how we can plan successful revegetation and restoration projects, using a combination of climate predictions and sourcing seeds from a variety of climatic zones, to future-proof our landscapes.

This event is part of a larger project, called Future Proof our Forests, where Connecting Country has established Climate Future Plots to monitor the success (or otherwise) of revegetation sourced from a variety of climates.

• Click here to book, tickets are limited, so get in quick.

Our very special guest speaker is Sasha Jellinek, an experienced ecologist with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Ecology from the University of Melbourne. Sasha has worked across many fields and was involved in the production of Greening Australia’s ‘Establishing Victorias Ecological Infrastructure; A Guide to creating Climate Future Plots‘. Sasha is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, with skills in ecological resarch, wetlands, forest ecology, data analysis and restoration. He relishes collaborative ecological work, and is passionate about empowering communities to plan revegetation that will be more resilient in a changing climate.

We are also very lucky to have two further presentations from DJAARA and the NCCMA, who will both talk about how they are planning for climate change to ensure the greatest success in landscape management and restoration.

For catering and logistical purposes, please register your attendance – click here

• When: Tuesday 1 AUGUST 2023 6.30-8.30pm
• Where: Anglican Church Hall (at the rear of the Church), 8 Mostyn St, Castlemaine VIC

We would like to thank the Ross Trust for their generous funding for this important project. The Ross Trust is a perpetual charitable trust with a vision to create positive social and environmental change so Victorians can thrive.

Learn more about climate future plots

For more information on climate future plots, see:

• https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/climate-future-plots/
• https://connectingcountry.org.au/what-is-a-climate-future-plot/

A wintry 2023 Landcare Link-up in Taradale

Posted on 23 June, 2023 by Hadley Cole

Barkly Park Taradale VIC. Photo by Antoinette Birkenbeil.

On Saturday 17 June 2023 we hosted the annual Landcare Link-up in Taradale, Dja Dja Wurrung Country. It was a cold, windy, yet sunny day as we took a walking tour of Taradale Landcare groups project site Barkly Park. Brian Bainbridge from Taradale Landcare walked us through key areas in the park, outlining its interesting history and different vegetation types present across the park. Barkly Park is represented largely by Red Gum Grassy Woodland, and perhaps due to its reservation as public land, many of the red gums have been able to grow into majestic trees, containing many beautiful hollows for local wild life. The Landcare group have recorded Brush Tailed Phascogales using the site,  scurrying along the branches of fallen timber out of the reach of predators.  The group have also enjoyed bird walks and plan to collect data on the bird life at the site over time.  A cool burn is planned for later this year which will focus on restoring an area with existing Kanagaroo Grass and Chocolate Lilies.

Participants reported that they thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We are very grateful to Brian and Colleen and all Taradale Landcare members for taking the time to showcase their work at Barkly Park.  We will watch with interest as they continue to restore and enhance the local biodiversity.

Participants hearing about a hybrid eucalypt at the Barkly Park site. Photo by Hadley Cole.

Following the tour, we found warmth in the charming Taradale Hall where we enjoyed further presentations from Landcare groups of the Mount Alexander/ Leanganook region and enjoyed afternoon tea provided by the Murnong Mamas.

We heard three presentations from local Landcare groups in the region, which varied from an urban group, to a group working on private land and another who works on public land.

Christine Kilmartin from Castlemaine Landcare presented some of the issues urban Landcare groups come up against, including the many and various weeds that infiltrate restoration areas, particularly following floods. Castlemaine Landcare have been working to protect and restore numerous sites along Forest Creek.

Beth Mellick from Muckleford Catchment Landcare spoke of their groups’ Habitat Corridor project which aims to build connectivity across the Muckleford landscape, linking private property with a local bushland reserves.  Much of the land in Muckleford Catchment Landcare groups project sites are largely on private land and the group work with land holders to increase connectivity across the landscape and build habitat resilience. The group have put together a short film showcasing their work. To watch the film – click here.

Marie Jones from Golden Point Landcare shared a positive story of taking the time out to walk through older project sites and notice the differences in restoration that have occurred over time. The work of Landcare groups can be tough; digging holes, planting and seeing only some plants survive, getting out and watering in the hotter months, worrying about the destruction caused by fires, floods or storms. It can be difficult to step back and focus on the achievements and progress made over time and appreciate the positive changes in the landscape groups have accomplished. This was a lovely positive presentation from Marie to finish up the afternoon.

Landcare member Link-up participants. Photo by Lori Arthur.

Thank you to all of the presenters who took the time to share their stories with us. We really enjoy hearing the varied Landcare stories from the region.

Thank you to the North Central Catchment Management Authority for supporting this event.