CC submission to draft Regional Catchment Strategy
Posted on 29 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has made a submission to the North Central CMA draft 2012-2018 Regional Catchment Strategy. Click here to view the submission.
Assistance with Grant Writing
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Mount Alexander Volunteer Network is holding free grant-writing sessions for community groups. The sessions which will take place in Maldon, Castlemaine and Newtead and are to assist groups with applications for $5000 Federal Government volunteer grants. Click here to view a brochure with the details.
1–8 July 2012 – NAIDOC Week at Epsom
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
NAIDOC week will take place in the first week for July. Activities at Epsom (on the north side of Bendigo) include a Flag Raising Ceremony on Monday 2 July with didgeridoo playing and the presentation of Indigenous Student Scholarships. There will also be a BBQ lunch and performance by Kutcha Edwards on Friday 6 July.
Click here to find the full details.
24 June 2012 – Warriors Needed for Cactus Field Day
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee is holding its next field day next Sunday 24th June, starting at 10:30 am.
The location is Gough’s Range Road. The easiest way to get there is to go from Maldon along the Newstead Road and then turn right into Gough’s Range Road. See the attached notice for a map.
Everyone is welcome and the Committee suggests people bring as many new recruits as they can muster.
28 June 2012 – Barkers Creek Cleanup
Posted on 15 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Barkers Creek Project Officer, Michael Luke, is developing a ‘Local Action Plan’ for the creek. The Plan is being developed on behalf of the Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group, Harcourt Valley Landcare and North Harcourt/Sedgwick Landcare groups.
Michael says “The Local Action Plan is a big part of the Barkers Creek Cleanup Project. It is being written in conjunction with the Barkers Creek Landcare Network and local landholders who live along the length of the creek. If you live in Barkers Creek, Harcourt or North Harcourt we especially would like to hear from you. We would like to get your ideas about what your vision is for the future of Barkers Creek.”
The Landcare network is hosting a community workshop on the evening of Thursday 28th June at the Harcourt ANA Hall. The evening commences at 6.00pm with a light supper, followed by a short presentation about the creek. Participants will then have the opportunity to contribute their ideas about the future management of this significant local waterway.
This important community feedback session shall form the basis of the Local Action Plan which will help to guide the three local Landcare groups’ activities into the future.
For catering purposes, please indicate your attendance and any special dietary requirements by emailing michael@connectingcountry.org.au or call 5472 1594 by the 25th of June.
Funding for the Barkers Creek Cleanup Project has been provided by the Victorian Government’s 2011-12 Landcare grants, the North Central Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian Blackberry and Gorse Taskforces.

A Blackberry-infested portion of Barkers Creek. The project aims to reduce the extent and spread of woody weeks along the creek.
Victorian Landcare Program – Draft Strategic Plan
Posted on 12 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Victorian Government is in the process of deciding how best it will support Landcare in the future. As such they’ve developed a draft strategic plan for the Victorian Landcare Project and would like community feedback on the plan. The excerpt below is from the Victorian Landcare Gateway website:
The Victorian Landcare Program (VLP) is the title of the program of support provided to Landcare by the Victorian Government and managed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). Given the current action plan for Landcare is due to finish this year, it’s a good time to develop a new direction for the Government’s program of support for Landcare into the future. Once finalised, the VLP will be refreshed to align with the new Strategic Plan.
If you would like view the draft plan and/or contribute your thoughts, click here. Submissions will be accepted until 30 June 2012.
Friends of the Box-Ironbark photo show at Tog’s Cafe
Posted on 12 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest FOBIF Mamunya exhibition opened at Tog’s Cafe in Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine on Friday 8 June. It runs till the 13 July. The exhibition continues a tradition the Friends started in 1999 with their first Mamunya festival. This word comes from a Dja Dja Wurrung chant, ‘pata, mamunya, jirarunga,’ meaning, ‘wait a while, don’t touch it, growing up.’
This time twelve photographers have contributed their photos. The images highlight the often overlooked beauty and intriguing characteristics of our local flora and fauna. Five of the 26 exhibition photos can be viewed in a slideshow on the FOBIF site.
FOBIF/Connecting Country poster available again
The poster, pictured at left, was produced by FOBIF and Connecting Country late last year. It contains 63 photos highlighting the beauty of our local bushlands. The first edition sold out but there are now more copies available from The Hub 14/233b Barker St (entry through glass door on Templeton Street). The cost is $15 dollars for FOBIF and/or Connecting Country members. The poster is also available from Legion Office Works, Stoneman’s Bookroom and the Castlemaine Tourist Information Centre in the Market Building. Click here to see a larger version of the poster.
Barkers Creek Cleanup: funding now available!
Posted on 10 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
A partnership between Barkers Creek Landcare Network, North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Connecting Country will see some landholders along Barkers Creek receive funding support for controlling woody weeds on their properties.
Barkers Creek Project Officer, Michael Luke, has been visiting local landholders along the creek to help them develop management plans to control gorse and blackberries on their properties. He is also working closely with the three groups comprising the Barkers Creek Landcare Network – North Harcourt/Sedgwick Landcare Group, Harcourt Valley Landcare Group and the Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group – in the development of a ‘Local Action Plan’ for the creek.
Michael says “We have been very pleased with the number of landholders who have contacted us recently and it is great to see locals becoming more involved with the health of the creek. Thanks to the North Central CMA, there are funds available to provide dollar for dollar support for landholders against the cost of targeted weed control for these two noxious species. However, funding is limited, so we suggest that anyone who lives next to Barkers Creek to contact us as soon as possible.”
Nicole Bullen, from North Central CMA, says “As part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country (CfoC) initiative, the North Central CMA is continuing to support the community to undertake environmental flood recovery projects through the Natural Disaster Environmental Recovery project with a major focus on the control of Weeds of National Significance.”
To get involved or to find out more call Michael now on 5472 1594 or email michael@connectingcountry.org.au.

Barkers Creek Cleanup Project Officer, Michael Luke, showing community members a weed-infested area in the Barkers Creek locality.
Weed Watch – Gazania
Posted on 8 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The following information was originally published by Geraldine Harris in the Castlemaine Naturalist newsletter, and has been kindly re-written by her for the Connecting Country website.
Some plants become environmental weeds when they escape from our gardens into the surrounding countryside and start competing with local native indigenous species. I want to look at how some of these infestations can be controlled and which native plants can be used in their place.
Our native plants cannot be expected to perform as vigorously as pest plants that have been selectively bred for survival over hundreds of years. However, getting rid of pest plants and replacing them with native species will help preserve the integrity of our local habitats, attracting and providing resources for more native birds and other animals.
Gazania linearis
Gazanias are the large daisy-type yellow flowers that are escaping from private gardens and appearing more and more abundantly along our local roadsides and in bushland throughout Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales.
These very showy plants originated in South Africa and are being promoted in many plant nurseries as a tough drought resistant species. Many hybrids have been developed in cultivation between Gazania linearis and a closely related environmental weed species Gazania rigens. These plants produce abundant wind-blown seeds that can be dispersed many kilometres from the source, producing ever-increasing patches of gazania that compete with locally indigenous species. Gazanias also have the ability to re-grow from their bare roots, which enables them to spread into our bushland by the dumping of garden waste containing the tuberous root systems of these plants. Native animals tend not to eat them as they are low in nutritional value. Continue Reading »
Yandoit Native Pastures Field Day Report
Posted on 7 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Graeme Hand’s thought-provoking presentation on regenerating native pastures was attended by approximately 40 people at a field day on 25 May that was co-hosted by Connecting Country and the North Central CMA. Graeme is from the STIPA Native Grasses Association. The day’s program took place in the Yandoit Community Hall and at local landholder Paul Righetti’s farm.
In Graeme’s view, most advice on native pasture regeneration misses the key point which is the soil surface: “we need to compost the landscape using animals”. His talk presented the idea that although unmanaged grazing is the cause of the degradation of native pastures, appropriate sheep, cows and goat grazing regimes can paradoxically assist in the restorative process in some circumstances.
Further information on Graeme’s approach to native pastures is available from the STIPA website (click here).
Graeme’s presentation was followed by a delicious lunch once again prepared by Growing Abundance. Participants then travelled by bus to Paul Righetti’s farm. In a paddock of dense wallaby grass, Paul explained how he was working to promote maximum pasture growth on his farm which included an important role for native grasses. Paul is a member of Connecting Country’s Expert Advisory Group.
This field day was the final event in this part of Connecting Country 2012 educational program. A review of this year’s program, and planning for the next program, has already begun.
8 June 2012 – Is Large Scale Revegetation Possible?
Posted on 5 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Once upon a time revegetation was considered a simple process – it just meant planting tree seedlings. But then ideas progressed – first the trees needed to be native, then locally indigenous and then local provenance. Recently Prof Hoffman suggested in a Connecting Country presentation what might be the next genetic ‘rule’ in revegetation. And it became about more than just the trees, but also about restoring an ecological community including the planting of appropriate shrubs, grasses, herbs and other habitat features.
There are many hundreds of examples where hand planting of tube-stock has been successful in creating or improving fauna habitat on a smaller scale. However, there are fewer examples where this approach has worked on a larger scale in a quick and cost-effective manner (at least not without ready access to lots of volunteers). In recent years, a new approach has been gaining momentum and advocates – direct seeding.
David Millsom is a specialist in large-scale revegetation using direct seeding. David farmed near Pyramid Hill for 30 years and converted 1,000 acres of his farm to native vegetation. He is a board member of Seeding Victoria, responsible for technical issues, and has worked for Greening Australia for almost ten years as a project facilitator and technical development officer.
David is the guest speaker this Friday evening (June 8th) in the hall at the back of the Uniting Church in Castlemaine (on Lyttleton St). The evening talk, which commences at 7.30pm, is being hosted by the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club. Both club members and general members of the public are encouraged to come along to this free event to learn more about this revegetation process and its successes in creating new habitat for indigenous flora and fauna. Contact the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club for further details (castlemainefnc@hotmail.com).