22 October 2017 – Little Habitat Heroes “Tree Caring Day”
Posted on 28 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
The trees and shrubs planted by an enthusiastic crowd of young and old Habitat Heroes are thriving – with a 98% survival rate! The Little Habitat Heroes team invite you to come along to their first ‘Tree Caring Day’ on: Sunday 22nd October 2017, 9:30am – 12noon at Mount Alexander Regional Park.
The Tree Caring day will involve follow-up maintenance including replacing any missing guards and light weeding around the plants. Morning tea is provided – but please do BYO lunch.
The day will also include a half hour information session from Brendan Barbetti, a local environmental contractor and Little Habitat Heroes dad, about the species planted, the importance of ongoing maintenance, and the significance of biodiversity in your own garden and land.
The planting site in June – it will be great to see the site now!
A few things to note:
- No toilet on site. The closest is at the Leanganook Campground (aprrox 1km away).
- Parking: at Leanganook Campground or the Koala Park parking area (a few hundred metres away) and walk down the hill. Please take lots of care when walking on the road.
- BYO: gloves, sturdy shoes, wet weather gear, warm weather gear, sunhat, sunscreen, pen and paper (if staying for the talk), picnic lunch.
- Provided: tea, coffee and morning tea snacks.
Donations – If you’d like to donate to our Little Habitat Heroes campaign, please go to https://www.givenow.com.au/littlehabitatheroes. Funds will be used for ongoing maintenance of the already planted trees and future plantings to further enhance the site.
Feel free to pass on this invitation to others that might be interested. The more the merrier! So that the team can cater adequately, please RSVP through Eventbrite by 14 October. You can also RSVP and share the invitation at the Facebook event site.
For further information, contact the Little Habitat Heroes team:
Meg: 0466 333 419
Jodi: 0410 838 083
Tuesday 17 October 2017 – CC’s AGM, film launch and special guest speaker
Posted on 21 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
Georgia lives in Castlemaine with her husband Ben and whippet Henry.
Connecting Country members, supporters and other interested people are invited to our 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which includes a special presentation titled “kicking goals for conservation” by Dr Georgia Garrard plus the launch of our new short film!
Please help us celebrate the achievements on the past year, and look ahead to another exciting year of working with our local community. The evening is a great chance to catch up with our staff, committee and other friends.
The AGM will be held at the Newstead Community Centre (on the main street in Newstead, next to the supermarket) on Tuesday 17 October 2017. We encourage people to arrive from 6.45pm, with the AGM formalities taking place from 7pm until 7.30pm. CLICK HERE for a copy of the agenda.
We are thrilled to launch a short film about Connecting Country filmed by Wild Melbourne. Approximately 3 minutes in length, it features Connecting Country staff, committee members and supporters in our quest to preserve habitat for woodland birds.
Following the film, we will hear from Dr Georgia Garrard. Georgia is a Senior Research Fellow in RMIT University’s Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group. Through her research, she aims to find solutions to the challenge of conserving biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes. Georgia’s presentation is titled Kicking goals in conservation – through better decision making and communication. We are looking forward to hearing how Georgia’s research can help Connecting Country, Landcare groups and individual landholders plan and carry out conservation projects.
After Georgia’s presentation, a light supper and drinks will be served.
Important information regarding the AGM
If you are a current Connecting Country member over the age of 15 then you are entitled to vote on any and all relevant agenda items. If you are unable to make it to the AGM, but still wish to cast a vote, then proxy forms are available. These must be received at least 24 hours before the AGM is held.
If you are a current Connecting Country member aged 18 or over, then you are also able to nominate to join the Committee of Management. If you are interested, you are encouraged to contact the current president – Brendan Sydes – to talk more about what is involved and the opportunities that are available (info@connectingcountry.org.au). A copy of the CC committee nomination form can be downloaded (CLICK HERE).
If you haven’t already, please renew your Connecting Country membership online (CLICK HERE). Contact Chris (chris@connectingcountry.org.au) if you are unsure if you are a current Connecting Country member; if you’d like a proxy voting form; or if you’d like a copy of the 2016 AGM Minutes or 2016-17 Financial Statements to read before the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you all in mid-October!
Wildflower Show at Bendigo this weekend
Posted on 21 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
The Bendigo Native Plant Group invite you all to come and enjoy the blossoms at their Australian Flower Show this weekend. The 2017 show is at a new venue and will be bigger and better than ever, involving six specialist native plant nurseries. Over 200 specimens on display; book, pottery and photography sales.
Some beautiful blossoms from the 2016 Flower Show
23 & 24 September 2017
9 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Kangaroo Flat Primary School. Olympic Parade, Kangaroo Flat
Entry fee: Adults $3
The Australian Flower Show 2017 is hosted by Bendigo Native Plant Group Inc.
Enquiries – bendigonativeplantgroup@yahoo.com.au 0400 149 319
Pardalotes put on a show at Muckleford Station
Posted on 19 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
The local U3A birdwatching group visited Muckleford Train Station last week, and were entranced by a large flock of Striated Pardalotes displaying and carrying on in very close proximity. Local birdo and photographer Peter Turner captured a stunning series of images, and kindly sent them in so we could share them with you all!
One of the behaviours that intrigued Peter is a display which involves the pardalote bowing slightly, opening both wings and spreading its tail. Many of the pardalotes were displaying in this way, and Peter asked what the behaviour might mean.
Displaying on the train tracks
Here at the office, we have a copy of a large detailed book known as the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) The entry on Striated Pardalotes details this behaviour.
The Wing-and-tail Display is associated with nesting behaviour. As the Striated Pardalote sexes are very difficult to tell apart, it is not known whether the male or the female or both sexes are displaying. The display may involve quivering the wings, or fanning them by alternately opening and folding them.
Three pardalotes watch one pardalote’s display with much interest.
The Wing-and-tail Display is often part of a group display, where several pairs that are nesting in close proximity display to one another.
The Muckleford Station is a Striated Pardalote breeding hotspot – with many nest burrows excavated in the clay soil near the platform.
Striated Pardalotes also take readily to nestboxes, in fact previously on this blog, we featured a pardalote nestbox design by Ric Higgins; for details, click here.
While Spotted Pardalotes are loved by many, these photographs remind us that the Striated Pardalotes are little stunners too. Thanks so much for the photos, Peter!
Get to know your local plants: weed and native plant workshops
Posted on 15 September, 2017 by Asha
Learn how to identify plants such as Bridal Creeper at Connecting Country’s “Get to know your local plants” workshop series (photo by Bonnie Humphreys).
Connecting Country and local Landcare groups will be running four plant identification workshops over the next couple of months for community members. These free workshops will include the chance to chat with a botanist, meet members of Landcare groups over a cuppa, and learn identification tips through fun games.
Three of the workshops will be focused on how to identify and manage noxious weeds; the fourth will be focused on both native and invasive plant species. With workshops in Sutton Grange, Maldon, Newstead, and Chewton, there will be a workshop nearby for everyone to learn about the plants and weeds most relevant to their local area. You can also bring along photos or samples of plants (in a ziplock bag) if you’d like help from a botanist to identify them.
Details of the workshops are below, or you can contact Asha Bannon for more information at asha@connectingcountry.org.au or 5472 1594.
Get to know your local weeds – Sutton Grange & surrounds
When: Saturday 23rd September 2017, 10am-12:30pm
Where: Sutton Grange Hall, 921 Faraday-Sutton Grange Rd
RSVP: by Wednesday 20th September for catering purposes
Get to know your local plants – Maldon & surrounds
When: Saturday 7th October 2017, 1pm-3:30pm
Where: Maldon Community Centre, 6 Francis St, Maldon
RSVP: by Wednesday 4th October for catering purposes
Get to know your local weeds – Newstead & surrounds
When: Tuesday 24th October 2017, 6pm-8:30pm
Where: Newstead Community Centre, 9 Lyons St, Newstead
RSVP: by Thursday 19th October for catering purposes
Get to know your local weeds – Chewton & surrounds
When: Wednesday 15th November 2017, 6pm-8:30pm
Where: Chewton Community Centre, Pyrnees Hwy, Chewton
RSVP: by Friday 10th November for catering purposes
Celebration afternoon tea for the bird friends of the region: Sept 29, 2017
Posted on 14 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
Birds hold a very special place in the hearts of the Mount Alexander Region community. Connecting Country has nearly 200 subscribers to the bird survey eNews, over 16 participating households with long term bird monitoring sites on their property, and a regular band of birdwatchers on our bird walks and outings. Hundreds of bird records have been sent in by our volunteers for addition to our bird survey database. And now it is time to say “thanks!”.
You are all invited to a lush afternoon tea at the Chewton Town Hall on Friday September 29. This event will provide an opportunity to thank you all for your participation in the two year Stewards for Woodland Birds project, and most importantly present the results of the last two years of bird monitoring!
It will also be time an opportunity to talk about the next steps, as we are also moving into a new phase of citizen science bird monitoring. Therefore, I also hope to officially assign one or more local survey sites to those birdwatchers who are interested in being involved. All of the landholders who have existing bird survey sites on their land are also being invited, and it would be great for birdwatching volunteers and landholders to meet face to face. I also want to hear from YOU – what are your needs and interests for our continued bird monitoring program?
Lastly, we will be joined by Fiona Blandford from BirdLife Australia who will talk to us about the possibility of a new BirdLife Branch in the region – tentatively to be known as BirdLife Goldfields! This is a most exciting development and I would love to see some folks put their hand up to possibly be involved.
Friday September 29, Chewton Town Hall 2- 5pm. Please RSVP for this event so I can ensure I have the right amount of delicious treats for you all. For further information call me on 5472 1594 or email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
Two finches – A Diamond Firetail with two Red-browed Finches, in a bird bath in the Nuggetty area – sent in by Nick Schulz. Thanks Nick!
Ruby gives voice to sapphire – Scarlet Robins in Nature News August 4 2017
Posted on 13 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
For this month’s Nature News, Connecting Country Landcare Facilitator, Asha Bannon shares her observations of Scarlet Robins in Campbells Creek.
“A flash of wing on a blue sky
A breast of delicate wildfire
The weight of day is carried away
As ruby gives voice to sapphire”
The opening words of Michael Kennedy’s song, “Scarlet Robin” beautifully sum up the joy of this bird. It’s a rare occasion that I’ll go out into the bush in spring without hearing the Scarlet Robin’s gentle “chee-dalee-dalee” call, a crucial part of a Box Ironbark soundscape. The male’s bright red breast can also give them away as they move through the bush, but you may need to look a little closer to spot his more camouflaged girlfriend.
Scarlet Robins are one of many woodland birds that depend on ground-level habitat to feed. Perching on a low branch or piece of fallen timber, they use this vantage point to spot insects on the ground below. They then swoop down to catch their prey, and return to the perch to gobble it up.
Observing these beautiful birds is a highlight of any walk in the bush for me. They are one of those birds that watches you as you watch it, creating a sense of mutual wonder. Both males and females are gorgeous in their own way. They will pair up for the year with their mate, never straying too far, seemingly connected by an invisible string as they move through the trees at eye-level.
I’ve seen Scarlet Robins twice at our place in Campbells Creek, which is just beside a tributary that leads into the creek itself. One was also seen at Connecting Country’s Campbells Creek monitoring site during a bird walk in July this year. This was only the third time a Scarlet Robin has been recorded at the site.
Scarlet Robins and other ground-feeding native birds are becoming more abundant in response to the maturing revegetation that the Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare have planted along the creek. They need good quality habitat to thrive, which is why they are one of Connecting Country’s newest indicator species of environmental health for this region. If you see a Scarlet Robin, you can send through your observation to tanya@connectingcountry.org.au and help build the picture of how this lovely species is doing in the region. For more information, visit http://connectingcountry.org.au/about/projects/securing-woodland-birds/bird-monitoring/
A male Scarlet Robin, by Geoff Park
North Central Chat – September edition
Posted on 13 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
This month’s North Central Chat is a nice companion to Try Out Landcare month, and features an article by Tess grieves answering the oft-asked question “How can Landcare attract new people, and free up more time for our current, overworked members”?
You can download the September North Central Chat by clicking the following link : North-Central-chat-September-2017.
Out of town events of interest in September 2017
Posted on 6 September, 2017 by Tanya Loos
As the wattles bloom, groups around the region launch into the busy spring period. Don’t forget to check out one or more of the ten “Try Out Landcare Month” activities – click here for details. Other interesting events just out of our area include:
Create a Frog Pond or Turn your Dam into Habitat, Newham Landcare: Friday 8 September 2017
Evening presentation and discussion with Damien Cook, Rakali ecological Consulting. Damien is a recognized expert in wetland, riparian and terrestrial ecology, particularly in the factors affecting the establishment and management of aquatic and wetland plants. A selection of water-loving plant species will be available to purchase on the night. Newham Mechanics Institute. 7pm for 7.30. Supper follows. Click here to view flier. RSVP to Penny Roberts by email or tel. 5427 0795.
Restoring Country: A Field Day on the Patho Plains: Friday 22 September 2017
This year Trust for Nature will join Peter Morison and Jennifer Alden on their beautiful property at Pine Grove, which they are covenanting with Trust for Nature through the Remnant Grassy Ecosystem Project (managed by the NCCMA & funded the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme).
For more information on this great event – download the flier here .
Dr Ken Walker from the Melbourne Museum: 24 September 2017 – 1.30pm
This event is presented by the Ballarat Environment Network as part of their AGM. After the AGM, which includes a presentation, there will be a BowerBird Workshop with Ken. Bowerbird is the database for the Melbourne Museum. Venue: Ballarat South Community Hub, Tuppen Drive, Sebastopol (behind Phoenix College)
RSVP for catering and for workshop by 18th September – secretary.ben@gmail.com
To find out more about BowerBird click here.
8 Sept 2017 – Banksia ecology presentation
Posted on 5 September, 2017 by Connecting Country
The guest speaker at the September meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) is Simon Heyes. Simon is currently studying for his Masters in Research at La Trobe on Banksia recruitment. He is looking at why banksias aren’t regenerating, and is also researching the ecology patterns of recruitment for Banksia marginata on the plains.
The presentation is from 7.30pm on Friday 8 September in the Fellowship Room, behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St (next door to the Castlemaine Art Gallery). Members and visitors are all welcome, and there is no cost for entry.
To whet your appetite for Simon’s presentation, the following link is to an article written by Ian Lunt in 2014 about Banksia marginata (CLICK HERE). The comments and discussion at the end of the article are also quite interesting.
A European bee visits a fine specimen of Banksia marginata in flower. Pic from Wikimedia Commons.
Local groups and volunteers honoured at the Victorian Landcare Awards 2017
Posted on 4 September, 2017 by Connecting Country
Environmental groups from the Mount Alexander Shire dominated the 2017 Victorian Landcare Awards ceremony at Government House last Friday, the 1st September 2017. Connecting Country was awarded the Landcare Network Award, and the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group was awarded the Fairfax Media Landcare Community Groups Award.
Individuals were also recognised for their voluntary work; Ian Higgins, from Friends of Campbells Creek won the Australian Government Individual Landcarer award, and Ian Grenda was Highly Commended in this category.
Around 350 Landcarers from around the state gathered at Government House, with a jubilant group of 16 from the Mount Alexander region. The Landcare Awards are an opportunity to showcase people and projects that are contributing to sustainable agriculture and the protection of Victoria’s environment.
This year’s awards received significant interest from right across the state, with 85 nominations submitted across the 14 categories. Also nominated from this region were Asha Bannon for the Young Landcarer Award; and Chewton Primary and Winters Flat Primary for the Junior Landcare Team Award.
These awards are a strong testament to the energy and enthusiasm of the Mount Alexander Shire community for our natural environment. Mount Alexander Shire is incredibly fortunate to have such an active network of Landcare groups, schools and individuals working together with passion and a focus on landscape scale restoration. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners at the Landcare Awards this year.
CLICK HERE to read all of the winners’ stories from across the state.
Here are a few shots from the exciting day:
