A threatened butterfly gets a lot of love in Kalimna Park

Posted on 29 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

On Sunday 25 November, 2018 attendees at our Kalimna Park Butterfly Count were delighted to observe two Eltham Copper Butterflies flying and then perching on native shrubs such as Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) and Rough Wattle (Acacia aspera).

The count was led by two Eltham Copper Butterfly enthusiasts, ecologists Elaine Bayes and Karl Just. Elaine and Karl have a long association with this tiny threatened butterfly, and the afternoon involved a very informative discussion about the ecology, life history, and threats facing the butterflies. We also went out butterfly-spotting of course!

This naturally deceased butterfly was found in Rhyll Plant’s bird bath in nearby Happy Valley. We thought it could be an ECB – but it is actually a closely related Grassland or Chequered Copper Lucia limbaria!

The Kalimna Park population of Eltham Copper Butterfly (ECB) is quite possibly the largest left in the state, but it is also not as well studied as other populations. Elaine and Karl are very keen to find volunteers who are willing to scour the park for adult ECBs.

The next butterfly count will be held on Saturday 12 January, 2019 between 1pm and 3 pm at Kalimna Park. Connecting Country will send out a blog post with all the details in early 2019. A subsequent count will be held on Saturday 16 February  – so pop those dates in your new diary 🙂

We were all fascinated by the complex life history of the ECB and this butterfly’s relationship with the Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) and a species of ant. Elaine wrote a great article about this interrelationship in 2016 for one of our early Nature News – click here.

The Eltham Copper Butterfly has rightly received a lot of attention in our region over the years -Connecting Country is proud to take part in the story and work with the people who care for the butterfly in the coming months.

Please enjoy this gallery of photos from the Butterfly Count. Click on the arrow on the right to move through the pictures.

Newstead exhibition by three fine nature photographers

Posted on 28 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

The expression ‘taking photographs’ is a curious and revealing usage. In English, we don’t ‘make’ photographs, we ‘take’ them. When photographing nature – wildlife, plants, landscapes – it can seem that the photographer ‘captures’ a beauty already there, taking something that belongs to the subject, but without diminishing the subject.

Bronwyn Silver, Geoff Park and Patrick Kavanagh roam the goldfields of Central Victoria, stealing images of the beauty they find. Birds, mammals, plants. Not even mosses and lichens are safe from their pilfering ways!

While the targets of their larceny are unaffected by the process, these thieves have been profoundly altered by the images they’ve stolen from the wild, seeing more deeply into the wonders of the natural environment. They are happy to share their bounty at Newstead Arts Hub during December.

Nature photography on the Goldfields – with Patrick Kavanagh, Geoff Park and Bronwyn Silver

Location: Newstead Railway Arts Hub, 8a Tivey St, Newstead, VIC

Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm on the first four weekends in December (1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 December 2018).

The official exhibition opening is at 11.00 am on 2 December 2018. Refreshments will be provided and everyone is welcome. For more details contact Bronwyn Silver on 044 8751 111.

Please enjoy a sneak preview of some of the beautiful photos that will be on display.

Harvest native seed – free workshop

Posted on 22 November, 2018 by Frances

If you want to learn more about local native plants and how to collect seed, Mount Alexander Shire Council is running a free workshop as part of their Sustainable Living Workshop Series.

Presented by Ian Higgins from Friends of Campbells Creek, you’ll learn how to identify local plants, work out which are ready to harvest and collect seeds for Landcare projects.

The two hour workshop is suitable for people of all ages. Make sure you bring along a hat, gloves, drink bottle, sturdy shoes and secateurs.  Long sleeves are recommended, as some plants will be prickly!

When:   Saturday 24 November 2018 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
Where: Meet at Honeycomb Reserve, Honeycomb Rd, Campbells Creek VIC
RSVP:   Secure your place by contacting Council’s Gabe Macauly
              at g.macauly@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or 5471 1834.

A most exciting pergola nester!

Posted on 22 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Landholders Steve and Sue Harrisson of Joyces Creek in Central Victoria are delighted to report that Diamond Firetails are nesting in the climbing rose on their pergola!

The Harrisson’s property is a mix of open paddocks, large old remnant trees, and dense wattles and other shrubs from direct seeding. The property has a long-term Connecting Country bird monitoring survey site, and Diamond Firetails have been observed on occasion. One year they bred down near a small dam.

Diamond Firetails often nest in dense or prickly native shrubs such as Hedge Wattle. But this year, at the Harrissons, the enterprising little finches have decided that a rose vine draped across a pergola provides the same function as a prickly shrub.

A view of the nest from below

Steve says ‘Judging by the amount of noise coming from the nest when the adults arrive with food, there must be more than one nestling. Very exciting!’

Such excellent cover – the adult Diamond Firetail is very safe as it visits the nest.

Diamond Firetails are declining throughout their range. These finches need access to fresh water and plenty of mature grasses for seeds and for nesting, so drought is especially hard on them. Steve and Sue are very pleased that their home is providing habitat for this very attractive threatened species.

The nest is a roughly spherical shape, finely woven with delicate grasses, flowers and slender branches.

‘Talking fire’: reviving indigenous burning practices – two events in Newstead

Posted on 22 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

How we manage fire is an important conversation for rural and bush communities. What can we learn from how Aboriginal people used fire? Are those techniques applicable today in local landscapes that have changed a lot over the last 200 years?

Join the Newstead community for two events this November:

Scott Falconer is responsible for fire management and state forests on public land across the Loddon Mallee Region — an area taking in over a quarter of Victoria

Returning cultural burning – Djandak Wi – to Country
Thursday 29 November 7.30 pm.
Newstead Community Centre (9 Lyons St, Newstead VIC).

All welcome, no booking required.

Come and hear Scott Falconer (Assistant Chief Fire Officer with Forest Fire Management Victoria) share his experience in the United States and Canada where he explored the involvement of Indigenous people in land and fire management. Scott’s research was supported through The Lord Mayor’s Bushfire Appeal Churchill Fellowship. He was accompanied by Trent Nelson (Dja Dja Wurrung man and Parks Victoria Ranger Team Leader) for part of the research trip.

Reviving Indigenous Burning Practices in a Changed Landscape: Community Search Conference
Friday 30 November 9.00 am-5.00 pm.
Newstead Community Centre (9 Lyons St, Newstead VIC).

Free event but please book your place by Monday 26 November via Eventbrite.

Join expert panelists and local community members to explore how we might combine Western and Indigenous fire practice and knowledge in our local landscapes. At this one-day event we will discuss how we can connect Indigenous fire traditions with current approaches to fuel reduction and planned burns to shape new ways to protect our landscape and communities. This event is for everyone with an interest in this topic: community, government, academics, researchers.

Full details can be found on the Talking Fire website.

Talking Fire is a community initiative designed to create different kinds of community conversations about fire. It’s supported by the Mount Alexander Shire Council Community Grants Program.

Science, fun and fine food: our 2018 AGM and Threatened Species Forum!

Posted on 15 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

On Saturday 10 November 2018, some 60 people gathered at Campbells Creek Community Centre to enjoy an afternoon of science,  fun and delicious food. The event combined Connecting Country’s Annual General Meeting for the 2017-2018 year with a threatened species forum to launch our new ‘Habitat health check’ project. We celebrated the findings and achievements of Connecting Country’s long term monitoring programs with presentations by two very special scientists who directly support these programs: Professor Andrew Bennett and PhD Candidate Jess Lawton.

We would like to thank the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust for generously supporting ‘Habitat health check’, and to our presenters and all the committee members, staff and volunteers who assisted with the event.

Our AGM was short and sweet, and all but one of our committee members have re-elected for another year! The hard-working Connecting Country committee must be thanked for their considerable contribution to our organisation.

Elected members of Connecting Country’s 2018-19 committee of management are:
President:                  Brendan Sydes
Vice President:         Saide Gray
Treasurer:                  Max Kay
Secretary:                  Marie Jones
Ordinary member:    Karoline Klein
Ordinary member:    Malcolm Trainor
Ordinary member:    Christine Brooke

For minutes from the AGM and forum, please click here. A more detailed review of Andrew and Jess’ presentations will be shared next week.

If you would like a copy of our Annual Report for 2017-18, click here. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the report (especially Jacqui for making it look beautiful).

Please enjoy this gallery of some of the smiling faces at our AGM and Threatened Species Forum. (Photos by Tanya Loos and Frances Howe.)

Greater Gliders and other fabulous fauna of Wombat Forest – 20 November 2018

Posted on 13 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Local ecologist Elaine Bayes asked us to promote a special presentation: Who lives in the Wombat Forest? 

All are invited to attend a short presentation on the amazing wildlife and threatened species of the Wombat Forest (located between Woodend and Daylesford). Gayle Osborne will speak on ‘Citizen science with motion-sensing cameras’. Wombat Forestcare has spent years learning about, promoting and protecting this stunning forest. The group has used camera traps and spotlighting techniques to map populations of beautiful and endangered Greater Gliders, Powerful Owls and more.

A Greater Glider in a spotlight – as these are large animals this tree is massive! (photographed by Toby Hudson in NSW)

Using  this information, Wombat Forestcare members have worked incredibly hard to protect the forest into the future, including gaining assessment as a potential National Park.

The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s (VEAC) Central West Investigation just released a Draft Proposal report. New protection of public land has been recommended for Wombat forest (near Daylesford), Wellsford (near Bendigo), Mount Cole and Pyrenees Range forests (near Beaufort and Avoca) and dozens of smaller public parcels in the investigation area. This is a great opportunity to protect this land and its wildlife.

VEAC seeks community submissions regarding the proposal. Coming along, learn about the forest, and write a quick submission on the night if you wish.

Tea and cake and chat provided. All welcome! To download the event poster, click here. To read about Greater Gliders in the news, click here.

Who lives in the Wombat Forest?
When: Tuesday 20 November 2018 from 6.00 to 7.30 pm
Where: Ray Bradfield Rooms, Forest St (next to Victory Park), Castlemaine VIC

New climate change resource launched!

Posted on 7 November, 2018 by Asha

To complement Connecting Country’s recent ‘Future-proof your restoration‘ seminars, we’re pleased to launch a new three-part resource to support landholders and Landcare groups interested in learning more about adapting land management to a changing climate.

Part 1 – resource links: A new Useful resources page on our website added to our existing collection of pages on Biodiversity and Climate Change. The address for this web page is https://connectingcountry.org.au/education-resources/take-action/biodiversity-and-climate-change/future-proof-your-restoration-useful-resources/ Here you will find a series of links to download resources related to biodiversity and climate change in our region, including information on weed control, revegetation and planning. There are also links to download copies of the presentations from the ‘Weeds to Watch’ and ‘Planting for the Future’ seminars. If you would like hard copies of any of the linked resources, please email asha@connectingcountry.org.au

Part 2 – info summary: If you’d like a bite-sized version of some of the information linked to on the web page, you can CLICK HERE to download a document we’ve put together summarising interesting facts.

Part 3 – fact sheet: Connecting Country’s brand new ‘Future-proof your restoration’ fact sheet. CLICK HERE to download a copy, or drop into the office if you’d like some hard copies to hand out to your friends!

Thank you to the North Central Catchment Management Authority for funding this project through the Victorian Landcare Program, and to GreenGraphics for designing and printing the information sheet.

Come and see Connecting Country on the big screen – 15 November 2018

Posted on 7 November, 2018 by Jacqui

Come and see Connecting Country on the big screen! We were delighted to be part of Wild Melbourne’s ‘Community Conservationists’ film project, and now locals have an opportunity to see the ten films created. Each film showcases a community group or project, including one featuring Connecting Country. The night is also a fundraiser event for the groups involved – so do head along and show your support 🙂

The Community Conservationists series will be screened in-full at the boutique Star Cinema in Bendigo, paired with drinks, food and talks by some of the featured groups. This screening follows a highly successful premiere in Melbourne early this year.

Community Conservationists is about celebrating the tree-planters, the wildlife carers, the citizen scientists, and anyone else who is putting in the hard yards for the good of us all. By sharing their stories we hope to better connect people with the nature and conservation issues on which they work, as well as help these groups attract more support from our community.

Cullen Gunn, one of our landholders speaks to the Wild Melbourne crew next to his direct seeding.

Community Conservationists film screening

When: Thursday 15 November  2018 from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Where: Star Cinema, Eaglehawk Town Hall, Peg Leg Road, Eaglehawk VIC 3556
Price: $30 per ticket
Bookings: Please book online directly to the Wild Melbourne team by following this link: http://www.rememberthewild.org.au/community-conservationists-film-screening/.

Food and drinks will be available from 6.00 pm, with the following films and talks starting at 7.00 pm:

• Hindmarsh Landcare Network
• Connecting Country
• Friends of the Brisbane Ranges
• Friends of Bats and Bushcare
• WOTCH

Butterfly count at Kalimna Park – 25 November 2018

Posted on 7 November, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Join ecologists Elaine Bayes and Karl Just on a walk searching for the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly, hosted by Friends of Kalimna Park.

An adult butterfly, by Elaine Bayes

The Eltham Copper Butterfly was once distributed around Victoria. Now the largest surviving population of this little butterfly lives in Castlemaine – it could very well be called the Castlemaine Copper Butterfly!

Karl and Elaine will lead us on a guided walk through the bushland at Kalimna Park on the edge of Castlemaine, and show us how to look for the adult butterflies. Friends of Kalimna Park members will explain how to help the habitat of these beautiful insects.

Friends of Kalimna Park’s Annual General Meeting will be at 12.00 – 12.30 pm, followed by a light lunch, with the butterfly walk and talk starting at 1.00 pm.

When: Sunday 25 November at 12.00 noon – 3.00 pm
Where: Kalimna Point Rotunda, Kalimna Road, Castlemaine VIC
RSVP: Numbers are limited – so book now! Contact Tanya Loos, (Monitoring and Engagement Coordinator at Connecting Country) by email at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or call our office on (03) 5472 1594.

All welcome! Please wear shoes and clothing appropriate for walking outside.

An Eltham Copper butterfly caterpillar being attended by  ants (photo by Elaine Bayes)

Elaine writes:
The reason I am fascinated with Eltham Coppers is because like many of the Blue butterfly family they have a weird and wonderful and totally dependent (obligate) three-way relationship with Notoncus ant species and Sweet Bursaria plants (Bursaria spinosa).  Notoncus ants are nocturnal ants which live underground including at the base of Sweet Bursaria plants. Eltham Coppers lay their eggs at the base of a Sweet Bursaria plant and once hatched the larvae is guided into the ant nest and protected. The larvae overwinters in the nest and ants lead them out to graze at night exclusively on the leaves of Sweet Bursaria. In return, the ants feed on sugars which are excreted by the larvae’s honeydew gland.

New brochure – Landcare in the Mount Alexander region

Posted on 1 November, 2018 by Asha

Did you know we have around 30 Landcare and Friends groups in the Mount Alexander region? This is potentially the highest density of groups in the whole of Victoria!

David, Rob, Asha, Sharon, Barry, and Ian at the Landcare Week stall at the Maldon Market (photo courtesy of the Tarrangower Times).

During September 2018, you may have spotted one of our five Landcare Week stalls on the streets of Castlemaine or at our local markets. Here we chatted with passers-by about the wonderful work Landcare groups do, and handed out brochures and other resources. These included the newest edition of the Landcare in the Mount Alexander region brochure.

The new brochure looks amazing, thanks to the hard work of Jane Satchell, one of Connecting Country’s landholders, who kindly volunteered her professional graphic design skills. In the brochure you will find information about what Landcare groups are all about, how you can get involved, a map showing all of our local groups, and contact details for each group.

CLICK HERE to download your very own copy, or drop into the office to pick one up.

Thanks to Jane for all her help with the brochure, and to the many generous volunteers who helped at the Landcare Week stalls.