Remediation and Other Aspirations
Posted on 19 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
The recent Sutton Grange Landcare newsletter (May 2016 edition) featured an inspiring article by Pam and Grant Workman on their Connecting Country project. Their stunning property on the side of Mount Alexander forms an important part of our Mount Alexander to Metcalfe Link project, the first stage of which was funded through the state government’s Communities for Nature program in 2015. Thanks to Grant and Pam for allowing us to share their story.
The direct seeding undertaken at the Workman’s property.
As two townies who came to the country Pam and I took a while to acclimatise to our new environment. Living on anything beyond a suburban block was completely new to me although Pam had some childhood experiences of living in smaller rural communities.
What to do with 22 ha of rolling, if not steep land, subject to all the climatic vagaries of the Faraday Sutton Grange area. One of our sons from his strong interest in terra-culture systems developed a master management plan which in theory looked magnificent. Unsurprisingly it required more energy, time, water and reticulation infrastructure than we had available.
Enter ‘Connecting Country’. Another participant and community member, Natalie McCarthy extolled the virtues of this program at a recent Landcare meeting noting the excellent administration of the program and the responsive staff: we concur with all such affirmations. The program allowed us to isolate stock from our most fragile hill areas, direct seed more land than we would have believed possible, plant 750-800 trees and larger shrubs, and provide for weed and rabbit control.
So what had happened since we got underway in mid-2015? The wind blew, the rain failed to fall, the rabbits were endemic (migrating from adjoining land faster than we could control them), our weed control efforts while effective on our land, faced the onslaught of uncontrolled adjoining properties including the regional forest and we experienced record high numbers of kangaroos running through and over everything in their path. Sounds disastrous. And on the face of it, it was. We lost nearly every planted tree and shrub being left with milk cartons strewn everywhere with only the odd bamboo stick to indicate where we had once planted.
Pam and Grant have found it pays to be patient when it comes to seeing direct seeding results.
The good news that it’s not all bad news! We have learned a lot from observing how our particular situation responds to our efforts. The direct seeding, after initially appearing to be a dead loss is coming to life like a giant awakening. We suspect that over the coming 2-3 years, even with modest rainfall we will have a significant cover from this process providing habitat for small birds and having a major erosion mitigation strategy in place.
What have we concluded from all of this in our circumstance on our specific block? Big tick for the Connecting Country program and direct seeding. Planting trees and larger shrubs we think requires exclusion zones (roos, rabbits, weeds), and be no bigger than we can look after with our limited resources in any one year. Each successive year we should be able to create a new zone and go again. We also think that before embarking on such a venture it would have been really helpful to discuss what we planned to do with neighbours and try and include them in the program, if possible, but at the very least have them on board so that weed and rabbit control issues can be bipartisan particularly neared shared borders.
Most of this will be no surprise to those of you who have been custodians of the land in this area for a long time. Us newbies are still getting out heads around it and hopefully learning valuable lessons as we attempt to remediate our land.
Grant and Pam Workman
Swift Parrot count this weekend
Posted on 11 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos
Fans of the Swift Parrot are pleased to hear that the “swifties” are back in the Mount Alexander region, with a small flock of adults and juveniles reported on Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead (click here). These precious and declining migratory parrots visit the area every year in Autumn and winter. BirdLife Australia coordinates counts across the birds’ range, and we encourage you to participate this weekend (14-15 May 2016)! The Swift Parrot surveys can be undertaken in a couple of different ways.
Swift Parrot feasting on blossom, a beautiful photo by Chris Tzaros.
- Join me on an outing to Kalimna Park this Saturday 14 May 2016. Kalimna Park is not renowned for a lot of Swiftie sightings but it is good to know where the birds are not occurring, as well as where they are. This walk is a rescheduled outing from last week which was cancelled due to bad weather. Please call or email to book a place and for further details. Phone 0400 458 910 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
- Head out on a survey yourself! The form to use is very easy and can be downloaded from the Birdlife website (click here). Elizabeth (Beth) Mellick from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation is coordinating the various Swiftie survey locations in our region, so if you are carrying out a survey, please email Beth at beth@nwf.org.au. The Muckleford-Newstead area is usually the best place to go to see some Swift Parrots! However, some other potential locations that are not yet covered by birdwatchers include: Harcourt, Nuggetty, Welshmans Reef, and if you wish to go further south, Campbelltown and Talbot.
From Tanya Loos,
Coordinator of Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Projects
Sleepy Snakes of Central Victoria
Posted on 5 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
If you look on page 11 of this week’s Midland Express newspaper (5 April 2016), you’ll see the third in our monthly series of Nature News articles. Local resident Benjamin Boxshall has written a terrific article – Neighbourhood (Bird)watch.
In March, the Nature News article in the Midland Express was written by local Castlemaine naturalist, Bernard Slattery. Bernard shared his experiences about an occasional sight in our bush during these warmer days – snakes. Here is the article in case you missed out.
An eastern brown found in Fryers Forest.
Photo: Bernard Slattery
Australians love horror stories about snakes. My favourite is this headline from the Sydney Daily Telegraph: ‘Deadly reptiles slither towards the urban sprawl.’ You’d think from this that your average snake is pretty keen to leap at your throat—right?
The funny thing is, that when you actually come across them, the main impressions you get are that they’re sleepy, or very shy and keen to get away. It’s a strange experience to be walking in the bush and to suddenly realise that the rustling sound you hear is a large snake sliding out of sight.
At Vaughan Springs last year I came within a few inches of standing on a Tiger Snake, curled up discreetly at the side of the track, and saw it only when it bolted at some speed down a steep slope. At moments like these you realise how strange our relationship to them is; they live at the margins of our perceptions and in our imagination, but are rarely willing to stay long in our company.
On my wanderings in this region the snake I’ve seen the most often is the Eastern Brown, which has enthusiastically adapted to modern living because of its taste for the rodents which hang around our settlements.
But the most intricately beautiful species for me is the Red-bellied Black. The Australian Museum says of it: ‘This beautiful serpent shares our love of sunshine and water, and is a familiar sight to many outdoor adventurers … Attitudes towards these largely inoffensive snakes are slowly changing, however they are still often seen as a dangerous menace and unjustly persecuted.’
A red-bellied black on the Midland Highway. Photo: Bernard Slattery
Once, riding my bike on the Pyrenees Highway, I saw a splendid Black Snake basking in the early morning sun in the middle of the road. Not being an expert, I wasn’t keen to go too close, but tried to move it by ignorantly throwing small sticks at it. It sleepily disregarded my interference, and soon suffered the inevitable fate: five million reptiles are killed on our roads every year, many of them deliberately.
You have to be sensible about snakes. If you are, the chances of being hurt by one are seriously low. On average less than 3 people die from snake bite every year in this country, some while unwisely trying to manhandle the creature. By contrast, around 3 people a day are killed by cars in Australia.
Check out Museum Victoria’s Field Guide To Fauna App if you’d like more information on these fascinating local species.
Nature News: Dry times for the Diamond Firetail
Posted on 25 February, 2016 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country, in partnership with the Midland Express, has launched its new monthly ‘Nature News’ feature. Look out for these these articles by local naturalists appearing in the Midland Express on the first Tuesday of the month (or thereabouts). For the February edition, Tanya Loos shared her experiences about one of our local feathered friends; the Diamond Firetail. This article is reprinted below. Keep an eye out in the next one or two editions of the Midland Express for an article on local snakes by Bernard Slattery.
Of relevance to the article below, at the Saturday evening forum of our feathered five festival (19-20 March 2016), Andrew Bennett will be discussing his research on how woodland birds are responding to climatic change and Phil Ingamells will share some tips from the experts on how we all can help. Click here for more information on the festival and to secure your spot for the talks.
A Diamond Firetail in the bird bath. Photo by Geoff Park
Dry Times for the Diamond Firetail. By Tanya Loos.
As our gardens and paddocks wilt in the ongoing dry, access to water for fauna becomes ever more important. One visitor to the bird bath that is sure to delight the senses is the Diamond Firetail.
A small bird of great beauty, the Diamond Firetail sports a neat black and grey suit with white spots, set off by a dashing crimson rump and a coral-coloured bill and eye ring. Here in the Mount Alexander region we are fortunate to have small numbers of this rare bird in the local bushlands.
Diamond Firetails feed on seeds of both grasses and native trees such as she-oak. One day at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve south of Newstead, I chanced upon a lone Diamond Firetail foraging with a distinctive series of moves. He trundled along the ground, then leapt up to a grass seed head, grabbed it firmly in his bill, then stood on the grass head to eat the seeds. The process was repeated at the next grass tussock.
Living on seeds alone is thirsty work, and Diamond Firetails need a safe source of water in their bushland or woodland habitat. In dry times, one way to help firetails and other birds is through the provision of a bird bath or two. Bird baths are a wonderful way to enjoy your local birds, but do bear in mind they require daily maintenance to ensure the water is clean, and always topped up.
It is too hot and dry for breeding at the moment, but after the rains return and seeding grasses are available, nesting will occur anytime from August. To attract the female, the male Diamond Firetail selects a long piece of grass with a seed head, and holds it tightly in his bill. He then fluffs his spotted flank feathers and sings as he bobs up and down on the perch.
If the female approves, they will mate in the privacy of the nest. The nest is a domed affair, of grasses, seed heads and roots, and may be found in a mistletoe clump or a thick shrub such as Hedge Wattle. A few years ago, I observed a Diamond Firetail nest built amongst the large sticks of the base of a Wedge-tailed Eagle nest!
The Diamond Firetail is less common than it once was, largely due to the removal of suitable habitat. Happily small populations are still being reported in areas such as Muckleford, Guildford, Fryerstown and Sedgwick. If you have Diamond Firetails visiting your garden, or you see some out in the bush, we would love to hear from you!
For more information about the Diamond Firetail and other woodland birds, visit Connecting Country’s website: www.connectingcountry.org.au or contact Tanya on tanya@connectingcountry.org.au.
Fancy seeing your photos at the next FOBIF exhibition?
Posted on 17 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos
Many of you will be familiar with the stunning photography exhibitions that are curated by the Friends of Box-Ironbark Forests (FOBIF), featuring intricate moss portraits, woodland birds and other flora and fauna of our beautiful area. The theme of the next FOBIF photo exhibition is Trees in the Mount Alexander Region, and FOBIF are calling for potential photographers now.
TOGS in Castlemaine will host the exhibition in March 2016 and later in the year the Newstead Railway Arts Hub has kindly agreed host the same exhibition. Photos will be for sale to cover FOBIF costs.
The tree theme also allows photos of close-ups of buds, nuts and flowers – and the fauna that live among the tree bark and foliage. For more information on submitting photos, and the guidelines click here.
We are excited at Connecting Country because March is also the month of the first Feathered Five Festival – a two day celebration of five very special woodland birds that live in our local forests. More on this soon….
This is a magnificent tree – which I think is a Manna Gum. FOBIF members have kindly offered to assist in the correct identification of the trees for any submitted photos. Picture by Tanya Loos
All Good Things Must Come to an End…
Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country
2015 Works Crew L to R with crew leader Alex, Lauren, Jason and Ned
Works Crew 2015 – Thanks to Ned, Lauren and Jason
Each year, we employ our own Works Crew as part of the Connecting Landscapes program. The Crew assists land holders with the on-ground works agreed upon in their project management plan. The crew also receive formal and on-the-job training and experience.
Lauren, Ned and Jason finished up at the end of October 2015 after completing all planned project activities successfully. All outcomes were delivered on time, within budget and more important – injury free! It is so nice to work with people who are passionate about what they are doing and are willing to learn from one another. In that regards Connecting Country has been very fortunate over the last three years. The dedication and commitment all crew members have shown is commendable and no doubt they will get far in future careers – whichever way they want go.
The 2015 Crew commenced in April at the onset of cooler weather with the more strenuous activity of fence building. A lot of our restoration activities took place this year in the Muckleford Valley, where stock exclusion fences were installed along the Muckleford Creek and its tributaries. Besides conventional stock fences, the crew installed a large electric fence system spanning over 8 kilometres. This fence contained more than 35 kilometres of wire!
On the flanks of Mount Alexander we constructed a challenging fence in very steep terrain to protect direct seeding from stock. As vehicle access was limited, we had to drag up materials with ropes. The views were truly spectacular though; on clear days we could see all the way to the Colbinabbin Range, Mt Ida and Mt Macedon.
This year, we adopted a different way of tube stock planting by using a motorised earth auger to create a larger and deeper hole for easier root penetration and capturing more moisture. Hopefully this will lead to a higher growth and plant survival rates.
The Works Crew works program finished up nicely with seed collecting, woody weed control, rabbit fumigation and some exotic tree felling.
Connecting Country offers the opportunity to be part of our works crew every year to a new group of local people. Positions for the 2016 Works Crew will be advertised over this summer via the Connecting Country website and local newspapers.
Jason installing a gate fitting kit with a petrol-powered drill
Lauren only builds straight fences
Ned clears a fenceline
Images from Shane Carey
Greening the Blue Hills
Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country
Landholders in the Blue Hills, Tusker Patterson and Kerri Peacoulakis, are involved in Connecting Country’s Habitat for Bush Bird’s project. Here Kerri shares their inspiring story…
Tusker and I purchased our property over 3 years ago and it has been a great journey ever since. We own just over 40 hectares opposite the Blue Hills. More then half of our property is cleared land with an amazing erosion gully running through the centre of the property. The land use to used for grazing sheep. Our goals since purchasing the property are – one, build our family home. Two, encourage the bird life down from the Blue Hills and three planting out the erosion gully to help prevent it from eroding any further. Which in turn will help encouraging the bird life. Among many other things.
It was Tusker’s mum (Jane Mitchell) whom came to us with this amazing bird project proposal and encouraged us to move forward with the project. After meeting with the lovely Tanya Loos how could we not sign. Her enthusiasm and excitement was very encouraging.
We are now a few months in to the project and a lot has been happening. We have had over 8 hectares of direct seeding. Close to 1000 trees, shrubs and grasses have already been planted and many more to come. Thanks to our amazing family’s for helping us with the planting. Since no sheep have been on the property since we purchased the land a lot of re-vegetation has started to happen.
I have been lucky enough to see 3 of the 5 feathered five in close proximity to our property, include the Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and the Jacky Winter. We are both very excited to see the property evolve and grow over the coming years and know that we are doing our little bit to help.
Above: Before the project started, Below: The site today. Photos by Kerri Peacoulakis
How to Create Frog Friendly Habitats
Posted on 16 November, 2015 by Connecting Country
Renowned local ecologists, Elaine Bayes and Damien Cook have produced two terrific youtube videos:’Frogs and their Calls’ and ‘Frogs and their Habitats’. The information is well presented and relevant to our local area. Each goes for about 30 minutes. Click on each image below to view:
Geology of a Special Place – 14 November 2015
Posted on 7 November, 2015 by Connecting Country
Did you know that one side of the Muckleford Valley is older than the other side? And that the reason is a geological fault line running right through it? Have you ever seen the Muckl
eford Gorge, where the creek carves a ravine between the a basalt plateau and an upturned Ordovician seabed?
Muckleford is a place of special geological interest and the Muckleford Catchment Landcare group would like to take you on a guided tour with expert geologist Brian Cuffley to explore its unique land forms. Brian will use his special expertise to impart a deeper understanding of the place where we live.
Brian has worked as a mineral exploration geologist in various parts of Australia and overseas. He has also worked for the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission and the Soil Conservation Authority. He studied Environmental Management at LaTrobe University where the subject of his thesis was dryland salinity.
The tour will travel the valley, starting at Mount Gaspard in the north, taking in Chinaman’s Creek valley and conclude at Muckleford Gorge in the south. Participants will be provided with explanatory maps to take home.
A couple of short walks are involved so it is advisable to wear solid shoes/boots, maybe sock protectors and of course bring a hat and water.
When: Saturday, November 14, 2015
Time: 1.30pm – 4 pm.
Where: Muckleford Community Centre, Muckleford-Walmer Road (south of the Castlemaine-Maldon Road).
Booking: Paul Hampton on 0408 566 909 or go to mucklefordlandcare.wordpress.com
Places are very limited so please let Paul know if you are attending. Click here to download a flyer.
The Muckleford Catchment Landcare will be conducting its AGM prior to the bus tour at 11.30am, followed by lunch. All interested community members are welcome to attend.
Farewell to a comrade on Muckleford Creek
Posted on 19 October, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country Works Crew Member, Ned Brook, shares a moment from out on the job on the Muckleford Creek…
The Connecting Country Works Crew are out fencing along Muckleford Creek. The nearby cows are restless, they’ve been restless all morning. They’re young cows, perhaps they are just a little jittery. But these cows have been on this property for a while now, something is up.
Ned’s cows
“Do you know what’s wrong?”
We say to one another.
“No, but they seem really uneasy.”
“I know, they’ve been like this all morning.”
“Yeah, I think something’s wrong, I just don’t know what.”
I continue with my work, fencing off these very cows from the creek bank that they use. Cows are lovely creatures but they are not selective; they will eat anything that’s green. The grass on the creek banks is usually greener, and stays greener for longer. So the cows will continuously graze until the grass, using all its energy to grow and stay alive, has had enough.
All of a sudden, the cows move through a gap in the fence where they can cross the creek. Their hard hooves and immense weight pass over the now bare soil on the creek bank. They push it further down, compacting it, and at times collapsing whole sections. If the situation persists the soil will slowly degrade and become weak and vulnerable.
The cows pass through the unhappy creek. You can tell it is unhappy because it hasn’t seen water for a long time, aside from the floods that carve whole sections off the vulnerable bank. Now the trees seem upset too with their gnarled roots exposed. This is why we are fencing this creek off, to give it a chance to rehabilitate and be happy again.
The cows move further away into the property, then take a sweeping left turn and move back toward the creek and stop. They all stop at once. I also stop, and stare.
In groups of two or three the cows move slowly forward, stare a long time at something on the ground, sniff some, then return to the group. It takes a while for me to realise what they are doing. One of their friends, their comrades, has fallen, passing away in the night due to some ailment. The cows have come to farewell a friend.
Our majestic paddock trees
Posted on 23 September, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country Works Crew Member, Ned Brook, shares his love to our mighty paddock trees…
I noticed you out of the corner of my eye. I wasn’t supposed to be looking for you, we were meant to have our attentions on a malfunctioning drainage pipe, but I saw you all the same.
I saw you as we were driving over toward Maldon. The area surrounded on three sides with metamorphic mountains and a depression in between. This is where I found you.
I turned, after I caught a glimpse of you, and witnessed your full majesty. Standing there, tall and strong, healthy. A Yellow box. A beacon to birds and wildlife all around you. I was so taken back by you that I couldn’t concentrate on the pipe.
Big Yellow
I thought to myself, you stand there, tall and magnificent, providing invaluable services to all around you. To the farmer who relies on you to keep that troublesome water table down below. To the birds who you feed, in their thousands, that visit you every year. To the koalas, possums, phascogales who you protect. Not to mention the teeming insects that live within and use your trunk and bark as a home.
It impressed me how you stand and provide this service with little need or thanks. But you’re beyond that aren’t you, you’ve been here far longer than any of us.
But there is something you need, that we can help with. You have a few friends in the paddock with you, some equally aged and wise old things that I’m sure you converse with regularly. But what about the young ones? Where are your children? Who’s there to take up the reigns when you finally decide to take a final rest? What you need is a fence.
We’ve helped out some brothers and sisters of yours, in a special paddock over in Sutton Grange. We planted friends for them, young boisterous things that will settle down with age. And we fenced them in, to protect them from the wandering cattle and mischievous sheep. But we wouldn’t even need to do this for you. All you need is a fence, some room to grow, and you’d do the job yourself.
Enjoy Spring at Pilchers Bridge: a celebration of flora and fauna
Posted on 18 September, 2015 by Tanya Loos
Landholder Chris Kirwan has generously invited one and all to his magnificent Trust for Nature property on Saturday 26 September 2015.
Perched on the edge of the Pilchers Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve, Chris’s property protects Heathy Dry Forest and Box Ironbark Forest. The vegetation provides important habitat for the endangered Lace Monitor, the vulnerable Brush-tailed Phascogale and the Powerful Owl, and listed Victorian Temperate Woodland Bird Community species such as Speckled Warbler.
Tanya Loos will be giving a short talk on the birds of the area – as Connecting Country has two monitoring sites very close to Chris’s property. She will be joined by “the moth-man”, ecologist Steve Williams who will give a short talk on moths and the understorey; Ian Higgins from North Central CMA, who will present on the local flora; Patrick Pigott, Ecologist, Federation University who will discuss a nearby tree thinning trial, as well as representatives from CFA, and Axe Creek Landcare. CLICK HERE to see the flyer.
Saturday 26th September 2015
10.00 am to 4.00 pm
at 178 Huddle Road, Myrtle Creek
Sponsored by the Axe Creek Landcare Group
Enquiries: Chris Kirwan Phone: 5439-6494 Email: cwkirwan@bigpond.com
A magnificent Lace Monitor – very rare these days and obviously quite at home!
When nature and culture meet
Posted on 16 September, 2015 by Connecting Country
Lauren Cogo in action fencing with the Connecting Country Works Crew
Working out in the field everyday gives Connecting Country’s Works Crew a unique opportunity to experience Mount Alexander Region’s nature at its best. Crew member, Lauren Cogo shares some of her recent discoveries…
“The cultural landscape we live in harbours natural secrets that have survived despite some tough and testing times. All of our developed infrastructure, our cleared lands and the creation of our homes have sadly displaced some native flora and fauna that call our region home. However, our native birds, reptiles and mammals often find way to coincide with our cultural influences on nature throughout time.
On a local scale, we can see changes that the native fauna is becoming adapting to these modifications to their home. As a works crew member I have witnessed these changes, throughout my time working with Connecting Country.
Trees and other flora are a highly valuable means to provide birds with shelter, a reliable food source for insects and hollows for mammals. But what happens when humans interfere, and use them for fence posts?
On one occasion I observed a nocturnal microbat using a timber log fence post as its very own roosting site, wedged in the folds of old hard bark, it flew out just as we were replacing the wire fence. It may have also been using this site for feeding on a range of insects that also live in the timber post, such as spiders, ants and moths. This repurposed timber is still useful in the landscape, despite it not standing proud and tall in its previous natural state.
An Eastern Bearded Dragon found under an old fence post on a Connecting Country works site.
An old fence post, knocked down to be replaced, created the perfect shelter for the Eastern Bearded Dragon, Pogona barbata, currently listed as vulnerable on the Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria. During late winter, it was in a relaxed hibernation mode, known as torpor, and utilized the old timber post for shelter on the ground. They can also be found using your old tiles to bask on, old corrugated iron sheets to relax under and your large hollow trees for shelter.
On another occasion I spotted an uncommon Yellow- Footed Antechinus, Antechinus flavipes, moving rapidly over fallen timber and leaf litter within the Muckleford Creek and acting as the unlikely hero as it thrives in its threatened Box Ironbark Forest habitat around Central Victoria. Unlike many other Australian mammals, the Antechinus is diurnal so they can be seen using tree hollows and logs for habitat; day or night. They can also use our buildings to nest in, so watch out, you may have some company.
This gives me hope that the changes we’ve made to the landscape won’t stop our native critters from ensuring they have safe habitat to live in and a food source to survive. So whether your out in the paddocks, sitting by a creek or at home, keep an eye out for one of natures secrets, they may just knock on your door.”
By crew member, Lauren Cogo.
Spring brings new opportunities with Connecting Country
Posted on 14 September, 2015 by Connecting Country
As winter comes to an end, so does the planting season for revegetation.
Jarrod Coote checking the growth at one of our direct seeding sites.
It’s been a busy few months for the Connecting Country team, who have been planting and direct seeding indigenous species on private lands around the Mount Alexander Shire. Our work aims to creating better links for wildlife movement between the existing important habitat areas.
This year brought a new team of crew members – Lauren, Ned and Jason. The crew, which turns over each year in order to make the opportunity available to as many local people as possible, have been focused on planting, weed and rabbit control and the installation of protective fencing – while also receiving formal and in-house training in a range of natural resource management techniques.
‘Often the diversity is there in the landscape ready and waiting – we just need to give the seeds a chance. Fenced off land allows not only the trees to establish and grow, but also those bushes and ground herbs and grasses that are such important wildlife habitat’ says Alex Schipperen, team leader of the works crew.
‘The beauty of this program is that we have funding available to partner with landholders and create habitat solutions that suit the landholder, and have great outcomes for biodiversity. Bringing areas of native vegetation onto a property also increases productivity by providing shade and shelter for stock, and increased protection for crops, so it’s a win-win situation.’
With the winter rush over, the team are now starting to plan the next round of projects. Land owners across the region who would like to see if their property is well placed to become part of these projects are encouraged to get in touch with Jarrod, Bonnie or Mel at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594 or send an email to jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au .
This project has been supported by Connecting Country, through funding from the Australian Government.
Investigating biodiversity and its value across all scales
Posted on 7 September, 2015 by Connecting Country
Steve Williams introduces us to a moth “super-food” – Cassinia.
Did you know that Cassinia is a super-food for native moths? Or that lichens are actually the result of an algae and fungi working symbiotically? Twenty-four eager participants learnt this and so much more at Connecting Country’s Biodiversity in the Paddock workshop on Sunday 30th August 2015.
A huge thank you to landholders Peter Hansen and Sally Roadknight for inviting the Connecting Country team to their beautiful property at the foot of Mt Tarrengower to hear from presenters Cassia Read (on moss and lichens), Steve Williams (on moths) and Karl Just and Gordie Scott-Walker (on native flora). Geoff Park (from Natural Decisions and Natural Newstead) expertly kept the flow, whilst highlighting the stunning bird life to be found all around in the property.
A farm tour allowed participants to see for themselves the impressive impact of tubestock planting, natural regeneration through removing grazing, and the effects of erosion control on the creek which funnels run-off from Mt. Tarrengower through their property. Gordie provided us with a detailed list of the reptiles and amphibians, and the hundreds of birds and plant species that he has observed on his parents property, reminding everyone of the gains to be had from regenerating land.
The message of the day from all four presenters was the huge value of biodiversity in the paddock, from the mosses and lichens which hold soil together, to the beautiful variety of moths which feed from and live on all kinds of plants – never has Cassinia arcuata (‘coffee bush’) appeared such a fascinating and valuable plant in the landscape.
Click here for more information and resources from this session.
Also, there are a few places remaining for our next workshop on Sunday 13 September on Conservation Fencing – click here for more information.
The education program is supported by Connecting Country through funding from the Australian government.
Our Crew: Working towards the bigger picture
Posted on 2 September, 2015 by Connecting Country
2015 Works Crew from left: Team Leader Alex Schipperen, Lauren Cogo, Jason Burgoyne and Ned Brook
In April, Connecting Country’s 2015 Works Crew commenced. Our team leader, Alex Schipperen has been mentoring three new crew members; Lauren Cogo, Ned Brook and Jason Burgoyne in developing skills in conservation and land management. These skills have seen the crew complete some 730 hectares of work including 20 kilometres of fencing, 5,000 tubestock plantings and 319 hectares of pests and weeds treated across eleven properties in the Mount Alexander Region. We’ve asked Jason to share some of his experiences from his time with the Works Crew…
“While working, the crew loves to talk and our chats brought up the importance of biodiversity. It got me thinking about how the work we have accomplished will contribute to biodiversity in the Mt. Alexander region in the longer term.
Our projects have included fencing off remnant vegetation and creek lines to exclude stock allowing these areas to natural regenerate. The 5,000 indigenous trees and shrubs we’ve planted will provide a framework for other flora and fauna to establish in the future. Finally, through removing rabbits and weeds we are reducing the competition allowing native plants to establish.
Ned and Lauren adjust an end assembly for a fence line
The properties where we’ve worked are carefully selected with the aim of reconnecting the landscape; they link neighbouring properties and other existing vegetation in the surrounding area. This provides corridors and stepping-stones to allow flora and fauna to move throughout the landscape.
Looking back to April, I can visualise how the properties piece together on a localised and regional scale. For example, one property has a reserve of remnant vegetation at the rear, we fenced off three areas on the property and planted 400 natives linking the reserve to the roadside corridor. Scarlet and Flame Robins have already been seen using the tree guards as a perch to find their next meal! Proof that it doesn’t take a long to see the positive effects in the landscape.”
By crew member, Jason Burgoyne
Connecting Country currently has opportunities available to provide subsidised support for projects like these on new properties. If you’re a local landholder and are interested in learning if your property is eligible, contact Jarrod Coote on 03 5472 1594 or jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au to discuss further. Also please forward this onto any neighbours, friends or others you think might be interested received help from the Connecting Country Works Crew on a restoration project on their properties.
Wetland Plants Identification Course with Damian Cook
Posted on 25 August, 2015 by Connecting Country
The Mount Alexander Shire is indeed fortunate to have so many specialists in natural history in its midst. Two of the best are Damian Cook and Elaine Bayes, and Connecting Country is lucky to have them on our Expert Advisory Group.
Through their business – Rakali Consulting – they are running three one-day courses in the identification of wetlands plants. Elaine and Damian have told us, “This course is aimed at anyone interested in wetland plant identification and ecology. The course will run over 3 days and each day will focus on a different wetland habitat (water’s edge, deep marsh and mudflat) and be timed so as to follow the wetting and drying of the stunning Reedy Lagoon at Gunbower Island. Participants can elect to do 1, 2 or all 3 days. ….. [Each] day will be divided between being outside observing plants in their natural habitat and collecting specimens and class time using field guides, keys and microscopes. There will also be discussion and presentation time. Notes and identification keys will be provided. Lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided.”
| Day 1 | Wed 11 November 2015 (Spring) | Water edge/shallow marsh – identifying grasses, sedges and rushes (gum boot depth) |
| Day 2 | Wed 24 February 2016 (Summer) | Deep Marsh/Floating and submerged aquatics (waders) |
| Day 3 | Wed 20 April 2016 (Autumn) | Mud flat specialists (gum boot depth) |
The course is being held at Treetops, Spencer’s Bridge Road (off Cohuna-Koondrook Rd), Cohuna, Victoria which is located on the banks of Gunbower Creek. Field work will be conducted at Reedy Lagoon and timed to follow environmental water delivery to ensure wetland plants are at their peak. The cost per day is $319 (inc. GST) or $880 (inc GST) for all three days.
More information on the course, and details on how to register, are available on the Rakali Consulting website (click here).
Australian Bird Index launched
Posted on 17 July, 2015 by Tanya Loos
On Wednesday (15 July 2015), BirdLife Australia launched the Australian Bird Index. This ground-breaking research measures the health of Australia’s terrestrial bird populations. For the first time, vast quantities of data collected by volunteers and researchers have been analyzed to produce indices that help track Australia’s current state of biodiversity.
Just as the Consumer Price Index is a useful tool to evaluate the nation’s economy, The Australian Bird Index is a tool to quantify the overall health of the environment – using birds as the barometer.
The Bird Index has come about thanks to 15 years of citizen science data collection: comprising 14 million records and 900,000 surveys from across Australia – including many from the Mount Alexander region.
A Purple-crowned Lorikeet by Chris Tzaros – pic from Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Brochure
Now that Connecting Country is an affiliated organization with BirdLife Australia, both the data we collect for our long term monitoring program, and the data you submit, will be shared with BirdLife to assist in this important work.
So how are we faring? In order to make sense of the data, the Australian Bird Index breaks Australia up into nine regions: for example, the Mount Alexander Shire occurs entirely within the South-east Mainland region. In the South-east Mainland, dry woodland and forest dependent parrots are showing distinct downward trends over the last 13 years. These species include Purple-crowned, Musk and Little Lorikeets, Crimson Rosella and Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo.
But we see Crimson Rosellas all the time, I hear you say – this is the tricky thing about analyzing the data over a large area – in some areas the rosellas may actually be steady or even increasing, whereas across other areas, rosellas are dropping out of the picture entirely. As such, BirdLife researchers plan to carry out further research for the comprehensive State of Australia’s Birds report planned for early release in 2016. For more on the Australian Bird Index and the upcoming report: see here
The Australian Bird Index can tell us that the Purple-crowned Lorikeet has declined markedly, but not why this beautiful little bird has been reported as declining. Again – further research is required to tease out some answers. My guess is that the changing weather patterns are playing havoc with the flowering of the eucalypts that these tiny blossom nomads rely upon.
Geoff Park has recently posted some stunning photos of the Purple-crowned Lorikeet (click here) and it is great to hear that readers of his blog have reported seeing this species in good numbers.
Report from Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator
Golden times in the sun (with slideshow)
Posted on 5 December, 2014 by Connecting Country
One of the most threatened species to occur in the Mount Alexander shire and surrounds is the Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana). This day-flying moth is considered to be ‘critically endangered’ on Federal legislation and ‘threatened‘ on state legislation. Its preferred habitat is native grasslands and grassy woodlands, but it is also occasionally seen flying over agricultural paddocks that still contain a good cover of native grasses – particularly wallaby grass (Austrodanthonia spp.).
This moth has an unusual life history – the full details of which are still being discovered. The adult female moth rarely, if ever, flies. Instead, she will mostly perch on the bare ground between grass tussocks on warm-to-hot days during the months of November to January, displaying her golden-coloured hind wings. The male moths (which have reddish-coloured hind wings) fly low over the sparse grassy vegetation, on the look-out for the female moths. After mating, it is believed that the female lays her eggs near the base of grass tussocks. The larvae then emerge from the eggs, and burrow down into the soil to feed; maybe on the roots of the grasses – or perhaps they feed on the mycorrhizal fungi that grows on the roots. After one or more years underground feeding, the larvae then pupate and emerge as adults moths to begin the cycle again. The adult moths have no mouthparts at all – and as such they only live for a maximum of 3-4 days after emerging, which is as long as their stored energy allows.
The adults moths will also often emerge en masse. It is suspected that this is part of a strategy to overwhelm predators such as spiders and robber flies. Certainly for these predators, the annual emergence of Golden Sun Moths represents a major feeding opportunity.
Adult Golden Sun Moths have been seen in Walmer, Barkers Creek and Taradale over the past couple of weeks by Connecting Country staff member Chris. Last season they were also seen near Castlemaine, Sandon and Sutton Grange.
A local landholder to the north of Castlemaine provided Connecting Country with the following incredible series of photos of adult moths that she took from her property last summer (2013-14).
Woodland Bird Brochure launch next Monday (8 Dec)
Posted on 2 December, 2014 by Tanya Loos
It has been a couple of years in the making…
Connecting Country are thrilled to announce that the “Woodland Birds of Central Victoria” brochure is printed and ready to be released into the world.
When: Monday, December 8th 2014 from 5.30pm until about 6.30pm
Where: In the Hub garden, on corner of Barker St and Templeton St (enter via gate on Templeton St)
RSVPs are preferred as we will be supplying drinks and nibbles. RSVP to me, Tanya Loos, on 5472 1594 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
The brochure was initially developed by past Connecting Country Woodland Bird Coordinator Kerryn Herman and a team of local naturalists and photographers. As part of my role of Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator – I re-ignited the project and added in information on our focal woodland bird species, the feathered five; Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter and Brown Treecreeper. The subtitle of the brochure is “An identification and habitat management guide” because the birds are ordered into the particular kind of woodland bird habitat we might expect to see them in.
Geoff Park – well known for numerous local biodiversity activities, including his popular Natural Newstead website – is one who has generously contributed photographs to the brochure. He has also kindly agreed to speak at the launch about the brochure and its value – and of course, about our woodland birds!
We hope that landowners, landcare groups, schools and budding bird enthusiasts enjoy the Woodland Birds of Central Victoria brochure. One free copy of the brochure will be available on the day for each attendee, with a gold coin donation for any additional copies. All funds raised will go towards future reprints of the brochure. And for those of you looking for nature-orientated Christmas gifts, copies of Friends of Box-Ironbark’s Mosses of dry forests of south eastern Australia and Tanya’s book Daylesford Nature Diary will be available for purchase.
Photographs and guidance for the brochure were provided by Nigel Harland, Damian Kelly, Greg and Jeanette License, Geoff Park, Chris Tzaros, Debbie Worland, Beth Mellick, Brendan Sydes and Ern Perkins. Support for the brochure project came from the Victorian Government’s Communities for Nature program and from generous private donations to Connecting Country.
This photograph of a Weebill, a species often found within regenerating woodland habitat, was taken by Chris Tzaros.
The brochure on display next to a very old Wombat skull.