Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Resin Bee

Posted on 29 November, 2023 by Ivan

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

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

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

Resin Bee (Megachile ferox)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

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

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

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

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

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

Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee

Posted on 23 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

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

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

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

Elegant Hairy-Cellophane Bee (Trichocolletes venustus)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

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

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

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

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

Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Imperial Jezebel

Posted on 21 November, 2023 by Ivan

It’s springtime and the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, butterflies are fluttering, beetles are looking for mates and wasps are making nests. There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats across central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. These are the heroes of the bush, grasslands, our gardens and waterways.

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

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

During November, we will explore the lives of our most loved native pollinators from across the local region. Dr Mark Hall, local entomologist, has kindly shared his extensive knowledge on some of our local pollinator heroes that are so important to the health of our ecosystems. 

Imperial Jezebel (Delias harpalyce)

Words by Dr. Mark Hall

With Christmas approaching, you may hear the familiar tune of “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe…”. And while that particular type of mistletoe is not native to Australia (and in fact is an environmental weed), there are a number of plants we call mistletoe in Australia that are native and have another species “kissing” underneath them at this time of year. The mistletoes in question are a group of semi-parasitic shrubs, often associated with Eucalypts – Amyema, Muellerina and Dendrophthoe species. The faunal species in question is the Imperial Jezebel butterfly (among others).

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

This spectacular butterfly species can be found across the south-east of Australia in all sorts of habitats where there are mature trees with mistletoe hanging and flowers to feed from. It is an early spring emerger and most active between August and November, where it mates and lays its eggs on the mistletoes, but can be active across all warmer months. The hairy black larvae (caterpillar) then feed on the mistletoe leaves, which not only help them grow, but also makes them taste pretty bad to predators – a win-win!

The large adult butterfly is almost entirely white (or greyish in some regions) on top of its wings, with some black edging and white spots on the outer wings. But it is the underside that is really captivating. In flight or when at rest with wings folded up, the black and grey wings, punctuated with bright red and yellow bands, are clearly visible. At this time you may also notice the hairy body and long clubbed antennae. The Imperial Jezebel is a great pollinator and certainly a hero of our gardens and bushland.

Container recycling deposit scheme: help support us!

Posted on 21 November, 2023 by Ivan

We’ve got some good news! How would you like to recycle your cans, cartons and bottles and support Connecting Country at the same time?  On 1 November 2023 Victoria’s container deposit scheme, CDS Vic, commenced. The scheme rewards Victorians with a 10-cent refund for every eligible can, carton and bottle they return. The recycling scheme also has the option to donate to a local community group or organisation, which is a valuable fundraising opportunity, simply by recycling your drinking containers. The scheme is part of important work that is transforming Victoria’s waste and recycling system.

If you would like to donate some, or all of your money from the recycling scheme to Connecting Country, quote partner ID: C2000009164 at the return centre.

How to make a return: click here

It’s as easy as 1, 2 3:

CDS Vic provides a 10-cent refund for every eligible drink container returned at refund points across Victoria. Every bottle, can and carton you return helps divert valuable containers from landfill. 

     1. Collect eligible drink containers:

Most aluminum, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. Look for the 10c mark on the back of pack. Some drinks are not eligible, including plain milk containers, wine and spirit bottles.  Tip: Keep lids on and don’t crush your containers.

Last chance! Connecting Country AGM this Saturday 18 November 2023

Posted on 16 November, 2023 by Ivan

We still have 25 tickets available for our AGM this Saturday 18 November 2023 and require a few more members to come along to make a quorum for our AGM formalities. 

Please join us for this special free event on Saturday 18 November 2023 at 11.00 am for brief AGM formalities, our special guest presenter and a yummy lunch. We are thrilled to have Dr Jess Lawton, former Connecting Country superstar, present the findings from her recent PhD study into Phascogales and how we can take action to help them thrive once again.

The presentation event is part of a larger project, ‘Habitat trees for Phascogales’, which aims to provide habitat stepping stones for the Brush-tailed Phascogale and other native fauna by protecting and enhancing large old trees in the landscape, particularly in grazing land.

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

Dr Jess Lawton is an ecologist with a passion for understanding the threats facing native fauna and ecosystems, and how we can take action to address these issues. Jess was the Connecting Country Monitoring Coordinator for the past five years and is one of the leading knowledge brokers on citizen science and monitoring our landscapes and wildlife. Jess has recently submitted her PhD thesis at LaTrobe University, where she studied our wonderful Brush-Tailed Phascogale. She relishes collaborative ecological work and is passionate about empowering communities to conserve and recover local biodiversity. Jess loves exploring the outdoors, playing music and camping.

When: Saturday 18 November 2022 at 11.00 am

Where: Guildford Community Hall, 30 Fryers St Guildford

Everyone is welcome!

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

AGM formalities

The following Connecting Country AGM 2023 documents are available for download:

• Committee nomination form – click here
• Proxy voting form – click here
• AGM 2022 minutes – click here
• Financial audit report – click here
• 2023 Annual Report – click here

Please note only current Connecting Country members can vote in the AGM. To become a member or renew your membership – click here

If you have any questions, please email info@connectingcountry.org.au

Thank you to the State Government of Victoria for their funding support and ‘Habitat Trees for Phascogales’ project.

Book now! Connecting Country AGM this Saturday 18 November 2023

Posted on 13 November, 2023 by Ivan

Please join us for this special free event on Saturday 18 November 2023 at 11.00 am for brief AGM formalities, our special guest presenter and a yummy lunch. We are thrilled to have Dr Jess Lawton, former Connecting Country superstar, present the findings from her recent PhD study into Phascogales and how we can take action to help them thrive once again.

The presentation event is part of a larger project, ‘Habitat trees for Phascogales’, which aims to provide habitat stepping stones for the Brush-tailed Phascogale and other native fauna by protecting and enhancing large old trees in the landscape, particularly in grazing land.

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

Dr Jess Lawton is an ecologist with a passion for understanding the threats facing native fauna and ecosystems, and how we can take action to address these issues. Jess was the Connecting Country Monitoring Coordinator for the past five years and is one of the leading knowledge brokers on citizen science and monitoring our landscapes and wildlife. Jess has recently submitted her PhD thesis at LaTrobe University, where she studied our wonderful Brush-Tailed Phascogale. She relishes collaborative ecological work and is passionate about empowering communities to conserve and recover local biodiversity. Jess loves exploring the outdoors, playing music and camping.

When: Saturday 18 November 2022 at 11.00 am

Where: Guildford Community Hall, 30 Fryers St Guildford

Everyone is welcome!

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

AGM formalities

The following Connecting Country AGM 2023 documents are available for download:

• Committee nomination form – click here
• Proxy voting form – click here
• AGM 2022 minutes – click here
• Financial audit report – click here
• 2023 Annual Report – click here

Please note only current Connecting Country members can vote in the AGM. To become a member or renew your membership – click here

If you have any questions, please email info@connectingcountry.org.au

Thank you to the State Government of Victoria for their funding support and ‘Habitat Trees for Phascogales’ project.

2023 Great Southern BioBlitz November 24-27

Posted on 9 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

The Buzz project: iNaturalist workshop success

Posted on 6 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wilderhoods: rewilding urban neighbourhoods presentation

Posted on 2 November, 2023 by Hadley Cole

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

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

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

When: Saturday 11 November 2023, 10.00am

Where: Maldon Community Centre, Francis St. Maldon VIC

Cost: Free

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

No bookings required.

‘Surviving to thriving: Phascogale learnings’ with Dr Jess Lawton, and AGM 2023

Posted on 26 October, 2023 by Ivan

Please join us for this special free event on Saturday 18 November 2023 at 11.00 am for brief AGM formalities, our special guest presenter and a yummy lunch. We are thrilled to have Dr Jess Lawton, former Connecting Country superstar, present the findings from her recent PhD study into Phascogales and how we can take action to help them thrive once again.

The presentation event is part of a larger project, ‘Habitat trees for Phascogales’, which aims to provide habitat stepping stones for the Brush-tailed Phascogale and other native fauna by protecting and enhancing large old trees in the landscape, particularly in grazing land.

Dr Jess Lawton is an ecologist with a passion for understanding the threats facing native fauna and ecosystems, and how we can take action to address these issues. Jess was the Connecting Country Monitoring Coordinator for the past five years and is one of the leading knowledge brokers on citizen science and monitoring our landscapes and wildlife. Jess has recently submitted her PhD thesis at LaTrobe University, where she studied our wonderful Brush-Tailed Phascogale. She relishes collaborative ecological work and is passionate about empowering communities to conserve and recover local biodiversity. Jess loves exploring the outdoors, playing music and camping.

When: Saturday 18 November 2022 at 11.00 am

Where: Guildford Community Hall, 30 Fryers St Guildford

Everyone is welcome!

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

AGM formalities

The following Connecting Country AGM 2023 documents are available for download:

• Committee nomination form – click here
• Proxy voting form – click here
• AGM 2022 minutes – click here
• Financial audit report – click here
• 2023 Annual Report – click here

Please note only current Connecting Country members can vote in the AGM. To become a member or renew your membership – click here

If you have any questions, please email info@connectingcountry.org.au

Thank you to the State Government of Victoria for their funding support and ‘Habitat Trees for Phascogales’ project.

Reminder: Shaking the shed for Connecting Country: Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October 2023

Posted on 24 October, 2023 by Ivan

This week is our week fundraising at Shedshaker Brewing’s Keg for Good: Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October 2023. Hopefully, we see a few of you there! 

How would you like to enjoy a tasty pale ale and support Connecting Country at the same time? Shedshaker Brewing’s Keg for Good is a new initiative aimed at providing local groups with a valuable fundraising opportunity, simply by having a beer!

Sales of the Frailty Pale Ale on the two designated nights are donated to a different group each month. So far, Shedshaker has donated money to Red Box Animal Shelter, Castlemaine Community House’s Food Pantry and Mount Alexander Animal Welfare (MAAW), with Connecting Country being the next recipient of the big fundraising opportunity.

Visit Shedshaker Brewing and support Connecting Country on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October 2023. We are hoping the sun is shining and the weather sweet and a few supporters can get down and enjoy a well-deserved beer!

Opened in April 2016 at the Mill complex in northern Castlemaine, the Taproom is open six days a week serving delicious beverages, yummy food, outstanding live music and beaucoup conviviality. A big thanks to Shedshaker for making this happen, we hope you can enjoy an ale for us and enjoy all that we both have to offer.

The Hidden Life of Skinks with Dr. Anna Senior

Posted on 16 October, 2023 by Hadley Cole

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

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

When: Tuesday 17 October, 7.30pm

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

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

Mount Skink. Image by Gayle Osborne.

Unveiling the Feathered Five’s Fading Symphony

Posted on 3 October, 2023 by Ivan

Three of our region’s Feathered Five are now listed as threatened. We have partnered with Birdlife Castlemaine District to deliver a series of blog posts describing these species, why they are threatened, and what we can do to support the conservation of these species into the future.

Extinction is a modern issue

The word extinction may evoke thoughts of the Wooly Mammoth or the Dodo. But in Australia, extinction is very much a contemporary issue. Currently 39 Australian mammal, and 22 bird species, are extinct; a further 154 birds are threatened with extinction. There are very recent, examples of extinctions. The Christmas Island Pipistrelle, a native bat, was last recorded in 2009 and formally declared extinct in 2019. Australia has also recently experienced its first documented reptile extinction. The Christmas Island Forest Skink went from being abundant and common up until the late 1990s to officially declared extinct in 2017. The last one died in captivity in 2014 less than five months after Australian legislation finally listed the species as endangered.  Climate change represents a real and serious threat; the Bramble Cay Melomys, a bright-eyed native rodent, was declared extinct in 2014, likely due to rising sea levels impacting its island habitat. To date, there have been 100 extinctions in Australia since European colonisation (click here).

Our Famous (Feathered) Five… but for how long?

Just a few months ago, three of our beloved Feathered Five: the Diamond Firetail, the Hooded Robin (south-eastern), and the Brown Treecreeper (south-eastern), were listed under the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This means that the birds are now protected under federal legislation, but the declines that lead to these listings raises concerns about the status of these species into the long term.

Male Hooded Robin along Mia Mia Track. Photo: Geoff Park

What can you do? Conservation action in the Mount Alexander area

When a species is listed as threatened under the EPBC Act, the Australian Government develops a conservation advice document. These are intended to guide recovery planning and identify actions required for conservation and recovery of the species. For detailed information, you can read the conservation advice on the Diamond Firetail (click here), Brown Treecreeper (click here), and Hooded Robin (click here).

We would be devastated if our beloved Feathered Five slipped away and are hopeful that the listing of these species prompts wider conservation action. The listing of these species has prompted our friends and project partners, Birdlife Castlemaine District, to hold a meeting and consider what local actions could be undertaken to preserve these species. Into the future, we will be working with Birdlife Castlemaine District to seek funding support for these species, and to continue to raise the profile of these important species and do our best to conserve them.

An adult Diamond Firetail resting in a gum tree, note the finch beak. Photo: Geoff Park

Birdlife Castlemaine District have proposed the following simple, practical actions that landholders can take to help protect these special birds:

• Plant and retain locally indigenous shrubs and native grasses, and – importantly – allow them to go to seed, to provide food for seed-eating birds. Many gardens in the area already have wallaby grass – rather than mowing them, let them go to seed. Indigenous seeds are available from the Castlemaine Seed Library for a select number of species.
• Insects are also an important food source for some of the Feathered Five species, so plant local, insect-attracting plants. Reduce spraying of garden pests such as aphids.
• Provide water for birds and consider using water sources that hang to reduce predation from cats at bird baths.

Keep cats inside – see the Safe Cat website for information on how to keep cats (and wildlife) safe.

Brown Treecreeper need a variety of native trees and shrubs to forage and nest. Photo Geoff Park

Farewell Jess Lawton: thanks for all the birds

Posted on 2 October, 2023 by Ivan

We recently said ‘goodbye’ to our much-loved Monitoring Coordinator, colleague and friend, Jess Lawton. Jess has been an incredible asset to Connecting Country over the past (nearly) four years. She has provided inspiration and dedication to the role and will be missed by the community, landowners and citizen scientists with whom she managed and shared her passion, vision and wisdom. Her commitment to the monitoring program was a juggling act, with Jess managing the bird monitoring program and also the nestbox program. Jess’s efforts have made a huge difference to the local landscape, citizen scientists and the broader community.

We wish Jess all the very best in her new role at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Federal Government) and are thrilled she will stay involved as a Connecting Country volunteer and supporter. Thanks also to all the landowners and volunteers who have supported Jess during this time. She will also give a talk at our upcoming AGM on her favourite topic, her deep love for the Brush-tailed phascogale. Stay tuned!

Photo: Jess and Jeremy in the rain, checking nest boxes. Connecting Country.

Jess at her volunteer thank you event. Photo: Lou Citroen

As one-star bird moves to another landscape, another arrives. We have been very fortunate to recruit a new Monitoring Coordinator – another local talent – Anna Senior. We welcome Anna with open arms and her talents from far and wide.

Introducing Anna

Anna is a terrestrial ecologist with experience working in environmental management for state government and private sectors throughout eastern Australia. She has a passion for the conservation of lesser-known species, particularly reptiles. Her PhD explored the conservation biology and ecology of some of Victoria’s rarest lizards; the Guthega skink, mountain skink and swamp skink. 

Anna lives in Castlemaine with her partner and enjoys tending her garden and looking after her ever-growing menagerie. Anna is based at Connecting Country on Mondays to Thursdays. 

Anna has been supporting various projects at Connecting Country over the past eighteen months and is the perfect fit for the role of Monitoring Coordinator.

We are super-excited to have Anna on board, please say hello to Anna via her email or touch base if you would like to volunteer for our monitoring program: anna@connectingcountry.org.au

Mapping large old trees: let’s celebrate and protect these beauties!

Posted on 28 September, 2023 by Ivan

It has been a little over a year since we announced the arrival of our new mapping portal, aimed at helping community citizen scientists map the old, and often large, trees of Central Victoria.

We have been excited to see the database entries feed in over the past 12 months and we have now reached 25 large old trees entered into the portal. The majority of the entries have been around the Maldon, Welshmans Reef, Chewton, Castlemaine and Guildford areas, with a variety of citizen scientists taking some excellent photos and providing data about the tree species, age, height and habitat values. A special mention must go to Bev Phillips from Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA), who entered a whopping 15 trees into the database. Well done, and a massive thank you, Bev, for your persistence and love for our landscape.

We thought it would be timely to publish the photos entered into the mapping portal so far, to highlight the diverse range of large old trees across our landscape. Interestingly, all of the 25 entries are Eucalyptus species, which are usually the tallest trees in the local landscape. We would love to see some other species mapped and entered, such as the Casuarinas, Acacias, Banksias, Bursarias and other local midstory species.

Please enjoy the images below, captured by our keen citizen scientists over the past 12 months.

The interactive mapping portal is part of Connecting Country’s larger project, ‘Regenerate before it’s too late‘ , engaging the community in the importance of old trees and how to protect them.  Over the next two years (2024-2025), we will continue to host community workshops and develop engagement resources. We will also help local landholders with practical on-ground actions to protect their large old trees and ensure the next generation of large old trees across the landscape.

How to map and enter old trees in our mapping portal

We are asking the community, including landholders, Landcarers and land managers, to map their favourite old trees across our region. Anyone can access Connecting Country’s new online mapping portal. The portal uses BioCollect, an advanced but simple-to-use data collection tool developed by the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) and its collaborators. BioCollect helps users collect field biodiversity data for their own projects, while allowing the data to be easily copied into the ALA, where it can be publicly available for others to use in research, policy and management. This allows individual projects to collectively contribute to science across Australia.

The mapping portal is now open for any community member to record the old trees in your area. You will need to register with the Atlas of Living Australia (its easy and free), then upload a photo and enter the field details needed for the survey. The portal will ask you simple questions about the tree location, size, species, age (if known), health status and habitat value.

To record your large old tree, or view the field survey questions and required measurements – click here

By recording large old trees, you will help build our understanding of the large old trees in our region and contribute to the largest biodiversity database in our country. As the database grows, you can also access the portal to learn about other wonderful large old trees in our area and view the photos.

We are most grateful to the generous project support from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation. The foundation aims ‘To encourage and support organisations that are capable of responding to social and ecological opportunities and challenges.’ To learn more about Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation – click here

Large old tree walk: with Uncle Rick Nelson

Posted on 13 September, 2023 by Ivan

Connecting Country is thrilled to announce we are teaming up with Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation to deliver a cultural walk through the majestic large old trees at Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park in Golden Point, VIC. Come along and learn about these centuries-old trees, their cultural importance to the Dja Dja Wurrung people and the important role they play for biodiversity.

Our very special guest speaker is Dja Dja Wurrung Elder, Uncle Rick Nelson. He is a cultural advisor for the community on various matters for the Dja Dja Wurrung.  Uncle Rick will take us on a guided walk, showing us some of the large old trees that sit quietly in our landscape and sharing their cultural significance.  We are super excited to have his knowledge for this experience.

This is a free event for limited numbers, with lunch provided, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

The cultural walk is part of Connecting Country’s larger project, ‘Regenerate before it’s too late‘ aimed at engaging with the community about the importance of old trees and how to protect them. Over the next two years, we will develop engagement resources such as the old tree mapping portal, community events and an educational video. We will also help local landholders with practical on-ground actions to protect their large old trees and ensure the next generation of large old trees across the landscape.

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

We are most grateful for our generous project support from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation. The foundation aims ‘To encourage and support organisations that are capable of responding to social and ecological opportunities and challenges.’ To learn more about Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation – click here

Learn more about Nalderun: Click here

Calling all nature lovers: iNaturalist workshop Friday 6 October

Posted on 13 September, 2023 by Ivan

It’s here! We are excited to present our much-anticipated workshop on how to use and benefit from the iNaturalist biodiversity platform. As part of ‘The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of Central Victoria’, Connecting Country is hosting an iNaturalist workshop on Friday 6 October 2023 in Castlemaine, VIC. Local naturalist and Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club member Euan Moore will hold the workshop and will cover a range of skills including;

• How to set up an iNaturalist account and profile
• How to upload photos to iNaturalist 
• How to reach out to naturalists and scientists on iNaturalist to confirm, verify or identify your sightings

iNaturalist is a wonderful online platform that allows all curious citizen scientists to record sightings and identify all kinds of species including, insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, plants, sea life, coral, and fungi. Species that are identified and verified are added to a sweep of data that is collected and recorded not only on iNaturalist but also to the Atlas of Living Australia. Recording data is vital in conservation management. If we know what is out there then we can make the best decisions on how to restore and protect biodiversity across the country!

iNaturalist is a nonprofit social network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity.

Walking Together – Cultural Literacy

Posted on 11 September, 2023 by Ivan

Please enjoy this wonderful article from our friends and project partners at Nalderun. The article was written by Floria Maschek, an ally and member of Friends of Nalderun (FoN). Nalderun is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”.

Walking together – cultural literacy

I gaze across the historic Monster Meeting site by Forest Creek in Chewton, the view to the creek unbroken. Now a bumpy, grassy landscape, I imagine what was once likely a forest, once likely sheep trodden paddocks, and once a tortured ‘honeycombed’ ‘moonscape’. New plantings are growing along the water’s edge where it curves away. Many know this area as ‘upside down country’, a reference to the gold diggings. A digger’s flag flaps noisily in rainy gusts, marking a place and time, an important rebellion that shaped Australian democracy, a triumph …but this place speaks about more…

Here is a merging of histories, futures, the present; those of the First Peoples, the squatters, the digger’s, those after, here now and to come. Standing between the mountains I know as Liyanganuk Banyul, Dharrang Gauwa, Lalkambuk, Gurutjang, I’m conscious of a teaching as ancient as local volcanic rumblings. Country is always connected to all points of time. I wander and wonder in Djaara Country – Djandak.

A sign drew me here – wood, metal, laminate. ‘Womin-dji-ka’ is written in large, friendly lettering. Commonly interpreted as ‘welcome’, a more literal translation is ‘to come – (an instruction of) I am asking you to come – purpose’. Included are further words in Dja Dja Wurrung (‘Wurrung’ – speaking/language/ tongue). The new sign, with its old pictures and ancient words, is a sign of living culture and change. A QR code links me to a video of a traditional Welcome to Country.

This continent is home to more than 250 Traditional First Nations languages and about 800 dialects. Indigenous languages were banned, lost through many violent and systemic acts of colonisation. Increasingly traditional languages, knowledge and culture are embraced. First People are rediscovering and sharing their heritage. There are nuances to the term ‘literacy’. Cultural literacy means that we better understand beautiful and complex traditional systems, empowered by orality.

From story, song, local seasons, life cycles, soil, fire practices, to kinship, art, the reading of the stars and the spaces between…Everything can be read with diverse ways of knowing.

Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi artist and activist Lynnice Church says

‘Language is part of our songlines, stories, spirituality, law, culture, identity and connection. Language transfers important knowledge passed down from our Ancestors and Elders that guides us.’

Indigenous Literacy Day is on September 6th. When I first considered literacy as a topic, I felt uncomfortable for reasons not yet entirely clear to me. Discomfort had something to tell me. As I listened, it slowly dissolved.

I once heard Aunty Julie McHale give a teaching. Not just a story – as was made very clear by this much respected Elder. It had survived since little Lalkambuk was a fiery active volcano. Importantly, I learnt that teachings are told in a way that is relational to the listener. Everything I’ve learned about First Nations cultures shows they are deeply adaptive and relational. It is not without reason that they are the oldest continuous cultures on earth.

The QR code is a modern portal for sharing cultural traditions. New technologies are often embraced with ingenuity by First Peoples as they share in their cultural ways. I am learning about the complexities of language sharing at an interesting time.

First Nations communities can more freely explore and restore language and culture now, but this process of restoration is a sensitive, gradual one. Respect means we honour these processes by embracing First Peoples agency, listening carefully, particularly to local Elders. As respect grows, so too will our cultural literacy. As we better read and look after Country, it is better able to sustain all who walk here.

I am learning from First Nations educators, importantly Djaara. Special mention to Harley Dunnoly-Lee, Djaara Elders and non First Nations people living locally – Lynne Kelly and Vic Say.

To learn more:

Djaara – learn more about Dja Dja Wurrung, the Djaara and Djandak: Click Here

Boorp Boorp Boondyil

A permanent, award winning, interactive exhibition produced by Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson continuing the legacy of his late father Elder Uncle Brien Nelson. Mount Alexander Shire Council, and SharingStories Foundation, Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation and St. Peters Primary School were essential partners. Castlemaine Visitor Centre.

Floria Maschek is an ally and member of Friends of Nalderun (FoN). FoN members are guided by Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation and are diverse individuals and representatives of many local community networks, supporting Nalderuns visions and work. Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation supports the Aboriginal Community and is led by Aboriginal people while providing many learning and cultural opportunities to the broader community. Nalderun is a Dja Dja Wurrung word meaning “all together”.

More information can be found at www.nalderun.net.au

Caring for old paddock trees: best practice

Posted on 11 September, 2023 by Ivan

Why protect paddock trees?

Paddock trees are often the oldest and most valuable habitat elements in agricultural landscapes. When paddock trees are cleared, it takes generations to replace the habitat they provided, including the insects and abundant nectar for birds and mammals, thick bark with cracks and crevices for microbats and small reptiles, and hollows for many significant species.

Paddock trees provide great habitat for travelling birds and wildlife between larger tracts of habitat. Photo: CC

Even standing dead trees, fallen branches and leaf litter offer valuable resources and should be retained wherever possible. Many paddock trees across our region are suffering die-back caused by old age, pests and disease, nutrient loading, soil compaction and lack of protection from intensive agricultural practices. These valuable giants are disappearing from our farming landscapes, often with no younger trees to replace them. However, we can take action to protect paddock trees to extend their life, and establish future generations.

How do we protect paddock trees?

• Fence off paddock trees from stock and machinery where possible, including space around them to promote natural regeneration.
• Incorporate existing paddock trees into revegetation plantings to improve the health of paddock trees and habitat value of revegetation.
• Leave dead paddock trees standing if possible – they contain cracks, crevices and hollows for wildlife such as microbats, and perching sites for birds of prey, parrots and water birds.
• Install stock-proof guards around young trees within paddocks if fencing is not feasible.
• Reduce grazing pressure: When native vegetation is browsed heavily, plants struggle to flower or set seed, and they have less habitat value. Grazing pressure also creates soil compaction and increased nutrient loads from manure.

A magnificent large Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) with young, successional trees growing in a fenced off area. Photo: CC

The importance of remnant vegetation

As most of our region was cleared for mining, timber and agriculture, any remaining native vegetation is extremely valuable for wildlife habitat and provides many on-farm benefits. Remnant vegetation is essentially indigenous plants growing in their natural environment. Protecting bush with lots of plant species and a complex structure is the highest priority. However, even a single large old tree, or a patch of native grasses or shrubs is worth protecting.

Revegetation is a valuable tool to increase species diversity, and expand or reconnect existing patches of bush to provide habitat for wildlife. However, the process of reestablishing high quality habitat in cleared areas is very labour-intensive and slow.

Large trees can take hundreds of years to grow and develop the tree hollows and create the fallen timber essential for many local wildlife species. Leaf litter can take decades to rebuild. Soil conditions in disturbed areas often favour weedy grass growth or inhibit growth of native plants, and some plant species are difficult to source or are unavailable.

Revegetation of degraded woodlands with understory plants. Photo: Gen Kay

Protecting what native vegetation is already there, and providing the conditions for it to regenerate naturally, is much cheaper and easier than re-establishing it from scratch. Eucalypts and other plants often self-seed, and if protected from grazing animals and weed competition, can start to establish. It is far easier to protect areas of seedlings with plant guards or fencing than investing in the planning, site preparation, planting, and ongoing maintenance of revegetation.

And finally……leave rocks, logs, branches and leaf litter

Leave logs on the ground to provide important resources for fungi, insects, reptiles, frogs, birds and small mammals. Clearing up rocks, logs, branches and leaves will exclude many woodland animals by removing the habitat elements they depend on. It will create a simple habitat and favour animals that are already common in our towns and farms, like magpies, cockatoos, rabbits, foxes and hares.

The gorgeous Spotted pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus) searching for insects in the leaf litter and dead branches. Photo: Geoff Park

We all want to protect our properties from bushfire.  However, make sure you check the latest research and guidelines on fire hazard reduction. Some historical practices are now considered ineffective for fire control but highly damaging for the environment. For example, removing leaf litter creates bare ground which often encourages weed growth, creating its own fire hazard. If you do need to remove logs and branches for safety or access, consider moving them to another location where they can continue to provide habitat.

This factsheet is part of a larger project called ‘Regenerate before it’s too late‘ that engages the community about the importance of old trees and how to protect them.  We are most grateful for the generous project support from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation .  The foundation aims ‘To encourage and support organisations that are capable of responding to social and ecological opportunities and challenges.’ To learn more about Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation – click here

Revegetation in a changing climate captures audience

Posted on 4 September, 2023 by Ivan

On Tuesday 1 August 2023, over 60 people gathered at the Castlemaine Anglican Church Community Hall to hear excellent presentations from a variety of guest speakers addressing how we can plan revegetation in a changing climate for best success.  The strong mid-week, mid-winter audience heard from Sasha Jellinek (University of Melbourne), Oli Moraes from DJAARA and Tess Grieves from the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA). The evening was completed with a Q&A panel session to answer the audience’s questions and give reason for hope in the future. 

The overall learning and topics revolved around how we can use climate prediction modelling to consider future vegetation growth conditions and adapt current practices to future-proof our landscapes.

Lead guest speaker, Sasha Jellinek, covered where to find information on climate projections and future scenarios, as well as sourcing seeds from a mix of local and different bioregions, and how to make up this mix. Sasha is an experienced ecologist with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused on Ecology from the University of Melbourne and has worked across many fields.  He was involved in the production of Greening Australia’s ‘Establishing Victorias Ecological Infrastructure; A Guide to creating Climate Future Plots‘ which is a great resource for those embarking on this road.

Oli presented DJAARAs recently released Climate Change Strategy and talked about how we can approach revegetation projects using cultural knowledge and wisdom.  Tess provided a great overview of the NCCMAs climate resistance projects and how they have been incorporating climate change modelling into their project planning and implementation.

A highlight of the presentations was the passion, dedication and knowledge of all three guest speakers, and we thank them for sharing so that we can all start planning for future success.

The event was recorded by the wonderful Ally from Saltgrass Podcasts and will be available online soon.

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

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

Learn more:

For more information on climate future plots, see:

https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/climate-future-plots/

https://connectingcountry.org.au/what-is-a-climate-future-plot/