Secrets of the Maldon Historic Reserve
Posted on 25 January, 2017 by Asha
One of MULGA’s new exclusion plot signs
In 2015, photograph albums were uncovered in the archives of Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA) which spoke of mystery. The albums provided some limited information about plots which were established by MULGA and the Castlemaine Field Naturalists between 1993 and 2006. These plots were fenced to offer protection to both the existing native vegetation and future natural regeneration from damage by grazing animals. However, in 2015 the few MULGA members closely involved in the past exclosure work were no longer around to provide details on the locations of each plot. Current MULGA members searched far and wide using clues uncovered in the albums, and after lots of time and effort managed to locate all eleven exclosures. They then held a plant identification day in September 2015, where each plot was visited and photographed, and a plant identification list for each was made by Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives.
To start off 2017, members of MULGA ventured into the Maldon Historic Reserve to adorn the eleven plots with brand new signs. While setting up the signs, MULGA checked the fences surrounding each of the plots to make sure they were still intact and in good condition. It was also a great opportunity to explore these secluded bits of bush and do a bit of wildlife spotting, including lots of roos and one Marbled Gecko!
You can now find the locations and plant lists for the plots at MULGA’s new Connecting Country page dedicated to the project (CLICK HERE).
MULGA members setting up the new sign on the Wattle Gully plot
MULGA’s new signs for their plots were funded by the Mount Alexander Shire Council Community Grants Program. Applications for the current round of this funding are now open again until 4.00 pm on 17th February 2017. CLICK HERE to see our recent blog post with more information.
Save the date for weeds and rabbits – Wednesday 5th April 2017
Posted on 25 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
Save the date for the Agriculture Victoria Weeds and Rabbits Workshop, which will be held on Wednesday 5th April 2017 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). At the workshop they will review the learnings from systems mapping exercise and deliberate on strategies to support community action and guide future investment in established invasive species in Victoria. Arrangements will be made to cover costs of volunteers.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION – SHARE YOUR STORY
Agriculture Victoria are seeking to connect with all people involved in blackberry, gorse, serrated tussock or rabbits pest management and invite you to share your story – private and public land managers, pest controllers, scientists, environmental consultants, farmers, business owners, people from government, industry and not-for-profits, people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
What motivates you to manage blackberry, gorse, serrated tussock or rabbits? What hinders your effort? What are your ideas for community action to manage blackberry, gorse, serrated tussock or rabbits? Got a picture to accompany your story?
Log on here, www.weedsandrabbits.com, it’s easy. Have a go or see what other people are saying.
For more information contact:
Agriculture Victoria Weeds and Rabbits Workshop Organisers
Phone: 1300 792 466
Email: reception@icms.com.au
10-11 February 2017 – Local plant and weaving workshop at Guildford Winery
Posted on 19 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
The good folk at the Guildford Winery have asked Connecting Country to share details of their up coming Local Plant Weaving Workshop with Marilyne Nicholls. Marilyne is a renowned master weaver and generational Indigenous weaver, with extensive environmental knowledge about sedges and other plants. She is a member of the Victorian Aboriginal Weaving Collective with a strong Aboriginal traditional kinship connections to Victorian lands and to South Australian lands through her parents.
This two day workshop will explore the symbiotic relationships or biological alliances formed between people, culture, grasses, sedges and different species of birds and insects. Participants will learn how symbiotic relationships are important to Australian weaving traditions and how this in turn promotes wild species biodiversity conservation. Knowledge about local plants and different weaving techniques will be taught by Marilyne.
Details as follows:
When: Friday 10th and Saturday 11th February 2017 – 10am to 4pm
Where: Guildford Vineyard, 6720 Midland Highway, Guildford
Cost: $240 for two days or $120 for one day. This amount is inclusive of plant material, lunch at the Cellar Door, morning/afternoon teas for vegetarians/vegans/yogic.
Numbers are limited, to secure your place, pay full amount or pay deposit for $60 for each day you’d like to attend. The deposit is non refundable.
To book please contact:
Email: guildfordvineyard@bigpond.com
Phone:54764457 or Mobile: 0411253506
For more info: www.guildfordvineyard.com.au
Spring/Summer Land for Wildlife newsletter
Posted on 18 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
Don’t miss the 2016 Spring/Summer edition of the Land for Wildlife newsletter. This great newsletter is full of informative stories from around the state by landholders and managers involved with the the Land for Wildlife program and makes for fun Summer reading. Please click on the banner below to view the latest edition.
Click here to subscribe and receive the Land for Wildlife newsletter by email.
2017 Mount Alexander Shire Council Community Grants Program- Now Open!
Posted on 18 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
The Mount Alexander Shire Council Community Grants Program provides support to local community-based projects and initiatives that align with Council’s goals and priorities. The council has notified us that the current round of funding is open for applications from 16th January 2017 and closes at 4.00 pm on 17th February 2017. These grants through council can be a great assistance to community groups in our area.
Information sessions are being held to give groups an opportunity to discuss their applications with Council representatives:
– Tuesday 31 January 2017, 10.00am – 11.00am, Maldon Neighbourhood Centre
– Tuesday 31 January 2017, 4.30pm – 5.30pm, Ray Bradfield Room, Castlemaine
– Wednesday 1 February 2017, 10.00am – 11.00am, Ray Bradfield Room, Castlemaine
Online applications can be made for the council grants via SmartyGrants once the funding round opens.
Download the Program Guidelines.
Council has also let us know that a Microsoft Word version of the application form is available for those unable to complete the application online.
For more information about the Community Grants Program, or for a Word version of the form, please call council on 5471 1744 or email grants@mountalexander.vic.gov.au.
Great guide from the CSIRO for monitoring your restoration efforts
Posted on 16 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
In the spirit of sharing useful information for people involved and interested in conservation and land management, we’ve recently been made aware that the CSIRO have released their fantastic guide, ‘Checking for Change: A practical guide to checking whether sites newly managed for conservation are on track to improve’. CLICK HERE to view this free guide or look under the ‘Resources’ tab on the CSIRO ‘bio-collect – Checking for Change’ website (click here).
Their website also has a range of other resources, including field sheets to record data from your work sites. You can then enter the results of your assessments into the online form on this project website hosted by the Atlas of Living Australia.
It’s a great resource for those getting started or looking for ways to tweek their monitoring program.
For further information, Connecting Country also have lots of great resources about monitoring for environmental change on our website.
Local winners of 2016 Kookaburra Awards
Posted on 12 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
The 2016 Parks Victoria Kookaburra Awards were recently announced (click here), and excitingly there were two local recipients. Connecting Country would like to congratulate the Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee who were awarded the Conserving Special Places Award for their wide-ranging efforts to control invasive Wheel Cactus around the Maldon area and beyond. We would also like to congratulate Marie Jones who was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for the huge contribution to public land management she has made in our area over many years through her involvement with Golden Point Landcare, Chewton Domian Society, Friends of the Box Ironbark Forest and Connecting Country, to name a few.
Held every second year the Parks Victoria Kookaburra Awards aim to:
- Recognise and honour individuals and groups who have made an outstanding voluntary contribution to the Victorian park system.Raise awareness of the extent and importance of community involvement in the Parks Victoria estate.
- Encourage community involvement in the future development and conservation and use of the park system.
Well done everyone! It’s always great to see local people recognised for their effort and beautiful enthusiasm.
Congratulations to the Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee on receiving a Parks Victoria Kookaburra Award.
CC events in 2017 – it’s going to be a big one!
Posted on 10 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country runs a dedicated education and engagement program each year. Our program aims to provide a local platform for the sharing of information, practical skills and inspiration with a focus on plant and animal monitoring, environmental management and habitat restoration across the Mount Alexander region. 2017 is no exception. We already have more than 10 activities planned and are so pleased to be collaborating on these with community members and a variety of partner organisations.
CLICK HERE for more details on activities we currently have planned for 2017. Some of the highlights will be the Camp Out on the Mount event on the weekend of the 1st-2nd April and look out for the Water in our Landscape workshop series in late April-early May.
Volunteers at the Landcare Camp Out on the Mount 2014
You can also keep in touch and make contributions and suggestions via our Connecting Country Facebook Page – do ‘like’ us!
Alternatively, you can also contact me at the Connecting Country office for more information about the Education and Engagement program on 5472-1594 or naomi@connectingcountry.org.au.
I look forward to seeing you at one or more of our events in 2017.
Naomi Raftery
Engagement Coordinator
Nature News January 2017 – Reconnecting at the Res
Posted on 9 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
For this month’s Nature News (on page 17 of the January 3rd edition in the Midland Express), Connecting Country’s Naomi Raftery and Golden Point local and photographer, John Ellis, have teamed up to share their appreciation and knowledge about one of the region’s most loved summer places, the Expedition Pass Reservoir.
The first time I swam in the Expedition Pass Reservoir or ‘the Res’ was about ten years ago. I’m from the sea and so this large body of cold and dark fresh water was intimidating to say the least. I talked myself through imaginary, unseen creatures and kept going back, often at night jumping into the water as it reflected the stars on its surface and made me think I was jumping into the universe.
The Expedition Pass Reservoir is a great public place to connect with nature, especially in summer. Photo: John Ellis
Expedition Pass Reservoir sits in the pass named by Major Mitchell when he led his expedition through the hills in 1836. The reservoir was built in 1868 and is fed from Forest Creek and was supplemented by the Malmsbury-Bendigo water race – a feat of engineering in its day. The Res is a special place, especially in summer. On long hot days it provides many different people with a cool, free place for a dip. The Res becomes a true meeting place, for all types of people.
Murnong (Microseris walteri) in flower, seed and spent blossom. One of the wild flowers you might see at the Res in Spring. Photo: John Ellis
My appreciation of the place has deepened over the years. I still really like swimming there but will often venture to the bank opposite the car park to walk the less crowded side of the slopes. I enjoy exploring the spring wildflowers with my local flora guide and feeling the hum of life whizzing around me as the beautifully coloured dragonflies zoom past often closely followed by super fast Welcome Swallows. Once, I woke from a nap in the bush to find myself nose to short beak with a pretty surprised Echidna who then, endearingly, looked to be trying to dig its way to China in an attempt to get away.
Over the last 21 years Golden Point Landcare has initiated many enhancements to the local environment near the Res on both public and private land. This work has required strong partnerships with the government agencies who manage the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. Their work makes the Expedition Pass Reservoir an important part of a corridor for animals, humans and otherwise to use, live in and love.
The Expedition Pass Reservoir is a shining example of how important it is that our local public land be managed effectively so as to provide a place for people to connect with nature and themselves.
You can pick up an ‘Indigenous Plants of Castlemaine and Surrounds’ flora guide for a gold coin donation at the Connecting Country office at the Hub office 14, 233b Barker St, Castlemaine (Enter glass door on Templeton St).
2017 Autumn Fungus Workshops and Forays with Alison Pouliot
Posted on 9 January, 2017 by Connecting Country
Discover the curiosities and delights of the fungal kingdom this coming autumn through a variety of seminars, workshops and forays with the wonderful Alison Pouliot. CLICK HERE for the full details of each of the events listed below. (Note: These workshops are run by Alison, and are not official Connecting Country events).
SUNDAY 16 APRIL 2017 (EASTER SUNDAY) – TRENTHAM, VIC – Fungi in Focus – Photographic Field Day
MONDAY 17 APRIL 2017 (EASTER MONDAY) – TRENTHAM, VIC – Wild Desires – Fungus Foray in the Wombat Forest
SATURDAY 23 APRIL 2017– GELLIBRAND, VIC – Wild Desires – A Forest Foray in the Otway Forests
TUESDAY 25 APRIL 2017 – GELLIBRAND, VIC – Anzac Day Mushroom Hunt
FRIDAY 28 APRIL 2017 – WOODEND, VIC – A Foray Among the Funguses of Ard Choille Heritage Garden
SATURDAY 29 APRIL 2017 – WOODEND, VIC – A Foray Among the Funguses of Ard Choille Heritage Garden
SUNDAY 30 APRIL 2017 – KYNETON, VIC – Discovering the Fungal Curiosities of Bald Hill Reserve
TUESDAY 2 MAY 2017 – BACCHUS MARSH, VIC – Photographic Field Day – Fungi in Focus
FRIDAY 5 MAY 2017 – NEERIM SOUTH, VIC – The Fungi – An Introduction to a Curious Kingdom
SATURDAY 13 MAY 2017 – MELBOURNE, VIC – The Fungi – An Introduction to a Curious Kingdom
FRIDAY 9 JUNE 2017 – CRESWICK, VIC – Meeting with Mushrooms – Fungus Identification Workshop and Foray
SATURDAY 10 JUNE 2017 – CRESWICK, VIC – Meeting with Mushrooms – Fungus Identification Workshop and Foray
SUNDAY 11 JUNE 2017 – BARINGHUP, VIC – The Fungi – An Introduction to a Curious Kingdom
For further information and bookings, please contact Alison directly at alison@alisonpouliot.com.
Merry Christmas from Connecting Country – our 2016 wrap and our 2017 plans
Posted on 22 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
2016 has been an exciting year for Connecting Country staff and committee of management. We have been busy helping landholders with on-ground works, supporting landcare, monitoring populations of plants and animals and engaging with our community of amazing supporters, members and volunteers. We are all so proud to have had the opportunity to work with the people and environment across the Mount Alexander region to do all of these activities.
In 2016 we focused on raising the profile of woodland birds and growing our partnerships with fellow organisations. This enabled us to work cooperatively with the Friends of Box Ironbark Forests, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Parks Victoria, Castlemaine Festival of Gardens, Castlemaine Agricultural Society and of course lots of our local landholders and volunteers. We would like to thank all involved and our project funders over the last twelve months.
We have also been planning for our future and 2017 promises to be as invigorating. We currently have ten projects on the go and look forward to continue rolling them out into the New Year. We are particularly looking forward to the Camp Out on the Mount event, celebrating the achievements of the the Connecting Landscapes program which concludes in June and a workshop series around Water in our Landscape. Watch this space to find out more!
We have created a snapshot from 2016 events and activities in the gallery below, see if you can see you!
PS. Please note our office will be closed from the 24th of December 2016 until the 3rd of January 2016.
Frogmouths at Francies
Photo by Damian Kelly
Blue Pincushions galore in Spring
Tanya and Krista meeting some goats
Naomi and Marie with the Chewton PS student leaders at the schools Landcare day
A Tuan helped at the Castlemaine show
Even white chocolate lilies
Chris Tzaros talks birds
Tanya and Sean Dooley
Krista talking up the Feathered Five
Barking gecko (Photo by Alison Pouliot)
Asha talking up Landcare
Our local expert speakers at our AGM
Peppered Rock Shield Photo Bronwyn Silver
Soil tests help us with the big picture
The local Green Army Team
Andrew and Phil inspire the crowd
The Sticky Beak Tour was fun!
Our beautiful bush! Photo by Janet Barker
Tanya’s Birdwatching group
Landcare link-up in February
Fences for wildlife corridors
Art works from our youngest nature lovers
Hooded Robins by Hannah Vellacott
The Farm Field Day at the Holy Goat Farm
Direct seeding lines
Five sweet sugar gliders
Asha out checking nest boxes with Chewton Primary School kids.
Bonnie behind the wet weather buggy
2016 works crew, Luke, Rachel, Anna and Alex
New weeds brochure
Bonnie with landholders
Milkmaids make us so happy!
2016 bird monitoring – painting a picture of our woodland birds
Posted on 19 December, 2016 by Tanya Loos
People most often ask – how are the birds doing? Are there more birds, and more ‘good’ birds as we have revegetated the landscape? This is a really valid question, and the reason why we have put so much time and energy into our monitoring programs. It is a difficult question to answer. But we can say that we now know more than EVER before about the distribution of woodland birds across the landscape. Monitoring began in 2010, and has combined both an in-house program (click here) and our citizen science program (click here).
I am just about to export some 8,473 bird records to BirdLife Australia, as part of our data-sharing agreement. These records are from the period May 27, 2015 to November 11, 2016. This means the BirdLife Australia Bird Atlas is about to get a large injection of information from this part of the world – including 406 surveys carried out by myself, and 91 surveys from our Group Sites and landholder citizen science program. Well done team! This data gives us valuable information on how our woodland birds are faring across the landscape – including their distribution, and a beginning of an idea about their population sizes.
In this fascinating map above, we can see the distribution of the Brown Treecreeper. The white circles show where surveys have been carried out and the Treecreepers were not recorded. The green coloured dots show that the Brown Treecreepers have been recorded there. The number next to the dot shows not the number of individual birds but occurrences – so a number two means that any number of Brown Treecreepers have been recorded on two separate occasions. The large ovals are the priority habitat zones as identified in our Ten Year Woodland Bird Action Plan.
For more exciting information from our recent monitoring results – see our updated website page here.
These maps have been generated for each member of the feathered five – and Cara Byrt, our database expert extraordinaire has just re-jigged the database so that we can create similar maps for any bird species! If you would like a map similar to the map above of your favourite bird species – email Tanya Loos and she will be happy to oblige!
On a final note: whether you enjoy birdwatching in a group, on your own, or from the comfort of your own property – there is a place for you in our bird program! Please do not hesitate to get in touch either by email (tanya@connectingcountry.org.au) or calling the Connecting Country Office on 5472 1594.
Owlet-nightjar paparazzi at the Christmas break-up. A lot of fun!
The ultimate Christmas gift for a Little Habitat Hero
Posted on 14 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country is very excited that the Little Habitat Heroes fundraising effort has been so successful. We are thrilled to have now raised over $3700! This has inspired these beautiful mums to continue to raise funds for 500 plants to revegetate the former Silkworm Farm on Mount Alexander with a community planting planned in June next year. So, if you’re looking for a Christmas gift with a conscience, please lend your support to this great project by making a donation on your recipient’s behalf and giving them an environmentally friendly hug when you see them next. We really hope you do!
(L-R) The Little Habitat Heroes mums and bubs, Jodi, Ann Ferguson and Krista.
Little Habitat Heroes held a celebratory lunch on Monday the 12th of December 2016 in the Hub garden to give thanks to donors and supporters of the project so far. Recipient babies received a ceramic tree made by local artist Ann Ferguson and an illustration by Trace Balla in recognition of the money raised on their behalf.
Jodi Newcombe spoke about the project and was delighted to share their inspiring story. The group also listened to a beautiful song inspired by the project written by singer/songwriter Eva Popov. You can listen to it here.
2016 Works Crew – a big thank-you to all!
Posted on 14 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
Creating change on-ground is an essential part of what we do at Connecting Country. This year, we have worked with over 30 private landholders and groups to develop and implement projects that improve and connect habitat in the region. At the same time, we have provided natural resource management training to a crew who do our on-ground work.
Our annual works crew has seen a number of people involved this year and we’d like to thank them all for their effort and hard work. The crew started just after Easter with Alex Schipperen as crew leader and Anna Pike, Rachel Campbell and Luke Archer as crew members.
2016 Works Crew (L-R); Luke Archer, Rachel Campbell, Anna Pike and Alex Schipperen (crew leader).
Together, they fenced off remnant vegetation and creek lines, undertook weed and pest animal control and planted lots of plants. They learnt to cut and paint woody weeds and drill and fill pines while also receiving training and tickets in spraying and chainsaw use.
Rachel and Alex moved onto other positions about midyear and this made way for some fresh faces. Fritz Hammersly stepped into the role of crew-leader and Scott Woodman joined the crew. More recently, Anna left the crew as she gained employment with the summer fire crew.
2016 Works Crew following their thank-you breaky in Newstead last week. (L-R) Scott Woodman, Luke Archer and Fritz Hammersly
Connecting Country is proud to give this training and work opportunity to the young people in our area. When asked what his favourite part of being on the crew was, Luke replied “just being outside”.
Best wishes and thank-you to all from Connecting Country.
15th December 2016 – Monster Meeting of Miners celebration in Chewton
Posted on 12 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
Michael Smith recently walked from Chewton to Canberra to present to the Federal Parliament a bill about war powers in Australia.
The Chewton Domain Society have asked Connecting Country to share news of their annual celebration of the 1851 Monster Meeting of Miners at the original site at Golden Point Rd Chewton on the 15th December 2016. They will tell and sing the story of how the Diggers on the Forest Creek Goldfields set a path to democracy when they stood up to Governor La Trobe’s unfair gold licence fees. At this year’s celebration, author Robyn Annear will deliver a tribute to Connecting Country’s first president, the late Doug Ralph who was also the instigator of the modern celebrations of the Monster Meeting in 1995.
In 2016 there will be two additions to the Monster Meeting celebrations.
Firstly the site at Chewton where 15,000 miners peacefully gathered to defy the government and demand respect for their rights, has now been declared a Site of National Significance in the cultural history of Victoria, and nominated for addition to the Heritage Register.
This recognises that the Monster Meeting was a defining event that united individual gold seekers into a political force that became the Diggers and set a path to popular democracy in Australia. A path that led to miners’ defiance across the Victorian goldfields and culminated, three years later, at the Eureka Stockade.
Secondly, in keeping with the spirit and theme of democracy from the original 1851 meeting, this year the Monster Meeting celebrations will include a guest speaker who will talk about democracy today – in particular the issue of democracy and war.
That speaker is Chewton resident, Michael Smith. Michael recently walked from Chewton to Canberra to present to the Federal Parliament a bill about war powers in Australia. His bill proposes that any decision about whether our country becomes involved in a war should be made by the whole Parliament, not just by the Prime Minister as it is currently.
The MC will be Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky who, along with Danny Spooner and Tony Ryan, will be singing songs from the acclaimed Monster Meeting CD, and will pay tribute to one of the songwriters, the late Doug Owen.
CONTACT: For information Pat Healy – 0422 759 661.
Fare-thee-well to 2016 and Merry Christmas from CC staff and committee
Posted on 8 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
2016 has been an exciting year for Connecting Country staff and committee of management. We have been busy helping landholders with on-ground works, supporting landcare, monitoring populations of plants and animals and engaging with our community of amazing supporters, members and volunteers. We are all so proud to have had the opportunity to work with the people and environment across the Mount Alexander region to do all of these activities.
In 2016 we focused on raising the profile of woodland birds and growing our partnerships with fellow organisations. This enabled us to work cooperatively with the Friends of Box Ironbark Forests, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Parks Victoria, Castlemaine Festival of Gardens, Castlemaine Agricultural Society and of course lots of our local landholders and volunteers. We would like to thank all involved and our project funders over the last twelve months.
We have also been planning for our future and 2017 promises to be as invigorating. We currently have ten projects on the go and look forward to continue rolling them out into the New Year. We are particularly looking forward to the Camp Out on the Mount event, celebrating the achievements of the the Connecting Landscapes program which concludes in June and a workshop series around Water in our Landscape. Watch this space to find out more!
We have created a snapshot from 2016 events and activities in the gallery below, see if you can see you!
The Sticky Beak Tour was fun!
Our local expert speakers at our AGM
Asha talking up Landcare
Tanya and Sean Dooley
Bonnie behind the wet weather buggy
Blue Pincushions galore in Spring
A Tuan helped at the Castlemaine show
Chris Tzaros talks birds
Art works from our youngest nature lovers
Andrew and Phil inspire the crowd
Frogmouths at Francies
Photo by Damian Kelly
Tanya and Krista meeting some goats
Milkmaids make us so happy!
The Farm Field Day at the Holy Goat Farm
Direct seeding lines
Bonnie with landholders
Even white chocolate lilies
Fences for wildlife corridors
2016 works crew, Luke, Rachel, Anna and Alex
The local Green Army Team
Five sweet sugar gliders
Peppered Rock Shield Photo Bronwyn Silver
Tanya’s Birdwatching group
Hooded Robins by Hannah Vellacott
New weeds brochure
Landcare link-up in February
Naomi and Marie with the Chewton PS student leaders at the schools Landcare day
Barking gecko (Photo by Alison Pouliot)
Krista talking up the Feathered Five
Asha out checking nest boxes with Chewton Primary School kids.
Soil tests help us with the big picture
Our beautiful bush! Photo by Janet Barker
Fine food and owlet-nightjar magic at our December bird walk
Posted on 7 December, 2016 by Tanya Loos
Our last bird outing of 2016 was a little bit different – 17 of us met at Jane Rusden’s bush block at Campbells Creek. After a fairly humid walk, we returned to Jane’s home where she had prepared a incredibly delicious festive morning tea! But let’s talk about birds first – and, in particular, our thrilling sighting of a owlet-nightjar.
Jane and Martin’s property is 40 acres of heathy dry/ valley grassy forest that runs along a gully line. Their property was included in our 2016 Connecting Landscapes on ground works program, with weed and rabbit control, some planting and the erection of a number of exclosures to keep out hungry browsing wallabies. The property is a hotspot for woodland birds such as Australian Owlet-nightjar, Speckled Warbler and Painted Button-quail. In fact, on Monday Jane excitedly contacted us reporting an adult Painted Button-quail with three large chicks!
Our walk on the 4th December 2016 was rather quiet, with only 18 bird species observed over a couple of hours. We travelled up Hawkins Rd into the surrounding Castlemaine National Heritage Diggings Park, and then looped around to walk up the gully on Jane’s block. The highlight was when Greg Waddell called out to our group – an owlet-nightjar had been disturbed by our presence!
After being flushed-out, the owlet-nightjar returned to its cosy hollow in a broken off tree stag. Pic by Peter Turner.
The Australian Owlet-nightjar is a surprisingly small bird, and so special it is in a bird family all on its own! There is just the one species in Australia, and six species in Papua New Guinea. For many of us (including me!) it was the first time we had laid eyes on this enchanting bird.
The owlet-nightjar is considered to be a good indicator of ecosystem health – their penchant for using many small hollows tells us that there are plenty of hollows in that part of the bush.
Despite the forest being reasonably quiet we all had a chance to brush up on our bird calls – with many learning the calls of the Spotted Pardalote and the White-throated Treecreeper for the first time.
As we headed into the gully, some of us observed a Yellow-footed Antechinus – a quick glimpse of this small charismatic native mammal.
After our walk we returned to Jane’s. I was a little late as I had to get some feathered five maps from the car, and as I went up the stairs all I could hear was ecstatic ‘oohs and ahs’ at the food Jane had so kindly prepared!
The feast was our way to thank everyone for their participation on the monthly bird walks, and for sending in their bird sightings. The dairy-free Mango Celebration Cake, Lime Macadamia Balls and Fruit Cake were highlights and those who subscribe to the Bird Survey Enews will get the amazing cake recipe as requested!
Huge thanks to Jane for the feast and inviting us into her home, Greg Waddell for spotting the owlet-nightjar, and Peter Turner for photographing it! Thanks also to the Helen MacPherson Smith Trust who support our Stewards for Woodland Bird program.
Our monthly bird walks will continue in 2017 on the first Sunday of the month. Contact Tanya Loos for more information: tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or phone 5472 1594.
The Mount Alexander Council Plan – have your say!
Posted on 7 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
What do you love about living in Mount Alexander Shire? What are your aspirations and priorities for the shire over the next four years? The Mount Alexander Shire Council has asked Connecting Country to share the news that they are developing their four year Council Plan. You could help shape the Council Plan by contributing your views and by sharing the opportunity to contribute with your friends and networks.
There are a number of ways to get involved in this project. For more information please visit the website.
http://haveyoursay.mountalexander.com.au/council-plan2021
Nature News December 2016 – Lichens: Underrated Natural Wonders
Posted on 7 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
For this month’s Nature News, found on page 38 in this week’s Midland Express (6th December 2016), Bronwyn Silver, nature photographer and co-author of Eucalyptus of the Mount Alexander Region, shares her interest in the natural beauty and wonder of our local lichens.
Map Lichen (Rhizcarpon geographicum) Photo: Bronwyn Silver
I was originally attracted to lichens, especially ‘map’ lichens, because they looked so unusual. Map lichens (Rhizcarpon geographicum) come in many colours and often have intricate arrangements due to each lichen being surrounded by a black border and adjacent to another. Many of the rock surfaces tightly encrusted with map lichen look like aerial maps or abstract art works.
Unless you are watching out for this lichen, these subtle and often small formations can easily be overlooked. But once I became aware of their wonderful abstract qualities and sought them out, I found them to be quite common in our bushlands.
Then, when I did more research, I began to find lichens even more fascinating. Although they are sometimes confused with moss, lichens are unrelated to moss or any other plant. In fact, lichen can be regarded as a community rather than a single organism because it always consists of at least one species of alga and one species of fungus that grow together in a mutually beneficial relationship. The fungus provides protection and absorption of minerals and gains nutrients from its photosynthesizing partner in return.
Peppered Rock Shield lichen (Xanthoparmelia conspersa) resting on rock and moss (Triquetrella papillata) Photo: Bronwyn Silver
There are over 3000 known species of lichen in Australia; some are leafy, some are plant-like, and some are flat. Map lichen and other flat types are pretty much the same in all weather conditions. Other lichens are called ‘resurrection’ plants because they can switch off their metabolism and then fire up again when there is moisture.
The greatest threats to lichens are fire and pollution. However, the importance of conserving lichens is generally overlooked despite their many benefits for the environment. Like mosses, they can help with soil stabilization and the colonisation of barren environments. Some animals eat them, insects shelter in them, and people have used them for food, perfume, medicine and dyes. For example, traditionally lichens were used to produce the colours of Harris Tweed.
And very importantly they can enhance our aesthetic appreciation of the bush with their varied colours, unusual shapes and wonderful patterns on the surfaces of rocks, trees, leaves and soil.
If you would like to find out more about lichens a good place to start is the three engaging interviews with Tasmanian lichenologist, Gintaras Kantvilas, available on the ABC Science Show – click here.
Soils workshop with Katie, Hugh and NCCMA
Posted on 1 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
On Wednesday the 30th November 2016, Connecting Country was proud to partner with the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) to provide an soils health workshop as a extension to our Farm Field Day held in August. Sixteen attendees were taken through the soils guide which was developed by the NCCMA to help people to conduct tests on their soil to survey for soil health. Katie and Hugh Finlay, from the Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens, kindly hosted the event on their orchard in Harcourt and shared their understanding and land management practices in relation to soil health.
Mandy Coulson (NCCMA) and Martin Hamilton (Department of Agriculture) lead participants through the guide which aims to give landholders a quick and easy group of soil tests they can do on their patch. It’s intended that these results become baseline information for soil health. Katie and Hugh grounded this exercise with the story of land management practice change on their orchard, current practice and resultant soil health.
Connecting Country has copies of the soil guide available from their office at the Hub – feel free to drop by and pick one up. Another great resource for people interested in soils is the The Brown Book website hosted by the Corangamite CMA.
Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens in Harcourt hosted the event
Mandy and Martin introduce the Soils Guide
Tools of the trade
Attendees studying their sols guides
Getting stuck into soil texture
Ph can affect plant growth
Soil tests help us with the big picture
Soil compaction tests require a metal rod and some elbow strength
Looking at soil structure requires some organising skill
Hugh talked about making and distributing compost tea to trees on the orchard
Worms make great pets and form the starter for compost tea