Saving the paddock trees
Posted on 7 April, 2015 by Connecting Country
Successful revegetation at its best.
Arie and Erica Eyles’s stunning property near Kooroocheang contains rich grazing country on a plateau, giving way to a steep escarpment that drops into Joyces Creek. The property has a long history of environmental works including erosion control across the escarpment, remnant vegetation protection, riparian restoration and an impressive amount of revegetation. Some of this revegetation was planted as part of Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird program in 2013 and is yielding impressive results with a nearly 100% success rate which Arie attributes to good site preparation and rainfall at the right time.
Just as impressive are the 400 year old River Red-gums that dot the property. Paddock trees are incredibly valuable – both ecologically and on the farm. In addition to providing shade and shelter for stock, they are important refuges and breeding sites for some local fauna species and provide a crucial ‘stepping stone’ between isolated bush patches for other bush-dependant fauna.
400 year old red gum’s dot the property.
Unfortunately these giants are having trouble establishing the next generation of trees on the Eyles property. With support from Connecting Country, Arie has come up with an ingenious solution – moveable, cattle-proof guards. Made out of stockyard panels, the ‘temporary’ fences involve higher initial costs than some other solutions, but they are certainly effective in protecting vulnerable regenerating saplings from the cattle and they are reuseable. Once the saplings reach a height where they can withstand grazing and rubbing by cattle, the guards can be moved to protect a new set of regenerating saplings. Over the longer term, this recycling of the guards reduces the cost of this solution.
There are other ways to protect large old paddock trees and encourage the next generation of them. Some people place a 44 gal drum around the sapling, secured with a star picket – although you need to remember to remove the drum before the sapling gets too big! Other people build stock-proof fences around remnant paddock trees with a bit of extra room to allow additional trees and shrubs to establish. All of these options will contribute to a healthier environment for the trees, the local fauna and the farm.
Connecting Country congratulates Arie and Erica on their efforts. When asked why he is undertaking all this restoration work, Arie responded that “It’s good for the pasture. It’s good for the animals. It encourages birds, and birds eat pests.” If you would like to find out more about our on-ground works program, click here or contact us on 5472 1594.
Arie’s cattle proof fences protecting regenerating saplings.
For further interesting information on the biodiversity value of large old paddocks trees:
– A useful fact sheet on the importance of paddock trees from Project Platypus is available (click here).
– One of Ian Lunt’s Blog posts – The Candles of Dunkeld (click here) – provides a fascinating insight to the persistence (and slow decline) of these giant trees in a somewhat similar landscape to Arie and Erica’s property.
– By searching in Google for ‘Linda Broadhurst’ and ‘paddock trees’, you will get a plethora of websites to read about research from Linda’s CSIRO team which suggests that the seeds from large old paddock eucalypts are more genetically diverse – and therefore potentially more valuable for revegetation – than seeds from the same tree species in forests and ‘seed’ plantations.
Twitcher Picture – kids, birds and art at the Castlemaine State Festival
Posted on 2 April, 2015 by Tanya Loos
At Connecting Country, most of our education programs involve adults – so we were delighted to be a supporter of local illustrator/author Trace Balla’s recent activities as part of the 2015 Castlemaine State Festival.
For five days, the Castlemaine Art Gallery was buzzing with round 500 local students from grades 2 to 6. Trace Balla ran a local bird poster-making program, facilitating 20 workshops with around 500 students. She showed them pictures from her illustrated book “Rivertime“, which is about a boy and his bird-watching Uncle’s canoe journey on the Glenelg River – which sparked lively conversations about bird identification and bird behaviour. This was followed by a sketching demonstration by Trace.
Next, the students entered the art-making space, surrounded by bird sounds from a CD of recordings made by Andrew Skeoch and Chris Tzaros from the book “Wildlife of the Box Ironbark Country“. The walls were adorned with bird photographs by Geoff Park. Students chose information sheets from Birdlife Australia and photographs from Geoff Park as inspiration to draw their own stunning bird posters with quirky facts.
“I loved inspiring the local kids to get to know more about their local birds . Hopefully this is just the starting point for many of them to develop a lifelong interest in our beautiful neighbours!” said Trace Balla.
Each student received a copy of the Woodland Birds of Central Victoria brochure, donated by Connecting Country.
This was such a successful project that there is talk that the gallery may continue to use the space as a children’s art space rather than a storeroom. And many students have been spotted drawing birds since!
We also send our congratulations to Trace as her book, “Rivertime” has just been shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize (click here for further details).
10 April 2015 – A Twitching Odyssey
Posted on 1 April, 2015 by Connecting Country
Although they are locally-based, you may not have met Albert and Eleanor Wright around the Mount Alexander region. As often as not, they are traveling Australia and the world in search of the perfect photo – with a particular interest in bird photography. Appropriately, they describe themselves as the Gypsy Twitchers.
The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) are very excited to have Albert and Eleanor as the guest speakers at their April meeting. All the way from from their latest adventure in India, they have emailed the following information about their upcoming presentation:
“We will be talking about ourselves: “The Gypsy Twitchers”, who we are and what do we do? We will outline our life for the past 7 years as traveling birdo’s, touching on some favourite locations, birds and anecdotes. Included in the presentation will be a selection of bird photographs.”
As a taster, you can also see some of their photos on their website (click here).
This free talk on Friday 10 April 2015 (from 7.30pm) will be held in the Fellowship room; which is in the hall behind the Uniting Church in Lyttleton St, Castlemaine (next door to the Museum / Art Gallery). Visitors are very welcome.
European Wasps – Unwelcome Return Visitors
Posted on 31 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
European Wasps covering a Golden Point pear (copyright John Ellis, 31 March 2015).
Many locals have been reporting large numbers of European Wasps over recent weeks. And we are apparently not alone in this observation (see other reports here and here). According to leading entomologists, Victoria is experiencing its worst infestation of European Wasps (Vespula germanica) in about 20 years. This introduced species first become established on mainland Australia (near Melbourne) in 1977, and was relatively abundant through the 1980s up to the mid-1990s. However, until this current summer and autumn period, they have since been uncommon to rare. It is thought that the combination of a mild winter followed by a mild summer has allowed them to come back in early 2015 with a vengeance. In most years, 90% of colonies do not survive Victoria’s cold winters.
(c) Copyright John Ellis
If a colony is disturbed, they can sting humans and pets repeatedly. A number of people have also accidentally swallowed wasps when drinking sweet drinks or eating fruit or sugary foods, leading to stings in mouth or in the throat. They have also been known to destroy grape crops and will attack native insects and other local animals. It was often described as a ‘Killer Wasp’ soon after its arrival in Australia, but thankfully so far no human deaths have been recorded in this country (according to the Museum of Victoria website).
While there are traps available that can allow you to kill a few hundred individual wasps, this is unlikely to make a big difference overall, as a typical wasp colony will often have between 30,000 to 100,000 wasps. To make a lasting impact, the nest needs to be eradicated. Most wasps will forage within 50 to 250 metres of their nest. Nest colonies can be either on the ground in a range of concealed sites (e.g. uncovered compost heap, a hole in ground, piles of rubbish) or above the ground (e.g. in the roof or wall cavity).
The Museum of Victoria website contains a wealth of information about European Wasps, including:
- Their identification (click here)
- Their Impacts (click here)
- Their Life History (click here)
- Their Nests (click here)
- First Aid treatment (click here)
- Control Measures (click here)
The Mount Alexander Region Subspecies? (From www.horrorfilmhistory.com)
While control can be attempted by anyone (and there are instructions on the Museum website about how to do this), the use of professional exterminators is strongly recommended due to the risks involved.
Taradale’s ‘Gorse Must Die’ Project – 3 years on!
Posted on 30 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
In 2012, Connecting Country and Taradale Landcare embarked on an ambitious project to restore Kangaroo Creek. The project involved seven private properties, important roadsides and water authority land. Connecting Country developed the site management plan and provided a financial contribution towards the implementation of this project. Financial support was also received for the project from the Victorian Gorse Taskforce and from the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (as it was then known) with the invaluable in-kind support from by the landholders and the Taradale Landcare Group. Today, the field of gorse that once surrounded the creek has been eradicated and the local landholders continue to do the necessary follow-up control of gorse regrowth and are starting to revegetate the area. The following piece was written by one of the landholders, Suzanne Donisthorpe. A huge congratulations to her and the other landholders involved for their incredible and inspiring efforts.
Taradale gorse warriors; Alex Panelli, Suzanne Donisthorpe, and Frank Veldez with his custom-made gorse pick
We live in Taradale in central Victoria- or Taradise as some of us call it – and life is good. The country is beautiful and the community is close-knit and vibrant. We live up the top of a hill and our property backs onto the forest- so there are a vast variety of birds: thornbills, choughs, magpies, parrots, kookaburras and finches, a big mob of kangaroos, a very tame family of possums and an echidna that makes the occasional visit. We have had a koala sighting and an emu popped up one day – although apparently it was someone’s pet and had escaped from Elphinstone. There has even been a sighting of the legendary Black Panther – but that’s another story. All these animals and birds are native to the land – apart from the panther- and they provide nothing but joy.
But there is a Snake in every Taradise and ours was a substantial and growing gorse problem that had spread from the Kangaroo Creek at the bottom of our property and up the hill in a vast prickly impenetrable mass. When visitors admired the sea of yellow flowers in spring and autumn, we felt sick. Over the years the gorse had been occasionally slashed down from a monstrous towering beast, big enough to hide an old 1890’s harvester, entirely buried in 8 foot high gorse. But that did nothing really, except give it a good pruning that merely encouraged more vigorous regrowth.
And every year that sea of yellow flowers spread the sea of gorse ever further. It was a Triffid and it was gaining power. We needed help. Fast.
The sea of gorse once found of Suzanne’s property.
One day, our friend Eliza Tree -the self proclaimed Weed Queen of Castlemaine- came visiting. She suggested we get in contact with the good people of Connecting Country and see if they could help. We thought the best way to tackle the Gorse Monster was to form a band of Mighty Weed Warriors- so we called in the neighbours whose properties connected to ours along the creek and together we formed the Gorse Must Die proposal. Altogether we had seven property owners involved. Over tea and scones and sometimes wine and dinner we plotted how this would work. We were delighted when Chris Timewell from Connecting Country agreed to come and talk to us about what might be done. Apparently our part of the world was in yellow box country which was of particular interest to Connecting Country at the time, so after a bit of umming and ahhing, Chris took away our hopes and dreams and turned them into a solid, very bureaucratic and therefore properly serious proposal. This was a huge amount of work, and we are forever grateful to Chris and the team for dotting all those i s and crossing all those t s.
Then we planned the attack.
Like all enemies, it’s best to know what you are up against and Chris and the Kate Smith from the local Landcare group were well versed in the Battle of the Gorse. They planned chemical attack, hacking, burning, revegetation and diligent follow up. Poison, Slash and Burn. Practically Viking!
As artists our contribution was to create the Giant Gorse Rabbit, a mythical creature- half plague species- half noxious weed, towering over 14 ft high. We took the story of the Evil Gorse Rabbit to shows in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsular and Lot 19 in Castlemaine – where it even won the converted Spring Sculpture prize.
Frank’s famous ‘Evil Gorse Rabbit’
And on a glorious winter solstice night – we set light to the rabbit and danced through the night. It was all very satisfying, but to really Make Gorse Die, you need more than art. You need Vikings.
One still morning, a few months after the seeds of the project were planted, all the obstacles and problems had been sorted out and the truck with the spraying hose came.
The Terminator had arrived. It was a very happy day.
The Terminator turned out to be a very lovely family of local weed control experts who really knew what they were doing. Over the course of a couple of weeks – after the spraying- we began to notice a kind of yellow pallor taking over the previously vigorous gorse. It was suffering. It was wilting. It was like that moment when Dorothy poured water on the Wicked Witch of the West.
We raised our glasses. What had been a formidable enemy was retreating. The gorse at our place was sick as, as was the gorse on the other properties.
A few months passed. Now the gorse was as dead looking as your average zombie. We slashed it down where it rotted to almost nothing, while providing some cover for the small natives to grow. Suddenly in spring, instead of a sea of bilious yellow gorse, there were chocolate orchids, starry pink flowers, flax lilies…it was a miracle.
But like all zombies- just when you think it is dead, it may just be sleeping. Sure enough, after rain and sun, the rise and rise of the evil infant gorse was discernible.
Time for some spray pack action.
And to this day you will find us, most weekends, walking the killing fields of Taradise, with spray gun at the ready with a back-pack of appropriate poison generously supplied by Connecting Country – continuing the battle. Frank has even fashioned a custom made gorse pick. There is a kind of evil glee in seeing the yellowing forms appearing once again as the mighty enemy attempts to stage a resurrection and falls once again.
We know the battle is on-going, but we now have an enemy that is persistent rather than impenetrable. Many many thanks to Connecting County and the Mighty Warriors who helped us Make Gorse Die.
Suzanne’s property and Kangaroo Creek – 3 years on..
28 March 2015 – Mysterious, Mosquito-munching Micro-bats!
Posted on 16 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
Newstead Landcare’s first presentation for the year will be on Saturday 28th March at 3pm by Dr Lindy Lumsden, a wildlife ecologist at Arthur Rylah Institute. The talk will be at the Newstead Community Centre and everyone is welcome to attend (gold coin donation appreciated to help cover our costs). Connecting Country is supporting this educational event.
Little Forest Bat
Lindy has been conducting ecological research on bats for over 30 years. Although based in Victoria, her research has also taken her to remote areas of Australia, such as Christmas Island, and to many countries overseas such as Central and South America, Krakatau, Taiwan, New Zealand, Europe, South Africa and Swaziland.
Lindy Lumsden with Micro-bat
Bats play an important role in controlling insect numbers, including a range of pest species, by eating up to half their body weight in insects in a night. However, due to their small size, nocturnal behaviour and cryptic roosting habits, these valuable animals are rarely seen and are often portrayed negatively in the media.
Lindy is passionate about trying to reverse these negative perceptions and conducts a wide range of extension activities to educate and enthuse people about the bats. In her talks she describes fascinating and little known aspects of the natural history of these nocturnal creatures. As most people do not have the opportunity to see bats close up, she brings along a live bat to show at the end of her talk.
After the talk Lindy will take a group of 35 lucky people to Green Gully to demonstrate how she goes about discovering what bats are in an area. She will be setting up bat traps and using a bat detector and then we will have a picnic meal (bring your own picnic) while waiting for dusk when the bats start getting active. It’s free for Newstead Landcare members, otherwise $15 a head, children free. There are still a few places left so if you are interested contact Frances Cincotta phone 5476 2691 or email <natives@newstead.vicmail.net>
Putting ideas into action: you beauty!
Posted on 12 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
Jon Marshall: “I had these ideas in my head and Connecting Country came along and I thought, ‘you beauty!’”
Jon Marshall has only ever had one job that matters to him – and that is being the manager of a large grazing property in the spectacular rolling granitic hills near Metcalfe. He has been there for 22 years and he told Krista from Connecting Country during a recent visit that “you’ve got to respect the land. There are benefits down the track – it’s good for stock and it’s good for the environment”.
After the Redesdale fires passed through part of the property on Black Saturday, Jon was involved in the local recovery program. Through this process he and Connecting Country were put in contact with each other in 2011. Here was an opportunity for Jon to put some of the ideas he had for improving the property into action.
By early the following year, Jon and the owners formally agreed for the property to become part of Connecting Country’s yellow box woodland program. The five year site project has a number of aspects; Jon controls weeds and pest animals, he established vegetation corridors in two locations, and he installed stock-proof fencing around eighteen hectares of land that was burned in the fires, allowing this area to naturally regenerate with the indigenous flora that was already starting to sprout.
Three years on, and the natural regeneration occurring across the eighteen hectares looks amazing. Everlasting daisies, lomandra, cassinia and native grasses cover the ground while young she-oaks, silver wattle and red gum saplings are above head height. In the revegetation corridor, some of the tubestock he planted in the first year failed, but he replanted it all in the second year and it took off. “I got rain at the right time” he explained.
This is just one of the many projects that Connecting Country has supported across the Mount Alexander shire and surrounds over the past six years. Opportunities to get involved still exist in our current programs, and if you’d like to find out more contact the team on 03 5472 1594 or click here.
Connecting Country’s Yellow Box Woodland program was implemented between 2009 and 2013 with the support of the State and Federal government, and in conjunction with the North Central CMA.
Sticky everlasting daisy’s returning after fencing installed
Before fencing installed and grazing removed
Latest news from Birdlife Australia
Posted on 11 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
The Black-fronted Dotterel is a small wader that may be seen on ponds and dams in our region. Photo by JJ Harrison.
Birdlife Australia is the nation’s largest bird conservation organisation. They are an independent, not-for-profit, who’s aim is to create a bright future for Australia’s birds. There is considerable overlap between the aims and activities of Connecting Country within the Mount Alexander region and those of Birdlife Australia on a broader scale. Earlier this year, the two organisations signed an agreement document, with the result being that Connecting Country is now recognised as an Affiliated Organisation of Birdlife Australia. This means that we have made to commitment to provide support for each other, and to work together, where possible and useful.
Birdlife has already provided considerable advice and guidance with the development of Connecting Country’s Woodland Birds Action Plan and with the implementation of our ‘Habitat for Bush Birds’ program. In the coming weeks, the data that Connecting Country has collected over the 5 or so years of our bird monitoring program will be added to the Birdlife bird atlas program.
Birdlife Australia recently released their March 2015 edition of their Threatened Bird Network newsletter (click here). This gives an fascinating insight into the projects being undertaken to conserve native birds across the country, and also identifies ways in which you can get involved. Connecting Country’s Habitat for Bush Birds coordinator, Tanya Loos, also notes that there will be a range of new opportunities to get involved with bird identification, surveys and monitoring in the local area through Connecting Country over the coming weeks and months. Watch this space!
For the health fanatics out there, Birdlife are also about to launch their ‘Farewell Shorebirds” program – from 21 March to 19 April 2015. They are challenging people to run, walk, swim or cycle a fraction of the distance covered by the numerous migratory shorebirds about to leave Australia for the northern hemisphere. While the Mount Alexander region is not renowned for its migratory waders, regular readers of the Natural Newstead blog will know that there are local wetlands such as Cairn Curran that are used by a variety of sandpipers on occasions. Keep an eye on the Farewell Shorebirds website for further details (click here).
New Edition of ‘chat’ – February 2015
Posted on 11 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
The February 2015 edition of the North Central CMA publication ‘chat’ is now available and can be viewed by following this link (Click here). Some of the events it promotes have already passed, but there are still a number of workshops on landscape restoration, weeds, rabbits and fungi identification which are yet to occur. It also has some interesting information on two nasty weed species in the North Central region (Buffel Grass Cenchrus cilliaris and Prairie Ground Cherry Physalis hederifolia).
Waterbugs, waterbugs – new apps and workshops
Posted on 11 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has been made aware of two new opportunities to learn more about the important native waterbugs of south-eastern Australia! As well as being interesting creatures in themselves, many freshwater invertebrates (waterbugs) are regularly used as indicators of waterway health.
Workshops
The North Central CMA is running two workshops, which are currently open to Waterwatch, Landcare and Indigenous volunteers wanting to learn new skills and potentially participate in environmental monitoring of waterway health. John Gooderham, ecologist and co-author of the Waterbug Book will share his knowledge of Waterbugs with participants and introduce them to the theory of waterbug monitoring, methods and how to identify Waterbugs. This workshops are a state Waterwatch accredited course called the Agreed Level Taxonomy (ALT) program, participants will receive a certificate and will be invited back to participate in future training courses.
The closing date for applications to attend is COB 12 March 2015 – to RSVP, visit the North Central CMA website or phone 03 5448 7124. One workshop is in Eddington (17-18 March) and the other in Strathallan, near Echuca (18-19 March). The attached flyer and map have further information (click here and click here).
The Waterbug App
For the increasing number of us using Smartphone technologies to assist with animal and plant identification, there is now also an Waterbug guide App for south-eastern Australia freshwater ecosystems. It is free and available for both iPhones and Android. For more details, here is a link to the website of the designers (click here).
Draft Flood Management Plan – Feedback due by 13 March
Posted on 9 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
The North Central CMA, in conjunction with the Mount Alexander Shire Council and a local Steering Committee, is in the process of finalising the Castlemaine, Campbells Creek and Chewton Flood Management Plan and is seeking public feedback on the Draft Plan. Feedback is due by Friday 13 March 2015. You can send your response by email to shaun.morgan@nncma.vic.gov.au.
The plan includes 10 recommendations for flood management, including the construction and enhancement of a number of levee banks, the development of a shire plan for floods, planning scheme amendments, flood warning systems and some vegetation removal downstream of Alexandra St in Campbells Creek.
Thankfully the draft plan does not recommend the wholesale removal of native vegetation from along the creeks as an approach to flood mitigation. The flood modelling undertaken by consultants GHD indicated that widespread vegetation removal along the creeks would not be an effective approach for flood management.
Following this feedback period when the final version of the plan is subsequently developed, Connecting Country does not wish to see any additional recommendations for the removal native vegetation and habitat. As such, we will be making a submission to the draft plan which supports the use of flood management approaches that minimise or, preferably, avoid the removal of native vegetation and other riparian habitat features.
A copy of the draft plan is available for downloading (CLICK HERE) and you can go to the North Central CMA website for further information on the overall process and other background information (CLICK HERE).
The website of the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests also has information which may be of interest to people considering making a submission (CLICK HERE).
Sutton Grange Landscapes in the Big Picture
Posted on 8 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
Often the vestiges of early European colonisation are easier to see in the landscape – bricks, rusting metal, earthmoving, fences, the (child-sized) handprints in mortar – and they attract our eye, more readily, or easily. We often don’t see the many markers of indigenous life – scar trees, ovens, middens – even though the indigenous seems more enduring; still evident more than 160 years later and in use for many hundreds of years before that.
The granite, redgum woodlands of Coliban Park in Sutton Grange was a perfect landscape to explore, interpret and discuss regional land use history at our first workshop for the year, ‘The Big Picture” on Sunday 1 March 2015. We were able to see artifacts of white settlement sitting alongside those of the first Australians, and our expert presenters Deirdre Slattery and Gerry Gill helped us to interpret them. Duncan Barber provided us with familial insight, adding to the story – and the sense of scale, and history. We were also prompted to consider the contemporary challenges of managing – and shaping – the land.
A very special location, expert presenters, and an enthusiastic group keen to know more about this part of the world and the factors that have shaped land use, and thus the landscape, over time. Many thanks to Jess and Duncan Barber for their hospitality and generosity, to Deirdre and Gerry for sharing their knowledge, and to Ann-Marie Monda who represented the Connecting Country Committee. For more information on the session, including links to resources, images and photos from the day, go to our Education Program section and click on the 1 March workshop session.
Note, we still have vacancies for the rest of the autumn workshops, especially the April 19 and May 8 sessions – download a registration form – registration – autumn – or contact janet@connectingcountry.org.au.
Mount Alexander Shire Council – Environment questionnaire and workshop series
Posted on 5 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
The latest Mount Alexander Shire Environment and Sustainability Newsletter (Autumn 2015 Edition) has just been distributed to subscribers. To sign up for this quarterly newsletter, there is a link available on the council’s Environment webpage (click here).
There are two items within the latest newsletter that may be of particular interest to Connecting Country members and supporters.
1. Questionnaire.
The council have commenced the development of their next Environment Strategy. As part of this process, they are interested in learning what local residents and groups consider to be the 5 highest priorities for environment and sustainability in the Mount Alexander shire. A very short questionnaire from council can be accessed by following this link (click here).
2. Workshop Series
As a nice complement to Connecting Country’s own series of landscape restoration workshops, the Mount Alexander Shire are running a series of ‘Sustainable Living’ workshops during 2015. It includes a range of interesting topics covering biodiversity, waterways, gardening, soil health and activities in the local bushland. More information is available on their website (click here).
Fire planning and control burns – opportunity to have your say
Posted on 5 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
The Victorian government is reviewing the effectiveness of target-based control burning, and are currently accepting submissions from individuals and community groups. The closing date for public submissions is 13 March 2015. A press release about the review was released by the Premier Daniel Andrews (click here) and there is further information available about how you can make a submission and the scope of the inquiry from the Inspector-General for Emergency Management (IGEM) website (click here).
Connecting Country is intending to make a submission to this review.
There are two locally-based groups that have a number of concerns about the current control burning regime, and the effectiveness of the blanket 5% annual burning target in reducing fuel and reducing risk to human life and assets.
– Living with Ecology and Fire or LEAF (click here to view their website)
– Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests (click here to view their website)
Local residents and groups may wish to make their own submissions to this review.
Butterflies and Moths of Central Victoria – Baynton Sidonia Landcare group’s first seminar for 2015
Posted on 3 March, 2015 by Connecting Country
Julie Whitfield, seminar presenter, ID’s butterflies at a recent workshop.
“Who does not love butterflies?” is the question that ecologist Julie Whitfield poses before she enumerates all the reasons that we should value butterflies. Among them: pollination services that they provide; being part of the food chain for birds, other insects and frogs; and simply being beautiful.
Julie will be the speaker at a seminar organized by Baynton Sidonia Landcare group on Sunday 29th March 2015 from 1.30 pm to 4.00 at the Baynton Hall, Darlington Road, Baynton.
The seminar is entitled “Butterflies and Moths of Central Victoria” and there will be an illustrated talk that will range over identification, conservation and useful resources.
The illustrated talk will be followed by a hands on workshop which, sadly, has restricted numbers. The workshop runs from 4.15 to 5.30 pm at the same venue. The workshop will include learning the process of identifying a pinned (i.e. dead) specimen and each participant will receive a bundle of resources to take home and a butterfly-friendly seedling.
You are welcome to book for both sections of the seminar, but please note that landholders of the Baynton Sidonia area will be given preference for the restricted number of places in the hands on workshop.
Afternoon tea will be served during the seminar. The event is free and children are welcome. Booking is essential by contacting Clare on 54 234 152 or clare@knco.net by Thursday March 26th.
Hot, but not heated – Bill Gammage at the 2015 Workshop Launch
Posted on 27 February, 2015 by Connecting Country
It was over 35 degrees celcius outside – and probably hotter inside the Campbells Creek Community Centre – but that didn’t deter around 300 people from attending the launch of the Connecting Country 2015 Workshop Program on Sunday 22 Feb 2015.
copies available at stonemans bookroom
The main attraction was historian and award winning author Bill Gammage, who spoke about ‘1788’* aboriginal land management and ‘fire stick farming’. Drawing upon the early records of Colonial explorers and European settlers, Bill has described a systematic and complex system of aboriginal land management throughout Australia, from coast to coast, which included planned and selective burning, to create conditions for prey and plenty. It’s a new way of looking at the Australian landscape; which has led to plenty of conjecture and debate amongst scientists and lay-people alike. Undoubtedly, Bill’s book has struck a chord in the community on many levels.
What is it about the book that draws this level of interest and engagement?
Perhaps because the scope of his text is large enough to encompass – and also exclude – many and varied views, and perhaps because there is always much difficulty in moving from the big picture, down to the more specific and locally relevant scale. For instance, what do central Victoria’s Box Ironbark forests (and their myriad species) need/tolerate/resist in terms of fire duration, intensity and timing? And how does this compare with granitic landscapes on the eastern side of Mount Alexander, or on the basalt plains to the west? And what value do we place today on the areas described as ‘scrub’ – so full of shrubs, ground-layer plants, logs and leaf litter that provide critical habitat for so many declining woodland birds and other species.
Bill’s challenge to all of us is to view our landscape, on both in the large (continent-wide) and lesser (catchment, regional, local, property) levels with fresh eyes.
How much do we really know and understand the inter-relationships of animal, plant, human – and how have they been altered over the past 200 or so years? How can we possibly work to benefit all? We can surmise, through the research of Bill and others such as Ron Hateley**, how it was prior to 1788, but what for the future? How can we learn and benefit from both indigenous and scientific ecological knowledge?
Ultimately, it all comes down to our own particular lens through which we view the world, and our landscapes.
bill, janet, brendan, marie and trent
Many thanks to Bill, to Dja Dja Warrung Traditional Owner Trent Nelson for welcoming us to his Country and talking about the contemporary challenges for all of us, to Mal Brown (Scarlet Consulting) for facilitating the session and as always we thank our Committee members, especially Brendan Sydes and Marie Jones who presented on the day. Thank you to the many Connecting Country volunteers and staff members who made the day a success. Also thanks to Alice Barnes from Sovereign Hill who generously audio-recorded the session and has made it available for us to share with those who couldn’t make the event or had to be turned away because of the venue limitations.
Some images from the session are available in our Education and Resources Section (Click here). To see what people are saying afterwards, or to comment on the presentation, go to the Forum page (click here). We hope to have the audio from the presentation available on our website soon.
To sign up for one or more of the Autumn workshop sessions register HERE (NB: the session on the 1st March is now fully booked).
For more information about our education program, contact janet@connectingcountry.org.au or phone 5472 1594.
* Bill uses the term ‘1788’ as shorthand for the beliefs and actions of Aboriginal people at the time of first European colonisation in Australia.
** Ron Hateley’s book, “The Victorian Bush – Its ‘Original and Natural’ Condition.”, published by Polybractea Press, provides a comprehensive and compelling perspective on vegetation patterns prior to European colonisation of Australia.
Vale Doug Ralph
Posted on 25 February, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country is greatly saddened by the news that Doug Ralph died of a heart attack earlier this week.
Doug was involved from the very earliest discussions about the need for a community-based landscape restoration program in the local area, which grew into the idea of Connecting Country. In his gentle, friendly and inclusive manner, he played a major role in bringing together people from across the Mount Alexander Region for this common purpose. Then, as Connecting Country’s first president, he laid the foundations for the organisation it has become. He continued to maintain a keen interest in the subsequent years after stepping back from a committee role, and always generously provided assistance and advice to the staff and committee when asked. As recently as December last year, Doug led a team of birdwatchers drawn from Connecting Country members and supporters on an excursion to one of his favourite patches of local bushland near Fryerstown (click here). His knowledge of the ecological and cultural values of Box-Ironbark forests was vast and insightful, and his passion for it was inspiring.
The Friends of the Box Ironbark Forest have a moving tribute to Doug on their website, which gives further insights to this great person (click here).
We pass on our sympathies to his family at this tough time.
We will miss him.
Doug Ralph consolidating Connecting Country’s relationship with the Norman Wettenhall Foundation (Beth Mellick – Executive Director) in the very early days of the organisation.
Are you a River Detective?
Posted on 24 February, 2015 by Connecting Country
Are you a school, parent, community or Landcare Group member passionate about your local waterway and environment ?
North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is on the lookout for passionate people keen to engage the next River Detectives recruits. The River Detectives environmental education program has been introducing primary school students to key river health and water-quality concepts for several years.
Water quality testing at Kangaroo Creek, courtesy of Sandy Scheltema
The first training session will be held on March 3, with volunteers encouraged to apply by February 28.
To register a school of become a River Detective facilitator, contact Nicole on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on (03) 5440 1892 or email Nicole.howie@nccma.vic.gov.au.
Further details about River Detectives are available on their website (click here) or contact:
Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551
t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au
1 March 2015 – Join us for The Big Picture in Sutton Grange
Posted on 20 February, 2015 by Connecting Country
Inspired to do, say, and learn something more after the Workshop launch?
Connecting Country’s autumn workshop series kicks off a week after the Bill Gammage launch, with the first session on Sunday 1 March 2015, 10.30 to 3.30pm, at Sutton Grange. “The Big Picture” will provide an overview of the indigenous and post-colonisation history of our region, using a very special Sutton Grange farming property as the setting. Access to this private property is rarely available, and so this is a one-off opportunity to see some amazing natural and cultural features. Guided by expert presenters, participants will gain a better understanding of the land-use history (inc. social, political influences) that shaped our landscapes, from before European settlement through to today. There are some places for participants still available for this session.
After “The Big Picture”, we’ll bring the lens down slightly further on Friday March 27. “Making Connections”, again in Sutton Grange, will look at landscape ecology and how – and where – landholders can create or enhance habitats areas on their property to benefit wildlife movements, in this case, woodland birds.
Our third session on Sunday April 19, “To Plant or Not to Plant” will get down at ground level to consider the pros and cons of revegetation – what method to use (natural regeneration, tubestock, direct seeding) and how to do it, as well as the plant species to choose.
The final session on Friday May 8, will look at how to evaluate the success, or progress, of your restoration project. “Nature’s Stocktake” will look at ‘landscape health’ and take it’s pulse with ways to benchmark, monitor and evaluate, before, during and ‘after’ your project.
The autumn workshop series will take place in the eastern part of the region, while our spring workshops are to mostly occur in the west. The workshops are aimed at people who are managing areas of 4ha/10 acres or more on their own properties – or as part of a Landcare group – and so first preference will be given to those people. However, the first workshop should be of interest to anyone across the region. Places are limited, so register early. (Lunch, drinks and other snacks will be provided at each workshop from the locally-renowned Castlemaine Abundance Kitchen Enterprise – CAKE. Education materials, hand-outs and other resources will also be provided.)
Still keen to know more?
Click on the Education and Resources section and you can be a virtual work-shopper.
For more information contact janet@connectingcountry.org.au or 5472 1594.
4 March 2015 – NCCMA Future Farming Expo
Posted on 10 February, 2015 by Connecting Country
The North Central CMA, in partnership with Goulburn Broken CMA and Murray Landcare, is proudly hosting the third annual Future Farming Expo. This year’s expo will be held in Moama and will cover a broad range of topics to enhance the long-term sustainability and profitability of farms. Expert speakers will be sharing new ideas and the latest research on farm management.
Among the speakers will be leading soil scientist Declan McDonald, who will be presenting on regenerative farming practices that utilise greater soil depth to enhance soil health and secure long term profitability. Declan has the rare ability to draw on the latest global research in a way that is engaging and has immediate practical application in your business. His presentation will allow farmers to improve their soil management skills and hopefully re-discover the joy in improving soil health.
Concurrent sessions this year will feature a diverse range of topics including the latest in climate science and what it means to you, irrigation upgrade success stories, value adding through stacking livestock enterprises, online marketing and the new strain of calicivirus.
When: Wednesday 4 March 2015
Time: 8.30 am to 4.00 pm
Where: Rich River Golf Club Resort, Twenty Four Lane, Moama NSW 2731
Cost: Free event
RSVP: Places are strictly limited, RSVP is essential by 10 am Monday 2 March 2015 to the North Central CMA by emailing info@nccma.vic.gov.au or phoning 03 5448 7124