14 Oct 2014 – Connecting Country Annual General Meeting
Posted on 23 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
Both members and visitors are warmly invited to attend Connecting Country’s Annual General Meeting for 2014. It is to be held from 7pm on Tuesday 14th October 2014 at the Campbells Creek Community Centre (see attached map).
The AGM will be followed by the launch of the 2014-2024 Strategic Plan for Connecting Country (the draft plan is open for comment until Sunday 28th Sept – click here for more info). We will then be screening a recently launched documentary film called Rediscovering the Country – A Journey Into Landscape Restoration (~30 min), which will be followed by the Q & A session with some of the film-makers and interviewees from the film. To finish the evening, there will then be refreshments (drinks and desserts), and an opportunity to mingle and chat with the Connecting Country staff, committee, members and supporters. We hope that you can make it.
For the AGM itself:
* A draft AGM agenda can be viewed by clicking here.
* A committee of management nomination form can be downloaded by clicking here. Nominations must be received by the Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM. If you would like to know more about being a committee member, contact the current Connecting Country president (president@connectingcountry.org.au).
* Contact Naomi if you are unsure if you are currently a member of CC (naomi@connectingcountry.org.au or call 03 5472 1594).
* A proxy voting form is available (click here) for those members who are unable to make it to the AGM – but still wish to contribute their vote if there are any elections
From the makers of Rediscovering the Country – A Journey Into Landscape Restoration (Ballarat Tree Growers and Sheoak Films) – The film is aimed at people interested in landscape rehabilitation through revegetation, and who want to learn more about how such projects can be made successful and deliver desired environmental and social benefits. It presents several community-led revegetation projects in Australia (including Connecting Country) to see how they are working to improve the land, wildlife habitat and human communities. These projects have locally developed objectives, such as returning rare animal species, helping local farmers, linking remnant vegetation, repairing degraded land, and they all were generated out of action by concerned and committed community groups or individuals. The film also shows how community activism in Sri Lanka uses the analogue forestry/regenerative agriculture technique to mimic the original forest structure and return a forest cover that produces food, natural resources and an economic income for small farmers.
To plant, or not to plant?
Posted on 17 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
This was the question posed at our fifth Connecting Country Workshop for 2014, on Sunday September 7th. And the answer? It depends!
Jarrod and Saide talk tubestock techniques
Saide Gray and Gary Gibson hosted the session on their Sandon property, where they have used a mix of tubestock planting, direct seeding and natural regeneration in their revegetation program. Guided by our presenters Damien Cook (Rakali Consulting) and Jarrod Coote (Connecting Country) we were able to examine and discuss each of the approaches.
The session gave participants the opportunity to explore revegetation options at both a property and landscape scale, interpret the findings for their own situations, and pick up some practical tools, tips and techniques for each of the methods.
As Damien highlighted, restoration science is a new area – we’ve only been studying it in depth over recent decades (after spending so much effort removing native vegetation in Australia for the past 200 years or so) and we are constantly learning as we go. But the key to any revegetation program is to observe the natural processes happening on your property and in the surrounding landscape and try to employ them, such as using pioneer or succession species in your plantings.
Thanks to Saide and Gary, Damien and Jarrod for sharing their expertise with the 26 participants from across the Mount Alexander Region, and also Frances Cincotta (Newstead Natives) who provided additional resources.
For more information on the session, including photos, a summary from participant Louis Crabb and follow up resources, go to the Workshop Session Page. For more info on this year’s program, contact janet@connecting country.org.au or 5472 1594.
14 & 15 Oct 2014 – NCCMA Workshop on Pasture Cropping & Grazing Management
Posted on 14 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
The North Central CMA is hosting a two day intensive workshop on Pasture Cropping and Grazing Management, which will take place in Newstead (at the football clubrooms) on 14 & 15 October 2014. An on-farm visit will be included in the workshop.
The workshop will feature industry specialists Colin Seis and Graeme Hand. Graeme Hand was a presenter at a Connecting Country workshop held in Yandoit in 2012. The aim of this workshop is to provide commercial farmers with a ‘how-to of Pasture Cropping and Grazing Management’. Continue Reading »
23 Sept 2014 – School Holiday Landcare Activity
Posted on 12 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
The Barkers Creek Landcare Network has organised a fun family day with games and activities on Barkers Creek during the upcoming school holidays. You can contact Mandy (p:0409866279 or e:mandchilcott@gmail.com) to find out more. Click on the flyer at left to enlarge.
15 Sept 2014 – Update on children’s play about Forest Creek
Posted on 11 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
‘Still Waters‘, is a play about the story of Forest Creek developed by local landcarer Thais Sansom in conjunction with local primary school children. It will be performed NEXT MONDAY, 15th September at 6.30pm at The Capital Theatre, 50 View Street. Bendigo. Some details of this venture were covered in an earlier post.
Tickets ($10 adults, $5 primary age kids) can be purchased at the Capital Theatre, over the phone on 5434 6100 or online .
Connecting Country’s Draft Strategic Plan – now open for comment
Posted on 10 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
In our earliest years (2007-08), Connecting Country developed its Biodiversity Blueprint to document the health of the local landscape and to guide our activities during our formative years. Since then, Connecting Country has grown rapidly as an organisation. There is more knowledge about the environmental threats and opportunities in the local area. New issues have also arisen that were not considered in the original Blueprint. As such, we identified the need to reconsider the role of Connecting Country. Over the past six months, staff, committee members and advisory groups have been working together to develop a draft 10-year Strategic Plan to capture and refine this information and, ultimately, set the direction for the organisation over the next 10 years.
The draft Strategic Plan outlines our vision and mission and the objectives and strategies for our four focus areas (see diagram). It will be used by the committee and staff in a variety of ways, including in the development of projects and application for grants. It will also be a public document that describes and promotes what Connecting Country does, and how we plan to continue into the future. A copy of the draft plan is available for downloading (click here for 1MB PDF version or contact us if you’d prefer a Word version).
We would love to receive your thoughts, feedback and suggestions on this draft plan. Are we on the right track? Are we missing something important? Are there bits that are unclear? If possible, we would like your feedback by 28 September 2014. For enquiries and feedback contact Krista Patterson-Majoor by email: krista@connectingcountry.org.au or telephone: 5472 1594 (available Mondays).
Connecting Country would like to thank all those who have already contributed to the draft plan. It is intended that the completed plan shall be launched at our AGM on the 14th of October.
An Afternoon Spent in an Aboriginal Landscape
Posted on 9 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
This article is about the Baynton Sidonia Landcare group’s Aboriginal Landscapes seminar that took place on Sunday 24th August 2014.
Rodney Monk talks to Baynton Sidonia Landcare president John Baulch.
Sixty-five lucky people (as half that number again had to be turned away) spent six hours immersed in Aboriginal life as it was practiced in the Baynton Sidonia area up until just 180 years ago.
The seminar began with Trish Terry of the Taungurung Clans Association welcoming participants to Country and explaining why she is qualified to welcome us to Country and what the welcome means.
Participants then experienced two outdoors workshops. In one, Tandy Annusheit told Dreamtime stories in the Taungurung language to a rapt audience, with Waa (the Raven) joining in occasionally in real time. It was extraordinarily moving to hear the mellifluous sounds of the language being spoken, probably for the first time in almost two centuries, at that spot.
The other workshop was led by Rodney Monk who is passionate about the preservation of local artifacts including clay heat balls and ovens to scar trees and rock quarry sites. He entertained and educated his audience so they gained a much wider appreciation of the kind of artifacts that still await “discovery” and preservation. He both thrilled and challenged his audience by saying to them that his culture is now the wider Australian community’s culture and as such requires effort, commitment and resources for conservation.
Trish Terry led a session titled “Cultural Landscapes” and in a very short time gave participants several new perspectives. One of these was that the landscape is culture: landscape does not just happen to be the way it is now. It was shaped by Aboriginal people, and that shaping, almost two centuries on, is still clearly visible and used by us today.
12 Sept 2014 – Egg and Bacon plants of Castlemaine
Posted on 8 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
If you do a Google search on ‘Castlemaine’ and ‘bacon’, at least the first 10 pages of results are all references to the KR Castlemaine business (AKA – the ‘Baco’). Yet the local area has many native pea shrubs – with the distinctive ‘egg and bacon’ flowers. A walk through the local bushland at this time of year is a sea of oranges, yellows, reds and browns.
Copyright: Alison Pouliot Photography
The guest speaker at the September Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) general meeting is local ecologist Ern Perkins. Ern’s talk will be on the pea-flowered plants, with particular reference to some of the local peas, and especially the ‘egg and bacon’ plants. The peas are beautiful, important to the bushland ecology, and make great garden plants. The talk will be held at the Fellowship room in the building behind the Uniting Church in Castlemaine (Lyttleton St, next to the Art Gallery) from 7.30pm on Friday 12 Sept. Members and visitors are all welcome – and entry is free.
There is also an excursion to ‘Humboldt’ on the Saturday following the talk (13 Sept), which will also be led by Ern. Humboldt is a hot spot for some significant pea plants. The walk will be for about a kilometre. Meet at the Octopus building on Duke St (opposite the Castle Motel). Exact departure time to be confirmed at the Friday evening meeting – but probably 1.30pm.
28 Sept 2014 – Landcare Golf Day
Posted on 4 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
Members of all Landcare and Friends groups across the Shire are invited to a Landcare Golf Day on 28 September to celebrate Landcare. The day has been organised by Muckleford Catchment Landcare Group, and is being held at the Castlemaine Golf Club in Muckleford.
The 9 hole game will be followed by a light lunch and drinks in the clubhouse. There will also be activities for children, talks from bird experts during the game and weeding activities along Bassett Creek after lunch.
You can find further details by clicking on the flyer to the left. Bookings are essential.
Talking Landcare in the Midland Express
Posted on 3 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
Have you read the Midland Express this week?
Mount Alexander Region Landcare groups got a big boost this week with the publication of a full 2-page spread in the Midland Express newspaper called ‘Talking Landcare’ (see pages 32 and 33 in the 2 Sept 2014 edition).
The Midland Express – always a good read.
The articles demonstrate the vibrancy of the local Landcare movement, and will hopefully generate some more interest and new members. Thank you to all of the groups that contributed ideas and content at the July 2014 Landcare Link-up event.
And a big thank you to Newstead Natives, Regional Vic Farm Services, Rewells Mower Service, Maine Environmental Services, Pyrenees Quarries and SureGro for their advertising support which made the Landcare feature possible.
Make sure you get your hands on a copy of Express this week to check it out!
Sept–Oct 2014 – ‘Spring into Nature’ events from TFN
Posted on 2 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
‘Spring into Nature’, is an event series organised by Trust for Nature. Trust for Nature is a not-for-profit conservation organisation that has developed unique ways to permanently protect remnant vegetation on private land.
Trust for Nature is inviting the general public to experience some of the most remarkable environmental conservation properties in Victoria, each offering a special sanctuary to native flora and fauna in need of protection. People will have the opportunity to chat with landowners who have permanently protected their properties, enjoy guided walks and talks, and learn about practical land management techniques that help protect precious wildlife.
There are nine events throughout Victoria this September and October. The North Central Victoria event will be held on 9 September in Kotta which is south-west of Echuca and an hour and 15 minutes from Bendigo.
A list of all events, dates and details can be found on the Trust for Nature website and the Spring into Nature brochure can be found here.
15 Sept 2014 – School concert about Forest Creek
Posted on 2 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
Castlemaine Primary School and Chewton Primary School are producing a school concert entitled Still Waters. It is the story of Forest Creek told by all the students from both schools.
The story will cover the geological history, the aboriginal heritage, the gold mining era, and finally the regeneration and revegetation along the creek. The Brush-tailed Phascogale will be a main character throughout the show, beautifully representing the success of on-going environmental restoration along the creek.
The concert will be held at the Capital Theatre, in Bendigo on the evening of Monday 15th September. Time and booking arrangements are yet to be confirmed and will be posted on this website as soon as they are available.
This concert follows a strong focus in recent times on the regeneration of Forest Creek by a number of local Landcare groups (Chewton LC, Castlemaine LC and Golden Point LC) and Connecting Country. The Connecting Country report Forest Creek Action Plan can be downloaded here.
14 Sept 2014 – Victoria: before & (just) after European colonisation
Posted on 2 September, 2014 by Connecting Country
On Sunday 14 September, Eliza Tree is giving a presentation entitled:
‘Australia Felix, or Indigenous Cultural Landscape, Jaara country, before the goldrush & William von Blandowski: Insights from an outsider’.
Eliza Tree is a well-known local artist and historian who has undertaken research on Victoria prior the Gold Rush with particular reference to Indigenous culture and Major Mitchell’s 1836 expedition. Details of the afternoon event which will take place in Harcourt can be found here. While most people have heard at least a little about Major Mitchell and his explorations, William von Blandowski is little known and his contributions under-appreciated. He was one of Victoria’s first scientists, and led an expedition in 1857 from Melbourne to the Murray River. Continue Reading »
6 September 2014 – Do you have a head-scratching plant?
Posted on 28 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
Do you have a head-scratching plant on your place?
That’s a plant which looks like it might be a weed – but you’re not sure. And you don’t want to pull it out in case it’s a nice friendly native – but you don’t want to leave it there if it’s a going to take over the place in a couple of years!
Often we want to know what a plant is when it is still very small and easy to control – like these Cape Broom (Genista monspessullana) seedlings coming up in a Castlemaine garden.
If that scenario sounds familiar to you, then ‘Landcare in The Library’ can help! On Saturday 6th September there will be a ‘Weed or Native?’ plant identification drop-in session in the Castlemaine Library foyer between 10am and 2pm.
Experienced local botanists Paul Foreman, Ern Perkins, Bonnie Humphries & Karl Just will be on hand during the session to help solve your mystery plant woes. Just bring along some sample leaves/flowers/fruits from the plant you want identified. Alternatively you could bring some photographs of the plant.
Remember, if you don’t know what it is then it could be a native so don’t pull out the whole plant – samples are good! And if it’s an orchid you would like identified, just take some photos as they’re too vulnerable to be damaged.
While you’re there you can have a look at the range of botanical resources available at the library to help you in the future. There will also be free local flora guides, weed guides and other resources to take way.
Contact: Max Schlachter – 5472 1594 or max@connectingcountry.org.au.
Mount Alexander Shire Community Grants
Posted on 27 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
Each year Mount Alexander Shire Council allocates funding to support a range of local community-based projects and initiatives through the Strengthening Our Community Grants Scheme. The funding round for the 2014-2015 financial year opened on 22 August 2014, with applications closing on Friday 26 September 2014 at 4pm.
There is a Sustainability & Natural Environment category as part of the grants scheme. In this category there are grants up to $3000. Applicants are asked to address one or more of the following themes:
- Climate change, greenhouse & energy
- Land & biodiversity
- Urban development, planning & sustainable transport
- Waste & resource efficiency
- Water
The Council’s Environment Strategy Action Plan (4.6MB download) sets out specific objectives against the above themes.
More information and the application form can be found on the MAS website.
31 Aug 2014 – Cactus Control Field Day
Posted on 27 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
The Cactus Group’s next Field Day will be held next Sunday 31st August 2014. It will take place in Goughs Range Road south of Maldon, starting as usual at 10.30 am. The way to the site will be signposted from the corner of the Maldon-Newstead Road and Goughs Range Road. A map showing the location can be downloaded here.
For further information ring Tony Kane on (03) 5475 2973.
Crown Water Frontage Licences
Posted on 27 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
We have become aware that the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) are now renewing crown water frontage licences across Victoria. Licence holders should receive a letter and information package from DEPI soon. This letter is being sent to around 10,000 licence holders across Victoria.
The following information has been provided by DEPI regarding the licence renewal process – which makes for an interesting read about how these areas are managed, irrespective of whether you have property with water frontage or not. If this is relevant to you and you’d like further information, you can contact the DEPI Customer Service Centre 136 186 or visit the DEPI website . Continue Reading »
Birdwatchers aplenty at the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens
Posted on 26 August, 2014 by Tanya Loos
The Castlemaine Botanic Gardens has been all aflutter with burgeoning birdwatchers this month! A Beginners Workshop was held on the 2nd August 2014, followed by an Intermediate Birdwatching Skills Workshop on the 16th.
The workshops were presented by Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Project Coordinator and Geoff Park, bird photographer and naturalist from the Natural Newstead blog. Both keen birders, it was interesting to note that the key messages of both workshops were quite similar!
- Get yourself at least one field guide to the Birds of Australia (The ‘Pizzey and Knight’ was the preference of the presenters, but they also acknowledged that the others were also very useful – Simpson and Day; Slater; Morcombe).
- Use the field guide and observations in your local area to get to know the features of the main woodland bird families (groupings) such as thornbills, whistlers and robins.
- Use your field guide to nut out key features such as field marks and behaviour. Field marks are the particular feather patterns, coloration, size, shape, bill structure, etc that help us distinguish closely related groups of birds.
- Knowing what are our typical local species also helps. It narrows down the range of possibilities for a new unknown bird that you have seen or heard.
Write-ups and photos of the workshops, and a list of resources are available: Beginners Birdwatching and Intermediate Skills.
It was really inspiring and heartwarming to see how everyone is keen as mustard to get out in the field and enjoy birdwatching, and bird monitoring. To this end, a Community Bird Monitoring Kit is in preparation. This kit will have a list of local bird species and families, a how-to guide on bird monitoring, an Excel data-recording template for those of you who are computer-orientated, and hard copy data-sheets as well. Coming soon!
Update on the Green Army programme
Posted on 20 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
On 2 August 2014, the Federal Government announced that the Green Army is ‘open for business‘. Successful Project Sponsors were announced, as were the successful applicants to become Service Providers. They have also put a call out for young people (aged 17 to 24) to join a Green Army team. The details are available on the Green Army website (click here).
Connecting Country shared community concerns about some elements of the Green Army program and decided not to seek funding in the first round but will instead wait and see how the program develops.
Some of the projects announced in Round 1 are in the North Central catchment area (click here to see the full list). The nearest to the Mount Alexander Region is the Bald Hill Conservation Project near Kyneton (with the Macedon Ranges Shire Council being the project sponsor).
24th Aug 2014 – Aboriginal Landscapes of the Baynton and Sidonia districts
Posted on 15 August, 2014 by Connecting Country
On Sunday 24th August the people of Baynton, Sidonia and surrounding districts are being offered a rare opportunity to learn about how Aboriginal people lived in the area up until 180 years ago.
Baynton Sidonia Landcare group is holding a seminar titled “Aboriginal Landscapes” and is delighted that some members of the Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (TCAC), who are Traditional Owners of this part of Victoria, will be offering some Aboriginal cultural workshops. Dr Gerry Gill, formerly of La Trobe University, Bendigo, will also give an illustrated talk and show a film he has recently made.
The Seminar will run from 2 pm to 8 pm on Sunday 24th August at the Baynton Hall, Darlington Road, Baynton. Participants are advised to wear warm clothes as some sessions will take place in a marquee. The Seminar is free and refreshments (including dinner) are provided.
Booking is essential, as places are limited, by phoning Clare on 54 234 152 or emailing clare@knco.net.
Taungurung cultural objects laid out for workshop participants to examine and admire.
Ms Trish Terry, Country and Community Strategic Initiatives Coordinator with the TCAC, said, “We are so pleased to be working with a Landcare group like the Baynton Sidonia group. People in the community are becoming increasingly interested in and curious about Aboriginal cultural heritage and it is great when a Landcare group acts as a conduit for that information to get out into the community. We look forward to working with them on future projects.”
After a Welcome to Country, members of the Taungurung Clans will run workshops on Stone Tool Making and Story Telling. Continue Reading »