18 Feb 2014 – Aboriginal People on the Goldfields
Posted on 17 February, 2014 by Connecting Country
Dr Fred Cahir is giving a talk on Aborigines on the Goldfields of Victoria at the Castlemaine Market Building on 18 February. The talk begins at 7.30pm and entry is free.
Fred is a Senior Lecturer and Aboriginal Studies Program Coordinator in the School of Education and Arts at Federation University, Australia. He has written extensively on local Victorian Aboriginal history. In 2013 he published a Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870. The book offers new insights into how Aboriginal people often figured significantly, both in the search for gold and in other goldfield related enterprises; he also reveals the devastating social impact of gold mining on Aboriginal communities.
Helping our Blue Devils
Posted on 6 February, 2014 by Connecting Country
The Connecting Country Work Crew recently came across a few patches of Blue Devil (Eryngium ovinum) during their field assessments. This hardy herb grows mostly in grassland and grassy woodland communities and can be found in most Australian states and territories.
Blue Devil (Eryngium ovinum) photographed at Barkers Creek
The prickly plant is a rosette-forming perennial which grows from late winter, flowering in summer and then dies down around autumn, after seeding . It has a fleshy tap-root that stores energy while dormant. These plants belong to the same plant family as Carrots and Fennel, but please don’t eat them!
Three members of the works crew with a Blue Devil.
Blue Devils are now uncommon in our region. The crew has only found them in a small number of grassy woodlands and de-stocked paddocks. Jarrod and the rest of the team would love to know about Blue Devil populations or other rare or unusual animal and plant species on your property. Through the Connecting Landscapes project, we may be able to improve their habitats by building protective fences or undertaking pest and weed control.
You can find out more about the Connecting Landscapes project here.
New Autumn Workshops by Alison Pouliot
Posted on 5 February, 2014 by Connecting Country
World-renowned fungi expert and photographer, Alison Pouliot, is once again running a variety of seminars, workshops, forays and feasts in April and May 2014 on ‘the curiosities and delights of the fungi kingdom’. Alison is an impressive and popular presenter. In her workshops she clearly enjoys sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge of this amazing kingdom of organisms. Alison was a presenter at a Connecting Country Educational event in 2011.
Information about the workshops as well as examples of her photography and other projects can be found on her website. Bookings are managed by the venues so you need to contact them directly to reserve your place. For further information contact Alison at alison@alisonpouliot.com.
Alison is also running an environmental photography workshop, ‘Eyes on Nature‘, in Woodend on Saturday 5 April 2014. You can download a flyer on this here.
Four of Alison Pouliot’s superb fungi photos.
16 Feb 2014 – Sweet Bursaria Seed Collection & Propagation Workshop
Posted on 31 January, 2014 by Connecting Country
Come and learn how to grow plants for an endangered butterfly!
The Eltham Copper Butterfly is an endangered species in Victoria – and Castlemaine is one of the few places they’re known to live. Join the McKenzies Hill Action & Landcare Group for a free workshop on collecting and propagating seeds of Sweet Bursaria – the butterfly’s only known food plant.
The workshop will take place near the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens between 9:30am to 11am on Sunday 16th February. Click here to download the flyer.
Eltham Copper Butterfly perched on flowering Sweet Bursaria – it’s only know food plant. Photo: Elaine Bayes
Eltham Copper Butterfly’s have an amazing relationship with Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) and a genus of ants called Notoncus. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the roots Continue Reading »
2 March 2014 – Ian Lunt Talk in Newstead . . . Naturally
Posted on 24 January, 2014 by Connecting Country
If you’re already familiar with the work of popular ecologist and author Ian Lunt then you probably don’t need any further encouragement to attend this free talk at the Newstead Community Centre on Sunday 2nd March.
For those who haven’t come across him before, Ian is an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at Charles Sturt University, Albury, and the author of popular online blog Vegetation Ecology for Southern Australia (http://ianluntecology.com). He has been described as “one of the best ecological storytellers going around” and has made appearances on ABC TV’s Catalyst and Landline programs to talk about his research. He’s also co-authored the book ‘Plains Wandering: Exploring the Grassy Plains of South-Eastern Australia’.
Ian will be presenting a talk titled “Natural regeneration in central Victoria: the biggest positive change for conservation in south-east Australia”. Regenerating bush on old farmland is a common sight around Newstead and other parts of the Mount Alexander Shire. Ian’s talk should give us an insight into why it’s happening and what the impact of it on the environment might be.
The talk will begin at 4:00pm and be followed by a BBQ dinner to celebrate the start of Connecting Country’s Improve Biodiversity on Your Property Education Program 2014, supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Biodiversity Fund.
This promises to be a really great event and we would love to have as many Connecting Country members and friends there as possible to enjoy it!
RSVPs are not essential, but are greatly preferred for catering purposes – max@connectingcountry.org.au, or phone 5472 1594
Cactus Warriors on YouTube
Posted on 10 January, 2014 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee (TCCC) have recently uploaded three new videos to their website (http://www.cactuswarriors.org). The videos are presented by TCCC president Ian Grenda and include information on how to identify Wheel Cactus plants, how to kill them, and the story of the TCCC project.
The videos and the website are part of the groups effort to make information on Wheel Cactus control centralised and easily accessible so that groups who want to control cactus in other parts of Australia (and the rest of the world) can learn from the experience of the TCCC.
Check out the videos at the Cactus Warrior website here, or on YouTube.
Ian talks about killing Cactus next to a list of videos showing how to grow them!
Need help with Weed Removal?
Posted on 8 January, 2014 by Connecting Country
Chiliean Needle-grass seed showing distinctive collar between seed and tail (awn).
An important part of the work of the Connecting Landscapes crew during 2013 was removing weeds from properties in the Mount Alexander region. An example has been the removal of patches of Serrated Tussock Grass and Chilean Needle-Grass found by the crew in the Sutton Grange area.
Whilst there are similar species of native spear grass, these two exotic grasses crowd out native plants and damage stock by burrowing their way into hides and even into the meat!
Connecting Landscapes has just employed a new work crew and is seeking expressions of interest from private landowners and Landcare groups who would like help with weed removal. Assistance is also available for tubestock planting and direct seeding of indigenous flora, the implementation of pest animal control and environmental fencing. Assistance can be in the form of labour from the works crew on properties and/or materials, for example posts and fencing wire.
Connecting Landscapes Work Crew: From left, Alex Schipperen, Kim Peric, Dianna Manser, Matt Stahl, and missing Matthew Sundblom.
This is all part of the Connecting Landscape project which is a ten year program designed to work with private landholders and Landcare Groups to create and enhance wildlife habitat connections between the large blocks of crown land forest that occur through the Mount Alexander Shire and immediate surrounds. There are 8 target zones: around parts of Sutton Grange, Harcourt, Muckleford, Guildford, Franklinford, Sandon, Elphinstone and Taradale. You can find out more about Connecting Landscapes here.
If this opportunity sounds like it might suit you, or to find out more, please contact Jarrod Coote or Bonnie Humphreys at Connecting Country on 5472 1594 or email: jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au
Position Available – Community Engagement
Posted on 31 December, 2013 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has a part-time 12-month position available for a suitable, enthusiastic and experienced person. The role primarily involves coordinating Connecting Country’s Community Engagement program for 2014. Many of you will have previously attended talks or field days from this program run by Connecting Country over the past 4 years.
Further details about the role, including the position description, key selection criteria and hours of work are available by clicking here.
Applications must be submitted by 1pm on Monday 20th January 2014.
Please pass this on to anyone who you think might be interested.
Mount Alexander Region Landcare E-news – December Edition
Posted on 20 December, 2013 by Connecting Country
The December edition of the Mount Alexander Landcare E-news is available. Click on the banner below to download the newsletter.
The Landcare E-news is short monthly update on Landcare-related news, information and events for the Mount Alexander Shire and surrounds. Previous editions of E-news are available from the Landcare page of the Connecting Country website (click here).
The newsletter is sent out by Connecting Country’s Local Landcare Facilitator, Max Schlachter. If you would like to be put on the recipient list, send Max an email: max@connectingcountry.org.au.
Weekly Summaries Now Available
Posted on 18 December, 2013 by Connecting Country
Hello Connecting Country blog subscribers,
Following the suggestions of some of our subscribers, there is now an option to receive a weekly summary email of the Connecting Country posts rather than receive them individually on the day that they are posted. The weekly summary will be sent out on Saturday morning at about 8am. The daily emails are now sent at 7am (rather than midnight, as was done previously).
For those that struggle to keep up with their email inbox, the weekly summary of Connecting Country’s posts may help make it more manageable. The downside to receiving the weekly update is that you may miss out on hearing about events or other opportunities until it’s too late to attend or register.
New blog subscribers, will receive an option to receive daily posts or weekly summaries when they are signing up.
For existing blog subscribers, you can change your subscription in the following manner:
- Click on ‘update subscription preferences’ at the bottom of a post email from Connecting Country (either an old or new email will work)
- Click the box which says that you’d like to receive weekly emails only.
Find out about Mosaic Burning
Posted on 2 December, 2013 by Connecting Country
Deakin and LaTrobe Universities with support from DEPI and Parks Victoria are currently conducting a Box-Ironbark Mosaic Burning Project. In their fifth newsletter they describe the work being conducted to document forest structure and how it may change as a result of planned burns. The area focused on is the Heathcote-Rushworth Forest. For people interested issues related to planned burns this project and its documentation could be a valuable resource. Subscription details are included in the newsletter. Some comments on the project from a local perspective are featured in the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests website.
29 November 2013 – Landscape Restoration Bus Tour in Baynton
Posted on 14 November, 2013 by Connecting Country
On Friday 29th November, the Baynton Sidonia Landcare group and the Kyneton Woodland Project are offering a bus tour of three local properties to look at:
• indigenous vegetation restoration by direct seeding and tubestock planting
• how a little bit of fencing can make an enormous difference to what comes up once stock are removed
• plant ID (of indigenous vegetation)
• how to maintain areas of indigenous vegetation – dealing with weeds and the growth of grasses
They hope to hear from the landholders at each site about their motives in land restoration as well as from local vegetation guru Ian Higgins who is the Project Officer for the Kyneton Woodland Project.
The day will start at the Baynton Hall at 10 am with a talk by Ian about the principles of revegetation and restoration of indigenous vegetation. Ian is an inspirational speaker and his knowledge of vegetation is encyclopaedic.
After the talk, there will be a short bus ride to the first site which is on the Burke and Wills Track. Then a return to the Hall for one of Heather’s (of the Burke and Wills Track winery) excellent lunches and then a visit to sites at Barfold and Green Hill before the bus returns to the Hall at 3:30 pm.
Regretfully, the tour is not suitable for people of limited mobility. Not only is there the climbing on and off the bus, but there will also be walks of several hundred metres at each site over uneven, and at one site, steep, rocky, ground.
This event is funded by the Kyneton Woodland Project, so there is no cost to participants. If you would like to secure your place on the bus tour, please contact Clare on 54 234 152 or clare@knco.net by 25th November.
Some events this weekend (8-10 Nov)
Posted on 7 November, 2013 by Connecting Country
A reminder that the Castlemaine Field Naturalists talk this Friday evening (8 Nov 2013) is about particular recent discoveries and debates in the story of human evolution. Ross Williams gives his talk entitled ‘Bones of Contention’. For details, click here. All welcome.
The next day (Sat 9 Nov), the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Excursion will be to the Newstead Cemetery and the Rise and Shine Reserve. It will leave from the Octopus building in Castlemaine – opposite the Castle Motel on Duke St – at 1.30pm.
On Sunday 10 Nov, local ecologist Damien Cook is leading a Nature Walk around Bells Swamp (between Maldon and Bridgewater), from 10.30am until 12 midday. You will see the amazing response of plants and birds to the flooding of this wetland, including the nationally threatened and recently discovered Myriophyllum porcatum. The excursion will commence from the intersection of Brooms Lane and the Bridgewater-Maldon Rd (at the southern end of Bells Swamp).
Positions Available in Connecting Country’s Works Crew
Posted on 27 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
We are seeking suitable people to form the 2014 Works Crew for Connecting Country’s Connecting Landscapes program.
Do you want to work outdoors? Do you want to make the natural world a better place? If yes, then this could be the job for you.
Connecting Country is seeking enthusiastic people to form its 2014 Environmental Works Crew. With funding from the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Biodiversity Fund, Connecting Country is implementing a long term program to protect and enhance native vegetation at a number of sites across the Mount Alexander Shire and immediate surrounds in central Victoria.
For more information on the program, and also for a copy of the full position description, click here. The role is a fixed term position, commencing early January 2014 and concluding in August 2014.
To apply, send your curriculum vitae or resume to “Connecting Country, PO Box 437, Castlemaine, VIC, 3450 by 5pm Monday 18th November 2013 or by email to jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au
For more information regarding the project and the position, contact Jarrod Coote on (03) 5472-1594 or email jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au
8 Nov 2013 – CFNC Talk ‘Bones of Contention’
Posted on 25 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
In August 2003, on the Indonesian island of Flores, scientists found the bones of a little female adult who died 18,000 years ago. She had been a little over one metre tall with a brain barely one third the average size of ours. Nor was she alone. Remains of others of the same type were found later.
The scientists had discovered a previously unknown species, Homo floresiensis. Astoundingly, these tiny beings made stone tools, used fire to cook meat and vegetables, hunted and killed large animals, worked co-operatively in groups and probably spoke a language. That is, they developed a society with its own enduring culture. And they survived on Flores until about 12,000 years ago! The world’s media pounced on the news, and told us that “real, live hobbits” used to live in Indonesia. In scientific circles, meanwhile, the discovery ignited a dispute which, a decade later, is still hot.
Sadly, the real Homo floresiensis got lost along the way.
At the November meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club, guest speaker Ross Williams, will talk about what the hard evidence shows about the species’ appearance, its abilities, its ecology and how it fits into our own evolutionary history.
The talk will be held on Friday 8 November from 7pm in the hall behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St, Castlemaine (approx. midway between Kennedy St and Barker St). Entry is free. Both members and visitors are welcome to attend. The excursion the next day will be to the Newstead cemetery and the Rise and Shine Reserve. Contact the club for further details if needed (castlemainefnc@hotmail.com).
27th October 2013 – Weaving Workshop with Castlemaine Landcare
Posted on 22 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
On Sunday 27th October 2013 the Castlemaine Landcare Group are holding a free workshop on weaving with indigenous plants.
The workshop will be taken by Julie McHale who is a descendent of the Trawlwool Way People of the Devonport area in Tasmania, and an adopted elder on Dja Dja Wurrung country. Julie will demonstrate traditional weaving practices using local cumbungi grass and other materials. Participants will be encouraged to try their hand at this special craft.
This will be a great morning for families and anyone interested in discovering how the original people of the area worked with materials at hand.
As well as the indigenous weaving workshop, the Castlemaine Landcare group will be doing some maintenance on their National Tree day planting so bring your garden gloves, a hammer for staking plants and a spade or planting tool if you’d like to help.
It’s lovely and lush in Happy Valley at the moment so it will be a nice time to be working down by the creek.
Part of the Castlemaine Landcare Group’s 2013 National Tree Day Planting near Moonlight Creek.
When: Sunday 27 October
Time: 10- 12noon (morning tea provided)
Where: Meet at Moonlight Creek, the site worked on for National Tree Planting Day. To get there: travel along Colles Road, turn first left after you pass Pennyweight cemetery and continue until you see the Landcare group’s sign on the left.
Enquires: Robin Haylett – 5470-6340
24 October 2013 – Carbon Farming Talk, Baynton
Posted on 18 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
On Thursday 24th October the Baynton Sidonia Landcare Group is inviting landholders to attend an information session and discussion on the Carbon Farming Initiative.
The Carbon Farming Initiative, which began in 2012, offers opportunities for landholders to create Carbon Credits and to secure funds for land restoration projects.
The Baynton Sidonia Landcare Group have a well-deserved reputation for putting on interesting and well-organised talks, seminars and field days. No doubt this will be another one. Dinner will be provided.
Registration essential by phoning Clare on 5423 4152 or clare@knco.net by Tuesday 22nd October.
This event is free and funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority.
When: Thursday 24th October, 6:30pm
Where: Baynton Hall, Darlington Road, Baynton
Click here to see the Connecting Country events calendar which includes a Google map of the event location.
19 October 2013 – Texas Needle Grass Field Day, Barfold
Posted on 16 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
Landowners and other interested people are invited to a field day on Saturday 19th October to help stop the spread of Texas Needle Grass (TNG) in the Barfold, Mia Mia, Metcalfe, Emburton and Redesdale district.
Texas Needle Grass (Nassella leucotricha) is a highly invasive introduced species that has already caused considerable damage to farmland in the eastern part of the Mount Alexander Shire. The sharp, pointed seeds are a hazard to animals and can contaminate produce. TNG also poses a significant risk to native grasslands.
While TNG is already known to occur in the area, the true extent of its spread has not been recorded. Members of Campaspe Valley Landcare Group and Metcalfe Landcare Group are coming together, with the support of the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network (UCLN) and Connecting Country to map the current extent of TNG in the district. These groups are building upon a similar project undertaken by the Malmsbury and Langley Landcare groups in 2012.
To begin the project, a field day has been organised for Saturday Saturday 19th October in Barfold, beginning at the Barfold Hall (Kyneton Redesdale Rd, Barfold) at 10am. The field day will feature needle grass identification training followed by a barbecue lunch, and conclude with a site visit to a nearby paddock containing TNG. Participants in the field day will have an opportunity to use their ID skills to contribute to the mapping project.
The data collected via this mapping project will assist local governments with their roadside management programs and help stop the spread of Texas Needle Grass.
If you would like to be involved in the project, or just want to learn more about identifying and managing Texas Needle Grass on your place, come along to the field day or contact Philip Don from the Campaspe Valley Landcare Group on (03) 5423-4182 or by email at mrdon@westnet.com.au.
Texas Needle Grass will be flowering in October and November. Photo: John Walter
20 Oct 2013 – Friends of Campbells Creek Community Day
Posted on 14 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
Everyone is welcome to come along to the Friends of Campbells Creek Community Day.
It is being held on Sunday October 20 between 10am to 3pm at Campbells Creek Park. The event will be celebrating over ten years of volunteers weeding and planting along the Creek from the junction of Forest and Barkers Creeks down to Cemetery Road Bridge.
During the day, a range of activities will be held including planting native grasses, family activities and games for children. Bus tours will be available so you can hop on board and be driven to interesting places of natural significance and sites where restoration is fully under way. A fully catered BBQ will be provided with vegetarian and gluten free options, and there will be a free raffle for attendees.
For more information please contact Shona on 0408-724-699
Volunteers at overlooking Campbells Creek
There are also another two new posts on the Connecting Country website about National Bird Week events (click here) and an acoustic celebration of Box-Ironbark Country (click here).
Appointment to NRMC – Last days to submit an EOI
Posted on 7 October, 2013 by Connecting Country
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is seeking Expressions of Interest from community members for appointment to its Natural Resource Management Committee (NRMC). EOI for NRMC close this Friday 11 October 2013.
The CMA notes that the NRMC is ‘an integral part of the Authority that provides a community and local perspective to the work of the North Central CMA in the regional community. The NRMC also supports the organisation and provides advice to the Board on both project activity and community engagement at the strategic and operational level, as well as participating in local natural resource management activities.’ Continue Reading »