5 Sept – ‘A Dawne Chorus Extravaganza’
Posted on 22 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
Castlemaine Library has organised a free event to welcome Spring – a performance by the sensational bird-caller, Dawne Chorus. The date is Thursday 5 September 2013 at 5.30pm for a dusk performance. Castlemaine Field Naturalists will also be displaying some terrific images of our local bushlands.
This is a free event but RSVP for catering purposes is necessary (phone: 5472 1458, email castlemaine@ncgrl.vic.gov.au).
Mount Alexander Region Landcare E-news – August Edition
Posted on 22 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
The August 2013 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.
Draft Fire Operations Plan – Open for comment until 31 Aug
Posted on 20 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
The planned burning program for Victoria over the next three years is now on the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) website for public consideration. Many of the areas have been approved previously for burning. Feedback is being request for a number of new proposed burn areas for the years of 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. In the local area, the new proposed burns are mainly centred around settlement, and are mostly designated as Asset Protection Zones.
The program can be seen by following this link. The Mount Alexander Shire and most of the immediate surrounds occur within the Murray Goldfields sub-region, with the Midlands sub-region occurring nearby to the south of the shire.
DEPI is interested in community feedback on the draft Fire Operation Plans (FOPs): instructions on how to do this are on the above link, but you can also email planned.burning@depi.vic.gov.au . The consultation is open till 31 August 2013.
Connecting Country’s submission to last year’s FOP can be found here (page 1) and here (page 2).
Applications for 2013 Communities for Nature Grants now open
Posted on 15 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
Communities for Nature Grants for Small and Large Grants are open until 13 September 2013.
The Communities for Nature grants program supports:
- Practical community action to deliver measurable environmental outcomes
- Community groups and volunteers doing works primarily focused on the environment.
- Communities with relevant and timely information to assess priorities at the local level to determine the best returns for on-ground works
Communities for Nature grants are available to eligible organisations including local community groups and organisations, including schools.
The program has up to $4,000,000 to invest for the 2013 for small grants of up to $10,000; and for large project grants of $10,001 to $150,000.
For application details and technical input into your application, contact the Grants Information Line on 1300 366 356. You can also download the program guidelines and FAQs on the DEPI website.
14 August – Friends of Campbells Creek Get-together & AGM
Posted on 12 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
The Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare group (FOCC) would like to invite all interested community members to their Annual General Meeting and dinner at the Klua Sathorn Restaurant (32 Johnstone St, Castlemaine, licensed) this Wednesday 14th August at 6:30pm.
A wide range of food and drinks available for purchase. For those not wishing to eat, the AGM component should start around 6:30 pm and run for around 20 minutes.
Group secretary Shona Cornwell says “This is a great chance to socialise, enjoy a Thai meal, elect office-bearers, and talk about the year ahead – mostly eating and getting together. We hope to see you there.”
The FOCC have also just launched their very own Facebook page where you can keep up to date with all their events. Click HERE to check out the Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare Facebook page.
Contact: Shona Cornwall – 0408724699.
15 August – Talk on Native Ants
Posted on 9 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
Local ecologist Karl Just will be presenting a talk on Ants and their important role in native ecosystems on Thursday 15 August 2013 between 8 pm and 9 pm at the Newstead Community Centre.
Among other things, the talk will explore the origin and distribution of ants, the fascinating relationships they have with other organisms and their potential for use in monitoring. Some common species occurring in the local area will also be discussed.
The evening has been organised by the Newstead Landcare Group and a gold coin donation on the night will help to continue to provide these interesting talks (and supper). Everyone is welcome.
Notoncus ants attending larva of Eltham Copper Butterfly
12 August 2013 – FOBIF AGM and Guest Speaker
Posted on 8 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Box -Ironbark Forests (FOBIF) will be held at the Castlemaine Continuing Education Centre, Templeton Street, Castlemaine at 7.30 pm on Monday 12 August. Guest speaker, Ian O’Halloran, will speak on the land restoration project under way at Post Office Hill, Chewton. This fascinating 22 hectare site between the Post Office and the railway line is full of surprises, and the work of the Post Office Hill Action Group is a model for groups anywhere wanting to give a little corner of the planet a better chance.
Ian O’Halloran talks to the POHAG troops at Post Office Hill: the area is of interest geologically, and for its signs of Aboriginal and gold era history, as well as for a surprising wealth of plant species.
9 Aug 2013 – Talk – Between Mitchell and the Gold
Posted on 2 August, 2013 by Connecting Country
On Friday 9 August, the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club will be local artist, ‘expeditioner’ and historian Eliza Tree.
Eliza’s recent research ‘challenges the misconception that Victoria and Castlemaine began with gold’. Following the journey of Major Mitchell through Victoria in 1836, there was a rapid expansion of pastoralism and colonization into the local area and across Victoria, all prior to the Gold Rush of the 1850’s. Eliza will describe many of the effects that this expansion had upon the local environment and indigenous cultural landscape in those few years between Mitchell and the Gold Rush.
Her talk is titled “Land Rush to Gold Rush, Jaara Country 1836 – 51”.
As per usual, the evening will commence at 7.30pm in the Fellowship Room hall behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St in Castlemaine (midway between Kennedy St and Barker St). Both members of the CFNC and visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event. Stay for a chat over a hot drink and biscuits afterwards!
Painting by Eliza Tree from her ‘Journey to the Australia Felix’ series.
28 July 2013 – Cactus War Continues (& new website launched)
Posted on 26 July, 2013 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group is holding its next Community Field Day this Sunday, 28th July. The venue is the Maldon Historic Reserve in Watersons Road near the turn off to Mount Back Road. Follow the signs from the intersection of the Maldon-Bridgewater Road and Watersons Road.
As usual the day will start at 10.30 am and end at about 12.30pm with a sausage sizzle.
Header photo from the new Cactus Control website
The Cactus Control Group recently launched its new website at a lunch at the Kangaroo Hotel in Maldon. As well as keeping people up to date with the latest local cactus control activities, the site includes valuable information on the weed itself, methods of controlling it, trials of a various control methods and the history of the group. Wheel Cactus is widely naturalised in western and central Victoria, western NSW and south-eastern and eastern South Australia infesting pastures, granite outcrops and open woodlands. This website will be a valuable resource to people in these areas who are engaged in cactus control activities.
28 July is National Tree Day 2013 – Get Out There & Get Planting!
Posted on 24 July, 2013 by Connecting Country
Sunday 28th July is Planet Ark’s National Tree Day.
Everybody is welcome to be part of Tree Day events happening in Baringhup, Campbells Creek, Castlemaine, Chewton, Harcourt and Sutton Grange this Sunday.
All the details of these events can be found on the National Tree Day 2013 page of the Connecting Country website – click here to check it out.
National Tree Day plantings improve our environment by revegetating degraded land with indigenous plant species. These plants will create food and habitat for local wildlife, including threatened species such as the Tuan (or Brush-tailed Phascogale), Swift Parrot and Eltham Copper Butterfly.
National Tree day is organised by Planet Ark and you can learn more about it at their website.
Matt, Aiden and Bryce have an affinity with this River Red Gum which stands sentinel at the Waterwatch testing spot where the Baringhup National Tree Day event will take place.
What’s Happening with Natural Regeneration
Posted on 17 July, 2013 by Connecting Country
Ian Lunt is a vegetation ecologist who works at Charles Sturt University. He recently gave a talk about the value of natural regeneration occurring across central Victoria at the Biodiversity Across The Borders conference in Ballarat. This type of regeneration, he explained, is slow and often unnoticed. Assisted by economic factors and the demand for amenity land use, he argues that it is having far more effect on our environment than intentional planting or direct seeding. To view the complete talk, visit this YouTube clip. His blog also has some interesting information on this and other topics.
Two Apps about Australian Pests
Posted on 15 July, 2013 by Connecting Country
1. New Pests iPhone App
Users of iPhone and iPad can now access the latest information about Australia’s pest animals via the new ‘Field Guide to Pest Animals’ App. This App contains species profiles for 31 of Australia’s worst pest animals, including
- species descriptions
- photo galleries
- footprints
- audio calls
- maps
- control techniques
- quick links to plenty of pest control resources.
To learn more, visit PESTSMART. According to the website, the same App will hopefully be available for Android phones and pads in the future.
2. New FeralScan App
Feral Scan is a national program where members of the public can map their observations of certain pest animals. Previously, this was only accessible through the FeralScan website. However, contributors to FeralScan can now access and enter data through an App on their mobile phones and mobile devices.
A dedicated FeralScan App suitable for rural and remote areas is currently in development, as is a new secure community group facility that will enable groups to login and share data about community-led projects or Council pest control programs.
For further information contact Peter West at Invasive Animals CRC – peter.west@invasiveanimals.com.
Rabbit Ute Guide
Connecting Country has copies of its recently released Ute Guide to Rabbit Control available (see earlier post on this item – click here). This can be picked up for free from the Connecting Country office.
Applications Now Open for Three Grants
Posted on 27 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
1. Innovation Grants
Applications are open for Innovation Grants ranging between $250 000 to $1.5 million. The grants are for the development and adoption of innovative practices and technologies across agriculture, fishing, aquaculture and farm forestry industries. They are part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative, delivered under the Sustainable Agriculture stream.
Applications close at 2pm on 4 July 2013. For further information, click visit the grants page of the Caring for Country website or call 1800 552 008.
2. Community Food Grants
Community Food Grants are a new initiative and are part of the Nation Food Plan. Grants are of up to $10 000 for community gardens, city farms or similar activities and up to $25 000 for farmers’ markets, food rescue and similar activities are available.
Community gardens, food cooperatives, farmers’ markets, food rescue services or groups with an idea for community food initiatives may be interested in applying for funding under the program.
Applications close 5pm on 4 July 2013. For further information, visit the grants page of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) website or phone 1800 702 330.
3. Victorian Landcare Grants
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is calling for applications for the next round of the State Government’s Victorian Landcare Grants program for community groups to undertake natural resource management (NRM) projects in 2013-14.
The Victorian Landcare Grants Program continues to have an emphasis on building community capacity. The program is designed to fund projects that enable NRM community groups, networks and their volunteers to undertake effective on-ground works to protect and restore the Victorian landscape.
There are two grant types available:
- Project grants (up to $20,000)
- Maintenance and start-up grants (up to $1,000)
Applications close 5pm on Monday 22 July 2013. For further information, visit the Landcare page on the North Central CMA website.
30 June 2013 – Cactus Control Field Day
Posted on 26 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
Next Sunday, 30 June, is not only the end of the financial year, it is also the next Cactus Control Group’s Field Day. This month the location will be at a property near the corner of Watersons Road and Tarrengower School Road. The route will be signposted.
As usual, it will start at 10.30 am and finish with a cuppa and a sausage sizzle.
Download this flyer to see more details.
Have Your Say about the Impact of Development
Posted on 26 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
A project is being currently undertaken by a Melbourne University-based research group into resource management in peri-urban areas of Victoria. The researchers describe the study as follows:
Local communities, academic experts and local planners have expressed concern about the pace of development and the effects that this might carry for the landscape and the natural resources. Sound urban and regional planning is required to prevent the negative impacts associated with unplanned development and the mismanagement of natural resources.
The views and preferences of local communities residing in these areas are important and need to be taken into account to achieve better longer-term planning. The aim of this project is to better understand local residents’ interactions, preferences and expectations regarding their landscape in their local area.
The study area includes Mount Alexander as well as Ballarat, Central Goldfields, Greater Bendigo, Hepburn, Macedon Ranges and Moorabool. Residents in these municipalities can participate in the research by filling out an online survey. Click here for information on the project and a link to the survey.
22 June – Geology Walk in the McHarg Ranges
Posted on 14 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
Have you ever wondered what a “metamorphic aureole” might be? Or where ancient lava flows started and stopped? Or where rivers have cut through some rocks, but have met with more resistance with others? And why this is relevant to today’s inhabitants of the landscape?
On Saturday 22nd June, Dr Neville Rosengren, formerly Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at La Trobe University, is going to explain the local landscape in terms of geology and landform, first in a talk at the Baynton Hall and then on a walk on the McHarg Range nearby. This event is being organized by Baynton Sidonia Landcare group.
A view of the McHarg Ranges, which lie on the Eastern egde of the Mt Alexander Shire, between Glenhope and Baynton.
The Fair is Over But Visitors are Always Welcome
Posted on 12 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
The World Environment Day Fair in the Castlemaine Market building on Sunday 2 June was a great success with many local residents (and visitors) stopping by for a chat and taking advantage of the resources on offer. The Connecting Country stall had a strong Landcare theme. It was one of many displays put on by environment ansd sustainability groups working in our region.
If you didn’t make it to the Fair but would still like to access the land management resources available through Connecting Country, visitors are always welcome to our offices in the Hub building – corner of Templeton St and Barker St (above The Good Table restaurant), Castlemaine. We have resources on weed and pest control, native vegetation management, Landcare, native wildlife and much more. We also have Bonnie – a very knowledgable botanist who can help you to identify that mystery plant which ‘sort of looks like a weed, but you’re not really sure’!
Thanks to Jay Smith from the Mount Alexander Shire Council for organising this year’s World Environment Day Fair.
Chris, Max & Jan examine one of the 50 free indigenous plants that were given away to visitors at the Connecting Country stall. Thanks to Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives for supplying the plants!
Chris Timewell from Connecting Country and Kylie Stafford from the Mount Alexander Shire share the limelight.
2013-14 Grants under GVESHO now open
Posted on 6 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
The federal government has just announced that applications for 2013-14 grants under the Grants to Voluntary Environment, Sustainability and Heritage Organisations (GVESHO) program are now open. These grants provide ‘funds to help eligible community–based, not-for-profit organisations to value, conserve and protect Australia’s natural environment and historic heritage and to promote sustainability by assisting with their administrative costs’.
Guidelines and an online Application Form are available at the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities’ website. Grant applications close on Thursday 20 June at 5pm.
Volunteer Network Workshops
Posted on 6 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
The Mount Alexander Volunteer Network is running a number of workshops this year between June and August. The first one is about Making Meetings Marvellous and will focus on how to make meetings ‘engaging, rewarding, effective and even fun’. This will be held on Wednesday 19 June between 6 and 8pm. The next one is about Community Groups and the Law and will be held on 26 June between 10am and 1pm. Both workshops will take place at the Continuing Education building in Templeton Street.
To find out more about these events and other planned workshops, click here.
Latest edition of chat (May 2013)
Posted on 6 June, 2013 by Connecting Country
The latest edition of the North Central CMA publication chat is now available and can be downloaded here.