Connecting Country AGM and new committee members
Posted on 25 November, 2025 by Hadley Cole
On Saturday 22 November we held our AGM at the Guildford Community Hall. It was a lovely day to get together and celebrate our achievements for the year. Connecting Country members and supporters enjoyed brief AGM formalities that were followed by a presentation from Dr. Barry Golding and a wonderful afternoon tea provided by the Guildford Store.
AGM attendees at the Guildford Community Hall. Photo by Lou Citroen.
Dr. Barry Golding took the opportunity to reflect on his book Six Peaks Speak, published in 2023. Dr. Golding spoke of the great amount of evidence that is recorded in Central Victoria demonstrating Dja Dja Wurrung occupation of this Country for millenia, and the importance of protecting artefacts and culture that still exist in the landscape. The ‘Six Peaks’ refers to Mounts Kooroocheang/Gurutjanga, Beckworth/Nyaninuk, Greenock/unknown, Tarrengower/Dharrang Gauwa, Alexander/Liyanganuk, and Franklin/Lalkambuk. In his book Golding shares the knowledge and history each mountain holds within their geology and writes of the importance of recognising and understanding the unsettling colonial history in the region.
This years’ AGM saw a changing of the guards as the committee farewelled long term committee member and one of the early advocates for Connecting Country Marie Jones. Outgoing president Brendan Sydes thanked and congratulated Marie for hear many years (almost two decades) of dedication to our grass roots community organisation. He noted her thorough understanding of how small, community organisations work and her diligence in knowing what needs to get done, and getting in there and getting it done. Marie’s natural approach to working with community and bringing people into the fold has been a foundation to the success of Connecting Country from the early beginnings. “You should be very proud of what you have achieved here” Brendan shared.
Marie Jones receiving Thank You gifts from Director Lori Arthur. Photo by Lou Citreon
The entire Connecting Country community will miss Marie dearly. She has been a stalwart in the organisation since inception and has always made herself available to staff and volunteers alike.
We also saw the changing of committee roles with Brendan Sydes stepping down as president after 12 years and handing the reigns over to Stephen Oxley who has been sitting on the committee as a general member for the last 3 years. Cate Sinclair has stepped into the role of Secretary taking over from Marie after sitting on the committee as a general member for the previous 12 months. As it stands the new committee is;
President: Stephen Oxley
Vice President: Brendan Sydes
Secretary: Cate Sinclair
Treasurer: Max Kay
General members: Christine Brooke, Darren Tinker, Deirdre Slattery, Ben Welsh
We would would like to acknowledge new members Darren and Ben and returning member Deirdre and thank them for their willingness and commitment to Connecting Country. We look forward to achieving many more great outcomes for the environment together!
Connecting Country’s 2025 AGM was made possible due to the generous donation of community donors.
Connecting Country AGM with Dr Barry Golding
Posted on 13 November, 2025 by Hadley Cole
Join us for the Connecting Country 2025 AGM with special guest presenter Dr. Barry Golding on Saturday 22 November at the Guildford Community Hall.
Following brief AGM formalities, Dr. Barry Golding will give a presentation on the downstream implications of his book Six Peaks Speak, focussing on some of the broader implications and outcomes of his research for dealing with unsettling legacies and working with First Peoples on public and private land.
Dr Barry Golding AM is an Honorary Professor with Federation University in Ballarat. He self-describes as a ground-up, community-oriented, polymathic, place-based researcher and story teller. His degrees span four disciplines: geology, arts, environmental sciences and education. Barry has researched and published internationally about vocational, adult, community, First Nations and informal learning.
In 2023 Barry undertook a State Library Victoria Creative Fellowship, researching and writing a book, Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling legacies in southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country, published in 2024 with local geologist, Clive Willman and in close discussion with Dja Dja Wurrung people.His presentation on Saturday 22 November will focus on his learnings since the release of in 2024. It’s sure to be a fascinating discussion!
Presentations will be followed by a delicious afternoon tea.
When: Saturday 22 November 2025, 2.00 – 4.00pm
Where: Guildford Community Hall, 32 Fryers Street Guildford VIC
Cost: Free!
Please book for catering purposes – click here
Connecting Country AGM 2025 with special guest speaker, Professor Barry Golding
Posted on 6 November, 2025 by Lori
Please join us for our AGM with special guest speaker Professor Barry Golding – author of Six Peaks Speak, on Saturday 22 November 2025 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm
Professor Barry Golding
Dr Barry Golding AM is an Honorary Professor with Federation University in Ballarat. He self-describes as a ground-up, community-oriented, polymathic, place-based researcher and story teller. His degrees span four disciplines: geology, arts, environmental sciences and education. Barry has researched and published internationally about vocational, adult, community, First Nations and informal learning. In 2023 Barry undertook a State Library Victoria Creative Fellowship, researching and writing a book, Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling legacies in southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country, published in 2024 with local geologist, Clive Willman and in close discussion with Dja Dja Wurrung people.
Six Peaks Speak tells the unique stories and continuing legacies of the ancient mountains in the Central Victorian region from a multidisciplinary perspective. The book bears witness to ‘unsettling’ changes over the past 200 years, as viewed from the perspective of the peaks (including Dharrang Gauwa – Mount Tarrengower and Liyanganyuk banyul – Mount Alexander) that stand sentinel over an ancient volcanic landscape and its immense natural and cultural significance.
When: Saturday 22 November 2025 at 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Where: Guildford Community Hall, 30 Fryers St Guildford VIC
Cost: Free!
Delicious afternoon tea provided.
Everyone is welcome! For catering and logistical purposes, please register your attendance – click here
Dr. Barry Golding will present after brief AGM formalities.
AGM formalities
The following Connecting Country AGM 2025 documents are available to download:
Please note only current Connecting Country members can vote in the AGM. To become a member – click here
For more information please email info@connectingcountry.org.au or phone 0493 362 394
Nominate for the Committee of Management
Want to be more involved with Connecting Country? Why not consider becoming a committee member. We are actively looking for new committee members to broaden the skills of our Committee. The positions require 2 hours per month to attend committee meeting plus small amounts of reading or work time as required to keep the organisation rolling. If this sounds like you, please complete a nomination form or contact our office to discuss via info@connectingcountry.org.au.
The 2025 AGM is kindly sponsored by local community donors.
If you would like to donate to Connecting Country’s cause in promoting local conservation action and restoring landscapes, head over to our Give Now donation page – click here
Seeding Our Future Project 2024/25
Posted on 30 October, 2025 by Hadley Cole
Back in November 2024, Connecting Country kicked of the Seeding Our Future project funded through the 2024 Victorian Landcare Grants. The scope of the project wass to help protect and conserve locally rare and threatened plant species through a series of educational workshops that build knowledge and skills within our local community.
Indigenous seed security is a concern for many in the natural resource management sector. With increased fragmentation of landscapes and the changes in weather patterns and climate due to global heating, the future of many plant species is under threat. Grand scale restoration works are needed and programs such as the Victoria Governments Bushbank program require huge quantities of seed to meet restoration targets. Seeding Victoria are working with project partners Cassinia Environmental and the Natural Resources Conservation Trust to raise awareness of seed security and provide training and resources to aspiring seed collectors to increase seed supply and availability.
The Seeding Our Future project compliments the work Seeding Victoria and partners are undertaking to raise the importance of seed conservation. Considering this, for the first workshop we hosted in November 2024 we partnered with Seeding Victoria in a Seed Collection Workshop at the Botanical Gardens in Castlemaine. The workshop was sold out with keen participants coming along from as far away as Reservoir!
Dan Frost from Seeding Victoria talked us through the basics of seed collection including the equipment needed, permits required and the various collection processes for different indigenous plant species. After a morning in the classroom, we went for a walk through the Botanical gardens and up to the bush land reserve behind the gardens to explore which local plants are currently flowering, seeding or close to seeding and how you might approach collecting and storing their seed.
Dan talked us through the adapted seed collection techniques for various plant families including some grasses, daisies, acacias, eucalypts, bottle brushes, and cone producing plants.
November until late summer is some of the best times for seed collection in the local area, so for aspiring seed collectors this was the perfect time to build a knowledge base and learn about the permits required before getting out there to collect!
Participants reported that they thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. A big thank you to Dan and Robert from Seeding Victoria for sharing their deep knowledge of local seed. We hope to see the future of seed collecting secured and many of our local plant species conserved and protected.
Below photo shows Dan Frost from Seeding Victoria presenting on various collection techniques to a very engaged audience. All photos in this post by Carmen Bunting.
Nature Art Soundscapes presents The Feathered Five!
Posted on 30 October, 2025 by Lori
A truly special, immersive art and music event, celebrating some of our treasured local woodland birds.
Nature Art Soundscapes are musicians Hilary Blackshaw (violin, guitar and vocals), Joel Bloom (lap steel guitar), Clara Schutz (cello) and artist Jane Rusden. The quartet celebrates local woodland wildlife through weaving beautiful live art making with evocative musical soundscapes.
Audiences are invited to immerse themselves in the magic and wonder of local nature, through gentle relaxation (BYO cushions, blankets and/or PJs – we seriously don’t mind!), or you are welcome to bring your own art supplies and draw along with Jane.
When: Saturday 22 November 7-9pm
Where: Wesley Hill Hall, 149 Pyranees Highway, Castlemaine
Tickets: Adults $20, children (under 18) free. Book here or available at the door.
All proceeds generated from this performance will be donated to Connecting Country Castlemaine to assist their woodland bird monitoring project.
Great Southern Bioblitz – Castlemaine Region 24-27 October
Posted on 16 October, 2025 by Lori
It’s the beginning of October and so wonderful to see the new growth and increasing activity in bushlands and gardens after so many months of challenging conditions. Trees, shrubs and other understorey plants are putting out new leaves and foliage, and canopies are becoming denser. Birds are calling and nesting. Frogs are croaking. Thankfully insects are about again, albeit not in good numbers yet, but Painted Ladies and some day moths are about. And we are already being treated with the bright colours of Myrnong, Waxlips, Leopard orchids and Caladenias, with scattered clusters of emerging leaves promising Helmet and Gnat orchids.
Hopefully while all of this is happening those of you who live in or visit the Mount Alexander Shire will be getting ready for the Great Southern Bioblitz 2025,which runs from midnight October 23 to midnight October 27. This is your opportunity to join other citizen scientists to help build the scientific databases that increase the knowledge and understanding of our bushlands and their biodiversity. These annual Bioblitz surveys collect vast amounts of data on species and distribution that would otherwise be unavailable.
The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club are again hosting a count in this region and they’d love your contributions! If you can contribute, all you need is a camera or phone and enthusiasm!
You’ll find lots of information, including deadlines, tips on uploading your images to iNaturalist, the online global databank for observations of biodiversity and more on the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Great Southern Bioblitz webpage.
Images: Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club
North Harcourt Sedgwick Landcare Group AGM with Ira Barker
Posted on 16 October, 2025 by Lori
North Harcourt Sedgwick Landcare (NHSE) are pleased to welcome Ira Barker from bushfoods social enterprise, Murnong Mummas, as the special guest speaker at the Groups Annual General Meeting.
A Gunditjmara person living and working on Djaara Country, Ira will share their journey connecting with native edible plants, culture, and Country, and how a drive for self determination has had a positive effect on them and those around them.
AGM business will include the annual activity report, and the election of the committee for the next year. They welcome new nominations to the committee – contact nhselandcare@gmail.com for more information.
A free BBQ will follow the formal business.
When: Sunday 26 October 11am-12pm
Where: Sedgwick Hall, Sedgwick
Bookings: Free (gold coin donation will be appreciated) – click here to book.
Taradale Landcare AGM and nestbox installation demonstration
Posted on 8 October, 2025 by Lori
Taradale Landcare are hosting their Annual General Meeting on Sunday 12 October in Taradale, VIC and encourage new members and committee nominations. Following the usual AGM formalities and refreshments, Tom from The Tree Company will provide a nestbox presentation and installation demonstration at Taradale Mineral Springs Reserve.
When: Sunday 12 October, 10am – 11.30am
Time: AGM 10am – 11.30am – Taradale Primary School multi-purpose room
Nestbox installation 12noon – Taradale Mineral Springs Reserve
RSVP: taradalelandcare@gmail.com
Baynton Sidonia Landcare present Taungurung Cultural Heritage Workshop: Fri 17 October 2025
Posted on 6 October, 2025 by Hadley Cole
Our friends at Baynton Sidonia Landcare are hosting a Strengthening Landholder Knowledge of Taungurung Cultural Heritage Workshop on Friday 17 October from 10.30am to 1.30pm at the Baynton Hall.
The aim of the workshop is to build landholder knowledge and confidence to support the preservation of Taungurung Culture on Country and to create shared pride in it.
The workshop will include:
- Understanding cultural heritage on your land
- Identifying cultural sites and artefacts
- What to do if you find artefacts on your property
- Working together for culturally sensitive land management
Where: Baynton Hall, 51 Darlington Road, Baynton VIC
When: Friday 17 October, 10.30am – 1.30pm
Bookings essential: The workshop is free, but a gold coin donation is appreciated. All are welcome, but booking is essential by texting Clare on 0423294430 with full names of attendees, telephone numbers, dietary constraints and the district you live in. Bookings will be confirmed or you will be placed on a waiting list. Please do not attend unless you have a confirmed booking.
Seed Collection Workshop with Seeding Victoria
Posted on 2 October, 2025 by Hadley Cole
Seeding Victoria is a community not-for-profit working hard to provide provenance based seed supply for revegetation projects throughout Central, South West and North West Victoria. The work of Seeding Victoria is crucial to the implementation of successful restoration.
In partnership with Natural Resource Conservation Trust, Cassinia Environmental and Connecting Country, Seeding Vic. presents a Seed Collection Workshop on Saturday 18th October 2025 in Castlemaine.
This workshop offers local community members the opportunity to take direct action to increase flora populations across the region through the development of seed collection skills and local flora identification. Through the collection of seed and growing of indigenous plant species, particularly those that are rare, we can increase genetic diversity and population of local indigenous flora, creating resilient ecosystems and seed banks for our future.
The day will involve;
- The nuts and bolts to seed collecting: You will learn species identification, what permits you need to obtain for collecting seed, OH&S, collection techniques, extraction and storage.
- Field Trip: We will have a look at the OH&S components of seed collecting, observing what’s flowering and what will be ready to collect in the coming months.
- There will be an opportunity to order seed-collecting equipment on the day.
- Learn about how the Natural Resource Conservation Trust Seed Bank Revolving Fund works and how to obtain a discount for seed-collecting equipment.
- Introduction to the BushBank Program: How to get involved in collecting seed for the $30M Government program and access funding to undertake biodiversity planting on your property.
When: Saturday 18 October 2025, 9.30am – 3.30pm
Where: Castlemaine Botanical Gardens Tea Rooms, Downes Rd. Castlemaine
Cost: $30.
For more information and bookings – click here
This workshop is funded by Cassinia Environmental, Natural Resources Conservation Trust and the Victorian Government BushBank program.
Community Fire Forum – Inglewood
Posted on 10 September, 2025 by Lori
Just up the road in Inglewood, the Mt Korong Eco-Watch (MKEW) are being supported by Loddon Plains Landcare Network to host a Community Fire Forum this Saturday 13 September 2025. It is sure to be a great opportunity to contribute to this rarely discussed topic with many knowledgeable and experienced panelists.
Mt Korong Eco-Watch (MKEW) have been conducting a series of conversations among private landholders and others over a 10-month period about ecological practices of fire. This forum will bring these conversations to a focus and with a wider group of participants. The aim is to explore the potential for establishing a sustainable process for sharing fire experiences with each other, learning together and offering guidance to others.
Contributors to the forum include Paul Foreman (Blue Devil Consulting/Biolinks Alliance), Terri Williams (landholder and teacher Bendigo TAFE), Oli Moraes (DJAARA), Peter Morison (formerly Trust for Nature), Karen Tymms (Trust for Nature), Dale Tonkinson (Biodiversity Officer CFA) and others.
When: Saturday 13 September 9am-5pm
Where: The Goodshed, 28 Station Street, Inglewood
Bookings: Essential. Contact Mount Korong Eco-Watch Secretary, Sally Gardner. Phone 0405 578 968 or email sally.gardner@deakin.edu.au
Spring into BushBank: Cassinia Environmental showcases restoration projects across Victoria
Posted on 10 September, 2025 by Lori
All over Victoria, nature restoration projects are underway on private land as part of the State Government’s BushBank Program.
The Victorian Government’s $77 million BushBank program provides a unique opportunity for private landowners to play a meaningful role in addressing climate change and supporting wildlife, leaving a legacy for generations to come. Delivered by Cassinia Environmental, the BushBank Private Land Stream supports private landowners to undertake restoration projects. Restored sites are permanently protected by Trust for Nature with conservation covenants.
BushBank is the most ambitious restoration program in Victoria’s history and its delivery will continue until 2035. Expressions of interest are open to landowners with a minimum 20 hectares available for restoration.
To learn more about the program, key delivery partner, Cassinia Environmental, is inviting community members, conservationists and landowners to find out more by taking part in its spring BushBank events. Designed to showcase restoration success stories and inform curious landowners, these events offer the opportunity to see unique revegetation models in action.
Across 53 projects, the BushBank Private Land Stream has secured 8,699 hectares towards the ambitious 20,000 hectare goal. To date, 4,800 hectares have already been restored. The program is creating long-term conservation outcomes and offers new opportunities for landowners through revegetation, covenants and access to carbon markets.
Spring BushBank events include:
BushBank 101: Landowners Discovery Webinar
Thursday, October 2nd, 7pm – 8pm
An online session hosted by Cassinia Environmental to introduce BushBank, conservation covenants and potential restoration opportunities, ideal for landowners curious about what the program involves and how to get started.
Project Platypus Field Day in Ledcourt
Saturday, October 4th, 10am – 12pm
Hosted by Project Platypus, this event offers a BushBank site tour and discussion of local revegetation efforts in the Wimmera region, showcasing BushBank’s collaborative restoration in action.
Walk & Talk: BushBank Restoration in Action
These on-site events provide a unique opportunity to visit a BushBank site and participate in a guided revegetation walk, Q&A and short presentations from delivery partners and landowners. Each property offers a unique landscape, backstory and revegetation process, giving attendees a firsthand look at successful restoration creating biodiversity and carbon benefits.
Walk & Talk Peronne
Thursday October 16th, 10am – 12pm
Explore this unique conservation site where large-scale restoration is underway with support from Land Life and Greening Australia. Attendees will see revegetation tailored to support the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and other native fauna, and hear from contractors and seed collectors about the site’s transformation.
Walk & Talk Bonnie Doon
Saturday October 25th, 10am – 12pm
Meet landowner Lachlan Cook, whose 37 hectare property is a model for carbon and biodiversity restoration. Hear about his experience registering a carbon project and walk through steep, formerly grazed hills now regenerating with native species like Yellow Box and White Box. Plantings have been tailored across three ecological vegetation classes with a mix of direct seeding and seedlings.
Walk & Talk Lindenow South
Friday October 31st, 10am – 12pm
Tour a self-managed BushBank site restored by a bold landowner who has overcome challenging soil conditions and degraded pasture to establish thriving revegetation. Visitors will explore interesting direct seeding and planting techniques and hear practical insights into soil management, local flora and long term site care.
To learn more or to participate in the free “Spring into BushBank” events, visit www.cassinia.com/bushbank.
Taking Root and Branching Out
Posted on 3 September, 2025 by Lori
To celebrate Landcare Week in August, Connecting Country teamed up with Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group (BCLWG) to host a special event titled Taking Root and Branching Out on Wednesday 6 August at Phee Broadway, Castlemaine. The event centred on the launch of a beautiful audio documentary developed by local, award-winning podcast creator (and member of BCLWG), Kyla Brettle. It tells the story about the long tail of environmental damage wrought by the colonial gold rush in Central Victoria and the almost 30 year history of a tiny community group (Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group) striving to make a difference alongside a broader account of social change and the value of land-caring.
Over 150 people came to hear and learn in what has been described by some attendees as a more unusual, but extremely engaging and centering, experience where the focus was to ‘listen in’ without the overstimulation of heavy visuals. The podcast artfully articulates the journey of both landscape transformation and community learnings alongside music and local voices and you can’t help but be captivated.
Photo: Sharon Fraser and members of the panel (L-R) Cath Jolly, Paul Foreman, Oli Moraes and Brendan Sydes discussing the Reserve.
After the podcast BCLWG provided a delicious sticky supper, a taste of the style of morning teas many Landcare groups strive after the heavy lifting of on-ground working bees. Sharon Fraser, MC for the evening then led a discussion panel about future plans for the Barkers Creek Reserve in Harcourt. Panel members Cath Jolly (BCLWG Secretary), Paul Foreman, ecologist with Biolinks Alliance, Oli Moraes, Galk-galk Dhelkunya Project Manager with DJAARA and Connecting Country President, Brendan Sydes emphasised the importance of engaging with partners and ‘experts’ to make a significant impact to our damaged countryside and the ongoing need for significant funding to achieve this ambition.
It was a heart-warming event and a big thanks go out to the Barkers Creek crew for creating this special evening in the center of Landcare Week as a celebration of what Landcare can achieve, but also what we can aspire to. If you missed it, a link to the podcast is available here and Kyla has written a reflection on the event on her Endgame Substack page.
This special event was hosted by Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group and Connecting Country with funding and support from The Victorian Landcare Program, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation, Mount Alexander Shire Council, The Little Red Apple, Biolinks Alliance and The Good Opp Shop.
Friends of Box Ironbark Forest AGM with ‘Living with Wildlife’ presentation by Tanya Loos
Posted on 3 September, 2025 by Lori
Do you have you have a bird attacking a window, a possum in the roof, phascogales harassing your chickens, or a visiting venomous snake in the backyard? Or just want to learn more about local wildlife and how to live with them. Get along to the Friends of Box Ironbark Forests AGM and hear from popular and entertaining local presenter, Tanya Loos.
Tanya lives in central Victoria and is passionate about wildlife and nature! She has worked as a Woodland Bird Project Coordinator for Connecting Country and Biodiversity Projects Officer for Macedon Ranges City Council – and at present she is Avian Influenza Response Coordinator at BirdLife Australia.
Tanya loves sharing nature knowledge about how to live more harmoniously with the animals that live where we live – and how our homes and backyards can be safe havens in a time of climate breakdown. Tanya believes there are simple steps we can take that are wildlife friendly and make sure your place is a haven. In her presentations, Tanya loves drawing from ecological science to educate and inspire people to care about wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Tanya will be sharing her passion through an entertaining presentation at the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests AGM at 6pm on Monday 8th September at the Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine. This will be followed by a light supper and the opportunity to buy Tanya’s book ‘Living with wildlife’, FOBIFs excellent field guides and a raffle ticket for gorgeous lithographs of the anticlinal fold, hakea or banksia by local artist Bev Lewis.
Where: Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine.
More information: visit the FOBIF website.
National Tree Day Community Planting and Nature Celebration
Posted on 14 August, 2025 by Lori
Due to the heavy, but very welcome, rain event on the weekend of National Tree Day in late July, the National Tree Day Community Planting event hosted by Connecting Country in partnership with Friends of Campbells Creek was postponed to a new, and hopefully more sunny, date coming up on Sunday 24 August.
The day offers an opportunity for the community to come together, learn about and take action to restore local biodiversity in the face of climate change. We have over 3000 grasses, shrubs and trees to go in the ground which will build on the significant habitat corridor along the Campbells Creek.
As well as planting, there will be lots of family friendly nature engagement including ‘mini forest’ creations with Wild Families (part of the Victorian National Parks Association) and nature themed craft activities.
FREE BBQ lunch with Rotary to follow.
Everyone welcome – big and little, old and young!
When: Sunday 24 August 10am-1:30pm
Where: Campbells Creek trail, upstream from Princess Street bridge, Campbells Creek
Please bring: gardening/leather gloves, hat, and wear sturdy footwear and clothing suitable for the weather. Gumboots might come in handy!
A bit thank-you to the event sponsors – The Hub Foundation, Community Bank Maldon and District and Mount Alexander Shire Council.
Taking Root and Branching Out
Posted on 24 July, 2025 by Lori
All are invited to this special Landcare Week event, Taking Root and Branching Out hosted by Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group and Connecting Country at Phee Broadway Theatre on Wednesday 6 August.
Experience an immersive audio documentary by local creative audio producer Kyla Brettle, about the nearly 30-year story of Barkers Creek Wildlife and Landcare Group and the long game to restore health to the natural environments of Central Victoria.
Learn about their new Comprehensive Ecological Repair Plan for the 35 ha bushland reserve in Barkers Creek (Harcourt), and with cutting edge approaches to landscape repair, developed with local ecologist Paul Foreman from Biolinks Alliance.
Be part of a discussion led by Sharon Fraser, with representatives from Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group, Connecting Country, DJAARA and Biolinks Alliance, exploring strategies for implementing this project and how we can all help to restore health to the natural landscapes of Mt Alexander Shire.
Enjoy a fabulous Landcare ‘morning tea’, or rather, sticky supper.
When: Wednesday 6 August 2025 6:30pm -8:30pm
Where: Phee Broadway Theatre, 212 Barker Street, Castlemaine
Tickets: $15 adult /$10 concession (children under 12 free). Bookings here
This special event is hosted by Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group and Connecting Country with funding and support from Mount Alexander Shire Council, The Victorian Landcare Program, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation, Council, The Little Red Apple, Biolinks Alliance and The Good Opp Shop.
National Tree Day – POSTPONED TO 24TH AUGUST
Posted on 4 July, 2025 by Lori
POSTPONED TO 24TH AUGUST 2025
Due to inclement weather this event has been postponed for a month to the 24th of August.
National Tree Day was established by Planet Ark in 1996 and is an annual call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to the environment.
To celebrate, Connecting Country is partnering with the Friends of Campbells Creek to host a community planting day along the newly completed trail, just upstream from the Princess Street bridge in Campbells Creek.
We will be hoping to plant over 3000 plants which will require many helping hands, big and little! As well as planting, there will be lots of family friendly nature engagement including ‘mini forest’ creations with Wild Families (part of the Victorian National Parks Association) and nature themed craft activities.
FREE BBQ lunch with Rotary to follow.
When: Sunday 27 July 2025 10:00-1:30pm Sunday August 24th 10.00 -1.30pm
Where: Campbells Creek trail, upstream from Princess Street bridge – see map
Please bring: Your own drinking water and your favourite planting tools.
Wear: gardening/leather gloves, hat, and wear sturdy footwear and clothing suitable for the weather. Gumboots might come in handy!
This event offers an opportunity for the Mount Alexander community to come together and take direct on-ground conservation action to restore and enhance our local biodiversity. All welcome!
A bit thank-you to the event sponsors – The Hub Foundation, Community Bank Maldon and District and Mount Alexander Shire Council.
My introduction to Galk-galk Dhelkunya (Forest Gardening) – by Chrissi Charles
Posted on 12 June, 2025 by Lori
On a chilly day in May, Connecting Country partnered with Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Clans Corporation (DJAARA) to host a cultural walk through a co-managed site in Leonards Hill. The event provided an opportunity to learn about cultural land management practices, in particular those outlined in DJAARA’s Galk-galk Dhelkunya (Forest Gardening Strategy).
One of the participants on the day, Chrissi Charles, a volunteer with the Friends of Box Ironbark Forests (FOBIF) wrote this beautiful personal account of the day:
My introduction to Galk-galk Dhelkunya (Forest Gardening)
Article by Chrissi Charles, Photos by Bonnie Humphreys
My name is Chrissi, and I am a volunteer with the Friends of Box-Iron Bark Forests. As someone who works as a conservation ecologist, but is new to living on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, I am aware of how little I know and how much I must learn about the cultural and ecological history of this place. On a chilly morning in mid-May, I was lucky enough to nab a spot at a collaborative event hosted by Connecting Country and DJAARA which consisted of talks, conversations and a site tour exploring some of the forest gardening practices outlined in DJAARA’s Galk-galk Dhelkunya Forest Gardening Strategy. The following is a small highlight of what I took away from the amazingly informative morning, plus some extra curricula reading of the strategy. Found here.
The morning began with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony by Dja Dja Wurrung elder Uncle Rick Nelson who emphasised that “everyone is needed to heal country”. As a non-Indigenous person with English, Irish and North American heritage I find it a welcome reminder of the importance of the magnitude of restorative work there is to do, particularly in a landscape that has been so heavily impacted by colonial practices that had little respect for the rich ecology and culture in place.
After being welcomed onto Djaara country we all funnelled back inside for a presentation by DJAARA employee and Galk-galk Dhelkunya forest gardening project manager Oli Moraes.
The Galk-galk Dhelkunya (translated meaning- to care, to heal, trees and forests) is “Djaara’s contemporary philosophy and practice of managing Djandak’s (Dja Dja Wurrung Country) cultural landscapes” [1]. The strategy is “guided by Dja Dja Wurrung cultural Lore and obligations. Djaara’s connection to Country, cultural rights and obligation have never ceased, nor was sovereignty ever ceded”[2]. The strategy doesn’t shy away from the challenges of incorporating cultural land management practices across a wide variety of tenure types, but it also provides clear guidance and a generous opportunity for non-Djaara land managers to support Djaara priorities.
Oli’s presentation highlighted the ways in which Dja Dja Wurrung country still bears the scars of relatively recent destructive practices such as gold mining and the intensive forestry that sprung up to bolster the industry.
One key historical legacy that Djaara is tackling with the forest gardening practices is the overabundance of galka (trees) across a range of forest types on Djaara country. Too many trees may seem like a strange problem for those not embedded in the world of conservation land management, but an overabundance of trees in some forest types can have negative ecological and cultural consequences. Forests with too many trees (compared to what’s normal for healthy mature forests of that type) can block sunlight from the ground. This can stop smaller plants from growing and reduce the variety of habitats available in the forest. An overabundance of trees also increases the competition for sunlight and nutrients which can cause trees to grow skinnier and straighter than they would if they were in a less competitive environment. While tall straight trees can be useful for timber harvesting (and are natural in some forests), in other forest types, tall skinny straight trees reduce the understory biodiversity and reduce the likelihood that trees will form large limbs which over decades can naturally break off leaving behind tree hollows. Ecologically, large hollow bearing trees are critical habitat for species such as sugar gliders and brush-tailed phascogales who rely on hollows for their homes. On a small scale, a patch of dense trees provides its own unique habitat, however widespread clearing and logging across the region has resulted in many forests with overabundance of dense straight trees and a relative dearth of sparse, large, hollow bearing trees.
Cultural thinning is a culturally responsive method based on the scientific principle of ecological thinning which involves selectively removing some trees to reduce the overall competition for resources and improve the growth rate of the surviving trees. In some forest types, thinning occurs naturally over time; ecological thinning accelerates this process to help create a healthier, more resilient ecosystem that can support a greater diversity of plant and animal life in a shorter time. Like ecological thinning, cultural thinning involves “selectively removing galka in overly dense spaces” for ecological and community benefits. However, cultural thinning has the additional benefit of “reaping cultural outcomes such as increased space for older galka to thrive and utilization of thinned product for tools and artifacts.”[3]
We were able to view some of the recent outcomes of cultural thinning during the tour which took place in a patch of the Wombat Forest in Leonards Hill, that is co-managed by DJAARA. The patch was a Messmate Stringybark (Eucalyptus obliqua) and Candlebark (Eucalyptus rubida) dominated forest with a scattering of Narrow-leaf and Broad-leaf Peppermints (Eucalyptus radiata and E. dives), Blackwoods (Acacia melanoxylon) and Silver Wattles (Acacia dealbata). The forest had been regularly harvested by Forestry Victoria up until the 1990’s, utilizing a mix of forest harvesting techniques. One third of the site had been clear-felled (all trees removed), with the other two thirds having been selectively logged, with some larger trees left as seed trees. To heal country Djaara have been combining cultural methods with ecological sciences to understand the landscape from multiple perspectives. In studies of the site, the clear-felled area had an average of 2000 tree stems per hectare and in the selectively logged patch there was on average 1000 tree per hectare. A mature patch of this forest type should have around 20 large trees per hectare. If the forest was left to naturally mature (and in the absence of any large-scale fire or other disturbance event) the forest would likely naturally self-thin but this could take hundreds of years.
A key distinction between the ecological practice of thinning and the cultural practice of thinning, is not only the expanded cultural outcomes, but the on-ground approach to thinning. Rather than the scientific outcome of a strict number of stems per hectare, Djaara’s approach to thinning takes a distinct approach, part of which is based on what feels culturally right and what is culturally desired for the landscape.
As we walked around the culturally thinned forest, Oli highlighted that the thinned trees presented as much of a problem as an opportunity and there was no easy fix as to what to do with all the wood. The current approach is a blend of scientific, cultural and trial and error. In some patches trees have been ringbarked to kill the tree but the dead stems are left to naturally fall over; in other patches, trees have been felled, but timber is left on the forest floor; and other patches trees have been cut down and the timber has been removed from the site. Oli highlighted that where timber was removed, it is not Djaara’s intention to make any money out of the harvesting and that the wood was poor quality for use as firewood. However, some pieces of timber are utilised by the on-ground crew for cultural and creative practices. Across the different techniques, Djaara are returning to the site to observe the different ecological responses.
Cultural thinning is only one of the practices that are outlined in Galk-galk Dhelkunya forest gardening, but it was the practice we explored in the most detail during the tour. Other techniques include Djandak Wi (cultural fire practices), revegetation and rehabilitation of Djandak where vegetation has been removed, regenerative practices and partnerships across Djandak and practices to protect gatjin (water) across the landscape[4].
Restoring balance to the landscape both ecologically and culturally is a core element of all the practices in the Galk-galk Dhelkunya forest gardening project. “If you don’t have all the elements of the ecosystem, including Djaara, things are out of balance” shared Oli.
The morning left me feeling lucky to have access to such a generous sharing of knowledge so early into my time living and working on Djaara country and hopeful for future scientific and cultural collaboration.
[1] Page 16 of Galk-galk Dhelkunya Forest Gardening Strategy 2022-2034.
[2] Page 7 of Galk-galk Dhelkunya Forest Gardening Strategy 2022-2034.
[3] Page 31 of Galk-galk Dhelkunya Forest Gardening Strategy 2022-2034.
[4] Pages 31 – 35 of Galk-galk Dhelkunya Forest Gardening Strategy 2022-2034.
The Connecting Country/DJAARA cultural walk was made possible due to to funding from the Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation and the Victorian Government through the Partnership Against Pests Program.
Rabbits Invade Harcourt – Rabbit Control Field Day
Posted on 20 March, 2025 by Lori
In mid-February Connecting Country organised a very well patronised Rabbit Control Field Day led by Tim Bloomfield, from the Victorian Rabbit Action Network. The event was part of the Partnership against Pests Project funded by Agriculture Victoria. A big thank-you to Robyn Miller for putting together this summary of the event and photos.
Tim Bloomfield from Victorian Rabbit Action Network in the field discussing bait laying for rabbit control
The Rabbit Control Field Day was held on February 15th in Harcourt at the Heritage Centre before moving to a field site for demonstrations. Tim began by saying that rabbits ‘love’ the granitic soils which stretch in an arc from Harcourt to Maldon’s Mount Tarrengower. He described how rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 by Thomas Austin, who for hunting purposes imported 13 wild European rabbits which eventually spread across the entire continent.
He said, ‘Killing rabbits by shooting is easy but managing the landscape to eradicate rabbits is the difficult thing. Rabbits change the landscape and it is important to use a variety of control measures in the right sequence. These include baiting, fumigation of burrows and following up with destroying burrow systems and rabbit harbour. Rabbit proof fencing is an important but expensive tool for landowners.’
‘Rabbits need to be reduced by 85 to 95% to stop a population explosion. Two adult breeding rabbits will result in 184 rabbits in 12 months. If you don’t have effective prevention methods rabbits will fill your property after you have cleared them, as they will return to existing burrows. They can survive on low levels of protein and it only takes one to three rabbits per hectare to stop the regeneration of native species. If you set up an exclusion plot, you will be surprised by the amount of natural grasses etc that will grow if you keep rabbits out. Rabbits can spread 500 weed seeds per day which allows them to create their own habitat, for example, Box Thorn and Gorse.’
Tim recommended that neighbours in adjoining properties work together. He said, ‘By using an app called Feral Scan, burrow sites can be accurately recorded in order to make shooting effective and to locate them for the use of fumigants or poison bait.’ At the field site Tim demonstrated smoking a burrow to find the extent of the burrow and to identify the entrances.
Local earthworks contractor demonstrating rabbit warren destruction.
In deciding which chemical baits to use around burrows, the choice is between 1080 and Pindone. Pindone is toxic to native animal species but they do have some protection against 1080. However, there are limitations to using 1080, especially in urbanised areas, as there are particular risks to domestic animals like dogs. It is necessary to have a Chemical Users Certificate to purchase and use 1080 and very important that any dead animals are removed early in the morning to avoid secondary poisoning of other animals when using any baits.
‘The final step, once shooting and fumigating and or baiting has been carried out, is to rip the burrows, to prevent any survivors returning to occupy an empty burrow. Burrows can go to 850 millimetres and will not go lower than the water table. If burrows are being ripped, the ripping needs to go outside the holes by 4 meters. To make ripping cost effective, neighbours can share the cost.’
Tim was formally thanked by the Connecting Country organisers; the attendees were very impressed with Tim’s knowledge and advice and enjoyed a delicious morning tea and lunch provided as part of the course. Thanks were also extended to the property owners, who generously allowed the demonstrations to be carried out on their land.
Participants were interested to learn that Connecting Country will soon run a two-day course chemical users course, which is heavily subsidised, at Castlemaine Community House.
For more information on best practice rabbit control, visit the Victorian Rabbit Action Network (VRAN) website vran.com.au
This event was supported by funding from the Victorian Government through the Partnership Against Pests program.
Phascogale Nest Box Workshop with Harcourt Valley Landcare
Posted on 17 March, 2025 by Hadley Cole
