Bill Gammage Workshop Launch – Seeing History, and the Land, Anew (NB: Altered Venue)

Posted on 3 February, 2015 by Connecting Country

We’ve had a great deal of interest in the presentation by Prof. Bill Gammage that will launch Connecting Country’s Workshop Program on Sunday 22 February 2015 (Note venue change to Campbells Creek Community Centre – but still starting at 4pm). Even though Bill’s publication ‘The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia” was published four years ago, it’s still continuing to create interest, debate, discussion, criticism, and applause. This is your chance to hear from Bill first hand.

Bill is a much awarded academic who has spent over a decade researching ‘The Biggest Estate’. We welcome the opportunity that Bill’s talk gives Connecting Country and the wider community, to look at our local landscapes through an historical lens, to consider another view, and to generate discussion about our landscape and our connections with it. We also hope that others who would not normally come to our talks and workshops might come along to find out more about what we do.

Bill’s book is broad in scope and context, taking a whole-of-continent approach and challenges the conventional history. Bill argues that aboriginal people managed the land with much more complexity than the colonialists and historians recognise/d and we should look more closely to it, and to indigenous knowledge and history, for clues and guidance. This level of complex, ongoing (over thousands of years) indigenous knowledge meant that the land was managed in ways quite specific to the local situation and topography, yet it linked to the broader landscape.

Much of the conversation of late has focussed on the burning question of burning. Bill’s book talks about the ways in which Australians up until 1788 managed the land through fire, and how in the subsequent 200 plus years, much of this intricate knowledge – of specific plant types and species, of landscapes – and the understanding of various fire regimes has been lost, and the lasting evidence is neither seen nor appreciated in that context.

The issue is perhaps not about the finer detail of ‘burning the bush’, but in seeing anew our landscapes and whether we are able to really understand them and also the implications of our management actions. Bill asserts that Aboriginals before 1788 had a clear objective in land management – ensuring food, survival, sustainability – and used their knowledge of plants and animals to achieve it.

The other main aim for the event is to launch our 2015 Workshop Program, “Working with Nature to improve your Property”. We are gathering together another fantastic array of presenters, practical topics and properties from across the region and hope to address some of the questions that Bill’s book raises: How does one ‘read’ a landscape? Or interpret the cultural/settlement history of one? How much do you know and understand about the plants and animals on your own property? What’s your objective for your land? And we’ll also look more closely at the burning question with fire ecologists and CFA experts.

More information and registration forms for the remainder of the Workshop Program will be available at the launch, or you can download them HERE:  Please note that places are limited and we have a preference for participants who are managing properties of acreage (>4 ha). Contact Janet@connectingcountry.org.au or 5472 1594 for further details, or to book for the launch. Please note the Venue Change – to the Campbells Creek Community Centre, on Elizabeth St in Campbells Creek.

Bill Gammage to Launch 2015 Workshop Program

Posted on 24 December, 2014 by Connecting Country

Historian, award winning author and adjunct professor in the Humanities Research Centre at the Australian National University (ANU), Professor Bill Gammage will launch the 2015 Connecting Country Workshop series on Sunday February 22, 2015 at the Castlemaine Golf Club (in the clubrooms, near the corner of Rilens Rd and Pyrenees Hwy, Muckleford).

Bill’s most recent book, ‘The Biggest Estate on Earth. How Aborigines made Australia’ won several prizes for history and literature when it was published in 2011 and pieces together details of land management strategies from around Australia, stating that Aboriginal people managed the land in a far more complete, systematic and scientific way than has often been recognised. He challenges the myths that Aboriginal people were careless nomads and that the pre-colonial ecology was purely ’natural’. Based on his research findings from around Australia, Bill will talk about how our knowledge and learnings of the past can inform current land management.

‘The Biggest Estate’ raised plenty of discussion and debate amongst scientists when it was published and this is an opportunity to hear first-hand of Bill’s historical perspective. You can view an earlier video of Bill discussing his book here.  Download the launch flyer and spread the word.

Bill Gammage grew up in Wagga, and was an ANU undergraduate and postgraduate before teaching history at the Universities of Papua New Guinea and Adelaide. He wrote The Broken Years on Australian soldiers in the Great War (1974), Narrandera Shire (1986), The Sky Travellers on the 1938-39 Hagen-Sepik Patrol in New Guinea (1998), and The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines made Australia (2011). He served the National Museum of Australia for three years as Council member, deputy chair and acting chair. He was made a Freeman of the Shire of Narrandera in 1987, a fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences in 1991, and a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2005.

The launch will begin at 4:00pm and be followed by a BBQ dinner to celebrate the start of Connecting Country’s ‘Working with Nature to Improve Your Property’ Workshop Program for 2015, supported through funding from the Australian Government. This year’s program is aimed at property holders in the Mount Alexander region who are seeking information, resources and practical skills to improve, protect and restore their land. More information will be available on the evening.

There is no cost to attend the event. RSVPs are not essential, but are greatly preferred for catering purposes. Contact Janet on 5472 1594 or janet@connectingcountry.org.au for more info or to book.

Woodland Bird Brochure launch next Monday (8 Dec)

Posted on 2 December, 2014 by Tanya Loos

It has been a couple of years in the making…
Connecting Country are thrilled to announce that the “Woodland Birds of Central Victoria” brochure is printed and ready to be released into the world.

When: Monday, December 8th 2014 from 5.30pm until about 6.30pm
Where: In the Hub garden, on corner of Barker St and Templeton St (enter via gate on Templeton St)
RSVPs are preferred as we will be supplying drinks and nibbles. RSVP to me, Tanya Loos, on 5472 1594 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

The brochure was initially developed by past Connecting Country Woodland Bird Coordinator Kerryn Herman and a team of local naturalists and photographers.  As part of my role of Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator – I re-ignited the project and added in information on our focal woodland bird species, the feathered five; Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter and Brown Treecreeper.  The subtitle of the brochure is “An identification and habitat management guide” because the birds are ordered into the particular kind of woodland bird habitat we might expect to see them in.

Geoff Park – well known for numerous local biodiversity activities, including his popular Natural Newstead website – is one who has generously contributed photographs to the brochure. He has also kindly agreed to speak at the launch about the brochure and its value – and of course, about our woodland birds!

We hope that landowners, landcare groups, schools and budding bird enthusiasts enjoy the Woodland Birds of Central Victoria brochure.  One free copy of the brochure will be available on the day for each attendee, with a gold coin donation for any additional copies.  All funds raised will go towards future reprints of the brochure.  And for those of you looking for nature-orientated Christmas gifts, copies of Friends of Box-Ironbark’s Mosses of dry forests of south eastern Australia and Tanya’s book Daylesford Nature Diary will be available for purchase.

Photographs and guidance for the brochure were provided by Nigel Harland, Damian Kelly, Greg and Jeanette License, Geoff Park, Chris Tzaros, Debbie Worland, Beth Mellick, Brendan Sydes and Ern Perkins.  Support for the brochure project came from the Victorian Government’s Communities for Nature program and from generous private donations to Connecting Country.

This photograph of a Weebill, a species often found within regenerating woodland habitat, was taken by Chris Tzaros.

The brochure on display next to a very old Wombat skull.

30 November 2014 – Final Cactus Field Day

Posted on 26 November, 2014 by Connecting Country

The final Cactus Field Day will take place this Sunday, 30 November, in Seers Road Welshmans Reef south of Maldon. The Tarrengower Cactus Control Group will also be holding its AGM at this field day.  All are welcome to attend. So come along and help the group finish a great year’s work with another successful day. Further details are in this flyer.

9 Dec 2014 – Webinar about funding

Posted on 24 November, 2014 by Connecting Country

The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) is holding a free ‘Webinar’ about where and how community organisations can successfully seek funding. (A webinar is a service that allows conferencing events to be shared with remote locations.) On the day there will be a number of expert speakers and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

This is the second in a series of webinars developed by FRRR, with the support of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, as part of the Creating Inspiring Rural Community Leadership and Engagement (CIRCLE) program.

Click here to view a flyer which includes more information about the Webinar, registration details and links to introductory videos that are designed to help people applying for grants.

14 Nov 2014 – Wildlife Watching in India

Posted on 31 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

The guest speaker at the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club’s November general meeting is club president Nigel Harland.  The title of Nigel’s talk is Wildlife Watching in India.

Nigel writes. “In February this year my wife and I spent three weeks in India, the main objective was to look at the animals and birds of the country, but we saw many other things, ranging from the utmost poverty to the magnificent historical buildings. Starting in Delhi, which is the same size as Australia, we headed south to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. No matter how many pictures you have seen of it, nothing compares with the reality. We then spent the rest of the holiday in three National Parks to the south of Agra.

These were Baratpur, Bandhavgarh and Khana. Baratpur is a birdwatcher’s paradise, whereas the latter two have many birds but a larger number of mammals. We spent much time in unseasonal rain, but it made little difference to our enjoyment of the trip.”

The meeting is on Friday 14 November, and commences from 7.30pm in the Fellowship Room behind the Uniting Church (on Lyttleton St, next to the Art Gallery and Museum).

16 Nov 2014 – Wetland Ecosystems Field Day

Posted on 31 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

A field day beginning at Melville Caves picnic area will take place on 16 November. (Melville Caves are a little under one and a half hours north-west of Castlemaine.)  The event is being hosted by the Wedderburn Conservation Management Network and others, and will examine the often overlooked and threatened wetland ecosystems of Mt Kooyoora and Mt Korong. Local ecologist Paul Foreman will be leading an educational tour on the day. This is a free event with lunch provided. Further details are in this flyer.

22 & 23 Nov 2014 – Farming & Conservation symposium

Posted on 31 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

Slide Show – Well Organised Children Defeat Pines

Posted on 24 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

The Mount Alexander Regional Park got a big helping hand on Saturday 4^th October 2014 when a group of over 150 adults and children took part in the second Landcare Camp Out on The Mount.

Bronwyn Silver from the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests has made a great slideshow with photos taken at the event which captures the action.

Armed with saws, loppers, drills and Glyphosate, the group was bused from the Leanganook Camp ground to a site just north of Dog Rocks Saddle to dispatch invasive Radiata Pine trees growing in the Park. The pine trees are a threat to the native forests found on Mount Alexander and participants in the Camp Out are helping to protect important habitat for native plants and animals.

It was hard to tell exactly how many pines were removed amidst claims of ‘hundreds’ by some individuals who were still in early primary school, but a conservative estimate would be 600 trees.

The Camp Out is a project is jointly organised by the Harcourt Valley Landcare Group, Parks Victoria & Connecting Country with support from the Mount Alexander Shire Council and Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests.  This year the Camp Out also received help from Big Tree T-shirts, the Harcourt Lions Club and Hancocks Victorian Plantations.

Well done to everyone involved!

If you have any problems viewing this video, try pausing it and waiting for 15 seconds or so before starting again, closing any other opened browser tabs and windows or viewing it at another time of day when your internet connection could be faster.

2 Nov 2014 – The Natural Soundscape: Birdsong, Music, Evolution and Listening

Posted on 23 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

Click to enlarge.

Andrew Skeoch will be giving a presentation, The Natural Soundscape, at the Newstead Community Hall on Sunday 2 November beginning at 7.30pm. This is a Birdlife Australia event.

Andrew writes: ‘There is a wonderful acoustic diversity to be heard in the natural soundscape – birdsong, frog choruses, seasonal insect choirs… But how have all these varied animal repertoires evolved? What can we learn from studying, or simply listening, to acoustic ecosystems? How may the noise of our modern world be impacting upon this delicate sonic balance, and conversely, how have the songs of nature influenced our own species?’

Andrew explores these questions and presents intriguing conclusions, supported by audio recordings he has made over twenty years, in wild places both locally and around the world.

26 October 2014 – Cactus Control Field Day

Posted on 23 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

The next Cactus Field Day will be on Sunday 26th October at a property at the northern end of Tarrengower School Road.  You can get there via Watersons Road.  Look for the signs from the intersection of the Maldon-Bridgewater and Watersons Roads. Tarrandower Cactus Control Group (TCCG) has had a great year so far and would like people to come along and help make this a record year in the War on Cactus. The morning’s activities will begin at 10:30 am and end at 12:30 pm with an enjoyable BBQ and friendly chat. If you have any queries please contact Ian on 0412 015 807. Click here to see the flyer which includes a map.

Time to Evaluate

Posted on 21 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

We’ve just finished the 2014 workshop program and it’s time to evaluate!

If you attended any of our sessions during the year (including the public talk by Ian Lunt) we are keen to find out what you thought. And here is an incentive to fill in the short survey: besides helping us to improve the program for next year, you’ll also have the chance for some great rewards, including one lucky person who will receive a two-hour session with an ecologist – who will visit your property for a one-on-one session. Perhaps you need help with identification and developing a plant or bird list, planning a restoration project, or have specific property management questions. Also on offer to randomly selected respondents include a nest box to provide an instant hollow on your property for a Brush-tailed Possum or Sugar Glider and a copy of Leon Costerman’s excellent field guide to eucalypts of south-eastern Australia, ‘Trees of Victoria and Adjoining Areas’.

Go directly to the link here: connecting-country-2014-workshop-program-evaluation. If there are two of you in the same household, you can fill out a second survey from the same computer, just return to the link. Respond before 27 October 2014 to be in the running for one of the incentives.

If you missed out on this year’s workshops, you can still catch up on the summaries here. We’ll be running a similar program in 2015.

10 Nov 2014 – Native Grass Direct Seeding Forum

Posted on 21 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

In the discussion at the recent Connecting Country AGM about the screened Landscape Restoration film one of the film makers, Ian Penna, told the audience of an upcoming direct seeding forum. We now have the details of this forum. It has been organised by Flora Victoria and will take place on 10 November in Keilor which is just over an hours drive from Castlemaine.  There will be a range of speakers including Dr Paul Gibson-Roy, head of the Grassy Groundcover Research Project.

The invitation and program for the forum can be found here.

19th Oct – Campbells Creek Landcare Community Day

Posted on 17 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

The Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare Group have invited the local community to their annual Community Day at Campbells Creek Park, opposite Campbells Creek Primary school, Midland Highway. This event is a good opportunity to meet new residents and local families and get to know the secrets of the creek.

Activities on the day (Sunday 19th Oct) include a free fully catered BBQ lunch with delicious salads and their famous fruit punch. Children will be entertained with numerous activities and surprises.

You can join one of the free bus tours which will run through the day, discover interesting locations along the creek and see the results of 14 years of environmental work conducted by the Friends.

The day starts at 10.00am and concludes at 2.00pm. Free BBQ from 12 noon.
They have invited you to bring your family, bring your friends and don’t forget to bring a hat and walking shoes.

Local events aplenty for Bird Week

Posted on 10 October, 2014 by Tanya Loos

Bird enthusiasts, from beginners to experienced, are encouraged to get involved in National Bird Week 2014.

This year, BirdLife Australia is holding its first ever Aussie Backyard Bird Count, and there are events locally to attend if you are keen to count some birds! You can also go online to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au to find out more. The Backyard Bird Count involves a twenty minute count from any local patch you like, whether it be your backyard bushland or favourite park. You can count once, or many times.  In the spirit of the week, Connecting Country staff will post their observations as the week progresses on our website .

You can enter your observations on the Aussie Bird Count website but if you are a smartphone user you can download the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app.

Kick off bird week with the Bird Man Sean Dooley, editor of BirdLife Magazine, and author of The Big Twitch. Baynton-Sidonia Landcare are hosting Sean’s walk and talk on Sunday 19^th October, Interested people are welcome to register for both the Bird Walk and the talk at the Baynton Hall, or for either session, by contacting Barbara on 0458590642 or emailing archiemcleod1@gmail.com by 17th October.

Local ecologist Geoff Park is also giving a talk in Bendigo as part of National Bird Week.  It’s on Saturday 18th October (11am- 12.30pm) in the Bendigo Library Reading Room.  Click here for details.

The Macedon Ranges Shire also has a bird week event, with a bird forum on the afternoon of Saturday 18th October.  See the attached flyer for details (click here).

And Bird Week finishes locally with a bird monitoring outing, led by Connecting Country’s Habitat for Bush Birds coordinator Tanya Loos. The outing will be on Sunday 26^th October, the final day of bird week, and we will be visiting properties in the Clydesdale area, specifically looking for the feathered five. All welcome, from beginners to experienced but numbers are limited.  To book a place, contact Tanya Loos at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au, or call 5472 1594.

 Some background info on the Habitat for Bush Birds project: helping the feathered five

This project is working to restore habitat for five local bush bird species; the Hooded Robin, Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter, Brown Treecreeper and Diamond Firetail. Over two years, Connecting Country and participating landowners will carry out 300 ha of habitat restoration actions within 11 priority habitat zones. With the community’s help, we will also be scanning the Mount Alexander shire and immediate surrounds for the feathered five; as the more sightings we have, the better able we are to measure our success in helping these plucky yet threatened little birds.  More information is available on our website (click here) and some new bird-watching activities will be announced soon.  (The Habitat for Bush Birds project is supported by the Victorian Government through Communities for Nature funding.)

12 Oct 2014 Sunday picnic in the Sunday Morning Hills

Posted on 9 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

Wedderburn Conservation Management Network (CMN) and the Kooyoora Connections Project have have organised a free picnic to celebrate the permanent protection of a beautiful 300 ha property in the Sunday Morning Hills. The property is in Glenalbyn which is 60 km north west of Bendigo.

The days activities will include music celebrating cultural heritage, a talk by Jeroen van Veen, Bush Heritage Australia ranger, and a woodland birds’ walk led by Garry Cheers. Click here to see the flyer which includes a map. Bookings are essential and need to be made ASAP.

30 Oct 2014 – ‘Chicks in the Sticks’

Posted on 9 October, 2014 by Connecting Country

The North Central CMA has organised the second ‘Chicks in the Sticks’ event for 30 October. It will take place in the Boort Sailing Clubrooms, Ring Road, Boort on Thursday 30 October between 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Boort is just over 100 km from Bendigo. The event is to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of women in agriculture and the environment.

The evening is free and will include a tour of the foreshore of Little Lake Boort, a 2 course dinner and a presentation from life performance coach, lecturer and author, Carol Fox. Further information can be found here.

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.

28 Sept 2014 – Cactus Control Field Day

Posted on 23 September, 2014 by Connecting Country

The next Cactus Control Field Day will take place on 28 September on a property on the eastern side of Cairn Curran.  Entry to the site will be via Cairn Curran Road.  Click here for directions and a map.

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group have had a great year so far so come along and help make this a record year in the War on Cactus.

24 Sept 2014 – Local history talk by Eliza Tree

Posted on 22 September, 2014 by Connecting Country

If you missed Eliza Tree’s recent Harcourt talk, here’s another chance. Her topic is

Australia Felix, or Indigenous Cultural Landscape, Jaara country, before the Goldrush

and

William von Blandowski Insights from an Outsider – Visions of Aboriginal Australia.

The presentation will take place at 3 pm & 7.30 pm on Wednesday 24^th September in the Ray Bradfield Rooms (beside Market Building) Mostyn Street, Castlemaine. Click here to view our earlier post about Eliza’s presentation and here to view a flyer for this one.