Merry Christmas from Connecting Country – our 2016 wrap and our 2017 plans
Posted on 22 December, 2016 by Connecting Country
2016 has been an exciting year for Connecting Country staff and committee of management. We have been busy helping landholders with on-ground works, supporting landcare, monitoring populations of plants and animals and engaging with our community of amazing supporters, members and volunteers. We are all so proud to have had the opportunity to work with the people and environment across the Mount Alexander region to do all of these activities.
In 2016 we focused on raising the profile of woodland birds and growing our partnerships with fellow organisations. This enabled us to work cooperatively with the Friends of Box Ironbark Forests, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Parks Victoria, Castlemaine Festival of Gardens, Castlemaine Agricultural Society and of course lots of our local landholders and volunteers. We would like to thank all involved and our project funders over the last twelve months.
We have also been planning for our future and 2017 promises to be as invigorating. We currently have ten projects on the go and look forward to continue rolling them out into the New Year. We are particularly looking forward to the Camp Out on the Mount event, celebrating the achievements of the the Connecting Landscapes program which concludes in June and a workshop series around Water in our Landscape. Watch this space to find out more!
We have created a snapshot from 2016 events and activities in the gallery below, see if you can see you!
PS. Please note our office will be closed from the 24th of December 2016 until the 3rd of January 2016.
Asha talking up Landcare
Art works from our youngest nature lovers
Naomi and Marie with the Chewton PS student leaders at the schools Landcare day
A Tuan helped at the Castlemaine show
Krista talking up the Feathered Five
Tanya’s Birdwatching group
Soil tests help us with the big picture
Peppered Rock Shield Photo Bronwyn Silver
Fences for wildlife corridors
Hooded Robins by Hannah Vellacott
Chris Tzaros talks birds
Frogmouths at Francies
The Sticky Beak Tour was fun!
Tanya and Krista meeting some goats
Milkmaids make us so happy!
Direct seeding lines
Blue Pincushions galore in Spring
Bonnie with landholders
Asha out checking nest boxes with Chewton Primary School kids.
Photo by Damian Kelly
Barking gecko (Photo by Alison Pouliot)
Bonnie behind the wet weather buggy
Our beautiful bush! Photo by Janet Barker
The local Green Army Team
New weeds brochure
Our local expert speakers at our AGM
Landcare link-up in February
The Farm Field Day at the Holy Goat Farm
Andrew and Phil inspire the crowd
Even white chocolate lilies
Tanya and Sean Dooley
Five sweet sugar gliders
2016 works crew, Luke, Rachel, Anna and Alex
Thank you to the Connecting Country team for keeping some of us city dwellers up to date with what is happening in an area that is particularly dear to me.
Thank you for the Christmas Greetings.
I look forward to hearing about more great things happening in the New Year,
best wishes, Nola
Merry Christmas to you, Tanya and team! Enjoy your well earned break! I look forward to joining your wonderful life improving programs, when I can, during 2017. Thanks for the Connection.
Sue oo