Details for rescheduled Camp Out on the Mount 2018

Posted on 26 April, 2018 by Asha

New details for the rescheduled Camp Out on the Mount are now available. Please follow this link to the Camp Out web page to stay updated: https://connectingcountry.org.au/landcare/camp-out-on-the-mount-2018/

Cooking damper at the 2017 Camp Out on the Mount

When: Friday 11 to Saturday 12 May 2018
Where: Leanganook Camping Ground, Joseph Young Drive, Mount Alexander Regional Park, Faraday
What to bring: Camping gear, food (Lions Club BBQ will be available on Friday night for a gold coin donation), weather appropriate clothes and sun protection.

CLICK HERE to visit the booking website – registering your interest is the best way to stay updated about any schedule changes.

Below is a run-down of the 2018 Camp Out weekend. You are more than welcome to attend some or all of the activities. If you have any questions, please call Asha on (03) 5472 1594 or email asha@connectingcountry.org.au

PLEASE NOTE: In the event of severe weather warnings (e.g., storms or extreme heat), the Camp Out on the Mount will be cancelled.

Homes for birds and mammals: nest box workshop Sunday 6 May 2018

Posted on 26 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Are you considering enhancing your property by adding a few homes for wildlife? Rosellas, pardalotes, kookaburras and owlet-nightjars will readily use nest boxes. Many mammals will use them too, including possums, bats, sugar gliders and brush-tailed phascogales!

Autumn is an ideal time of year to install nest boxes, according to Miles Geldard, who has designed and constructed thousands of nest boxes. Animals are seeking warm and secure homes before winter.

If you already own nest boxes, or want to set some up on your property, come along to an afternoon workshop with Miles and Connecting Country in McKenzie Hill, near Castlemaine.

A Tuan in a nest box, by Jess Lawton

Sunday 6 May 2018 from 12:00 midday to 3:30 pm

Miles Geldard shares his extensive knowledge on the design, construction, installation and monitoring of nest boxes for wildlife

Includes light lunch, indoor presentation and nestbox check using a special camera

We will also have a very special door prize for a lucky attendee!

Connecting Country has an extensive nest box monitoring program. We encourage any landholders who are hosting some of the 400 nest boxes in the region to attend! For more on our nest box program click here.

Please RSVP including any dietary requirements by 2 May 2018 by email (tanya@connectingcountry.org.au) or phone (5472 1594).

Wattle book launch – Saturday 28 April 2018

Posted on 23 April, 2018 by Frances

Birdata app and portal – an exciting new step

Posted on 19 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Recording bird surveys has just become much easier for a lot of keen bird people in our local area! Last Friday (13 April), over 20 bird survey volunteers gathered at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens Tea Rooms to hear about BirdLife Australia’s smartphone app and bird data website.

Andrew Silcocks from BirdLife Australia manages the Bird Atlas – a comprehensive map of the distribution and numbers of Australian birds. Over the course of three very enjoyable hours, we learned how our data collection helps in bird conservation, how to use the very user-friendly app, and how to examine bird information on the portal known at Birdata.

And we were all very happy to hear Chris Timewell, BirdLife Australia’s Woodland Bird Project Coordinator (formerly Director of Connecting Country), present on the Birds on Farms research project. A separate blog post about the Birds on Farms project will follow soon.

Andrew Silcocks and Chris Timewell from BirdLife Australia

Connecting Country has been an affiliate organisation of BirdLife Australia since 2015. The two organisations are both bird mad (of course!), and collect and share bird data with one another. Connecting Country’s long term monitoring program has sent BirdLife over 20,000 individual records for their Birdata bird mapping project, and we have also extracted data from BirdLife to help with our reporting.

The Birdata app 

The feedback from participants was wonderful! The app is surprisingly easy to use – the phone finds your location, then you give it a site name, add the survey information such as the type of survey, and then simply start counting birds! So for those of you who were unable to attend the workshop, the following comments may encourage you to visit the Birdata website, download the app and have a go!

‘Really clearly explained, and I found the app easy to use’

‘I used Birdata extensively up until about 2 years ago so this provided a valuable update’

‘I had never previously used this app but I now feel very confident to conduct and submit surveys’

‘Opened my eyes to the power of the app AND the portal’.

To download the app click here. In the help section of the Birdata website here, there are short instructional YouTube videos and printed information on the portal and the app. These also might be useful for those of you who attended the workshop and would like a refresher.

The Birdata portal

The Birdata website is referred to as a portal. Once you are logged in, you can see your surveys and all your data. You can edit and change surveys you have done, such as correct a misidentified bird or refine the location.

You can also share your surveys with other people, such as on social media or by email. Any person doing bird surveys for one of our ‘official’ monitoring programs (such as the KBA monitoring, the Perkins surveys, or the Connecting Country sites) can send their data directly to BirdLife using the app if they wish. This saves on time and double handling. However, also emailing a copy of your surveys to us here at Connecting Country will help with keeping track of our bird survey program. Of course, those people who wish to stay with the old pen and paper method are most welcome to do so!

A fantastic feature of the portal is the ability to generate an up-to-the-minute bird list of any area of any size simply by drawing a polygon on the Birdata map. I used this function today to supply a bird list to Sutton Grange Landcare group. See the ‘Explore’ button on the portal for this feature.

Many many thanks to Andrew Silcocks for such an enjoyable and informative workshop! We would also like to thanks the Wettenhall Environment Trust for funding the workshop.

Say ‘swift parrot’! Workshop attendees were all smiles on a beautiful autumn day.

Save the date – Camp Out on the Mount 2.0

Posted on 19 April, 2018 by Asha

Due to the severe weather warnings last weekend, we have rescheduled the 2018 Camp Out on the Mount!

The new date is Friday 11th May (starting late afternoon after school) to Saturday 12th May (finishing late afternoon). A new schedule for all of the activities and more details will be coming out next week, but please save this date in your diaries if you’d like to come.

Pine Assassins from Castlemaine Secondary College from the 2017 Campout

Workshop: the ecology and care of large old eucalypts – 28 April 2018

Posted on 17 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Large old trees, their ecology and care –  a two hour workshop in Guildford on Saturday 28 April. This short workshop will be presented by Tanya Loos from Connecting Country in partnership with the Mount Alexander Shire Council. It includes a walk through the Guildford Recreation reserve.

Our old eucalypts are incredibly valuable to local fauna. Studies show koalas prefer large old trees as their branches are broad and comfortable. Old trees are superior nectar producers to their young cousins, with masses of blossom providing abundant nectar to honeyeaters, bees and flying foxes. Their seed production is better too, with old trees producing more and better quality seed.

And then there are the hollows! Hundreds of animal species cannot survive without the hollows that large old trees provide. Possums, sugar gliders, bats, rosellas, owls, geckos and many more critters need hollows to shelter and to raise young.

A magnificent candlebark on Yapenya ( Mount Barker)

So come along and find out how we can care for these living treasures! We’ll discuss the mistletoe question (answer: leave it!), what large old trees really can’t stand, and what to plant beneath large old trees to keep them healthy and happy.

Saturday 28 April 2018 at 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Please book or make inquiries through Mount Alexander Shire Council:  call 54711700, or info@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Volunteers needed for nest box checks

Posted on 12 April, 2018 by Asha

Connecting Country is once again monitoring our nest boxes. These boxes were installed across the shire in 2010-11 to provide habitat for Brush-tailed Phascogales.

The boxes have all been monitored at least once during autumn in the survey periods of 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. A summary of the results to date across the whole of the survey periods, and other information about the monitoring program, are available on the Connecting Country website – click here.

Please contact us if you are interested in assisting as a volunteer with the nest box checks by emailing asha@connectingcountry.org.au. You won’t be climbing trees or ladders, or handling animals, rather helping with carrying equipment and recording data. It is a great opportunity to see some interesting and special places in our local landscape, and learn more about phascogales and other species.

Updates on the nest box monitoring program will be provided after the autumn monitoring. For further info on our nest box program, see our  monitoring page of our website – click here.

Connecting Country nest box

Historic gum trees of Maldon – Nature News April 2018

Posted on 12 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

April’s Nature News was written by Sarah Edwards, who completed her internship at Connecting Country, and Bev Phillips from Maldon Urban Landcare Group.  This story featured in the Midland Express on 10 April 2018.

If you want to explore some of the ‘living treasures’ featured in this month’s Nature News, Bev Phillips is leading a walk for a Maldon Focus Quarterly Conversation on Saturday 5 May 2018 at 1.30 pm. See here for more information.

Red Box at St Brigid’s Catholic Church Maldon.

This story began in 2010, when the late Wendy French from Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA) noticed some large pre-European settlement indigenous eucalypt trees located within Maldon, and was very interested in discovering how old they were. Wendy studied approximately 20 trees in town and estimated their age.

Six years later, MULGA continued the work Wendy had started. Firstly, there was an original Red Box tree, estimated at 295 years of age, at an intersection that was being re-designed. Then there was a planning proposal for a retirement village to be developed on the site of a Maldon church, where there were four eucalypts estimated as between 185-430 years old. MULGA wanted protection of the trees during construction, and for an existing Petanque piste to not be moved close to the area the four trees. These issues re-ignited the notion of protecting old indigenous trees, as MULGA discovered the trees were not listed or protected under the heritage overlay.

In 2017, MULGA members organised a field day to search for all indigenous eucalypts in Maldon that could be classified as being over 165 years old, hence existing before European settlement in 1852. With the help of Frances Cincotta, from Newstead Natives, MULGA members identified, photographed and recorded GPS coordinates for the trees, and used standardised measurements and published growth rates to estimate their age.

They identified 61 likely pre-1852 eucalypts, including Grey, Yellow, Red and Long-leaved Box species on private and public land in Maldon. The oldest tree was estimated at 530 years old, and 80% were estimated at over 200 years old. In addition, 36 pre-1852 trees were surveyed on parts of the Maldon Historic Reserve. These trees were estimated to be between 190 and 645 years old.

Somehow, the 97 eucalypts managed to survive throughout the gold rush and population boom of the area. They are historically significant as well as being important to the ecosystem in Maldon. If only trees could talk, imagine the stories they could tell!

This is an ongoing project. Although the eucalypts surveyed on the Maldon Historic Reserve are under the protection of Parks Victoria, there is currently no protection overlay for the 61 eucalypts surveyed in other areas of Maldon. The protection of these trees is essential to preserve the natural environment and the heritage of Maldon. MULGA will continue to work with Mount Alexander Shire Council to achieve this.

Volunteer with a flair for graphic design needed for bird project

Posted on 10 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Calling all graphic designers! We are looking for a volunteer to design two very special bird signs, which will be displayed permanently at Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve in Sandon, and at the Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve. The signs will illustrate the values of the Muckleford and Strangways Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), and are a key component of our Caring for Key Biodiversity Areas project.

The Critically Endangered Swift Parrot. Pic by Chris Tzaros

The trigger species for these areas are the Diamond Firetail, Swift Parrot and Flame Robin. KBAs are designated by BirdLife International and BirdLife Australia.

The Caring for Key Biodiversity Areas project involves an on-ground works component, bird surveys and the two interpretive signs.

Design of the signs would be an excellent project for a university student who is studying the visual arts, or a graphic designer who wishes to do some pro-bono work to contribute to the community while raising the profile of their business. Purchase of the signs will be covered by the grant, but we need help with the graphic design component as a volunteer contribution.

We will be able to supply the written content and quality photos of the target species to use on the signs. But the magic of their presentation is up to you!

The signs will be launched in September 2018, so ideally we would have the signs designed by the end of July.

If you are interested, please send a copy of your resume, business website or an example of your graphic design work to Tanya at Connecting Country:  tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
We will make a decision and let people know on Monday April 16, so get your applications in quick!

And of course, feel free to call on 5472 1594 if you have any enquiries!

The Caring for Key Biodiversity Areas projects is funded by the Victorian Government – Community and Volunteer Action Grants.

‘Bush Play’ and ‘Cranes, Herons and Storks’ – two April 2018 events

Posted on 5 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Autumn is a busy time in Central Victoria. We would like to share two events that our readers may enjoy. ‘Bush Play’ is an activity especially for children, as part of Nature Play week. ‘Cranes, Herons and Storks’ is a presentation proudly hosted by Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club.

Bush Play: the colours of the bush in Kalimna Park

What: Come and join in a hunt for the colours of the bush. Help to discover how many different colours the bush has to offer. This is a free event for Nature Play Week and will be followed by a story about the bush. For details see the Facebook event page here.

When: Thursday 12 April from 2:00 to 3:30 pm
Where: Kalimna Park near the cubby houses
Who: For children aged 4 to 6 years old and an accompanying adult

Bookings: Please book as numbers are limited. Please email tiffany.inglis@gmail.com

Cranes, Herons and Storks: a talk at the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Monthly meeting

Renowned photographer and author David Hollands wrote the classic book ‘Eagles Hawks and Falcons of Australia’ in the 1980s. He has written and provided photographs for many books on Australian birds, including kingfishers, owls and waders. David will be sharing his amazing photos and speaking about his latest book: Cranes, Herons and Storks of Australia.

The evening commences at 7.30 pm on Friday 13 April in the Fellowship Room, located behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St, Castlemaine (next door to the Castlemaine Art Museum).  Members and visitors are all welcome to come along, and to stay for a light supper after the talk. This is a free event.

Black-necked Stork at Yellow Waters, Kakadu National Park. Photo by David Hollands.

Tiny feathered visitor receives first aid

Posted on 5 April, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Many of our landholders and readers of this blog send us photographs of birds to identify, or animals that they are pleased to see on their properties and in their gardens. Last week, Robyn Patton, who lives south of Bendigo sent us photos of a bird that is ‘tiny and finch-like in size’.

The little creature had collided with a glass window and passed out from concussion. Robyn put the tiny bird in her dressing gown pocket.

Cradled in gentle, loving hands.

The bird started to revive after a few hours, so she carefully placed the bird in a covered cat carrier. When the bird could perch well and seemed to be revived, Robyn set the little one free into the garden.

Have you guessed the species? It is a Striated Pardalote! We featured these stunning birds on a blog last year with Peter Turner’s wonderful photos ( see here). This rescued bird is very young, as it lacks the dark head and bold markings of adult pardalotes. My guess is that the little one had just left the nesting hollow, and unfortunately encountered a window on its first day!

Robyn’s quick thinking saved the pardalote from being eaten by an animal while unconscious. We suggest that a concussed bird be placed in a covered box such as a shoebox, with a tea towel or something soft in the bottom, and then left in a quiet room for a few hours to recover. The dressing gown pocket is very comfy, but a shoebox is an even quieter, safer spot for the bird to recover. The bird will not need water or food, just warmth, darkness and quiet. If it is still very ill, you may need to contact your local vet or wildlife shelter.

Robyn clearly loves her birds. Here she talks about the birds in her backyard:

‘They follow me around the veggie garden, checking out my every move. They make my heart smile and they’re great company. Yes, I actually talk to them on occasion. I keep telling them to eat only bad bugs, and make sure they have plenty of fresh water to drink and bathe in.’

Thanks for sending in the photos, Robyn – and we are thrilled this little bird recovered!

The perch in the cat carrier was an excellent idea

For information on how to prevent birds colliding with windows, please see the excellent link below.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/why-birds-hit-windows-and-how-you-can-help-prevent-it/

Reminder – please book in for next week’s Camp Out

Posted on 5 April, 2018 by Asha

The 2018 Camp Out on the Mount is coming up no sooner than next week! If you haven’t booked in yet, please visit our booking website to register your interest. You can select which activities you’d like to come along to, and this will help us plan ahead to make the weekend as enjoyable as possible for everyone. There’s no need to bring along your ticket, just yourself and gear for camping.

CLICK HERE to go straight to the booking website, or CLICK HERE to visit our page with more info about the 2018 Camp Out.

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Birdata App Workshop Friday 13 April

Posted on 29 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Andrew Silcocks from BirdLife Australia provides an introduction and practical demonstration of how to use online Birdata mapping and the smartphone app – at the beautiful Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. 

A Diamond Firetail, by Geoff Park

This year, BirdLife Australia staff are travelling Victoria with a series of presentations and workshops on Birdata – how to use it, and more importantly, why to use it.
The information that BirdLife Australia takes from Birdata underpins their State of Australia’s Birds Reports, as well as population and species trends and distribution analyses. These analyses inform threatened species nominations, which in turn influence the government allocation of conservation dollars and resources to those species.
Andrew is the coordinator of Birdata at BirdLife Australia and he is keen to share the Birdata app with you! Tanya Loos from Connecting Country will also be on hand to discuss the close relationship between Birdata and the Connecting Country bird monitoring program.

When: Friday 13 April from 11am – 3pm
Where: Castlemaine Tea rooms, at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens
What you need:
*Shoes and clothing appropriate for birdwatching outside
*Your binoculars (some will be provided)
*Your Birdata login – just sign up at https://birdata.birdlife.org.au/
*The Birdata app downloaded on your phone – available on Apple or Android

Bookings and enquiries to Tanya Loos tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or call our office on 5472 1594

Autumn Series Launch – a quiz and some beautiful music for 27 March 2018

Posted on 29 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Our Autumn Workshop Series launch was a fun and friendly fun affair. About 40 people enjoyed the mild Autumn weather in the beautiful Hub Plot garden, including landholders, new Connecting Country members, and members of our management committee and staff.

Following our workshop series theme of ‘Monitoring Healthy Habitats’, the evening included a fun and educational nature quiz. The various skulls, scats and other fascinating quiz items were largely from Tanya’s naturalist collection. Some of the items were quite difficult to identify!

After a drink or two and some yummy vegan nibbles, teams formed to tackle the quiz. Saide and Helen were the winning team. They correctly identified an echidna skull, a peregrine falcon’s regurgitated pellet (including racing pigeon ID rings!) and an echidna scat. Well done!

No-one correctly guessed the super-hard question – which was a small collection of stick insect scats! The prize for this question was a copy of Tracks, Scats and Traces, by Barbara Triggs. Margaret guessed caterpillar scats – which was near enough. Well done Margaret!

After the quiz, Nioka treated us to a beautiful series of songs, both covers and originals. Thank you Nioka!

We thank everyone for coming along, and wish all our friends and supporters a very restful and happy Easter long weekend. Special thanks to everyone who helped out and made the launch possible.

The Autumn workshop series is kindly funded by the Wettenhall Environment Trust.

Barkers Creek gets beautiful – Nature News March 2018

Posted on 27 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

This March’s Nature News was written by Sarah Edwards, who did her internship at Connecting Country. Sarah interviewed Daryl Colless from Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group. This story featured in the Midland Express on 6 March 2018.

The Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group is a group of local residents who are passionate about protecting and restoring the natural environment. Getting your hands dirty doing on-ground works is a great way of connecting locals to the creek. The group includes members of all ages, which makes working bees a lot of fun!

Their story starts at the Little Red Apple store where you’ll find delicious fruit and vegetables, and award winning cider. It backs onto a section of Barkers Creek that needed a bit of TLC.

The owners of the Little Red Apple have a vision of creating an outdoor picnic area alongside the creek in the future, and were keen to help Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group restore this area. After removing plenty of blackberries and willows, they planted native plants alongside the creek. The weed removal was so successful that nearby landowners got involved and did some planting on their own properties.

The team gathers at the Little Red Apple site. Photo by Kirsten Hutchison.

There were challenges along the way. Since this project began, several floods have come through and washed away some of the plants, and damaged the footbridge. However, these setbacks did not dampen the spirits of this group. They rebuilt and replanted after the floods, still working to make this area a beautiful picnic spot and create a healthy environment that will attract native wildlife.

The key to long-term success of the sites worked on by Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group is the follow up work. Returning to a site yearly for weed removal and more planting is crucial. This Landcare group has worked very hard to achieve some amazing outcomes. Who knows what they will do next!

If you have any questions about this story or Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group, please see https://www.barkerscreeklandcare.org.au or contact Daryl on 0407 419 606.

Saving the Silver Banksia presentation

Posted on 22 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

Clearly there is a lot of love for the Silver Banksia in our region! About 60 people gathered in Harcourt on Monday 19 March 2018 to hear geneticist Adam Miller present the latest results from his genetic studies on Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) populations – hot off the press!

Adam Miller presents to a full house at the ANA Hall.

Dr Adam Miller is a geneticist from Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University. Adam has a wide range of research interests, including ecological genetics and genomics, wildlife conservation and environmental restoration, pest control, environmental stress and adaptation research. For the science buffs among you, Adam’s extensive publication history on Google Scholar can be found  here.

Adam’s talk was titled ‘Planting for the future through smart genetic management: Banksia Marginata as a case study’. The presentation was absolutely fascinating. Any genetics project needs a lot of preparatory explanation. I’d already taken seven pages of notes before we got onto the banksia project proper!

Banksia decline

Silver Banksias were once common all over the Victorian Volcanic Plains and the Mount Alexander area, but now we only have isolated populations of old individuals. The banksias face many threats. Recruitment of new plants is very difficult as young plants are eaten by rabbits or wallabies, and the young plants can’t grow through thick Phalaris grass. Herbicide spray drift from farms is another threat. However, Adam and other conservation geneticists believe that  loss of genetic diversity is a key driver in the extinction of species, and without active management we can’t be confident these species will survive climate change. If we can’t get it right for an iconic species such as Silver Banksia, the future looks grim for other struggling species, such as Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata).

Genetic diversity

Genetic diversity underpins the ability of a population to respond to environmental change. High diversity increases the chance there is enough variety for at least some of the population to cope with environmental changes. Low diversity increases the chance of extinction. The Central Victorian Banksia Working Group wanted to find out what is going on with the genetics of the surviving Silver Banksias. Are they genetically isolated? Are they in poor genetic health or in-breeding? Where is the best genetic material? Which plants should we collect seed from for replanting or creating a seed orchard?

After the presentation, people crowded around Adam and the screen to hear more!

Latest results

Analysis results for the Central Victorian banksia population showed:

• All banksia populations in central Victoria are genetically isolated from one another, meaning populations are not cross-pollinating.
• There is no current evidence of inbreeding – the genetic diversity of all the samples is still quite good! However, there is an imminent risk of inbreeding due to genetic isolation.
• Managed intervention will be needed to prevent these populations from disappearing.

Analysis of the Victorian Volcanic Plains banksia population showed similar results.

What to do

Critical recommendations for saving Silver Banksias:

• Manage the isolated remnants by mixing up genetics to reduce the risk of future inbreeding.
• Select seed from multiple locations across the landscape. Selection and blending of seed from across the isolated populations – known as ‘multi-provenancing’ – will help provide the genetic diversity so desperately needed to cope with a changing climate.
• Track plant provenances through time, so we can assess which ones survive better in this climate. This can be done on people’s properties or through establishing seed orchards.
• Improve connectivity across the landscape to facilitate the movement of pollinators. We currently don’t know who the key pollinators are, but the genetic studies reveal there should be a maximum of ten kilometres between populations to allow cross pollination.

Thank you!

Harcourt Valley Landcare Group hosted the event along with the Central Victorian Banksia Working Group. Bonnie Humphreys (President of Harcourt Valley Landcare Group) thanks all involved, including the many volunteers who provided banksia samples and contributed to the project. The Wettenhall Environment Trust provided an amazing supper! The Kara Kara Conservation Network and North Central Catchment Management Authority also provided support and funding for the project. The presentation was made possible through funding from the National Landcare Program.

Many thanks to Adam for his thoughtful presentation, and to Bonnie for organising the event.

Autumn workshop series – launch celebration 27 March 2018

Posted on 19 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

On Tuesday 27 March we’re launching Connecting Country’s Autumn Workshop Series for 2018. The launch will be an informal gathering at the Hub Plot, Castlemaine, with drinks and nibbles. All of our friends and supporters are most welcome. And bring along your knowledge and competitive spirit for a nature quiz!

The theme for our autumn workshop series is Monitoring Healthy Habitats. We have a diverse series of events to inform and inspire you about habitat protection and local wildlife.

We’re pleased to be presenting these workshops together with our partner organisations:

• Bird monitoring, with BirdLife Australia
• Caring for large old trees, with Mount Alexander Shire Council.
• Nestboxes for wildlife, with Miles Geldard.

An Eastern Spinebill strikes a pose (photo by Geoff Park)

Launch celebration:

Tuesday 27 March from 5.00 – 7.00 pm
At the Hub Plot, behind 233 Barker St, Castlemaine

Please RSVP for catering purposes to tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or call 5472 1594

Click here for the Autumn Workshop Series flier, and stay tuned for more details on each workshop.

These workshops are kindly funded by the Wettenhall Environment Trust. This lauunch event is part of our community engagement program supported by Biodiversity Hubs funding from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change visits landholders in Green Hill

Posted on 14 March, 2018 by Tanya Loos

On Friday 9 March, Lily D’Ambrosio MP visited one of our land restoration sites in Green Hill, south of Metcalfe. The Minister had just opened the La Larr Ba Gauwa Park, and wanted to see the work we’re doing locally to protect threatened woodland birds, with funding from the Victorian Government’s Regional Landscapes & Targeted Action initiative.

Landholders Rayleen Bailey and Huntly Barton hosted the visit to their beautiful 273 hectare property. With representatives from Connecting Country, Trust for Nature, Department of Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), and the Minister’s team, it was quite a crowd on the quiet country lane! Huntly kindly offered to take the Minister to the top of Green Hill, where eagles nest, to view the incredible progress with weed control, fencing and revegetation. We all had a chat while Huntly and the Minister zoomed off into the distance in the all-terrain vehicle!

Kirsten Hutchison from Trust for Nature was happy to be there as the property will be placed under a covenant for long-term protection. Kirsten explains why the property is so significant:

‘This covenant (265 ha) is of high conservation significance as it contains ‘Greenhill’, a Scoria Cone (dormant volcano) of notable geological significance. Greenhill is a prominent landmark in the local landscape. The property contains two threatened ecological vegetation classes that are under-represented in the National Reserve System; Plains Grassy Woodland and Scoria Cone Woodland. Both are endangered in the Goldfields and Central Victorian Uplands Bioregions. The remnant native vegetation on the property also contains numerous very large old hollow eucalyptus trees that provide important habitat for local fauna species. The nationally endangered Matted Flax-lily Dianella amoena has been found on the property.

Previously Connecting Country have funded extensive weed control work and additional re-vegetation on the property through their on-ground works programs. The covenant has been funded through DELWP’s Biodiversity On Ground Action (BOGA) program.’

The property also hosts one of Connecting Country’s long-term bird monitoring sites. It is one of few River Red Gum woodland sites with good understorey vegetation, and significant for its records of Brown Treecreeper, Dusky Woodswallow and Restless Flycatcher. After the Minister departed, Tanya, Kirsten and Frances enjoyed doing a bird survey, recording breeding Dusky Woodswallows and numerous other species.

Many thanks to Jill Fleming from DELWP for the invitation, Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and team for visiting, and most of all Rayleen and Huntly for their warmth and willingness to share their property with us.

Please enjoy this gallery of photos taken by Tanya Loos, Frances Howe and Kirsten Hutchison.

Sharing Landcare Stories – February 2018 Landcare Link-up

Posted on 8 March, 2018 by Asha

For anyone seeking inspiration, there was plenty to be had at the Campbells Creek Community Centre last Monday. We had a great turnout of nearly 40 people representing 14 of our local Landcare and Friends groups, plus representatives from North Central Catchment Management Authority, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Parks Victoria, and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. The event focused on groups sharing the work they’ve been doing for the last year or so. Based on some great feedback, we may be making this an annual theme!

Talks spanned the huge range of the amazing work local groups do, including weed control, planting, monitoring, promoting sustainable agriculture, advocating for our environment, preserving heritage, holding education events, installing signage and engaging community.

Landcare and Friends groups who presented included: Baringhup Landcare, Castlemaine Landcare, Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare, Golden Point Landcare, Guildford and Upper Loddon Landcare, Friends of Kalimna Park, Maldon Urban Landcare Group, Muckleford Catchment Landcare, North Harcourt-Sedgewick Landcare, Nuggetty Land Protection Group, Post Office Hill Action Group, and Taradale Landare. The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group also celebrated the launch of their new brochure, Weeds and your responsibilities (CLICK HERE for more info), with guest speaker Mayor Bronwen Machin.

Thank you to everyone who came along to our February Landcare Link-up and made it an enjoyable night. An extra special thanks goes to all our presenters, the wonderful volunteers who helped with setting up, packing up and doing dishes, and to Bonnie and Vivien for your photos (scroll the gallery below!).

Camp Out on the Mount 2018

Posted on 8 March, 2018 by Asha

The sun rising on Leanganook on the Sunday morning of the 2017 Camp Out on the Mount

Have you ever camped out on Leanganook (Mount Alexander)? This is your chance to camp out in a fun community setting, learn about nature and cultural heritage in our area, and water some young native plants that need care after a dry summer. We are once again working with several community groups to run the popular Camp Out on the Mount, a weekend event for people of all ages.

Please join us for a morning working bee on the Saturday, followed by an afternoon of activities to learn more about our environment and Aboriginal culture. Share in dinner, chatting and singing around the campfire, a heritage talk from George Milford, and a night walk in the bush with Parks Victoria. On the Sunday morning we will also be treated to a nature walk with Tanya Loos. Together, we will be caring for and learning about Leanganook, and celebrating the work that Landcare and Friends groups do for our environment all year round.

A huge thank you is due to the many community groups who are coming together to make this event so special. These include: the Camp Out Advisory Group, Harcourt Valley Landcare, Little Habitat Heroes, Parks Victoria, Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests, Nalderun Upper Loddon Group, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Castlemaine Secondary College students, Harcourt Lions Club, and Connecting Country.

CLICK HERE to visit the booking website

CLICK HERE to download the flier

CLICK HERE to read the blog post about last year’s Camp Out on the Mount

When: Saturday 14th – Sunday 15th April 2018
Where: Leanganook Camping Ground, Joseph Young Drive, Mount Alexander Regional Park, Faraday
What to bring: Camping gear, food (Lions Club BBQ will be available on Sat night for a gold coin donation), weather appropriate clothes, sturdy shoes and sun protection. Please bring a bucket to the working bee if you can, this will help us water as many plants as possible!

Below is a run-down of the 2018 Camp Out weekend. You are more than welcome to attend some or all of the activities. Please let us know through the booking website which activities you plan to attend, as this will help us get an idea of how many people to expect.

If you have any questions, please call Asha on (03) 5472 1594 or email asha@connectingcountry.org.au

This year’s Camp Out on the Mount is supported by funding through the Victorian Landcare Program.