29 May 2016 – Listening to the Mount
Posted on 26 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Our good friends at Trust for Nature have made us aware of a fantastic opportunity to learn about the indigenous cultural significance and heritage of Mt Korong (a women’s place) and Mt Kooyoora (a men’s place) from the traditional owners of this Country, the Dja Dja Wurrung. It is being held on Sunday 29 May 2016, from 9:30am to 1:00pm.
More information is available in the attached flyer (click here). Places are strictly limited, so please RSVP to the organizers as soon as possible if you are interested in attending (listeningtothemount@gmail.com).
Autumn bird breeding and a pardalote nest box
Posted on 20 April, 2016 by Tanya Loos
From Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Project Coordinator.
The summer of 2015 – 2016 has been a strange one; long and hot and mostly very dry. While some of the signs of Autumn are here, such as the arrival of Eastern Spinebills and other autumn migrants (as noted on the Natural Newstead blog), in other cases birds are still behaving as if it is summer! Patrick Kavanagh (Newstead Landcare) photographed this beautiful Common Bronzewing on the nest at the Rise and Shine Reserve on March 19. This is a very late time to breed.
This is a male Common Bronzewing, the female’s colours are more muted. Pic by Patrick Kavanagh
Patrick also reports frenzied activity around his Striated Pardalote nestbox – could they be going for brood number four at his place?! Pardalotes usually breed around September to February, with some records of breeding as late as March. Patrick has some beautiful photos of his Striated Pardalotes on the Natural Newstead blog here.
Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives and Newstead Landcare has kindly sent in photos and building instructions for her Striated Pardalote nest box – an ingenious use of recycled materials, and such a simple design, I think even I could make this box!
According to Frances: “The pardalote ‘box’ is made of heavy duty cardboard roll…and so needs to be placed under the eaves, out of the rain.
It was designed and made by Ric Higgins who has apartment blocks of them under the eaves at his place at Yandoit, all occupied by Striated Pardalotes in the springtime. You often see designs with a perch near the entrance home but it is not necessary.”
The design is featured below, and followed by a photo of the Striated Pardalotes gathered around the nestbox at Frances’s place in Newstead. Who knows – if you are quick and get this delightful home up and running, you might have a brood of Autumn pardalotes at your place!
Drawing by Ric Higgins
Pardalotes at the nest box, pic by Bonnie Humphreys
Landcare Australia Grants Open
Posted on 20 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Apologies for the late notice about these grants from Landcare Australia – especially for the Support Grants which are due next week.
Landcare Australia Support Grants: up to $1,000 (ex GST): Landcare groups are invited to apply for a grant of up to $1,000 (GST exclusive) to support projects and core activities which will improve the health of the land and environment. Applications open: 4 April 2016 (9.00am EST) Applications close: 28 April 2016 (5pm EST)
Landcare Australia Special Projects Grants: up to $15,000 (ex. GST): Landcare Australia is offering grants to Landcare and farming groups to undertake projects that protect environmental assets, address priority issues and improve the health of the environment. Groups are invited to apply for a grant of up to $15,000 (ex. GST) to support projects that focus on one or more of the following areas:
- Biodiversity
- Sustainable agriculture
Applications open: 18 April 2016 (9.00am EST) Applications close: 20 May 2016 (5pm EST)
For more information on both of these grants programs from Landcare Australia, follow this link (click here).
21-23 Sept 2016 – National Landcare Conference – abstracts sought
Posted on 20 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
The 2016 National Landcare Conference is to be held between 21-23 September at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, will centre around conference theme ‘Collaborative Communities – Landcare in Action’.
Landcare Australia has sent out a call for the submission of abstracts for presentations (and posters) for the conference. “Presenters should look to showcase Landcare’s approach to natural resource management and sustainable agriculture.”
If you are interested, there is further information from Landcare Australia in the attached document (click here).
24 April 2016 – FOBIF kids walk
Posted on 19 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests (FOBIF) are running their popular kids’ bushwalks and activities. They have asked us to let Connecting Country’s supporters know about one of these walks to be held this Sunday 24th April at Kalimna Park. Meet at 10am at the park end of Doveton Street with your friends and family for a shared opportunity to connect with nature. See the flyer for details (CLICK HERE to download a copy).
Wheel ‘cactus warriors’ resume their war path
Posted on 18 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group (TCCG) had fun participating in the recent Maldon Easter Fair parade (see photo). The ‘cactus warriors’ celebrated their 10th Birthday and their efforts destroying millions of Wheel Cactus plants over this time. They won a well-deserved First Prize for the ‘Best Community Entry’ award.
Cactus Warriors partying and celebrating at the recent Maldon Easter Fair
Now that the ‘fun of the fair’ is over, it’s time for the faithful army of Wheel ‘Cactus Warriors’ to continue their war against this noxious weed. The TCCG and Parks Victoria are inviting all interested folk to join them at their monthly Community Field Days, which are always held on the last Sunday of the month, from April to November.
This year’s season of field days will be launched on Sunday 24th April 2016 and will be officially opened by their special guest Asha Bannon, Mount Alexander Region’s new Landcare Facilitator. The location will be at a property in Waterson’s Road and will be well signposted along Waterson’s Road from the turnoff at Bridgewater Road (click here for map). 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 from TCCG on 0412 015 807 or check out our website at www.cactuswarriors.org.
Useful Landcare News April 2016
Posted on 18 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Here are some useful landcare news items from the FTLA and the Victorian Landcare Program.
The April 2016 FTLA newsletter is full of handy info about grants and other opportunities. Click here to view a copy.
In addition, Issue 66 of the Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management magazine, which is an invasive plants and animals feature, is out now. To read or download this issue of the magazine, click here.
The next issue (no. 67) of the Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management magazine is a feature on 30 Years of Landcare. If you or your group or network has a long history of involvement in Landcare, especially if you were featured in one of the early issues of the magazine, they would love to hear from you. Contributions for the next issue should be sent to the editor (editorviclandcare@gmail.com) by Friday 1 July 2016
Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare – Direct Seeding Field Day 17 April 2016
Posted on 13 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Nearly two years ago, the Friends of Campbells Creek Landcare (FoCC) machine direct-seeded wattles on barren hard ground outside the new Tonks centre in Lewis Drive, Castlemaine.
The ground was so hard and compacted, the hoes just bounced off the surface. Now some of those seedlings are over three metres tall in spite of the hot and dry seasons since!
On Sunday 17 April 2016 @ 10:00 a.m. their Seeding Field Day will look “at the success from these efforts, and we’ll see and help with direct seeding again in a very different situation, this time in some dry rise country away from the creek. Because the soil is so poor there, we’ll be sowing much earlier and using very different species.”
There will be:
– a demonstration of the machinery used with direct sowing
– an opportunity to help with sowing by hand
– LATE morning tea provided
FoCC will also be giving away samples of seed if you’d like to try out the techniques later at home.
Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the car park at the end of Lewis Drive, below Tonks (see map).
The morning involves a walk of around 600 m to the new sowing site – they’ll provide transport for those who would find this difficult.
Please bring hats, gloves, enclosed footwear, sturdy clothing suitable for the weather and your own water – FoCC will supply the rest.
The value of bushy paddocks
Posted on 11 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Eagle-eyed Connecting Country supporter Max Kay let us know about a recent article in the Weekly Times newspaper (16 March 2016, page 40). The article describes some recent research findings that rural properties in Victoria containing a mix of native vegetation and paddocks typically sell for more than properties with treeless paddocks alone (all else being equal). The research also found that native vegetation added an additional economic value to the land in ways that varied from person-to-person and farm-to-farm, but included aspects such as the provision of shelter for livestock, wind protection, water quality increases, groundwater/salinty reductions, reduced erosion, assistance to nature conservation and an overall more pleasant place to live for the landholder(s) and their family.
Research shows that properties with trees are worth more than those without.
A scanned copy of this Weekly Times article is attached (click here).
There was a similar recent article in The Age newspaper about this same research (click here).
Connecting Country can provide support to landholders who would like to see more trees on their property. Click here to find out more or contact Jarrod on 5472-1594.
26 April 2016 – Spiders of Castlemaine
Posted on 11 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Local author, Lynne Kelly, published a very readable and enjoyable book in 2009 called ‘Spiders: Learning to Love Them‘. Lynne will be making a presentation to the Castlemaine Garden Club about her knowledge of spiders and their behaviour from Castlemaine and beyond. Lynne’s talk is on Tuesday 26 April. Visitors are welcome, but RSVPs must be provided due to limited seating available (cdgardenclub@gmail.com). A gold coin donation for entry is required to cover the costs of supper. The meeting is 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start at The Wesley Hill Hall, Duke Street, Castlemaine.
Lynne’s previous local presentation on spiders was in 2013 to the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club, and was very popular (click here for details).
Leap Year Landcare Link-up 2016
Posted on 7 April, 2016 by Asha
Connecting Country’s first Landcare Link-Up for 2016 was very well attended on 29 February, with representatives from 15 local Landcare and Friends groups gathering at Campbells Creek Community Centre. Also present was Peter McRostie from North Central CMA to help with our mapping and Peter Barrow who is the crew leader from the local Green Army team.
Jarrod Coote kicked off the evening with a bit of info about Connecting Country’s on-ground works and also the Stewards for Woodland Birds program. A new guide to revegetation in the local area was also launched. (A new blog post will be released about this new reveg guide soon).
Nicole Howie, our project officer for the Mount Alexander Schools Landcare Day, was our special guest speaker for the night. Nicole spoke about the vision for the Schools Landcare Day and the potential for both Landcare groups and schools to learn and build ongoing relationships. She gave examples of similar successful projects she has worked on in the past, and the kinds of activities we might have on the day. Some ideas suggested by Nicole and Landcarers/Friends at the Link-Up included guided walks, macro-invertebrate surveys, plant identification, soil analysis, bird watching, and a presentation from the Dja Dja Wurrung.
Nicole talking about the Mount Alexander Schools Landcare Day 2016
We also talked about activities that Landcare groups could run at schools in the lead-up to the day, to get kids excited and thinking about their local land. Nicole explained her idea of a mandala collage made from bits of nature, such as leaves and feathers. It was fantastic to see everyone brainstorming great ideas for these activities, and how we can design them with a focus on each school’s local group/s. In the end it will be up to the Landcare groups to decide what they’d like to do, but Nicole and I will send out some guidelines and details of suggested activities soon. If your group would like to be involved in the Schools Landcare Day, it’s not too late to fill out an Expression of Interest!
Landcarers hard at work mapping group areas
Our second half of the evening was dedicated to looking at the boundaries of groups on our network maps. For some, this was relatively easy, but others needed quite a bit of work! Thanks to everyone for your enthusiasm and effort in working through the mapping. Once we have all of the boundaries sorted, they’ll be put into the ArcGIS online map that the CMA uses.
A big thank you to everyone who helped out on the night and made it a wonderful evening! Our next Link-Up will be sometime mid-year 2016.
Asha Bannon (asha@connectingcountry.org.au)
Mount Alexander Region Landcare Facilitator
Environmental Plans and Grants – A burst of activity at the state level
Posted on 7 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
As noted in an earlier blogs, since mid-March 2016 there has been a flurry of activity from the Victorian government on environmental matters. They are seek feedback on new three policies related to environmental management. They have also launched the second round of the Threatened Species Grants. In summary:
- Water for Victoria – feedback due by 29 April (CLICK HERE)
- Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2036 – feedback due by 15 May (CLICK HERE)
- Review of the Native Vegetation Clearing Regulations – feedback due by 29 April (CLICK HERE)
- Threatened Species Protection Initiative Grants – standard applications due by 20 April and crowd-funding EOI applications due by 13 April (CLICK HERE)
For the ‘Biodiversity 2036’ plan, a series of 13 community consultation sessions are being held across the state. The nearest to the Mount Alexander region is being held in Bendigo at The Capital on Thursday 14 April. It will start with a presentation about the plan from 4.30pm, and then followed by a open discussion session from 6pm to 8pm. For more details, and to register to attend the Bendigo session, follow this link (CLICK HERE).
Victorian Landcare Program Review – Update
Posted on 7 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Last year the Victorian Government undertook a review of the Landcare program. In late March 2016, the Victorian minister released an update and summary. It noted that review found overall that the Victorian Landcare Program has been effective in supporting Landcare, and that the Landcare Facilitators and the Victorian Landcare Grants are the most valued components of the program. They are fundamentally important to the viability and operation of many groups and networks across the state. The review also identified a number of ways to help shape the Victorian Government’s future support for Landcare.
Click here to read the update on the Landcare Program review to which so many of you contributed.
Launch of our Reptile and Frog Monitoring Program
Posted on 6 April, 2016 by Asha
Connecting Country is thrilled to announce that we are commencing a new program to monitor native reptiles and frogs in the Mount Alexander region. We aim to use these monitoring sites to assist the community in gaining some insight into the lives of our local reptile and frog populations, and understand which habitats different species prefer.
Garden Skink, Lampropholis guichenoti © Alison Pouliot Photography
During the next couple of months, we are seeking landholders who are interested in having me come out to their property to establish a small grid of artificial shelters (roof tiles), which are the main monitoring tool. Landcare groups can also request a shelter grid on their project sites. You will have input into where the shelters are placed. Each grid involves 10-20 roof tiles spread across an area of less than 50 metres by 50 metres.
A huge part of this project is involvement of local people, and we hope that you’ll be as excited about this as we are. There will be opportunities for volunteers and landholders to be involved throughout. After the shelters have been in place for 4-6 months, I’ll come back out to check them. The shelters will then remain on the property as long as the landholders want them. In the long run, we’ll provide support for volunteers, landholders and Landcare groups to continue monitor these sites themselves.
Another part of this program will be the development of a local guide to the identification of reptiles and frogs. This will focus on the species and habitats found in the Mount Alexander region. More info to follow soon….
Expressions of Interest
If you’re potentially interested in having a reptile and frog monitoring site set up on your property, please fill out the form (CLICK HERE) and send it to asha@connectingcountry.org.au. If you have any questions, feel free to call me on 03 5472 1594 or email me at the address above.
If you are interested in getting involved in volunteering with the surveys, you can also fill out and return this form.
Asha Bannon
Reptile/Frog Monitoring Program Coordinator (and still also the Mount Alexander Region Landcare Facilitator!).
Connecting Country’s Reptile and Frog Monitoring Program is being undertaken with the support of the Ian Potter Foundation.
Rockhopping with Trace
Posted on 6 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
One of Connecting Country’s members and strong supporters is Trace Balla. Trace is also author and illustrator of the highly acclaimed graphic novella ‘Rivertime’. Her new companion to this book – Rockhopping – is to be launched in the Castlemaine library on Thursday 14 April 2016.
“Join Clancy and Uncle Egg on a rambling, rockhopping adventure in Gariwerd (the Grampians), to find the source of the Glenelg River. A story about little treasures, the vastness of landscape and time, following your flow, and the unexpected places you may go.”
Although the setting of this new novella is elsewhere in Victoria, there is a significant overlap with the Mount Alexander region in the plants, animals and other aspects of natural history that it covers. The central premise of both books – engaging kids (and all ages) with their natural surrounds through exploration – is also a universal theme.
See the attached flyer for further details (CLICK HERE).
Trace Balla at work.
Sleepy Snakes of Central Victoria
Posted on 5 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
If you look on page 11 of this week’s Midland Express newspaper (5 April 2016), you’ll see the third in our monthly series of Nature News articles. Local resident Benjamin Boxshall has written a terrific article – Neighbourhood (Bird)watch.
In March, the Nature News article in the Midland Express was written by local Castlemaine naturalist, Bernard Slattery. Bernard shared his experiences about an occasional sight in our bush during these warmer days – snakes. Here is the article in case you missed out.
An eastern brown found in Fryers Forest.
Photo: Bernard Slattery
Australians love horror stories about snakes. My favourite is this headline from the Sydney Daily Telegraph: ‘Deadly reptiles slither towards the urban sprawl.’ You’d think from this that your average snake is pretty keen to leap at your throat—right?
The funny thing is, that when you actually come across them, the main impressions you get are that they’re sleepy, or very shy and keen to get away. It’s a strange experience to be walking in the bush and to suddenly realise that the rustling sound you hear is a large snake sliding out of sight.
At Vaughan Springs last year I came within a few inches of standing on a Tiger Snake, curled up discreetly at the side of the track, and saw it only when it bolted at some speed down a steep slope. At moments like these you realise how strange our relationship to them is; they live at the margins of our perceptions and in our imagination, but are rarely willing to stay long in our company.
On my wanderings in this region the snake I’ve seen the most often is the Eastern Brown, which has enthusiastically adapted to modern living because of its taste for the rodents which hang around our settlements.
But the most intricately beautiful species for me is the Red-bellied Black. The Australian Museum says of it: ‘This beautiful serpent shares our love of sunshine and water, and is a familiar sight to many outdoor adventurers … Attitudes towards these largely inoffensive snakes are slowly changing, however they are still often seen as a dangerous menace and unjustly persecuted.’
A red-bellied black on the Midland Highway. Photo: Bernard Slattery
Once, riding my bike on the Pyrenees Highway, I saw a splendid Black Snake basking in the early morning sun in the middle of the road. Not being an expert, I wasn’t keen to go too close, but tried to move it by ignorantly throwing small sticks at it. It sleepily disregarded my interference, and soon suffered the inevitable fate: five million reptiles are killed on our roads every year, many of them deliberately.
You have to be sensible about snakes. If you are, the chances of being hurt by one are seriously low. On average less than 3 people die from snake bite every year in this country, some while unwisely trying to manhandle the creature. By contrast, around 3 people a day are killed by cars in Australia.
Check out Museum Victoria’s Field Guide To Fauna App if you’d like more information on these fascinating local species.
April 2016 edition – North Central CMA Chat
Posted on 5 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
The April 2016 edition of the North Central CMA publication ‘chat’ is now available (click here), covering Landcare and Waterwatch activities in the local area.
Some key activities and opportunities included in this edition include:
– Drought Employment Program Round 2 is open and Stock Containment funding available. All details are featured on the North Central CMA website
– 2016 Future Farming Expo, April 14
– Upcoming Local Landcare events
– The launch of the Campaspe Valley Landcare group’s “Ute Guide to Chilean and Texas Needle Grass Identification and Management” (email asha@connectingcountry.org.au if you’d like a copy of the guide)
Also of interest to many people is the 2014-15 Landcare report card produced by the North Central CMA (click here to download a copy). One thing that caught our eye was the top 3 challenges identified by Landcare groups across the CMA area: (1) Lack of available funds for priority on-ground works, (2) Lack of time from volunteers, and (3) Lack of community interest.
Muckleford Creek photo exhibition
Posted on 5 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
Photo by Deanna Neville
Deanna Neville is a Walmer resident, and long-time supporter of Connecting Country. She has been undertaking vegetation restoration works on her property for many years, and also has a set of nest boxes for Brush-tailed Phascogales and Sugar Gliders.
She has recently let us know that she is about to launch her collection of photographs, titled ‘A Camera and A Creek’. Deanna writes, “Two years ago, I was a successful applicant of the Mount Alexander Shire Council ‘Strengthening Our Community’ Grants. I set out to pursue a particular photographic vision of my local creek and produced quite another. I was astonished at the difference a season, and another, of low or no rainfall could do not just to a creek, but to a community. I was particularly moved by the stories from landowners that these climatic events incited and enabled me to capture.”
The exhibition is to be launched on Saturday 9 April 2016 at 2pm at the Muckleford Community Centre, 364 Muckleford-Walmer Rd, Muckleford. Then, from 12 to 29 April the collection will be on display at the Castlemaine Market Building, 44 Mostyn St, Castlemaine.
Feathered Five Festival Success
Posted on 4 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
The Sunday morning walk was very well attended with nearly 60 people – many of them new to FOBIF walks!
The Mount Alexander region is set to be a little greener and local bird baths a little fuller after our delightful weekend of Feathered Five Festivities (19-20 March 2016). Over 30 participants have pledged to create more bird habitat on their properties and local area, especially along waterways, as a result of the inspiring talks at the Saturday evening forum.
“I’m inspired to improve and expand my birdbath arrangements and to plant lots of varied types and sizes of native trees and shrubs along nature strip and in garden” – Festival Participant
Andrew and Phil inspire the Saturday Evening Forum crowd
Festivals can be many things to many people. For us, it’s about a gathering of people with a shared interest. We are very pleased that the Feathered Five Festival brought together over 260 people who share an interest in the future of woodland birds in this region. Events included the Feathered Five Drive, the Evening Forum and the joint FOBIF and Connecting Country walk.
“My wife and I moved here 18 months ago and this festival weekend was the best weekend we have had since we moved up here! We met so many nice people” – Festival Participant
Thanks to everyone who joined us for a bird walk or the evening forum and for sharing your interest with us, and with each other. Whether you like painting them, spotting them, or creating homes for them – every bit you do makes a difference to helping our woodland birds to thrive.
Bonnie talks plants
We’d also like to especially thank:
- Our speakers – Dr Andrew Bennett and Phil Ingamells who shared with us the current research on how woodland birds are responding to climatic change, and provided some inspiring tips on what we can be doing to help. Check out VicNature 2050 for more information.
- Bonnie, Alex, Jarrod, Asha, Naomi and Tanya who set up some great displays and made themselves available for the evening forum to answer any land management questions from attendees.
- Asha, Kerrie, Jane, Andrew, Frances, Tanya and Kerri for being bird walk leaders (and able assistants).
- Growing Abundance for the tasty tucker.
- The Chat Warblers for the delightful bird-related songs – we especially loved their new ‘feathered five’ number which we will share soon with the Connecting Country community
Judy and Alice Laycock for the delightful bird creations they undertook with the kids. A beautiful way to inspiring the next generation of nature conservationists.- Dean McLaren, our new photographer and Facebook contributor. You can view all of Dean’s photos from the weekend on our Facebook page.
Click here for more information about the festival and the bird lists from the walks.
You can get involved!
The best way to find out more about our local birds and how you can volunteer is via our website – the woodland bird pages includes a printable list of our local birds, data sheets and the Birdwatchers Monitoring Kit. We encourage you to get out there now that the weather is cooler and have a go at some bird surveys! Support is also available to help create bird habitat on your property. Call us on 5472 1594 to find out if you’re eligible.
Now is the time for rabbit control…
Posted on 31 March, 2016 by Connecting Country
At Connecting Country, we are always meeting inspired people wanting to improve their properties and local landscapes. We love to help out, and direct people to useful resources to keep them going. We’ve been running workshops and making brochures to help people along, but this year, we’ve started something new: Instructional videos.
A lot of landholders have been commenting recently on the increases in numbers of Rabbits around their properties, and asking how to control them. Many of the techniques available need specialist contractors and equipment, but you can get started by yourself using Pindone oats with a bait station.
So, we welcome you to view Instructional Video #1: How to create and set up a Pindone Bait Station. (Thanks to Alex and Mel).
The Make a Rabbit Bait Station’ video is also available to view from Connecting Country on Vimeo.
Click here for more information available about the control of rabbits and other pests.
If you have a suggestion for a future instructional video, let us know! Send us an email at info@connectingcountry.org.au