Update on the Connecting Country committee
Posted on 13 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
Due to an impending move to NSW with her family, April Merrick has resigned from her role on the Connecting Country Committee of Management. April been a wonderful contributor to the Connecting Country Committee of Management since 2012, and as Treasurer for the past 2-3 years. As well as bringing a comprehensive knowledge of the NRM industry and the philanthropic world to the committee, she has also been the driving force for enhancements to our governance and financial management practices and policies. She has also provided good support for me and other staff in a range of financial and non-financial manners. On behalf of Connecting Country, thank you April, and all the very best for the northward move.
This also means that there is one vacant position as an ‘Ordinary’ committee member. If you are potentially interested in joining the committee, please feel free to contact me for more information (chris@connectingcountry.org.au or call 03 5472 1594) . As a minimum, it involves attending and contributing to monthly committee meetings. There are opportunities for committee members to become more involved in our other activities if they are interested and available. Connecting Country’s AGM is typically held in October each year, and so this could be an opportunity to join the committee now for a short period as a trial, and then reapply to join for the next year if you want. (NB: All committee positions are volunteer roles).
Chris Timewell
Director, Connecting Country
13 May 2016
Swift Parrot count this weekend
Posted on 11 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos
Fans of the Swift Parrot are pleased to hear that the “swifties” are back in the Mount Alexander region, with a small flock of adults and juveniles reported on Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead (click here). These precious and declining migratory parrots visit the area every year in Autumn and winter. BirdLife Australia coordinates counts across the birds’ range, and we encourage you to participate this weekend (14-15 May 2016)! The Swift Parrot surveys can be undertaken in a couple of different ways.
Swift Parrot feasting on blossom, a beautiful photo by Chris Tzaros.
- Join me on an outing to Kalimna Park this Saturday 14 May 2016. Kalimna Park is not renowned for a lot of Swiftie sightings but it is good to know where the birds are not occurring, as well as where they are. This walk is a rescheduled outing from last week which was cancelled due to bad weather. Please call or email to book a place and for further details. Phone 0400 458 910 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
- Head out on a survey yourself! The form to use is very easy and can be downloaded from the Birdlife website (click here). Elizabeth (Beth) Mellick from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation is coordinating the various Swiftie survey locations in our region, so if you are carrying out a survey, please email Beth at beth@nwf.org.au. The Muckleford-Newstead area is usually the best place to go to see some Swift Parrots! However, some other potential locations that are not yet covered by birdwatchers include: Harcourt, Nuggetty, Welshmans Reef, and if you wish to go further south, Campbelltown and Talbot.
From Tanya Loos,
Coordinator of Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Projects
Connecting Country Membership Renewal Time
Posted on 10 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
On the edge of a basalt plain in the Mount Alexander region.
It’s membership renewal time at Connecting Country we hope that all current members will continue their membership into 2017. Membership demonstrates your support for Connecting Country, which helps us obtain funding for new projects across the local community. Current members are also able to vote at the AGM if there are decisions to be made (e.g. committee elections) and provides you with insurance cover at Connecting Country events.
As per previous years, membership of Connecting Country is completely free – but it does need to be renewed on an annual basis.
Please find a 2016-17 Membership Renewal Form for current members (click here). This can be returned by email (naomi@connectingcountry.org.au). Membership renewals are requested to be completed and returned by 31 July 2016.
We are also always keen for new members, and welcome applications at any time of the year. New Membership Application forms are available (click here) for those keen to join Connecting Country for the first time, or for those whose memberships have lapsed by two years or more. Signed hard-copies of the application form can be posted to Connecting Country, PO Box 437, Castlemaine VIC 3450. Email Naomi if you unsure if you are a current Connecting Country member or not (naomi@connectingcountry.org.au).
This is also often a great time to show your support by giving a donation to Connecting Country. If you wish to make a donation you can use the ‘Donate Now’ in the top right of our home page or simply click here.
It’s been a really exciting 12 months for Connecting Country and we wish to give our heartiest thanks to all our members for your continued support for and participation in Connecting Country activities. We look forward to the next year being just as busy and great.
Local choir, the Chat Warblers, give a stunning performance at this year’s Feathered Five Festival
North Central Chat – May 2016 edition
Posted on 10 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
The May 2016 edition of the North Central CMA publication ‘chat’ is now available (click here – 4.8 MB), and contains a range of stories about Landcare and Waterwatch from across the region.
2016 National Volunteer Week in Castlemaine
Posted on 10 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
Local coordinator of the Mount Alexander Volunteer Network Inc., Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns, has let us know that there are two local events in being held as part of National Volunteer Week.
- A free morning tea and live music at Buda Historic Home and Garden, Hunter Street, Castlemaine on Tuesday, 10th May from 11am – 12.30pm. This event is supported by Federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters who will be in attendance to thank and acknowledge the powerful work of volunteers. Live performance from Doc Henry & Ange Mitten. All welcome.
- The launch of a new volunteer resource website & support service taking place at the Castlemaine Library on Wednesday, 11th May at 11am – 12 noon with morning tea provided. Meet Nicky Suter from the Central Victoria Volunteer Service and learn how this service can assist and support your community group and improve your volunteer experience.
Nature News: Neighbourhood (bird)watch
Posted on 3 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
On page 16 of this week’s Midland Express newspaper (3 May 2016), you’ll see the fourth in our monthly series of Nature News articles. Local amateur naturalist and Connecting Country staff member, Naomi Raftery, has written a delightful piece on her discovery of our local frogs: A beginner naturalist discovers frogs.
In April, our Nature News article was written by new resident to Castlemaine, Benjamin Boxshall, who shared his experience of learning about the local wildlife to be found in the heart of town – and the joy of sharing the discoveries with new neighbours. His article is below if you missed out.
Common Bronzewing. Photo: Geoff Park
One of the exciting things about being new resident in a new location is the process of familiarising ourselves with the local wildlife. Observing the comings and goings of our local fauna is one of the great joys of living with a ‘sense of place’ even if it’s often done from the kitchen window or the front porch.
It is really rewarding to note the arrivals and departures that occur with changes in weather and seasons. Along with our resident comedian magpie chick, we’ve had a proud male bronzewing strutting around our backyard in recent weeks. Often before we are even out of bed we can note the arrival of a newcomer to the neighbourhood with the sound of an unfamiliar call in the otherwise familiar soundscape. It can take us several weeks to identify the bird responsible, but we really enjoy the suspense and the satisfaction of naming our bird!
It also pays to look up! It’s no wonder our neighbours’ colony of blackbirds often look nervous. Driving home recently we were stunned to see a collared sparrowhawk intercept a blackbird on the wing, snatching it in flight, and awkwardly carrying it across in front of our car to perch in a street tree to finish the job.
White-throated Needletails. Photo Geoff Park
In the last few weeks we’ve been very excited to see white-throated needletails – or needletail swifts – hunting insects high over our house at dusk. They are a truly impressive sight – precise, aerodynamic hunters that apparently conduct their courtship on the wing, and can reach speeds of up to 150km per hour. Also known as storm birds, they will leave our skies over the coming weeks and migrate north to the bright-blue skies of Mongolia and Siberia.
Other highlights have included watching a harrier cruising over the backyard, apparently oblivious to the protestations of the resident wattlebirds, and the discovery of a family of micro bats living under the metal cap of our power pole. We have watched up to a dozen of these little bats emerging one at a time from their unlikely hiding place on a number of evenings now.
There are great rewards that can come from being tuned in to nature. But such stories are best enjoyed when they are shared. At our recent street Christmas party we found ourselves deep in conversation with our new neighbours about gardens, birds, bats and bluetongues. Whilst we’d already started identifying and listing the birds we’d seen around home, we were assured that there were more bird species to discover. We learned there were striated pardalotes nesting at the house on the corner, and were told to expect to see eastern spinebills in the months ahead. So we’re now starting a street bird list to encourage all our neighbours to tune in and share stories.
Wetland Plants Identification Course
Posted on 3 May, 2016 by Connecting Country
Damian Cook and Elaine Bayes have let us know that they are now taking registration for their excellent 3 day Wetland Plant Identification Course at the stunning Reedy Lagoon at Gunbower Island.
The course commences in October 2016 and is aimed at anyone interested in wetland plant identification and ecology. The course will run over 3 days and each day will focus on a different wetland habitat (water’s edge, deep marsh and mudflat) and be timed so as to follow the wetting and drying of the lagoon. Participants can elect to do 1, 2 or all 3 days. Registrations are now open and there are two sessions to choose from.
More information on the course, and details on how to register, are available on the Rakali Consulting website (click here).
13 May 2016 – CFNC evening talk
Posted on 29 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
The guest speaker for the May meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club is Carol Hall. Her presentation is titled New England & Beyond – an Ice Age legacy.
Wanderer Butterfly. Photo by Carol Hall
Carol Hall is a graduate in Geography from the University of Sheffield, UK. Since retiring from teaching she has pursued a lifelong interest in photography with travel, particularly to those cooler areas of the world which have been, or still are, glaciated. She has visited Antarctica and the High Arctic, Patagonia, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Canada, and most recently Norway and Iceland for winter photography. She is a member of Ballarat Field Naturalists, Ballarat Camera Club and is president of the Victorian Nature Photography Group.
The presentation will look at the landscapes of Maine and Massachusetts with particular reference to Cape Cod, and a quick side trip to Niagara Falls.
The meeting starts from 7.30pm on Friday 13 May 2016 in the Vestry at the back of the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St (beside the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum). Members and visitors are welcome. Entry is free.
Best of the autumn. Photo by Carol Hall.
New local guide to weeds
Posted on 26 April, 2016 by Connecting Country
New weeds brochure produced by FOBIF and Harcourt Valley Landcare
The Harcourt Valley Landcare group and Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests are proud to announce the release of a new local weed guide.
“This guide is intended as an introduction to some new and established weeds in the Castlemaine region. It gives a brief description of eight weeds you might see in and around our bush and agricultural areas and helpful links to further reading and websites with more information. Hopefully the guide triggers the treatment of these get away species.”
They have let us know that you can download copies as you need (CLICK HERE). Alternatively, you can pick up a hard copy from the Connecting Country office (room 14 on level 1, 233b Barker St, Castlemaine).
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