Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater update 2015

Posted on 14 January, 2016 by Tanya Loos

In the last couple of days, ABC Hobart has reported that this summer’s baby Swift Parrots have nearly all left Bruny Island in southern Tasmania to begin their migration to mainland Australia.

Dr Dejan Stojanovic, who has been monitoring the parrots, said the birds would fly over Tasmania first before heading north.  The young “swifties” can be distinguished from the adults by their calls. For more information and to hear the calls, read the article here

These young Swift Parrots face many challenges. Photo by Dejan Stojanovic

Each year for the past decade or so, BirdLife Australia have coordinated special survey weekends on mainland Australia for the migratory Swift Parrot and the nomadic Regent Honeyeaters.  One survey weekend is held in mid-May each year, and the other in early August.  An update from BirdLife details the findings from the last survey season for these two Critically Endangered woodland birds. For the full report, click on the link to see the Swift Parrot Regent Honeyeater 2015 update, or you can read the summary I have prepared below.

Swift Parrots

Much valued volunteers from the ACT, NSW and here in Victoria participated in the counts, including the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club and a number of other swiftie devotees we have locally. In central Victoria, the parrots were reported at Muckleford, Kyneton and the Greater Bendigo National Park.

The average flock size across their entire mainland range was small – generally between 1 to 40 birds – although in NSW one flock was observed with over 100 individuals!

The numbers of Swift Parrots found on the two dedicated survey weekends were low during 2015, despite a similar survey effort compared to previous year. In other years with similar low numbers of Swift Parrots on the survey weekends (e.g. 2009 and 2012), large groups were eventually located later in the season. This was not the case for 2015, where low numbers of Swift Parrots were reported throughout their mainland range across the whole period.

These findings support the recent uplisting of the Swift Parrot from Endangered to Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.  The threats they face in Tasmania, including continued logging of their breeding habitat and predation by the introduced Sugar Glider, coupled with ongoing drought in their winter feeding grounds on the mainland are hastening the decline of this very special parrot.

Connecting Country looks forward very much to the May 2016 Swift Parrot surveys, as recording where the birds are feeding and the numbers of birds is critical to the recovery effort. Thanks to all those who participated in 2015.

Regent Honeyeaters

The Regent Honeyeater was once a widespread species and moderately common across Victoria, including central Victoria. A blossom nomad, the distinctive honeyeaters would follow the flowering of the ironbarks and the Yellow Box trees  across the great woodlands that once covered Victoria and NSW.  These days, the picture is very different, with one sole wild Regent Honeyeater reported from Victoria in the 2015 year.  They are doing a little better in NSW, with over 100 wild individuals detected.

The Regent Honeyeater is the subject of an intensive recovery program, involving a captive bred population, where adults are released into prime Regent habitat around Chiltern in north-eastern Victoria. Some 77 individuals were released in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, and then monitored very closely through the use of radio transmitters. Happily the survival rates have been excellent, and breeding has occurred! One fledgeling raised by captive bred parents is still going strong months later – and named Lucky as he narrowly escaped being eaten by a Magpie! This incredible program is described in detail here.

Tanya Loos, 14 Jan 2016.

Lucky, a young Regent Honeyeater- 28 days post-fledging. Photo by Graham Watson.

Bells Swamp – A jewel of a wetland

Posted on 13 January, 2016 by Connecting Country

The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club have just moved into their 40th year.  Way back in 1976, their first ever excursion was to Bell’s Swamp – and they’ve made many visits to it since to view its beautiful old Red gums, to record its waterbirds and to study its wetland plants.

A photo of Bells Swamp by Rakali Ecological Consulting. From the front page of the updated management plan.

This natural ephemeral waterbody just sneaks inside the north-western boundary of the Mount Alexander Shire.  It is intersected by the road between Maldon and Bridgewater – which was an issue in 2010-2011 when the extreme drought-busting rainfall filled the wetlands to over-flowing.  I’ll never forgot the sight of Pink-eared Ducks and Musk Ducks happily paddling back and forth across this road!

The wetland is also highly valued by local Landcare groups. The Mid Loddon Landcare Network – in conjunction with local ecologists Damian Cook and Elaine Bayes – produced a Draft  Management Plan for Bells Swamp in 2010 and have recently updated it to include the information that Damien has continued to collect since the flood in 2011. The plan is a comprehensive guide to its geology and its current vegetation, flora and fauna values.  The plan also identifies the threats to these values and proposes management actions to address them.  Judy Crocker, Landcare Facilitator for the Mid Loddon Landcare Network, says “Bells Swamp is a very important place for the local community, and as such the Landcare Network was keen to develop this management plan.  It’s still in draft form because we consider the plan to be a work-in-progress, and we’ll add in more information as we learn more about the site.  We’d love to receive feedback on this document from the local community, and to receive support to implement the management actions.”.

To read a copy of the draft management plan, follow this link (CLICK HERE).

Chris, Connecting Country.

Drought, Fire and a Riparian Action Plan

Posted on 13 January, 2016 by Connecting Country

In the past week or so, we’ve been made aware of the following three items – which will be of interest to many of you.

Help Shape Drought Support
The Victorian government’s DEDJTR Drought Response Team has set-up on-line forum to help shape drought support. As part of the drought package announced in November, the online forum is providing an opportunity to comment on what other support can be provided to make a difference for those affected by drought.  The forum is live and will remain open until 31 January 2016. They are encouraging people to have a look and also to share with anyone affected by drought.  You can find the forum at: http://www.oursay.org/victoriandrought

Fire Recovery Resources
After the fires in Victoria in early 2014, a web page was set up on the Victorian Landcare Gateway for landholders. The intent is for the page to act as a library of fire recovery information, which can be added to as more resources become available. It includes a range of practical information on land management issues that land holders may confront after fire. Well worth a look!
http://www.landcarevic.net.au/resources/for-land-managers/fire-recovery-resources-for-landholders/

Regional Riparian Action Plan
In December 2015, a five-year Regional Riparian Action Plan was launched by the Victorian Minister for Environment, Climate Change, and Water. You can find a summary by following this link (http://delwp.vic.gov.au/regional-riparian-action-plan) or download a copy here (CLICK HERE).   The plan involves on ground works to improve the health of land that runs along river banks and wetlands. This includes fencing to manage stock, revegetation programs, weed management and construction of off-stream watering systems.

Our “new look” education events in 2016

Posted on 29 December, 2015 by Connecting Country

As 2015 draws to a close, many of us in the Connecting Country office have been thinking ahead. For the past six years, we have run a popular education program predominantly featuring a series of technical workshops and guest-speaker events. In 2016 we plan to continue with our education program – only this time a little differently….

Local birds, and particularly the ‘feathered five’, is our focus for 2016. The feathered five comprise the acrobatic Brown Treecreeper, the elegantly spotted Diamond Firetail, the post-sitting, tail-wagging Jacky Winter, the handsome Hooded Robin, and the mysterious ‘oooom-ing’ Painted Button-quail. Connecting Country has picked these five woodland birds as ambassadors for habitat restoration efforts across the region.

Our inaugural Feathered Five Festival will kick off the year on the 19th and 20th March 2016 – a two day celebration of bird-watching, walks and talks.

Then there will be biannual nest box checks, a ‘sticky beak’ tours of on-ground work projects, regular bird walks, landcare link-ups, and one of our favorite events, the Camp Out on the Mount.

In August, in partnership with the North Central Catchment Management Authority, we’re very pleased to host a Farm Expo which will cover diverse topics such as holistic grazing, water on farms, biodiversity in the paddock, and small farm diversification.

We’ll be celebrating Landcare week in September in a big way with our local grade five and six students at the ‘Mount Alexander Schools Landcare Day‘.  We’ll also be supporting local groups to get involved in the Landcare Open Day.

In conjunction with the Castlemaine Festival of Gardens, in November we will be celebrating gardens too – wildlife friendly gardens. There will be workshops and resources made available as well as a inspiring open garden or two to explore.

In 2016 we’d also like to be more active in the press and on-line. Watch out for our monthly ‘Nature News’ articles in the Midland Express.  We are developing some exciting and informative on-line videos for our Connecting Country vimeo page. And you can always keep in touch via our Connecting Country Facebook Page  – do ‘like’ us!

More information about all of these activities will be available in the new year.  The best way to stay informed is via the Connecting Country webpage and our regular emails and blogs. Alternatively you can contact Krista for more information on 5472-1594 or krista@connectingcountry.org.au.  (NB: The office is closed from 25 December 2015 and re-opening on 4 January 2016.).

In the meantime we wish everyone a safe and enjoyable festive season, thanks for your support throughout 2015 – and don’t forget to top up your bird baths!!

A warm hello, a huge thanks and a Landcare Verse from Max

Posted on 23 December, 2015 by Connecting Country

A warm welcome to our new Landcare Facilitator: Asha Bannon

Local, Asha Bannon, is thrilled with the opportunity to support our local groups.

Connecting Country is pleased to announce that Asha Bannon will be taking on the Mount Alexander Region Landcare Facilitator Role from the beginning of 2016.

Asha is a local resident with a particular interest in wildlife conservation and community engagement. After completing a Bachelor of Environmental Science at Deakin she moved back to Mount Alexander Shire in order to study the local bird communities. Her Honours project focused on the relationships between birds and time-since-fire in Box-Ironbark ecosystems. Asha is a strong believer in the power of community groups when it comes to land management and conservation, and she is excited to be working with and supporting our local Landcare Groups.

Max says he is “thrilled to be passing the facilitator baton on to someone who I know is passionate about caring for the local environment, and the people that live in it”. The rest of us are thrilled too and we’re sure you’ll enjoy getting to know Asha over the coming months. You can contact Asha on asha@connectingcountry.org.au and 0418 428 721.

And a huge thanks and farewell to Max Schlachter

We’ll certainly miss Max’s willingness to ‘jump’ in and have a go at anything!

After a lot of consideration Max decided to finish his time in the Landcare Facilitator role at the end of this year. While a difficult decision to make, he felt that now is the right time for him to hand over the keyboard to a new person. Max shared that “it’s been a wonderful job to do and I’m very grateful for the time that I’ve had in the position”.

We are all very grateful for everything Max has brought to Landcare in the Mount Alexander Shire for the past four and a half years. His enthusiasm for community-based environmental work is hard to beat, as is his ability to really listen to groups and help them achieve what they want to achieve. Max has brought some exciting new ideas to region including the Camp-out at the Mount, Landcare Link-up Events, and Schools Education Events. He has supported all 30 of our local groups with projects ranging from Green Corps teams and the blackberry taskforce, to brochures about Chilean Needle Grass.

Max leaves our local groups in a very good position for 2016 – thanks to his efforts we’ll have two Green Corp teams working with 23 different groups, a successful 20 million trees grant supporting four groups, three very exciting school education events and a landcare open day for Landcare Week engaging all groups in the shire. The other good news is that Max will still be living locally so is not disappearing; and no doubt you will still see him at Landcare and Connecting Country events in the future.

We’ll leave it to Max for the last word:

Max’s Landcare Verse

It’s hard giving up a job you love,
Even if there was no shove.
So just before I take my cue,
Here’s a verse to say “hooroo”.

Baynton Sidonia is a group
Whose seminars are of repute.
They’re bringing back the local flora,
Noted on by first explorers,
But not seen much in recent times –
That Banksia seed is hard to find.

Langley isn’t far away
A ‘stone’s throw’ as they sometimes say.
It’s there you’ll find the Jimmy Poulter,
A creek that has been finely altered.
Once a mess of woody weeds,
Now the home of native trees.

Just up the track in little Barfold,
Where Needle Grass has got a foothold,
Jan and Barb and all the rest
Are giving it their honest best.
They’ve done a trial, and bought a Squirt,
Even made a book of what they’ve learnt.

Metcalfe doesn’t have a shop,
But don’t go through without a stop.
Or else you’ll miss the beaut cascades –
A water park that nature made.
The houses there have a lovely trait,
Landcare signs on every gate.

Malmsbury boasts a sprawling common
That might have sat there all forgotten,
Until the likes of John and co.
Decided it should not be so.
Pathways, plantings and willow-free,
Is that a platypus I see?

Down the road to Taradale,
Famous for its lofty rails.
The Gorse has copped some hefty flack,
Ninety feet below the track.
Landcare here has waxed and waned,
So does the moon; we don’t complain.

ELMA’s home is Elphinstone,
The place that rock’n’roll calls home.
The members have some vision in them,
They’ve planted up an arboretum.
And now the pub is back, hooray!
Let’s all hope it stays that way.

Over the Calder to Sutton Grange
(you’ll notice that the rocks have changed)
They’ve got their planting down to an art,
From Pilchers Bridge to the Mt Alex Park.
On Tree Day no one else comes close
To planting half what they can boast.

Still amongst the granite tors,
A group that very rarely bores.
Apples, quarry’s, pines and oaks,
Stone Henge too, and that’s no joke.
High up on their list of goals:
“We’ll fix the bridge, then take the tolls”.

Just up the road, but not too far,
North Harcourt Sedgwick Landcare starts.
Of weeds and rabbits they’ve done fair share,
These pioneers of Vic Landcare.
Forty thousand trees in one weekend?
What can’t be done with help from friends.

Here the Bushlands deserve a mention,
Chewton’s very own invention
Glen and Cate, Karen and others,
All helping the land as it recovers.
Radiata is going out
And Bluebell Creeper is getting a rout.

Golden Pointers love Forest Creek,
From the Res down to the Monster Meet.
At 21 years they’ve seen a bit,
Smiling and working with plenty of grit.
The birth of democracy and killing of weeds
Are things that they combine with ease.

Post Office Hill was spared the fate
Of being sold for real estate.
Instead its history is preserved
By POHAG – now there’s a word!
Working close with Chewton’s young,
It’s hard to tell who has more fun.

Down the highway, down the road
Is Chewton Landcare’s own abode.
Whitehorse Gully is looking splendid,
Thanks to those that love and tend it.
Now Parks has groomed the infestation,
Wattle Gully is the new sensation.

Castlemaine Landcare doesn’t dally,
With the work at Happy Valley.
Powered up on bakery treats,
Volunteers can do such feats.
The blanket made of Gorse is gone,
And native plants have come right on.

Float downstream like a fallen leaf,
You’ll soon arrive in Campbells Creek.
A creek with Friends, and Landcare too,
Climb the gorge for a better view.
The word ‘persistence’ hardly begins
To capture the spirit of Mr Higgins.

Moving up the hill a fraction,
McKenzies Hill is full of action.
Nesting boxes now abound,
Where hollows once could not be found.
And what about the structure plan?
You’d better have a word with Jan.

Kalimna Park is right in town,
A lovely place to stroll around.
The Eltham Coppers flutter there,
Not knowing that they’re very rare
Its Friends are mighty loyal ones,
Forty years and still not done.

The folks that live in Barkers Creek
Are pretty jolly when they meet.
Working bee or social occasion,
Either way it’s a celebration.
But one thing really hits a nerve –
Naming rights to their reserve.

In Muckleford there’s Landcare too –
Where roads are straight and corners few.
They’re planting out to hold the water,
Calling roadside weeds to order.
Pride of place, the Buloke grove,
Safely fenced from browsing foes.

Down the hill and down the map
Is Guildford Upper Loddon’s patch.
The group has members far and wide,
And utes with writing on the side.
The weeds that way will wilt with worry,
Just from catching sight of Maurie.

The Friends at Vaughan have more than springs,
They’ve got a slide that fairly zings.
Families flock to the leafy arbor,
Especially those with railway ardour.
And when you’re bored of these amusements,
Sit still; observe the leeches movements.

Sandy Creek’s without a hall,
But Landcare’s there for one and all.
The group’s seen plenty through the years,
Though nothing beats the one-eyed steer.
And a project name that really tickles –
‘Up the Creek Without a Prickle’.

Newstead Landcare loves its river,
And all the joys that it delivers.
They’ve got a plan for restoration
Of its natural vegetation.
But maybe what is best of all,
Knowledge shared in the local hall.

To some a MULGA is a tree,
But it means something else to me.
It’s Maldon Urban Landcare Group,
And like a tree it’s got strong roots.
With an eye on Maldon’s past,
The weeds are getting quite a blast.

Over the hill in Nuggetty,
Live members of the NLPG.
Land protection is their game,
But history too is in the frame.
Locals old and locals new,
Help each other to get through.

On the farm and at the river,
Baringhup Landcare’s on a winner.
Healthy soils for growing food,
And wildlife habitat renewed.
The local kids have played their part,
Every one knows how to plant.

Cactus Warriors are a special breed,
Of people fighting a Triffid weed.
There weapons take on many forms –
Needles, barbecues and market stalls.
But what keeps members coming back?
The chance to wear a sparkly hat!

Well that’s the lot, for now at least,
A better crowd you’ll never meet.
Goodbye, and thank you, it’s been a blast
From my very first day, to this, my last.

My numbers the same (0422 130 055), though it’s hard to rhyme,
Please give  me a call any old time.

And please note down my email too –
mschlachter@outlook.com.au

Rrrrr – Rabbits, Restoration, Rushes and Riparian reading materials

Posted on 20 December, 2015 by Connecting Country

Over the past week or so, there has been a flurry of new documents available to read and use.  All of them are relevant to the appreciation and restoration of the landscapes of the Mount Alexander Region and beyond.

Rushes of the Castlemaine District
In conjunction with the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC), local botanist Ern Perkins has just released a guide to the rushes of the Castlemaine district.  This is a fantastic easy-to-use key to all of the native and introduced Juncus species that you’re likely to encounter locally.  This document is attached (CLICK HERE), and complements the many other local guides that Ern and other field nats have produced over the years.  Some of the others brochures are available on the CFNC website (click here) – with more to be uploaded over the coming weeks and months.

National Standards for Ecological Restoration in Australia (final draft)
This (4th) version of the standards represents the views of 12 NGO partners and over 100 practitioner, research, conservation and agency commentators from around Australia.  One of the coordinators of its development, Tein McDonald from SER Australia, states in her email to us that “(a)t a time when climate change looms large and willingness to counter it is increasing – these Standards are a crucial tool to encourage all Australians to reduce damage and repair ecosystems to the highest and best extent that we can.”

The final draft of this document is now publicly available for viewing (click here).  It is open for comments through until 15 February 2016.   The final version will be accompanied by an online interpretation that will be illustrated by examples.  Both are scheduled to be launched on 15 March 2016.

Regional Riparian Action Plan
This is a new five-year plan to improve the health of Victoria’s rivers, wetlands and estuaries (click here).  According to DELWP, the action plan outlines priority riparian management  outcomes to be achieved across regional Victoria from 2015-16 to 2019-20, with these priorities informed by regional waterway strategies developed by the CMAs.

The action plan aims to accelerate on-ground riparian work, such as stock management fencing, revegetation, weed management and the provision of off-stream stock watering infrastructure. It also has new initiatives to improve the management of riparian land.

Rabbit Threat Abatement Plan – draft for feedback
The Australian Government’s Minister for the Environment has released the draft Threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by rabbits for public comment. Also released is an associated background document.  Further information is available from their website (click here).  The public comment period closes on 16 March 2016.

Fancy seeing your photos at the next FOBIF exhibition?

Posted on 17 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Many of you will be familiar with the stunning photography exhibitions that are curated by the Friends of Box-Ironbark Forests (FOBIF), featuring intricate moss portraits, woodland birds and other flora and fauna of our beautiful area.  The theme of the next FOBIF photo exhibition is Trees in the Mount Alexander Region, and FOBIF are calling for potential photographers now.

TOGS in Castlemaine will host the exhibition in March 2016 and later in the year the Newstead Railway Arts Hub has kindly agreed host the same exhibition. Photos will be for sale to cover FOBIF costs.

The tree theme also allows photos of  close-ups of buds, nuts and flowers – and the fauna that live among the tree bark and foliage. For more information on submitting photos, and the guidelines click here.

We are excited at Connecting Country because March is also the month of the first Feathered Five Festival – a two day celebration of five very special woodland birds that live in our local forests. More on this soon….

This is a magnificent tree – which I think is a Manna Gum.  FOBIF members have kindly offered to assist in the correct identification of the trees for any submitted photos. Picture by Tanya Loos

Bush birds with Chris Tzaros – a memorable morning monitoring!

Posted on 11 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Last Saturday, 5 December 2015, over 25 of us were treated to a morning workshop with author and photographer, Chris Tzaros.  Chris is a wonderful presenter and ecologist, and his talk was a fantastic overview of the bush birds of the ‘Connecting Country landscape’. Chris likes to call them bush birds rather than woodland birds, because as he rightly pointed out, many of our so-called woodland birds are found in the area’s extensive Box Ironbark Forests.

I was also really amazed by Chris’s ability to mimic bird calls – no need to play the smartphone bird call app at all!

In a comprehensive presentation,  Chris pointed out that we have a particularly rich bird fauna in this area on account of being at the intersection of many different landscapes. There is the Loddon River and the surrounding plains, Cairn Curran and the open country, the dry forests of Sandon and Muckleford, Mount Alexander and the River Red gum plains of Sutton Grange and surrounds.  We also have quite good patches of bush left, which means that our declining woodland birds are faring a bit better here than in other more degraded areas. Chris gave us a great overview of the birds of this area, including a special focus on the feathered five – the five species selected as ambassadors for woodland birds in the region.

Chris has provided training for many bird monitoring programs around Victoria across a diverse range of landscapes and communities. The bird monitoring method is kept consistent by training each area across the state to use the standard 2 hectare 20 minute bird survey.  This is the methodology recommended by BirdLife Australia, and also the method we use to monitor birds for our seasonal surveys.

As Connecting Country’s woodland bird coordinator, I also introduced everyone to the eleven zones identified as priority habitat areas in the region for declining woodland birds, and directed participants to the Group Sites which are the starting point for our community monitoring program.  The link below takes you to the bird monitoring page which has both the Group Site maps and a birdwatchers kit (in PDF format) – with instructions on how to survey, how to submit data and so on:  all of which are available for download (click here).

After the presentations, we visited the Rise and Shine Reserve and carried out a 2 hectare 20 minute survey at the Rise and Shine Group survey site. We were delighted to see one of the feathered five – a Jacky Winter – nesting at the entrance to the reserve!

Chris was very impressed with everyone’s enthusiasm and the willingness  to start counting birds, both on their properties and in the surrounding areas.  We will be building on this energy in 2016, with monthly bird outings, a Feathered Five Festival (19-20 March) and a new program called Stewards for Woodland Birds. Watch this space!

For more information or to get involved, please telephone me (Tanya Loos) at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594, or email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

It was well over thirty degrees Celsius at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve – but we did see a few birds on our two hectare twenty minute survey. Pic by Kerrie Jennings.

Here a Jacky Winter stands above the nest, with feathers sleeked down and wings outstretched in an effort to stay cool. Thanks for the pic Kerrie!

North Central Chat for Nov/Dec 2015

Posted on 11 December, 2015 by Connecting Country

The North Central Chat is a regular newsletter covering Landcare and Waterwatch activities from the North Central CMA region.  The combined November & December edition is now available on the CMA website, along with all past editions (CLICK HERE).  Topics covered in this issue include:

• A report on the November 2015 ‘Chicks in the Sticks’ event
• Drone footage capturing Gorse removal  – by the Castlemaine Landcare group!
• Cool Cows Workshop
• Engaging the next Generation of Landcarers
• River Detectives Program 2016 registrations now open
• Events and Grant Funding opportunities

Count the Cactus, Throw the Cactus, Pin the Fruit on the Cactus

Posted on 3 December, 2015 by Connecting Country

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group (TCCG) is an very successful community group by any measure.

They have an active committee, they have excellent turnouts for their monthly working bees, and  they are making steady progress towards their goal. And when they celebrated their 10th birthday on the weekend (29 Nov 2015), it was clear that they have also maintained their sense of humour – and their costume wardrobe.

Party games included  ‘throw cactus fruit into a bucket using a pairs of tongs’ (the fruits have needle-like spines), ‘pin a cactus fruit (made of paper) on to a cactus plant’, ‘guess the number of cactus plants in a bucket’ (107) and ‘guess how many seeds in one cactus fruit’ (398 seeds!).  In a truly remarkable turn of events, Helen Whiteman, a regular volunteer at cactus field days, won both guessing competitions. Maldon’s cactus savant?

Congratulations to the TCCG committee and members for reaching the ten year mark and for all of their effort they have put into controlling Wheel Cactus in our region.

The group is increasingly trying raise awareness about the threat that Wheel Cactus poses beyond their own backyard. Plants are being reported further and further from the Tarrangower ranges in all directions, as far south as Guildford. It is an issue for land manager across our region to be aware of and to act quickly on if they spot a Wheel Cactus plant in their area.  More information on the group and on Wheel Cactus control can be found at www.cactuswarriors.org.

The group can also be contacted through their email – info@cactuswarriors.org.

Cactus Warriors one and all.

A birthday party must have candles.

The beautiful cake.

Founding members of the group cut the cake.

Mount Alexander Shire Mayor Christine Henderson congratulates the group.

Parks Victoria has been a long-term supporter of the group.

Cheryl Kane ready to blindfold the next contestant.

The large picnic shelter at Butts Reserve, Mt Tarrangower.

Councillor Sharon Telford and Noel Muller spot the mayor!

Tony Kane retrieving cactus fruit that missed the bucket.

It’s just not cricket.

All Good Things Must Come to an End…

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

2015 Works Crew L to R with crew leader Alex, Lauren, Jason and Ned

Works Crew 2015 – Thanks to Ned, Lauren and Jason

Each year, we employ our own Works Crew as part of the Connecting Landscapes program. The Crew assists land holders with the on-ground works agreed upon in their project management plan. The crew also receive formal and on-the-job training and experience.

Lauren, Ned and Jason finished up at the end of October 2015 after completing all planned project activities successfully. All outcomes were delivered on time, within budget and more important – injury free! It is so nice to work with people who are passionate about what they are doing and are willing to learn from one another. In that regards Connecting Country has been very fortunate over the last three years.  The dedication and commitment all crew members have shown is commendable and no doubt they will get far in future careers – whichever way they want go.

The 2015 Crew commenced in April at the onset of cooler weather with the more strenuous activity of fence building.  A lot of our restoration activities took place this year in the Muckleford Valley, where stock exclusion fences were installed along the Muckleford Creek and its tributaries. Besides conventional stock fences, the crew installed a large electric fence system spanning over 8 kilometres. This fence contained more than 35 kilometres of wire!

On the flanks of Mount Alexander we constructed a challenging fence in very steep terrain to protect direct seeding from stock. As vehicle access was limited, we had to drag up materials with ropes. The views were truly spectacular though; on clear days we could see all the way to the Colbinabbin Range, Mt Ida and Mt Macedon.

This year, we adopted a different way of tube stock planting by using a motorised earth auger to create a larger and deeper hole for easier root penetration and capturing more moisture. Hopefully this will lead to a higher growth and plant survival rates.

The Works Crew works program finished up nicely with seed collecting, woody weed control, rabbit fumigation and some exotic tree felling.

Connecting Country offers the opportunity to be part of our works crew every year to a new group of local people. Positions for the 2016 Works Crew will be advertised over this summer via the Connecting Country website and local newspapers.

Jason installing a gate fitting kit with a petrol-powered drill

Lauren only builds straight fences

Ned clears a fenceline

Images from Shane Carey

Greening the Blue Hills

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

Landholders in the Blue Hills, Tusker Patterson and Kerri Peacoulakis, are involved in Connecting Country’s Habitat for Bush Bird’s project. Here Kerri shares their inspiring story…

Tusker and I purchased our property over 3 years ago and it has been a great journey ever since. We own just over 40 hectares opposite the Blue Hills. More then half of our property is cleared land with an amazing erosion gully running through the centre of the property. The land use to used for grazing sheep. Our goals since purchasing the property are – one, build our family home. Two, encourage the bird life down from the Blue Hills and three planting out the erosion gully to help prevent it from eroding any further. Which in turn will help encouraging the bird life. Among many other things.

It was Tusker’s mum (Jane Mitchell) whom came to us with this amazing bird project proposal and encouraged us to move forward with the project. After meeting with the lovely Tanya Loos how could we not sign. Her enthusiasm and excitement was very encouraging.

We are now a few months in to the project and a lot has been happening. We have had over 8 hectares of direct seeding. Close to 1000 trees, shrubs and grasses have already been planted and many more to come. Thanks to our amazing family’s for helping us with the planting. Since no sheep have been on the property since we purchased the land a lot of re-vegetation has started to happen.

I have been lucky enough to see 3 of the 5 feathered five in close proximity to our property, include the Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and the Jacky Winter. We are both very excited to see the property evolve and grow over the coming years and know that we are doing our little bit to help.

Above: Before the project started, Below: The site today. Photos by Kerri Peacoulakis

Two Grant Opportunities for Sustainable Ag and Volunteers Due Soon!

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

There are two grant opportunities currently available which are due in the next week – so you need to act now if you are interested.

Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015-16

This new grant programme has been announced by the Australian Government called ‘Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015-16’.  Grants of between $5,500 and $55,000 (GST inclusive) are available.

The programme objective are:

1. To increase the capacity and knowledge of farmers and fishers to productively and sustainably manage Australia’s natural resources.
2. The adoption of appropriate management practices that will increase the production or improve product quality while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base.

A range of activities may be eligible, including:

• field days workshops, conferences
• demonstration events or workshops
• training or skill development sessions
• community information or education sessions
• development of decision-making tools
• development of new information channels within the current knowledge system
• conducting surveys.

Being a new programme, it is particularly important to have a good read of the guidelines and FAQ’s. Click here for the application, guidelines, and FAQ’s.

Applications close 2.00pm, Monday 7 December 2015

Strengthening Communities – Volunteer Grants 2015

The Australian Government is inviting organisations to apply for Volunteer Grants through an open process under the Strengthening Communities – Volunteering sub-activity. Funding is expected to be offered to around 5,700 organisations as a result of this process, with grants to be paid by 30 June 2016.

Volunteer Grants enable community organisations to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to purchase small equipment items to assist their volunteers, assist with the reimbursement of fuel costs incurred by volunteers (and transport costs for volunteers with disability who are unable to drive), and contribute towards the cost of training courses and background screening checks for volunteers.

Click here for more information and to download an application form.

Applications close at 2:00pm, Wednesday 9 December 2015  

Make Your Passion Your Day Job

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

Bendigo TAFE is currently recruiting for 2016 students in their Conservation and Land Management courses.

The Certificate III Conservation and Land Management provides students with the opportunity to obtain various certificates used in gaining employment or furthering job positions. You will be able to complete your Farm Chemical Users Certificate (first step in the ACUP process), Operate and Maintain Chainsaws certification. You will gain skills in fencing, operate machinery, provide information on plants and their culture, survey pest animals, conduct site inspections, implement vegetation works and maintain natural areas. We also have sample soils and interpret results, sampling and testing water and recognise fauna. By completing the course or just gaining your certificates students are in a good position for employment with places like Project Fire Fighter (DELWP, Parks Victoria), Councils Parks and Gardens or with Pest Contractors.

Certificate IV Conservation and Land Management provides students with industry experience gained on field trips, and camps. Students are taken in to the field to conduct real life surveys and monitoring with industry partnerships such as Birdlife Australia, North Central Catchment Authority, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and local Landcare Groups and Conservation Management Networks. You will get your Farm Chemical Users Certificate as well as practical experience in revegetation, fencing and pest control. Students learn to monitor biodiversity both Flora and Fauna. Producing maps and using GPS units is used in many different projects throughout the year. Other units that are taught are Develop Interpretive Activities, Support Group and Community Changes in Resource Management as well as Report on a place of potential cultural heritage. With the completion of Certificate IV CLM you will have automatic entry in to the Environmental Education courses at La Trobe University. There are various employment opportunities as well.

The Diploma in Conservation and Land Management provides students with the opportunity to undertake a blend of class room based study with participation in a range of industry projects and field trips as part of their training.

If considering the Diploma does any of the following apply to you? If so you can apply directly, vet–fee help is available (Diploma only).

• Completed previous studies, or
• Relevant industry skills and experience, or
• Just about to finish your undergraduate degree.

There is also an option for part time study (completion over 2 years) or complete the course in 7 months (Full Cert III) to 1 year (Cert IV and Diploma).  There is also the Advanced Diploma (new in 2016).

Please phone Terri Williams at Bendigo TAFE on 54341743 to discuss these opportunities further.

The Only Twitcher in the Village

Posted on 25 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

Sean described his younger self as ‘the only twitcher in the village’.

Sean Dooley may have been seen as ‘uncool’ when he was the only birdwatching kid at school… but he is definitely very cool, and rather hilarious, these days. We all enjoyed his tales of birding adventures as he discussed ‘why every kid needs a swamp and every swamp needs a kid’ at Connecting Country’s AGM held on Tuesday 24 October 2015.

It was a delightful evening, with tasty hot soup, lots of catch-ups and discussion between CC members and supporters, and much laughter thanks to Sean.

From the AGM itself, the CC committee elected for 2015-16 comprises:

• Brendan Sydes (president)
• Marie Jones (secretary)
• April Merrick (treasurer)
• Saide Gray, Malcolm Trainor, Deborah Wardle, Jenni Thomas (general committee members).

Special tribute was paid to Paul Hampton who has stepped back from the committee after a contribution of more than 5 years. We currently have one vacancy on the committee, which will be discussed at the next CC committee meeting.

Tanya (standing on right) is running our new Stewards for Woodland Birds project

We were also proud to launch our new “Stewards for Woodland Birds” project funded through the Helen McPherson Smith Trust Foundation. As part of this project, we are looking forward to working more closely with the Landcare groups and other community members in our eleven priority zones to help woodland birds to thrive. More on this exciting new project soon!

For those that couldn’t attend, our 2015 Annual Report is available HERE.  Please let us know if you’re interested in further details about any of the stories within it. A short video highlighting some of our achievements was also shown on the night and is available for viewing HERE.

Missed the 2015 Landcare Forum? See It Here

Posted on 24 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

The Mount Alexander Landcare Forum took place back in June this year, but it’s not too late to benefit from hearing what the presenters had to say (and sing) on the day.

Local videographer Jim Coad (Starfish Video) filmed each presenter at the forum and these have now been made available online via ‘Vimeo’. There are four videos from the Forum, covering the topics:

• Agroforestry & Landcare – Adapting farms for the future with…forestry – Ben Boxshall
• Applying Traditional Fire Knowledge to Pasture Management – Paul Foreman
• Saving the Silver Banksias of Baynton Sidonia – Clare Claydon
• The Lake Bolac Eel Festival & Healing Walk – Una Allendar & Brett Clarke

Each video goes for 30 – 40 minutes so you might not want to sit and watch them through. I would suggest turning up the volume and having a listen while you do the ironing  – or something like that!

Click on the titles of the videos in the text above to view them on Vimeo.

A big thank you to Jim for his filming and editing, and to the North Central CMA for making the Forum possible.

Woodland Bird Monitoring Workshop with Chris Tzaros – 9 Dec 2015

Posted on 18 November, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On the first Saturday of December, join a small group of bird observers for a morning with ecologist and photographer Chris Tzaros. Chris shall take us through the ins and outs of monitoring woodland birds – with a special focus on the collection of data for Connecting Country and BirdLife Australia.

We are currently looking for volunteers to carry out regular bird surveys on both private and public land across the Mount Alexander region. In particular we are searching for the feathered five: the Jacky Winter, Painted Button-quail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and Diamond Firetail. Attending this workshop would be a great first step in getting involved.

The workshop will cover:

• A background to bird identification and bird fauna of the Mount Alexander region.
• Bird monitoring methods of the monitoring project (including a practical component).
• The role of community volunteers in ecological monitoring projects.

Some experience in bird watching is desired, however we are open to any enthusiastic attendees! Be quick though – we have just a few places left.

When: Saturday 5th December 2015 , 9am-12pm  (followed by lunch until 1pm).

Where: Newstead Community Centre, Newstead.

RSVP: Essential! Contact Tanya Loos on 03 5472 1594 or by  email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au. Please detail any dietary requirements.

A male Red-capped Robin, by Chris Tzaros

 About Chris Tzaros: Chris is a wildlife ecologist and nature photographer for his company; Birds, Bush and Beyond. In 1997 he was awarded Young Australian of the Year in the Victorian environment category in recognition of his commitment to box-ironbark conservation and his dedicated work on threatened birds such as the Grey-Crowned Babbler and Swift Parrot. In 2005, Chris authored a comprehensive book on the Wildlife of Australia’s Box-Ironbark Country. Chris is also an accomplished bird photographer and has contributed many beautiful images to Connecting Country’s Woodland Birds Brochure.

Volunteer Grants 2015 are OPEN

Posted on 18 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

The Australian Government is inviting organisations to apply for Volunteer Grants through an open process under the Strengthening Communities – Volunteering sub-activity. Funding is expected to be offered to around 5,700 organisations as a result of this process, with grants to be paid by 30 June 2016.

Volunteer Grants enable community organisations to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to purchase small equipment items to assist their volunteers, assist with the reimbursement of fuel costs incurred by volunteers (and transport costs for volunteers with disability who are unable to drive), and contribute towards the cost of training courses and background screening checks for volunteers.

Click here for more information and to download an application form.

Applications close at 2:00pm, Wednesday 9 December 2015  

Party Like A Cactus Warrior

Posted on 16 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

It’s 10 years since the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group was officially formed.

On Sunday 29^th November, instead of the usual field day, they’re holding a party to thank all of those who have volunteered and supported the group during that time.

Committee member Lee Mead says:

“We would like to invite all previous and current volunteers to help us celebrate all our achievements over the past 10 years. We’re planning a gourmet BBQ, and there’ll be cakes, games and prizes, of course.

Please join us at The Butts Reserve, Mt. Tarrangower Rd, Maldon, from 11:30am.

All you need to bring is a chair and your cold drink of choice.”

In my experience, the Cactus Warriors are never short of three things – humor, creativity and sausages. Hopefully all three will be on display at their birthday party!

You can learn more about the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group and the impacts of Wheel Cactus at the group’s website – http://www.cactuswarriors.org

How to Create Frog Friendly Habitats

Posted on 16 November, 2015 by Connecting Country

Renowned local ecologists, Elaine Bayes and Damien Cook have produced two terrific youtube videos:’Frogs and their Calls’  and ‘Frogs and their Habitats’. The information is well presented and relevant to our local area. Each goes for about 30 minutes. Click on each image below to view: