Our Crew: Working towards the bigger picture

Posted on 2 September, 2015 by Connecting Country

2015 Works Crew from left: Team Leader Alex Schipperen, Lauren Cogo, Jason Burgoyne and Ned Brook

In April, Connecting Country’s 2015 Works Crew commenced. Our team leader, Alex Schipperen has been mentoring three new crew members; Lauren Cogo, Ned Brook and Jason Burgoyne in developing skills in conservation and land management. These skills have seen the crew complete some 730 hectares of work including 20 kilometres of fencing, 5,000 tubestock plantings and 319 hectares of pests and weeds treated across eleven properties in the Mount Alexander Region. We’ve asked Jason to share some of his experiences from his time with the Works Crew…

“While working, the crew loves to talk and our chats brought up the importance of biodiversity. It got me thinking about how the work we have accomplished will contribute to biodiversity in the Mt. Alexander region in the longer term.
Our projects have included fencing off remnant vegetation and creek lines to exclude stock allowing these areas to natural regenerate. The 5,000 indigenous trees and shrubs we’ve planted will provide a framework for other flora and fauna to establish in the future. Finally, through removing rabbits and weeds we are reducing the competition allowing native plants to establish.

Ned and Lauren adjust an end assembly for a fence line

The properties where we’ve worked are carefully selected with the aim of reconnecting the landscape; they link neighbouring properties and other existing vegetation in the surrounding area. This provides corridors and stepping-stones to allow flora and fauna to move throughout the landscape.

Looking back to April, I can visualise how the properties piece together on a localised and regional scale. For example, one property has a reserve of remnant vegetation at the rear, we fenced off three areas on the property and planted 400 natives linking the reserve to the roadside corridor. Scarlet and Flame Robins have already been seen using the tree guards as a perch to find their next meal! Proof that it doesn’t take a long to see the positive effects in the landscape.”
By crew member, Jason Burgoyne

Connecting Country currently has opportunities available to provide subsidised support for projects like these on new properties.  If you’re a local landholder and are interested in learning if your property is eligible, contact Jarrod Coote on 03 5472 1594 or jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au to discuss further.  Also please forward this onto any neighbours, friends or others you think might be interested received help from the Connecting Country Works Crew on a restoration project on their properties.

19 Sept 2015 – Protecting Threatened Wildlife Forum

Posted on 28 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Our neighbours down south, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council, will host a lively and topical forum on local wildlife facing extinction on Saturday 19 September 2015.

“Protecting Threatened Wildlife” will combine stimulating thought and discussion from two of Australia’s leading ecologists; Dr Peter Menkhorst (Arthur Rylah Institute) and Dr Dan Harley (Zoos Victoria). It will take place from 2pm–4.30pm at the Newham Mechanics Institute, 1292 Rochford Road, Newham.

Held during National Threatened Species Month, the afternoon will see speakers cover a range of topics, including:

• species in the Macedon Ranges that are most at risk from extinction

29 Aug 2015 – Landscape Inspired Newstead Artists

Posted on 27 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

This Saturday 29 August 2015 from 3pm to 5pm is the Grand Opening of the Newstead Arts Hub.  To celebrate this opening of the Arts Hub at the refurbished Newstead Railway Station, local artists were invited to submit two or three pieces of work for the inaugural exhibition. Of interest is that almost all the works (paintings, photos and sculpture) take inspiration from the natural landscape, which is one of the reasons we thought Connecting Country members and supporters may be interested in attending either on the opening weekend, or one of the two subsequent weekends.  (Further details are provided in the flyer).

Wetland Plants Identification Course with Damian Cook

Posted on 25 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

The Mount Alexander Shire is indeed fortunate to have so many specialists in natural history in its midst.  Two of the best are Damian Cook and Elaine Bayes, and Connecting Country is lucky to have them on our Expert Advisory Group.

Through their business – Rakali Consulting – they are running three one-day courses in the identification of  wetlands plants.   Elaine and Damian have told us, “This course 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 stunning Reedy Lagoon at Gunbower Island.  Participants can elect to do 1, 2 or all 3 days. ….. [Each] day will be divided between being outside observing plants in their natural habitat and collecting specimens and class time using field guides, keys and microscopes.  There will also be discussion and presentation time. Notes and identification keys will be provided.  Lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided.”

The course is being held at Treetops, Spencer’s Bridge Road (off Cohuna-Koondrook Rd), Cohuna, Victoria which is located on the banks of Gunbower Creek.  Field work will be conducted at Reedy Lagoon and timed to follow environmental water delivery to ensure wetland plants are at their peak.  The cost per day is $319 (inc. GST) or $880 (inc GST) for all three days.

More information on the course, and details on how to register, are available on the Rakali Consulting website (click here).

30 Aug 2015 – Wheel Cactus Injecting Day

Posted on 25 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Tony Kane from the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group has let us know that they are holding their monthly working bee on Sunday 30th August at a property on the extension of Tarrengower School Road off Watersons Road.  Follow the signs from the corner of the Maldon-Bridgewater Road and Watersons Road, on the north-western side of Maldon.   CLICK HERE for more information from their flyer.

It starts at 10.30 am, and finishes with a BBQ and drinks at lunchtime.  Everyone is welcome to join in the control of this noxious pest.  Instructions and equipment provided on the day.

Conservation fencing: it’s what’s inside that counts!

Posted on 20 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Conservation fencing in action

Like many landholders in Mount Alexander, Beth and Rick Higgins have installed exclusion fencing to restore and regenerate biodiversity on their property, especially the understorey, herbs and grasses – the results of which are dramatic and inspiring. You can come and see for yourselves at Connecting Country’s third Spring Workshop,  Conservation Fencing.

There are many reasons install exclusion fencing on your property. You may want to keep out herbivores (such as stock, rabbits or kangaroos) from a revegetation or restoration site, or prevent damage from people, or even keep out introduced predators to have a safe place for native fauna to flourish.

Ian Higgins from the North Central Catchment Management Authority, will be giving us an overview of exclusion fencing and its role in improving biodiversity and taking us on a ‘plot ramble’ to see what’s  there and what’s not. He will also discuss ways to monitor success. Connecting Country’s incredibly skilled crew leader, Alex Schipperen, will then talk about the practicalities of installing fencing – including identifying what you are protecting, what are you protecting it from, and how best to do it? We’ll have other special guests on the day too.

When: Sunday 13 September 2015, 10am – 3.30pm.

Where: Yandoit (details provided upon registration). Transport available from Castlemaine.

Cost:  $30 per person or $20 for Concession and Connecting Country members.  Includes morning tea, lunch by C.A.K.E, session notes and handouts, and follow-up web-based resources.

Registration: Register now as limited places remain. Click here to download a registration form, or contact Jules or Krista at Connecting Country for further information.

This workshop is the third of four in the Spring series which aim to give participants skills and knowledge on working with nature to improve biodiversity. Places are still available for the Biodiversity in the Paddock session to be held on Sunday the 30th of August (click here for more information) and for the last workshop, Back from the Brink, covering controlling weeds and other threats in restoration projects (25 October). Click here for more information on the workshop series. The program is supported by Connecting Country through funding from the Australian government.

Krista Patterson-Majoor, Community Engagement

Award winner at the Sustainable Agriculture forum in Castlemaine

Posted on 17 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Local orchardist – Katie Finlay – was recently crowned the 2015 Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, and now is in the running for the National Rural Woman award.  At the Castlemaine forum for discussing their draft Regional Sustainable Agriculture Strategy, the North Central CMA has organised for Katie to be the guest presenter.  Katie will speak about her journey towards sustainability.  (As noted in a previous blog – click here – the North Central CMA are also seeking feedback on their draft Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan on the same evening and at same event).

From North Central CMA manager Tim Shanahan  “Increasing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices across the region will strengthen the future of the industry while protecting natural resources such as land and water.”

Further quotes from Tim, additional details about the event and to read a summary of the draft Sustainable Agriculture strategy, follow this link (click here).

The Castlemaine forum is one of five being held across the region.  It is on Monday 31 August 2015 from 7.30 pm at the Campbells Creek Community Centre, Elizabeth St – with a light supper served from 7pm.  To attend, RSVPs have been requested for catering purposes (email info@nccma.vic.gov.au or by phone on 03 5448 7124).

Celebrating a 10th Anniversary in the grasslands of northern Victoria

Posted on 17 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

The good people of the Northern Plains Conservation Management Network are celebrating their 10th anniversary.  With guest speakers, a visit to a specially protected Grassy Ecosystem on private property and a catered morning tea and lunch, they’ve invited us all to join the milestone festivities.

The Northern Plains CMN is located in the central part of the north of Victoria.  It was established in 2005 with the aim to bring together all those involved with and interested in the management and conservation of grasslands and grassy woodlands in the north central area.

Their special event is being held on Friday 4th September 2015, from 10.30am to 3.30pm, in Terrick Terrick East.  Further information is available in this flyer (click here).

To attend the event, an RSVP to the North Central CMA is essential (by 5 pm Tuesday 1 September on 03 5448 7124 or email info@nccma.vic.gov.au).

Managing our biodiversity under climate change

Posted on 12 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Climate change will affect all life forms, either directly or indirectly, and not just humans.  How can local plants, animals and other species be helped to adapt to a changing climate?  How do we decide what to prioritise?

Scientists, government agencies, community groups, landholders and others are grappling with these and other questions relating to the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

Connecting Country has been made aware of two upcoming events designed to help address some of these tough issues.

Symposium: ‘Managing Victoria’s Biodiversity under Climate Change’
This symposium to be held on the 8-9 October 2015 in Parkville is being organised by the Victorian National Parks Association, the Royal Society of Victoria and the University of Melbourne.  Over these 2 days, a series of expert speakers will briefly outline likely impacts of climate change on Victoria’s ecosystems. Their presentations will address a likely scenario, or a series of scenarios, in the year 2050. Each talk will be followed by 20 minutes of discussion facilitated by a similarly qualified person.

For further details on the topics to be covered, and for registration details, see the attached link (click here).

Feedback on ‘North Central Region Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan’ (and ‘Regional Sustainable Agriculture Strategy’)

These two documents have been developed by the North Central CMA over many months, and are now available in draft form for public feedback.  Five public forums are being held to discuss them, with one of these in the Mount Alexander Shire at the Campbells Creek Community Centre on the evening of Monday 31 August 2015.   Guest presenter at this event will be Katie Finlay, an orchardist from Harcourt who was recently named as the 2015 Victorian Rural Woman of the Year.  Katie will speak about her journey towards sustainability.

Copies of the press release (CLICK HERE) and the invitation flyer (CLICK HERE)  from the CMA are available.

Feedback on these two documents is being accepted by the North Central CMA up until 14 September 2015.  To view copies of the draft documents follow these links (HERE for climate plan [8MB] and HERE for the Sustainable Agriculture strategy summary [1MB]), or visit the North Central CMA website (here and here, respectively).

14 Aug 2015 – Central Victorian Botanical Wonders

Posted on 11 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

The guest presenter for the August meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) is Rodney Orr, a highly respected ecologist from Bendigo.  Rodney was editor and compiler of the book “The Orchids of Bendigo’, and has also contributed many articles to Whirrakee (the newsletter of the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club) over a number of years and decades.  He is one of the foremost experts on the wildflowers of this part of central Victoria.

His talk to the CFNC is titled “Bendigo’s Botanical Wonders”, and will no doubt be filled with interesting stories and a slideshow full of amazing photographs.

The presentation will be held in the Fellowship Room from 7.30pm on Friday 14 August (although you can arrive from 7pm for a cup of tea and a chat beforehand).  The Fellowship room is located behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St in Castlemaine (next door to the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum).  Everyone is welcome and there is no cost for entry.

If you are inspired by this talk, the club’s excursion on the following day (Sat 15 Aug) is to the Whipstick mallee forests to the north of Bendigo.  Details to be provided at the Friday evening meeting.

Did someone mention the f-word?

Posted on 10 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

The CFA’s Owen Gooding addressing participants; “you don’t need to be a expert or a scientist to understand the fire and the bush around you”

Fire. For many of us it conjures up a range of feelings; “confused … worried … fearful … ignorant … conflicted … overwhelmed …” . For those of us who attended Connecting Country’s Living with Fire and Wildlife workshop on Sunday the 2nd of August we now feel better informed and more confident when it comes to thinking about fire on our properties.

A brilliant team of presenters included Owen Goodings, Julie Whitfield and David Cheal gave a strong and united message that we can enhance biodiversity and manage fire risk at the same time. Andrew and Sarah’s stunning bush block in Strangways provided the perfect backdrop to our discussions.

Julie Whitford: “we have a obligation to look after ourselves but also the many other things that live on the land”.

We all gained a lot from the day – from a better understanding fire behaviour in the bush, to comprehending the complicated interactions of our flora and fauna, to having an idea of suitable plants for around the house.

More information, resources, and a excellent summary from workshop participants Helen and Ian Scott is available here. A new forum topic has also been started for those who would like to continue the conversation; click here to get involved.

Our huge thanks to our presenters, our hosts, and to Chris Johnston for her expert facilitation that made the day flow so smoothly.

Preparations are currently underway for our next workshop; “Biodiversity in the Paddock”. Here is your opportunity to learn a little more about the often hidden gems of your property – the mosses and lichens, ants, and moths and how they all fit into the bigger landscape picture. Places are filling fast, click here for more information and to reserve your spot.

The ‘Working with Nature to Improve Your Property’ 2015 Workshop Program is supported by Connecting Country through funding from the Australian government.

Magic moments of winter bird monitoring

Posted on 8 August, 2015 by Tanya Loos

One of the joys of bird monitoring is the experience of magic moments: special points of time and place that stand out in the mind as truly special. Connecting Country’s winter bird monitoring has been completed for the 2015 year, involving two surveys at each of the 54 sites, which totals 108 ‘twenty minute – two hectare’ surveys. Here are a few of the magic moments from this winter’s wet and windy efforts!

While looking for the typical, tiny bush bird shapes in the foliage on the side of a hill in Metcalfe Conservation Reserve, I was completely taken aback by the sight of a huge Wedge-tailed Eagle taking off from the ground just metres in front of me, closely followed by another, younger bird. They had been eating a dead kangaroo, and the pair perched nearby in a paddock tree watching me closely as I completed the survey.

Speckled Warblers are not often encountered; they are a small, ground-foraging woodland bird somewhat like a scrubwren, with attractive streaky plumage. One lucky afternoon I had brilliant views of two foraging in rocky grassy undergrowth at the Nuggettys, then observed another at a direct seeding site in Maldon, foraging on the ground with thornbills and Scarlet Robins.

This year I have had the fortunate opportunity to set up a number of new bird monitoring sites (eight in total) with landholders who have past or present Connecting Country revegetation projects on their properties. After surveying a direct seeding site in the Blue Hills area, myself and the landholders went for a walk and we were rewarded with a brilliant session; dozens of bird species including Hooded Robins, Jacky Winters, Brown Treecreepers and culminating in a pair of Crested Shrike-tits doing a courtship wing shivering display. Magic!

This striking male Crested Shrike-tit was photographed by Geoff Park, and featured on his blog Natural Newstead.

If you are interested in a revegetation project on your property, call Jarrod Coote at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594 to find out more.

And for those of you who are enjoying the birds on your property; watch this space, as we will be going out on another outing in early September.

by Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Project Coordinator.

Biodiversity in the paddock – looking beyond the grass…

Posted on 7 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

A new world seen through a land lens

If you know where and how to look, you will discover that your paddock is home to a plethora of living creatures and plants.

At our next Spring Workshop,  Biodiversity in the Paddock, our team of expert ecologists will guide you through the landscape to identify what makes up ‘biodiversity’. On a stunning property in Maldon, landscape ecologist Geoff Park, moth expert Steve Williams, botanist Karl Just and moss and lichen expert Cassia Read will take us on a hands-on foray for the obvious to the often overlooked. We will examine the big picture and right down to the small and discuss how we can improve, and monitor, the health of our landscape.

          When: Sunday 30 August 2015, 10am – 3.30pm

Where: Maldon (details provided upon registration). Transport available from Castlemaine.

Cost:  $30 per person or $20 for Concession and Connecting Country members.  Includes morning tea, lunch by C.A.K.E, session notes and handouts, and follow-up web-based resources.

Registration: Register now as limited places remain. Click here to download a registration form, or contact Jules or Krista at Connecting Country for further information.

This workshop is the second of four in the Spring series which aim to give participants skills and knowledge on working with nature to improve biodiversity. The final two workshop cover using exclusion fencing to restore habitat (13 September), and controlling weeds in restoration projects (25 October). Click here for more information on the workshop series.

Krista Patterson-Majoor, Community Engagement

20 Aug 2015 – Local Butterflies

Posted on 6 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Julie Whitfield catching butterflies

Julie Whitfield of Bendigo is an environmental consultant with a passion for butterflies, and she will be guest speaker at Newstead Landcare’s next meeting, on Thursday 20 August 2015.

As a recipient of a prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship, Julie recently had the opportunity to explore conservation projects for butterflies in the USA and the UK with the dream of bringing these models back to Victoria to apply with our local community groups.  Julie will provide a presentation on these experiences and on the butterfly species likely to occur in the Newstead area, and their role in local ecosystems.

Mount Alexander Shire has a few populations of the extremely rare Eltham Copper Butterfly which has an extraordinary relationship with a particular ant species and Sweet Bursaria shrubs. Julie will introduce you to this marvel as well as to some of our more common local butterflies.

The Newstead Landcare group have extended an invitation for all interested people to attend the talk on Thursday 20 August from 8 pm at the Newstead Community Centre (gold coin donations appreciated). No need to book in – just come along, discover and be inspired!

Further tributes to Doug Ralph

Posted on 5 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Photo by Beth Mellick.

For those that attended last week’s AGM of the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest (FOBIF), it commenced with a memorable photo-montage of the late great Doug Ralph.  Doug was the founding president of both FOBIF and Connecting Country, and he is sorely missed.  I’m sure that he would have had a wry smile following revelations from the guest speaker at the AGM that native Slime Moulds are spread throughout the local forests and woodlands.  Bernard Slattery, a FOBIF committee member, wrote a moving tribute to his good friend Doug which was published in the June 2015 edition of ‘Park Watch’, the superb magazine of the Victorian National Parks Association.  A scanned copy of this article is provided (click here).

He passing was also noted in the Victorian Parliament, with the following text taken from Hansard on 17 March 2015:

Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan)—I would like to memorialise the life and passing of Doug Ralph, a Castlemaine resident and dedicated Green. Doug’s family was part of Castlemaine since the gold rush, and Doug grew up in the area, as did his three children. He worked at various jobs over the years, including 12 years at the Castlemaine Bacon Company, but he also worked on developing part of the goldfields trail between Castlemaine and Daylesford. He was active in so many community affairs and environmental issues, from the Chewton progress association to the Mount Alexander diggings association, the South Castlemaine Kindergarten committee and the 1851 re-enactment committee. He was also involved in permaculture, Landcare, the environment and so many other areas.

We had a wonderful memorial event for Doug in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens the weekend before last, when hundreds of citizens came together and shared stories—some inspirational and some quite funny—about the impact Doug had had on their lives. It is clear that his passing has left a great gap in the community’s life. It was described as the falling of a great tree in the forest, but hopefully as the light comes in and the seeds he laid start to grow we will all rise up and fill the gap he has left.

Thank you to Bron Silver for providing the pictures for this blog, and for also making me aware that Wikipedia now has a ‘Doug Ralph’ page – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Ralph.

Spot the “Yellow Hooded Planter”

Posted on 3 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

Rip lines across the landscape – all ready for the new trees and shrubs.

Saturday 25 July 2015 saw an enthusiastic crowd gather in a seasonally cold paddock in Walmer to take part in Connecting Country’s Community Planting Day.

The paddock underwent an amazing transformation. Bare rip lines were planted with fifteen hundred milk carton guards and native plants. 1,500!! What an amazing achievement. Thank you to all who came for the event.

Among the crowd, the recognisable “yellow hooded planter” could be seen, Very active in the planting season, she can be spotted most weekends undertaking one kind of native plant activity after another. Marie, you are a gem!

The mysterious Yellow Hooded Planter.

Local children’s author and artist Trace Balla came along and shared her story of how nature shapes and inspires her creativity. More than a few people would have come away keen to weave a basket out of sheoak or sedge as beautifully as Trace has done! Trace reminded us all of our inherent connection to nature, and the deeper reasons why we are doing what we can to restore nature’s balance.

Hand-woven baskets from Trace’s collection.

A big thank you again to all who came, first timers and the old hands.   Your participation makes Connecting Country a real possibility.

Juliet Walsh, 2015 Community Planting Coordinator

This project has been supported by Connecting Country, through funding provided by the Australian Government.

Your property could be next! To find out if you are eligible for funding and other support towards habitat restoration on your property, call Jarrod or Bonnie of the Connecting Country team on 5472 1594.

A sea of new plantings – and soon to be woodland bird habitat.

Draft Castlemaine Community Plan – open for comment until 21 Aug 2015

Posted on 1 August, 2015 by Connecting Country

The Mount Alexander Shire Council has informed us that the final draft of the Castlemaine Community Plan is open for review.  CLICK HERE to see a copy of the draft plan.  Of particular relevance to Connecting Country is the section titled ‘In Balance with Nature’.

“Comments are invited on the draft before it is finalised and launched in a few months time.  All feedback is requested to be submitted by Friday 21 August 2015.”

 Feedback on the plan can be sent to  s.jones@mountalexander.vic.gov.au (prior to 10 August 2015) and g.atkin@mountalexander.vic.gov.au (between 10 and 21 August 2015).

Note:  This is Community Plan is a different document to the council’s Environment Strategy 2015-2015 that we have highlighted recently on this website.   The Environment Strategy was adopted by the councillor’s at their meeting on 28 July, with some amendments.  The amendments appear to increase the transparency of the review and evaluation process, and also increases opportunities for community contributions.  Further details are available in the ‘Unconfirmed’ Minutes of the council meeting (CLICK HERE to go to relevant section of their website, or CLICK HERE for a direct copy of the unconfirmed minutes).  At the time this blog went live, the final approved version of the Environment Strategy does not appear on their website.

Grant Program Open – 20 Million Trees

Posted on 31 July, 2015 by Connecting Country

A second round of the Australian Government’s ’20 Million Trees’ programme has just opened. Funding of between $20,000 and $100,000 is available to plant trees and associated native understorey species. According to the programme’s website:

“The 20 Million Trees Programme will support projects that involve the community in re-establishing native vegetation, provide habitat to support our threatened species, sequester carbon from the atmosphere and help to create greener spaces to improve the liveability of Australia’s cities and towns. Priority for Round Two will be given to projects with positive outcomes for threatened species and threatened ecological communities listed under the EPBC Act.”

For Round Two, applicants have the option to apply in the same application for up to three Green Army Teams to assist with the implementation of their 20 Million Trees Project.  Guidelines and other key information is available online (CLICK HERE).  Applications for Round 2 can be submitted from early August using the online form. Applications must be submitted by the closing time of 2.00pm AEST (Canberra time) 16 September 2015.

The application process is very detailed for these projects so make sure you have a look at the guidelines and other information first up. As always, please feel free to get in contact with Mount Alexander Region Landcare Facilitator, Max Schlachter, if you would like to discuss your project ideas (max@connectingcountry.org.au or phone 03 5472 1594).

Salinity Snapshot

Posted on 31 July, 2015 by Connecting Country

Cass Davis, Regional Waterwatch Coordinator with the North Central CMA, has made us aware of the recently released ‘Salinity Snapshot Report.  This report is an overview of the results of samples tested for salinity by volunteers from waterways across the state as part of Waterwatch Victoria’s  Saltwatch Week event in May 2015.  The sites tested within the Mount Alexander Shire and surrounds from the Campaspe and Loddon catchments gave overall readings ranging from fair to good (with one score of ‘excellent’).  Decent results, but still with room for improvement!  CLICK HERE for a copy of the report.

North Central CHAT – July 2015 available

Posted on 31 July, 2015 by Connecting Country

Tess Grieves, the recently appointed Regional Landcare Coordinator with the North Central CMA, has told us of the highlights of this month’s edition of the ‘chat’:

• 2015-16 Community Grants Program NOW OPEN, closing COB August 14^th
• Green Army Team have hit the ground in the Loddon Plains catchment
• Waterwatch salinity snapshot
• Upcoming events & conferences

It also includes a nice wrap-up of the successes of the 40,000 Trees planting day coordinated by the consortium of Barkers Creek Landcare groups.

CLICK HERE for a link to the July 2015 edition of the ‘chat’.