A huge Merry Christmas to all of our supporters! Here is the ultimate gift to help fill some details into your new diaries and calender’s – Woodend Landcare’s 2017 Events Calendar. Click on the following link to see what we have in store. Our first event for the year is a twilight working bee and BBQ on Friday the 3rd February 2017. More details to come in mid January. In the meantime, enjoy the summer break!

Woodend Landcare Calendar 2017

Next Working Bee: Sunday 23rd October. Note location change!
Our next Sunday working bee is on the 23rd of October from 9 am till 12 pm and we will meet at Ruby McKenzie park in Tennyson St*. Tasks include whipper snipping of long grass around our plantings at two nearby sites, plant guard maintenance and we would like to send a team along the creek to cut off and poison any new emerging Willow trees. Equipment required could include gloves, boots, ear and eye protection (if whipper snipping), sunhat and sunglasses, old clothes, whipper snipper, secateurs etc. The tool trailer will be on site and morning tea is provided. For further details contact David on 5427 4117. Please RSVP to our catering coordinator, Jo at rasbrooks@westnet.com.au. Newcomers most welcome.

*Please note this is a change of location compared to our published calendar and article in the Woodend Star.

‘Willow Attack’ Working Bee, February 2016 – this site looks a lot different now and significant grass growth is threatening our plantings.

Black Gum Research
At our October committee meeting we were very fortunate to be joined by Michelle Patrick from the Macedon Ranges Shire. Michelle is in the final stages of her Masters research on the Black Gum (Eucalyptus aggregata) and she shared some of her important findings with our group.

Click on the image to view Woodend Landcare’s Black Gum Info Sheet

Michelle has surveyed 22 out of the 27 known Black Gum sites around Woodend, retracing the steps of the original survey undertaken in 1994. This original survey led to its listing as endangered on the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act and the corresponding Action Statement.

There are two key populations in Woodend – the Five Mile Creek floodplain and the Slatey Creek floodplain. Michelle has also found four new populations at Romsey Road, Hanging Rock, off Ashbourne Road and in Plants Lane. She has also identified the odd scattered individual tree.

Some of the good news from Michelle’s research includes;

• There has been a dramatic reduction in woody weeds threatening the populations. In 1994 there was 50-90% coverage of woody weeds, now there is 5-20% coverage. This is largely due to the on-going hard work of Woodend Landcare over the years and a great result.
•  All of the landholders who have black gums on their property are keen to be involved in further protection work.
• The amount of public land that the populations are in has increased from 40% in 1994 to 60% today due mostly to the new Calder Freeway. This means they have potentially increased protection and works can be undertaken in these areas to enhance the populations.

Some not so good news from the research includes:

• Some populations have been lost due to the new freeway and powerline clearing.
• As Black Gums are found in floodplains, some populations are threatened by stream bank erosion.
• Some sites do not have any natural regeneration occurring possibly due to grazing and woody weed competition.

Michelle is completing her thesis with some recommendations for further protection for the species. This may include;

• Reviewing the vegetation protection overlays to include the new populations.
• Connecting the two floodplain populations.
• Protecting and enhancing populations on private land.
• Improving the understory around populations to include more native ground covers.
• Completing further research into what drives natural recruitment.

In Victoria, Black Gums are only found in a 4km radius of Woodend.

Last Working Bee: EnviroFund Site
We were thrilled with the turn-out to our last working bee at the EnviroFund site between the Children’s Park and Bowen St. The great news is that all the plant guards around this revegetation area have now been removed. We may return to this area next year and look at putting in some understory and ground cover plants into our revegetation areas. We also managed to fix up the 2016 Trees for Mum site which had suffered a little flood damage. The good news is that nearly all plants are still flourishing! Thanks heaps to everyone who came and helped out – we hope to see you all again on the 23rd. The morning was proof that many hands certainly makes light work!

Check out the following images from the day (and one of the EnviroFund site from 2006).

Flood damage repairs!

Jennifer Anderson and the catering team

Enjoying morning tea.

Poa’s @ 2014 planting site.

Hard working landcarers!

2016 – Trees for Mum site

2006: The EnviroFund site

Peter and Pene

2014 planting site

The enviro fund site today.

All the plastic guards have been removed.

Are you a wild family of Woodend?
CLICK HERE to view the Wild Families in the Macedon Ranges brochure developed by the Victorian National Parks Association in conjunction with Woodend Landcare and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council. The brochure offers some great tips to discover, learn about and look after nature with the family in our local area. Thanks to the Victorian National Parks Association for making this brochure happen. Its another fantastic resource for our community.

Woodend Landcare Library
Woodend Landcare have a small library of books which our members can access, CLICK HERE to view. A huge thanks to Linda for housing the books and compiling the list. If you would like to access any of these resources email us at woodendlandcare@gmail.com.

Interesting Up-Coming Local Events

Friday 14th October 2016: Hanging Rock Reserve – Understand the new Environmental
Management Plan … and learn how to make your place more wildlife friendly, Newham Click here for more information.

Saturday 15th October 2016: Woodland Birds Talk with Sean Dooley (Birdlife Australia) and Tanya Loos (Connecting Country) Click here for more information

Tuesday 18th October 2016: Upper Campaspe Landcare Network AGM
Melbourne QC Brian Walters will be speaking about “The Poetry Of Country – Why Looking After the Land Makes us Whole.”
Where: Upstairs at The Royal George Hotel,24 Piper St Kyneton.
When: Tuesday 18th October 5.45 pm for meal,6.30 pm for talk. AGM 7 – 9 pm.
RSVP: by 15th October to landcaregrp.carlsruhe@gmail.com or 0428878048.

Saturday 23rd October: Bald Hill Wildflower Walk

More landcare news
Upper Campaspe Landcare Network News
North Central Chat

Grab your diary, a cup of tea, and enjoy our jam-packed September News. We have heaps to share… our next working bee is in a couple of weeks, we’ve developed a very useful local plant guide and had grant success, and there are some fantastic local environment events coming up. Please forward this information on to anyone who might be interested. And thanks for subscribing to Woodend Landcare’s News (www.woodendlandcare.wordpress.com)!

Next Working Bee: Sunday 25th September, Five Mile Creek Enviro Fund Site

Our next working bee is on Sunday 25th of September from 9am till 12pm. Our main aim is to remove as many redundant plant guards as possible from along the Five Mile Creek revegetation sites between Bowen and Pyke streets. With a good turnout we can also get another group to tackle some gorse and some blackberries in this area. Morning tea will be provided to the usual high standard. The landcare tool trailer will be on site but please bring a knife, gloves, some chaff bags or similar and suitable footwear. Parking is best at the north end of Wood St near the gym and St Ambrose schoolyard. As always, newcomers are most welcome and hugely appreciated. For further information contact Peter Yates on panday@bigpond.com.

Based on previous working bee experience we know that removing plant guards is a very child friendly and satisfying job! Here is little local Landcarer, Annie, doing a great job!

Five Mile Creek and Woodend Gardens Plant List

Given the disturbance history of the local area it is hard to say exactly what would have grown where to a fine detail of accuracy. However, with the expert help of Adam Barber, Michelle Patrick, Krista Patterson-Majoor, Peter Yates and David Gossip we have had a go at developing a list of all the indigenous (locally native) plants for this area.

Click here to view Woodend Landcare’s recommended plant list

There are certain ‘rules’ about where native vegetation grows naturally. This list follows these basic rules including geology, soil type, aspect and rainfall. It is worth noting that climate change will allow some species to move in to this area and push some other species out.

The lists are broken up into different plant types (trees and shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, lilies and rushes sedges and aquatic herbs). In addition, they indicate the specific areas where the plant species are considered suitable.

We have also provided extra suggestions for plants suitable for home gardens. While these species may not be specifically native to Woodend, they would be found in the Macedon Ranges and have other excellent habitat qualities such as attracting insects and birds.

We hope it will be a useful resource for the Woodend community. Comments or suggestions are welcome, please email woodendlandcare@gmail.com. Thanks heaps to Adam, Peter, Michelle and David for your input.

For over 20 years, Woodend Landcare has planted thousands of native plants along the Five Mile Creek to create a habitat corridor that runs right through the center of town. We hope you can help broaden our impact by using locally native plants in your garden.

Kids in Nature: Explore our favorite local places and attend a Nature Kids Workshop

We believe that getting kids into nature is a very good thing to do. If you head into the Woodend Library over the new few weeks you can check out our new display promoting local places to explore which we know kids love. This display has been especially timed with the library’s school holiday nature activities.

From 11am-12pm on Tuesday the 20th of September join the Victorian National Parks Association to create a magical mini forest inspired by Rachel Tonkin’s magnificent book ‘Leaf Litter’, and help create the library’s Nature Names collage. Ages 6-10yrs. Bookings required through the Woodend Library.

Grant Success! Filling in the Black Gum Gaps along Five Mile Creek

We are thrilled to share that we have recently been successful in obtaining $6650 in funding from the Victorian Government’s Threatened Species Protection Initiative Community Action Grants.

Black Gum (Eucalypus aggregata) is endangered at a state level and is listed in the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1989. In 2015 it was also recommended for listing as ‘Vulnerable’ on the EPBC Act. In Victoria, the species only occurs in a 4 km radius of Woodend. Its limited geographic range makes it highly vulnerable further loss. Hence, the protection of the black gums is a major goal for Woodend Landcare.

Our focus for action is along the Five Mile Creek where Black Gum often remains as isolated trees. In the past year we have successfully cleared most of the major weed infestations along the creek. This project aims to fill these gaps with new black gum plants and associated species. In addition, the small Slatey Creek population has high conservation value as it is relatively undisturbed and we will continue our restoration work in this important area.

Our major goals of this project are:
1. Revegetate newly cleared 2 hectare area along Five Mile Creek with 1000 plants;
2. Remove remaining large willow trees and any other major weed infestations;
3. Involve the local community in working bees and tree planting events.

Our focus for action is along the Five Mile Creek where Black Gum often remains as isolated trees

Frogs! Want to learn how to identify them?

Macedon Ranges Shire Environment Events 2016-17

The shire have developed a brilliant program of environment evens for the year ahead featuring Tim Flannery, woodland birds, spotlight tours and more.

Click here to view their event calendar 2016

Want More Landcare News?

Our Regional Landcare Coordinator, Tess Grieves, has sent through the September 2016 edition of the North Central Chat. Inside you’ll find plenty of great news stories and interesting courses coming up. CLICK HERE to view the newsletter.

Next Working Bee: Slatey Creek Reserve, Sunday 28th August

The annual working bee at Slatey Creek Blackgum Reserve will be from 9 am till 12 pm on Sunday 28th of August. Maintenance tasks include: plant guard maintenance, cutting and follow up poisoning of mainly small gorse and hawthorn seedlings, a check for any litter and a burnoff of a fireheap if conditions are suitable. Bring gloves, a kneeling pad, secateurs, sturdy waterproof footwear etc. Morning tea will be provided and the Landcare tool trailer will be onsite. This is our first Sunday working bee for the Spring / Summer season so we hope to see you there. Newcomers welcome. Contact David for more information: dandkgossip@bigpond.com.

Lake Earnshaw Plan: feedback sought

Lake Earnshaw is a hidden away piece of undisturbed nature. It has a history of
being the the townships former swimming natural pool and an anglers paradise.
Over the last 40 years the precinct has been invaded by weed species
(blackberry, gorse, willow and hawthorn). The Woodend Thursday crew have been working solidly in this area for over 2 years. They are endeavoring not only to unearth, restore and preserve the former qualities of the site but to also take itLa in a new direction.

Lake Earnshaw in snow: Winter 2016. Check out the crews plantings on the right – this area used to covered in a sea of gorse and blackberry. Photo: Pene Rice

The inherent qualities of a ‘wild zone’ so close to the towns center wants to be preserved for the enjoyment of the community, while encouraging visitors into the site via defined
pathways. New plantings enhance the area while creating a wildlife corridor along
Five Mile Creek. Pathways linking existing areas define movement zones and keep
traffic out of sensitive ecosystems. Structures within the natural environment aid
education and encourage engagement with the natural environment.

Click here to read more about the Lake Earnshaw concept plan

Pene Rice, who developed the plan alongside the Thursday Crew, is asking for community comment. Please email her with your thoughts, suggestions or dreams for this special part of Woodend: pene@poppyhill.com.au. Comments close on the 10th of September. Alternatively you view the plan and have a chat with Pene at the next Woodend Farmers Market on Saturday the 3rd September 2016.

Landcare Week: Woodend Library display and Farmers Market Stall

What has now become an annual tradition for Woodend Landcare, we will celebrate Landcare Week (5th to the 11th of September) with a display in the Woodend Library. This year the focus will be on celebrating all of the delightful local places that are great to explore with kids. This will link in with the kids nature activities that the library is planning over the September school holidays.

We will also have a stall at the Woodend Farmers Market on Saturday the 3rd September from 9am till 1pm.  You can pick up information about our local environment as well as have a chat with a representative from Woodend Landcare. The Lake Earnshaw plans will be on display and we’d love to receive your feedback on our vision for this area.

A walking track into town

Many of you may know Woodend cycling and walking advocate, Hubert Weisrock. He has asked us to help gather some support for a track that runs from South Rd into town. Please contact Hubert if you are interested in being involved: hubert.weisrock@bigpond.com.

Hello to all who are interested in the Walk / Bike -Track from South Rd. to the centre of Woodend.

Best Regards
Hubert Weisrock

Two interesting up-coming local events: