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Woodend Racecourse Grassland – draft management plan

/ Woodend Landcare

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council are currently inviting comments on the draft management plan for the Woodend Racecourse Grassland – a very significant reserve located near Buffalo Stadium.

To download the plan visit: http://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.aspx?Page_Id=4049.

Woodend Landcare is in the process of preparing a submission. If you are interested in providing comments or being involved please contact us at: woodendlandcare@gmail.com.

Alternatively, comments must be submitted by 5pm on Monday 2 July 2012 and addressed to Paul Gray, Conservation Planner, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, PO Box 151, Kyneton, VIC 3444 or emailed to pgray@mrsc.vic.gov.au.

 

 

 

Next Working Bee (Sunday 27th May) and Other News…

/ Woodend Landcare
Hello Woodend Landcare friends,
An up and coming working bee and a few bits of news for your interest … we hope to see you on the 27th!
 
Next Working Bee
Our next working bee takes place on Sunday the 27th of May. We are meeting at 9.30am at the northern end of Wood St (next to the removalist yard).
 
The main aim is to continue the works we started at the last working bee where we got in amongst the creek-side plantings, located scattered gorse and blackberry plants, and cut and painted them. We then burned them on a bonfire together with flood debris and some broken tree limbs we cleaned up. We may also do some whipper snipping around the plantings and some old plant guard removal.
 
Attendees may be interested to note that there is a very large pile of woodchips at the site. If anyone wants to bring along their trailer, they are welcome to take some home.
 
Tennyson St Willows
Anyone who walks regularly along Five Mile Creek will notice that the willows near Tennyson St have been removed. This work has been funded through a grant from the North Central Catchment Management Authority. The contractor, Maine Environmental, still has a bit more cleaning up to do in the area and the Thursday Crew might spend some time down there too. We will be returning in spring to plant in the area. This project is making another significant step in restoring biodiversity along the creek. A huge thanks to Peter Yates for all the time he has put in to coordinate it.
 
Thursday Crew
Our regular Thursday crew have completed a big job on the creek near the tennis club. They have cleared a large number of small to medium willows from the creek bed and left some great flats or islands in the bed which could now be planted with suitable creek plants such as bottlebrush and tea-tree. They, in fact, found an old gnarled tea-tree amongst the willows and managed to save it. Go to the car park between the pool and the tennis club and walk to the creek – you will be pleasantly surprised. Thanks fellas!
 
Trees for Mum
Thanks to all those who participated in the Woodend Trees for Mum Mother’s Day tree planting. The reponse to this inaugural event was overwhelming. We estimate about 150 people attended, planting over 120 native trees and grasses the rear of Five Mile Creek Reserve. We are pleased that so many people had the opportunity to create a living legacy on Mother’s Day, especially those remembering loved ones who have passed away.
 
A huge thanks to those who made the day happen. Angela Van Dam and husband Jason did a power of work to organize the funding and publicity as well as a lot of direct hands on work on the day. Peter Jones from MRSC arranged a very short notice mowing of the site for us. Evan Murfett and Peter Yates raked and sprayed the site and planned the layout. Brendan Smith provided us with the great plants at mates rates. Trevor Barker facilitated the funding from North Central Catchment Management Authority and then spent the entire day with us helping with everything. Jo Clancy did much organizing as well as cooking and then working with registrations on the day. Kate Daniel dragged the tool trailer to the site and spent the day helping show people how and where to plant. John Newell helped with everything from digging holes for the planters to helping with the cleanup and the watering. It was a great team effort.
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Western Plains Flora Visit

/ Woodend Landcare
Woodend Landcare has organized to pay a visit to a large wholesale native plant nursery located just north of Melbourne Airport and you are welcome to come along.
The nursery is owned by well know Landcarer and Australian Plant guru, Ian Taylor and is called Western Plains Flora.
The visit is planned for Sunday morning 1st April, departing Woodend at 9AM. Ian will provide morning tea and will give us a tour of his large establishment. He may also be able to open the small retail section of his nursery too.
It is anticipated that the tour of the nursery, morning tea and a talk with Ian would take about 2 hours. So we may consider a BBQ or picnic lunch afterwards or visit a suitable place for a light lunch on the way home. The plan is for a small car convoy.
The date is easy to remember – APRIL FOOLS DAY.
I would like to get an idea of numbers please, so let me know if you are thinking of coming by emailing: pandaY@bigpond.com.au.

Cheers, Peter Yates

PS. Please note: our 2012 Calendar has been revised due to Woodend Landcare’s success with significant funding for further weed removal along Five Mile Creek (including the last remaining willows near Tenneson St). Well done Peter and Kate who wrote the application! Click here to view the updated calendar.

The Future of Five Mile Creek: A community involvement plan

/ Woodend Landcare

The Five Mile Creek runs through the centre of Woodend township and is a major public open-space asset for the community. The creek catchment supports a range of threatened flora, fauna and vegetation communities and, in particular, the Black Gum of which the only known occurrence in Victoria is at Woodend.

 Woodend Landcare and its predecessor ‘Friends of Five Mile Creek’ have been working along Five Mile Creek for more than 20 years, primarily on woody and other weed control, and revegetation. In the past eight years, at least 20 working bees have involved the larger community and schools in bringing the creek back to a healthier waterway, and about 12,000 indigenous plants have been put in the ground.

Woodend Landcare needs help to maintain the work done to date and to further improve the creek. It would like to see the wider community and stakeholders engaged in helping to enhance and restore five Mile Creek. It hence initiated the development of a ‘Community Involvement Plan’ for the Five Mile Creek from Romsey Road to Gregory Street, Woodend. The plan compliments and updates the ‘Waterway Action Plan’ developed by North Central Catchment Management Authority in 2004.

The community involvement plan outlines a vision, as identified by stakeholders and community, to improve the Five Mile Creek. It also addresses the important issue of ongoing management and maintenance responsibilities for on-ground works that are undertaken along the creek. In doing so it identifies the level of involvement that people and groups are prepared to commit.

Click here to view the report: “The Future of Five Mile Creek: A community involvement plan”

Two Events to Celebrate 25 Years of Landcare

/ Woodend Landcare

 

Woodend Landcarers may be interested in these two events celebrating 25 years of Landcare.

The 25th Anniversary of Landcare Conference will take place on 15 November at the MCG. It’s a chance for Landcarers and supporters to come together for a day of high level speakers and an extensive range of workshops and seminars.

The day will provide an opportunity to:

  • share successes over 25 years with inspiring stories of landscape change
  • learn about growing the landcare movement in the next 25 years
  • meet Landcarers and likeminded people from around the state

The Hon Ryan Smith, Minister for Environment and Climate Change will deliver the official welcome at the 25th Anniversary of Landcare Conference.

Guest speakers include John Williams, Andrew Campbell, Kate Auty, Alexandra Gartmann and Landcare co-founder Joan Kirner. A history panel lead by Pam Robinson with guests Joan Kirner, Rob Youl, Horrie Poussard and others will reflect on key milestones in Landcare’s past 25 years.

A futuristic panel led by Kate Auty, joined by Alexandra Gartmann and Cate Barham, will discuss the way forward for Landcare for the next 25 years and beyond. Over 25 workshops will be offered on sustainable primary production, a healthy Landcare community and our environment, challenges and solutions. Click here to view the complete list of workshops and speakers.

Registration for volunteers is only $27.50. Register online by following this link:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y39VMSD . For more information go to:http://www.landcarevic.net.au/25years/conference/conference-information or contact David Rooks on tel: (03) 5952 3331, Mob 0418 115 935 for hard copies.

Registrations have been extended until Thursday 10 November.

 

The second event is a celebration of the North Central 25th Anniversary of Landcare on Friday 25 November 2011 at Bress Winery in Harcourt. This will be an opportunity to catch up with old friends and listen to guest speaker Shanaka Fernando (business entrepreneur of ‘Lentil as Anything’, a-pay-as-you-feel cafe in Melbourne). Also enjoy the mesmerising sounds of Kinja, local violin and didgeridoo duo.  Click here to see the details.