Woodend Landcare News: March 2016

Important Dates

Plant Guard Removal Working Bee: 3 April

Our next working bee is to be held on Sunday April 3rd from 9am till 12pm (note this is a changed date to the original due to Easter). We will undertaking the very important task of removing old plastic plant guards from previous plantings on the north side of the creek starting at the new access bridge over the creek to Shirley Park Estate and heading downstream. A good turnout would enable us to move into other areas on the same day.

'Willow Attack' Working Bee, February 2016

Our ‘Willow Attack’ Working Bee, 28 February 2016

Location. Five Mile Creek Reserve which is accessible from the Southern end of Tennyson St. Look for the working bee signs near the bike track.

What to bring? A pocket knife or stanley knife, long pants and long sleeves, boots, spare chaff bags or similar
The Landcare tool trailer will be onsite and morning tea will be provided.
RSVPs to Krista on 5427 2140 or woodendlandcare@gmail.com. Newcomers are always welcome.

Trees for Mum 2016: 8 May

Doug Delgeish has been working quietly behind the scenes preparing our site for the 2016 Trees For mum planting. Thanks Doug!

Doug Delgeish has been working quietly behind the scenes preparing our site for the 2016 Trees For mum planting. Thanks Doug!

Trees for Mum is a part of a national series of Mother’s Day tree-planting events hosted by Landcare. This year’s events will be held on Sunday 8 May. In Woodend, we’ll be planting trees and shrubs for mums at the Woodend Children’s Park. Save the date and come and plant with your mum or for your mum.

Our working bee on the 24th of April will be dedicated to preparing the site in readiness for the big day. We’ll provide more details about this in April.

Our Big Weekend in February

The last weekend of February was a big one for Woodend Landcare.

On Saturday the 27th of February, we were thrilled to be on display at the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Festival alongside several of our fellow local Landcare groups. Many interesting and inspiring conversations about our local environment were had on the day. Meanwhile, the kids enjoyed puppet play in ‘the stump’ which was highlighting the importance of hollows for homes for many of our native critters.

The following day we had a great crew gather for our Willow Attack Working Bee. Willow regrowth at the Tennyson St site was treated, as was about a fifth of the willows growing in the weir. We’re now looking into how to get through the remaining four-fifths! Thanks heaps for joining us everyone – it was a testimate to the old saying ‘many hands make light work’. Special thanks to Jo and Susan for the tasty morning tea and to David for his great on-site guidance.

Puppet play with 'the stump' at the Macedon ranges Sustainability Festival

Puppet play with ‘the stump’ at the Macedon ranges Sustainability Festival

Cobaw Campaspe Biolink Project

The Upper Campaspe Landcare Network recently received a Victorian Landcare grant to assist in developing long term action plans for landscape restoration along two natural corridors. One of them – the Cobaw Campaspe Biolink Project – involves Woodend, Ashbourne, Carlsruhe and Newham Landcare Groups.
A desktop study of the biolink area is currently being undertaken and workshops in the field are planned. Open to landowners, Landcare members and interested stakeholders, the workshops will include walk and talk events with ecologists and indigenous owners looking at issues such as threatened species, river and grassland restoration and remnant vegetation management. We will keep you notified as plans progress.
This map shows the approximate area of the Cobaw Campaspe Biolink Project.

This map shows the approximate area of the Cobaw Campaspe Biolink Project.

MRSC Draft Environmental Strategy

Many of you will be aware that the Council’s draft environmental strategy is currently open for comment. We encourage everyone to check out strategy and provide comment to council. The strategy is available for downloading and comment by clicking here. Ross Colliver has done a great summary of the strategy for Riddells Creek Landcare at http://nutsaboutnaturercl.blogspot.com.au/

Interesting Newsletters

These newsletters are worth a read if you’re interested in more Landcare news from the region.

Upper Campaspe Landcare Network: http://www.uppercampaspelandcare.org.au/february-2016/

North Central Chat: http://www.nccma.vic.gov.au/library/scripts/objectifyMedia.aspx?file=KMSMedia/pdf/143/80.pdf&fileName=North Central Chat- March 2016.pdf

February events, committee update, and a huge thanks…

Sunday 28th February Working Bee: “Willow Attack”

At the “willow attack” working bee on Sunday 28th February we will be undertaking a much needed trial removal of willows on the western end of the weir on Five Mile Creek. Another group of willing workers can cut and paint the numerous small willow clumps downstream of the weir towards the Five Mile Creek reserve. There is also some important whipper snipping to be done in the surrounding plantings so there are plenty of tasks for everyone.  All newcomers are always most welcome.

  • This happy crew thoroughly enjoyed January's twilight working bee - and got heaps achieved too! Thanks for coming everyone - hope to see you again in February. Photo: Sandy Scheltema.

    This happy crew thoroughly enjoyed January’s twilight working bee – and got heaps achieved too! Thanks for coming everyone – hope to see you again in February. Photo: Sandy Scheltema.

    When: Sunday, 28 February 2016.

  • Time: 9 am till midday with a short break for morning tea (which is provided).
  • Where: Ruby McKenzie Park in Tennyson St
  • Bring:  Your own gloves, sturdy footwear, sun protection etc.
  • More info: Contact David on 5427 4117.
  • RSVP: Krista on 5427 2140 or woodendlandcare@gmail.com

 

Please note this event will be cancelled if the day is declared a Total Fire Ban.

After the working bee, head down to the Sustainability Festival’s Community Picnic. From 12.30 pm, there will be a relaxing and entertaining picnic in the Woodend Children’s Park complete with live music and old-time games. More info at: http://slf.mrsgonline.org.au/

Saturday 27th February: Sustainability Festival

Woodend Landcare, alongside many of our neighbouring landcare groups and network, will be on display at the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Festival at the Woodend Community Garden and Hub site. The festival runs from 10 am till 4 pm on Saturday the 27th of February. Please come along to check out our local biolink plans and enjoy the interactive landcare kids area.

More info at: http://slf.mrsgonline.org.au/

Woodland Landcare Committee Update

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Past president, Peter Yates and Krista checking out our recent planting site.

As we all adjust to a new year and new commitments, there has been a small change of office bearers for Woodend Landcare. Both Kate Daniel and Jo Clancy decided to step down from their respective roles as President and Vice-President, but the good news is that they remain on the committee. Krista Patterson-Majoor has taken on the president role and Dave Bower will be Vice-President. Kate is now our Treasurer until the July AGM. We are always keen to have new people join our friendly committee, so please contact Krista on 5427 2140 or woodendlandcare@gmail.com if this is something that might interest you.

And a huge thanks…

On behalf of Woodend Landcare we’d like to share our huge thanks to both Kate and Jo for their fine leadership of the group.

Kate has been president for around two and a half years and has overseen over $35,000 worth of great projects undertaken along the Five Mile Creek and in the Woodend area in this time. Her delightful manner has been a pleasure to work with and our landcare group is going strong as a result.

Jo has been either president or vice-president of the group for as long as most of us can remember. She is a passionate advocate for our local environment and is a very dedicated member of the team. We thank Jo for all she has given to the group and look forward to many more of her ‘cooeee’ morning tea calls and biannual newsletter.

Thanks Kate and Jo!!!

March Working Bee Date Change

Last, but not least, we have discovered that our proposed March 27th working bee clashes with Easter so it was decided to change the date to April 3rd – please amend your calendars.

Twilight Working Bee: Friday 29 January, 5pm

Join us for our first working bee for 2016 – in the twilight! If you can spare a few hours, we’d welcome some help to maintain our spring plantings along the Five Mile Creek next to the Woodend Children’s Park.

The Woodend Girl Guides had a ball planting along the creek in Spetpember last year. Please come along and help us make the plants look there very best!

The Woodend Girl Guides had a ball planting along the creek in September last year. Please come along and help us make the plantings look their very best!

  • When: Friday, 29 January 2016
  • Time: 5pm onwards
  • Where: Along Five Mile Creek at the Woodend Children’s Park. Parking at Campaspe Park opposite the Woodend Primary School.
  • Bring: Secateurs, gloves, whipper snippers.
  • Light supper provided.

Tasks include maintenance of our Spring plantings at the Children’s Park (such as watering, weeding, plant guards, whipper snipping) and plant guard removal at the Wood St drain – there will be something for everyone.

For catering purposes, please RSVP to Krista on 5427 2140 or woodendlandcare@gmail.com

And, while you have your diaries out, our 2016 calendar is now up to date click here to view.

Please note this event will be cancelled if the day is declared a Total Fire Ban.

Reminder Working Bee Sunday 22 November

The next Sunday working bee is on 22 November from 9am to 12pm at Ruby McKenzie park off Tennyson Street in Woodend.

We’ll meet at the weir.

Tasks include removing redundant plant guards, whipper snipping around recent plantings, watering of recent plantings and some cutting and poisoning of woody weeds.

The tool trailer will be on site and morning tea is provided.

Put this date in your diary to attend the last Sunday working bee this year. Contact David Gossip on 5427 4117 for further details.