Planting day – Help protect our black gum

9am–12pm | Sunday 13 October | Five Mile Creek near Jeffreys St.

You may have noticed areas between the Woodend Tennis Club and Jeffreys Street have been prepared for revegetation over the last 12 months. There are a number of mulched areas and some have already been planted with understorey plants, thanks to the 1st Woodend Scout Group.

The aim of this project is to protect the Black Gum (Eucalyptus aggregata) trees. In Victoria this eucalyptus species only grows within 4km of Woodend, so you could call it Woodend’s floral emblem. Many mature trees at this site were blown over during the wind event of June 2021 and the remaining trees are in danger due to soil compaction and future climate extremes.

To protect the remaining black gums we are providing them with a buffer of understorey habitat and weed-free, mulched ground to enable self-propagation. Starting at 9am, on Sunday 13 October, Woodend Landcare, with help from our local Scouts, Council staff and anyone who would like to join in, will be planting a further 700 indigenous plants in these areas.

This planting will complement that already undertaken by the Scouts near the Scout Billabong. The project will continue until all the mulched areas are progressively filled with plants over the next few years. It is a important action in the Woodend Five Mile Creek Master Plan, developed with Council in 2022 (see here).

Everyone is welcome to come along and help create another beautiful area of habitat along our creek.

October Working Bee

If helping our native vegetation by removing invasive weeds is more your thing, Landcare will be holding its monthly working bee on the south side of the creek between Bowen and Wood Streets at 9am on Sunday 27 October.

Other local news and events

Aussie Bird Count – 14-20 October. Council is running two one-hour walks to introduce you to some local feathered friends, and get you all set to start counting using the Aussie Bird Count App. One of these walks is along Five Mile Creek on the 13 October from 10-11 am. Click here to find out more.

Council environment events in October:

• Farm walk – rotational grazing: 11 October, Barfold
• Aussie Bird Count Walks: 13 October, Woodend and Kyneton
• Discover what’s on your roadside: 17 October, Tylden
• Protecting paddock plantings: 18 October, Hanging Rock
• Citizen science flora survey: 25 October & 1 November, Kyneton area
• Farm walk – Highland cattle: 7 November, Newbury (near Trentham)

Check out the Environment Events and Healthy Landscapes pages to find out more and register.

Newham Landcare – Biodiversity and Bushfire Risk events. A evening talk and field day with CFAs statewide Vegetation Management Team on the 25 and 26 October. Click here for more info and to register.

Wombat Forestcare Newsletter – September 2024. Features articles about the Eastern Pigmy-possum and the vegetation of the Wombat Forest. Click here to view.