SW Sydney Environment Group Day 3

19/8/2010
Day 3

SW Sydney Environment Group

South Catheral Lane

Taggerty

The Team was well prepared for the chilly Victorian weather today They worked hard to plant 300 trees to replace burnt pine trees and create a windbreak and shade for stock.

Lunchtime was spent texting friends.
 

When the planting was completed the group headed off to Lake Mountain for some fun in the snow.

Thanks for your help and I hope to see some of you again next year. Jake and Frank made their second visit; last year they helped pull down burnt fences and control blackberry growth at Buxton.

Its a Wash Out !

18th August 2010

Day 2

The SW Sydney Schools Environment Group

Bushfire Seed Production Area planting at Tabilk Winery.

20 keen students plus 3 teachers.

2000 very special plants

Jim, Sandsie, Bobo and Janet .

The forecast was not good but the rain did not start falling until we arrived at the site. The volunteers were not expecting the cold conditions. Running shoes and plastic ponchos proved to be inadequate protection.

The kids were off to a good start with 600 plants in the ground before lunch but everyone was so wet and cold we abandoned the site at 1.30pm.

55mm of rain fell that day and the their tents back at Alexandra Canavan Park were full of water when they returned. Chris Coburn saved the day by offering them the use of the well-equipped Kinglake Scout Hall . So it was hot showers at the Kinglake Bushfire Village, the heaters on full at the scout hall to dry damp sleeping bags and a dry change of clothes and a warm meal before everyone felt happy again.

Janet, Jim and Sandsie enjoyed a private tour of the winery cellars before they packed up.

Wetland Restoration at Narbethong

August 9th 2010

ANZ / Treeproject / Landcare Partnership

17 volunteers plus Lyn who drove the bus from treeproject .

Janet and Cathy.

Beautiful weather.

Planted to restore a creek and dam below the newly rebuilt Saladin Lodge Conference Centre.

Enjoyed lunch in the sunshine and a tour of the building followed by a hike to the hilltop at the back of the property . Studied the incredible diversity of plants regenerating after the fire , a few of which we could not identify but will go back to collect seed .

Thanks to Ray the painter for letting us into the property and to Kim for racing back from Melbourne to thank the volunteers.

Small Block - Big Job

August 10th 2010

Kinglake West -Cold wet day.

A coach load of 35 NAB volunteers,

Janet & Cathy.

The challenge for the day was how to fit 300 plants into John & Holly's small block. Lots of natives grasses, lillies and creepers were planted. A real 'backyard blitz' makeover!

They lost their house and garden in the fire and are rebuilding themselves. They needed plants and mulch to fill in the muddy exposed areas and as well as screening from neighbours and the road. The rain didn't stop this team from finishing the job but we were happy to retreat to the Flying Tarts Bakery for a splendid lunch and an early trip home in a warm bus.

(Chris took the other half of this team pulling weeds in the StoneyCreek Reserve)

Cath Olive joins the landcare team- for a few months

Cath Olive has become a very valuable member of the Landcare Bushfire Recovery team during her short period of unemployment from DPI. For the past few months she has been visiting landholders and delivering plants in the Marysville, Buxton, Taggerty and Narbethong areas.
Her help at treeplanting days has been wonderful, selecting & laying out plants, cooking lunch, supervising volunteers and chatting with property owners.
Unfortunately for us the DPI have realized the mistake they made by not renewing her contract and she will be returning to her old job soon. We will miss her!
Cath has learnt a few things about being a Landcare coordinator that surprised her:

• Using the family car to drive long distances crammed with loads of trees, stakes guards and tools.
• Cooking morning tea and lunch for up to 40 people with a wide range of dietary requirements in a paddock while it is raining.
• Not knowing quite what to expect at each site before we arrive with the volunteers. It could be fitting 300 ground cover plants into a small back yard or planting 1200 trees on a steep windy hill side. Every day presents a different challenge.
• The fact that we do our office work at home in the evenings and early morning. Emails are sent and answered at 10.30pm or 7am!
• Not having an office, computer or phone supplied.
• Having our equipment & tools stored in Bridget's backyard.
• The need to be resourceful, flexible and innovative. Like when you turn up to a property with a bus load of volunteers to find the gate locked and the landholder in Melbourne because they have forgotten the date.