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)

Sth West Sydney students help out for a week

24 students and staff from Sth West Sydney have come down for a week to give local landholders a hand. They will spend the week planting trees, installing nest boxes and cutting and painting weeds. This is the group's second trip; they helped last year with a different lot of students.

Tree Planting in Antarctica

Well that is what it felt like!

A team of 11 ANZ volunteers from the Docklands Human Resources department braved gale-force winds and temperatures below 5 degrees to plant 300 trees in Kinglake on Tuesday 29th July .

I think we did see the occasional snow flake fall around lunch time. Our fingers froze and our faces went numb . Everyone was extremely hungry as we huddled in Gloria and Phillip Wood's rickety old shed for a warming BBQ lunch then turned the BBQ on full to thaw our fingers.

A quick half hour of planting after lunch and then the crew headed off the ridge top with car heaters on full. Thanks girls and guy; also thanks to Gloria and Phillip for their hospitality and to Andrew from Treeproject for his efforts at the end of the day.

ANZ volunteers in Kinglake

Volunteers from the ANZ's Queens St office (Trade and Supply Chain-Institutional; did I get that right?) went to Karen & Bernie Ostenried's place in Kinglake yesterday.

It was a freezing day in Kinglake. We started planting in fog & mist, with the temperature around 3 degrees (well, that's what it felt like) and a strong wind in the afternoon .

We were very happy to have the new shed to shelter in at lunch time. Karen and her mum supplied fabulous pumpkin soup and bread sticks to supplement our BBQ lunch .

This great team of workers created new windbreaks for the house (when it is rebuilt) and shelter for the horses, by planting, staking and guarding 320 plants.
Had an interesting chat with Karen at lunch time about the fires and how the community is recovering.

Thanks David , Adam , Ankit , Gavan , Catherine & Gary . (if only Susan had come!)
I hope you all warmed up in the car on the way home.