Focus On Fauna

These photo's were take on a property at Kinglake West on the Pheasant Creek using remote sensor cameras.
It is part of UGLN's 'Focus On Fauna' fire recovery program which is being carried out in the Strath Creek and Flowerdale area by David Wakefield from Strath Creek Landcare Group and also the Kinglake Ranges with assistance from the Kinglake Landcare Group.

The lyrebird photo's were taken at a display mound I found at the site. The male was calling for about 8 minutes when a female came by which of course attracted his attention.
The other photo's were taken at a disturbed area next to the forest where it looked like animals came out to graze.
For more information on UGLN's Focus on fauna go to http://focusonfauna.wordpress.com/

ANZ Landcare Fire Recovery Week

Another very succesful week of volunteer work carried out with volunteers from the ANZ bank.
Throughout the week 96 volunteers assisted us with fencing, weed control, nest boxes and tree planting at fire affected properties at Kilmore East, Pheasant Creek, Strath Creek, Heathcote Junction and Narbethong. The team did a great job despite at times having to battle steep slopes and thick scrub with leeches and prickles.

NAB volunteers at Narbethong

The first large group of NAB volunteers for 2011 arrived Narbethong on 10/3/2011.

Forty volunteers from Head Office arrived at Saladin Lodge by coach & car .

Originally a day of fencing was planned but heavy overnight rain made vehicle assess to the fencing site impossible . Kim had plenty of other jobs to be done so after a delicious morning tea Plan B was put into action . The Uniting Church men converted a large heap of logs in firewood which one NAB team split and stacked in the shed . The fire restrictions have been lifted so Leon the gardener supervised another group clearing fallen dead timber . The bonfire they built was impressive . The third group worked with Janet on maintaining the revegetation work done last year. Kim supplied an amazing a BBQ lunch for the 50 workers in her new accommodation centre . After lunch Alan and his team took the volunteers next door to remove an old burnt fence line .

The next large NAB team will do the fence building we promised Kim.

Sorting , Cleaning & Cataloguing Seed

Seed collected for the Lorax Project is currently being sorted , cleaned , weighed and catalogued ready for storing in the Goulburn Broken Indigenous Seedbanks coolroom. This seed will be available to community groups and local nurseries for propagation and use in future re vegetation projects across the bushfire areas. This fresh , diverse and genetically healthy seed will be a wonderful landcare asset.

David Wakefield has delivered his harvest to the seedbank already.

Sarah Roberts and Janet Hagen are in the process of sorting through bags of seed .Cathy Olive and family have a large collection ready for delivery .

Chris Cobern's daughter also collected seed which is being grown by service club volunteers this season.

Weed Control Courses

Over the weekend of 19th & 20th February 23 people from the Flowerdale area attended the sixth free UGLN weed management course. The course was held at the Flowerdale Recreation Reserve pavillion and run by NMIT lecturer and Kinglake resident Kevin Chandler. A delicious morning tea and lunch was provided by Flowerdale's own catering business 'Molly's Kitchen'.

Since April 2009 we have been running free Weed Identification and Control Workshops and Farm Chemical Users Courses throughout the fire affected areas of Murrindindi Shire. The courses have also been held in Strath Creek, Marysville and Kinglake; and the next one is planned for the 2nd & 3rd April at Yea. They have all been well attended averaging around 20 per course with 34 attending the first one in Kinglake.