Kinglake Wildflower Walk

On Sunday 19th August we had a small group of eleven adults and children on an enjoyable wildflower walk through the Kinglake National Park presented by a very knowledgeable Richard Francis from ABZECO.

Kinglake Landcare members Peter and Will and kids

The group got to see the early blossoming wattles, Love Creepers, Early Nancy lilies, Pultenaea and Daviesia species and emerging orchids with the occasional one flowering. 

David & Laurie Wakefield from Strath Creek Landcare

Epacris impressa (Pink Heath)

The rain stopped for the day and the group had a pleasant lunch at St Andrews Hotel.

The day was held by the Kinglake Landcare Group and funded by the Victorian Bushfire Fund.

Richard Francis (left) & Roger Cook

For those who missed the event we are running another one on Sunday 16th September.
Attendance is free and lunch provided.
Contact Kinglake Landcare President Tim Connell on 0408 599 485 to register.
Photos by John Stewart.

REVEGETATION WORK CONTINUES

Plantings to establish new native vegetation continue on both Crown Land reserves and private properties throughout the Murrindindi Shire.

Last week a volunteer group from the ANZ Bank’s corporate headquarters in Docklands planted out 480 sedges, grasses and shrubs on the Break O Day Reserve in Glenburn.

The ANZ group came prepared for the wet day with their gumboots and suitable clothing.

We later shared a BBQ lunch at the new Alf Miller Park in Glenburn.

ANZ volunteers at Alf Miller Park Glenburn

We have another nine days of planting already booked for the remainder of the year at locations throughout the Murrindindi Shire.

NAB volunteers at Buxton

We were fortunate in receiving a Federal Government ‘Caring for our Country’ grant to purchase the plants, materials and tools for the project.

Since 2010 we have planted over 33,000 plants, many grown locally at Flowerdale from seed collected locally together with some more propagated for us at the Kevin Heinze Garden Centre in Doncaster and the Euroa Arboretum.

JBWere volunteers at Murrindindi

To enquire about getting assistance with revegetation for your fire affected property or to volunteer phone Chris Cobern on 5736 0104 or by Email: ugrecovery@gbcma.vic.gov.au

Long-nosed Bandicoot Recovery

The Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) pictured here was recently killed by a vehicle on the Whittlesea-Yea Road and is unfortunately one of five known road-kill bandicoots in the past few months, mostly in the Stony Creek area at Kinglake West.

Long-nosed bandicoot road-kill at Kinglake West

There is conjecture about the reasons for this spate of road deaths. One theory, looking on the positive side, is that, although disturbing to see these lovely animals being killed, it may indicate a large increase in the local bandicoot population following the bushfires in the area in 2009.

This may be as a result of the past two relatively wet years providing soft earth to dig in and a flush of insects and fungi, which constitute a large part of the bandicoot’s diet.

Long-nosed bandicoots forage in leaf litter and often dig characteristic conical holes to locate invertebrates and underground-fungi. The bandicoot also eats lush plant material and the prolific regrowth of vegetation after the fires provides both food and cover from predators.

Long-nosed Bandicoots are most active during the night. It is more likely that you will see evidence of the animal’s conical diggings on your property before you see a bandicoot.

Long-nosed Bandicoot near King Parrot Creek

Long-nosed Bandicoot near King Parrot Creek

At one site near the King Parrot Creek we have been able to capture dozens of photos of living Long-nosed Bandicoots by using movement activated cameras.

If you do see a bandicoot, alive or dead, or possible evidence please let us know by phoning 5736 0104 or

email ugrecovery@gbcma.vic.gov.au

Spring Creek Rehabilitation

Landowners along the Spring Creek in Flowerdale have been taking advantage of UGLN's fire recovery fencing and revegetation programs. In conjunction with the GBCMA waterway grants for fencing and off stream watering.

Volunteers constructing fences on the Spring Creek

With our assistance to date six landowners along Spring Valley Road in Flowerdale have fenced off their streams and remnant vegetation to assist the ecologically important riparian land along there waterways recover from the impacts of fire and grazing pressures.
Their are many benefits associated with fencing off waterways including reduced erosion, better water quality, shelter effects for stock, increase in capital values and a healthy ecosystems.

Volunteers from GPT Group

The group of volunteers pictured from GPT did a great job constructing 300m of fencing despite a wet and boggy day.

Recent plantings on the Spring Creek

Narbethong Holly control project

The Friends of Marysville Walks and UGLN have been carrying out a very successfull project to control Holly in bushland and along waterways in the Narbethong area.

Working with and under the direction of Marilyn Connor from Friends of Marysville Walks, UGLN have controlled many hectares of holly on private and public land along Fisher Creek, Dom Dom Creek and Hermitage Creek by using our Recycling for Recovery funds to employ specialist weed control contractors.

Marilyn Connor with CVA volunteers at The Hermitage.

We have also supervised many volunteer days cutting out and poisoning holly at the‘The Hermitage’. Which is a heritage-listed building in Narbethong set amongst the tall Mountain Ash forest at the summit of the Black's Spur.

Our most recent day was with 10 volunteers from Conservation Volunteers Australia on the 15th June. Funding for this day was generously donated by the Kinglake Landcare Group from their Kinglake Stream Restoration Project.



CVA volunteers removing holly from bushland at Narbethong