K2C Groundcover Issue No. 6, September, 2010

Hello to all. Spring has sprung and with it a new Winter pulled us up on property visits but we have K2C partner - the Murrumbidgee Catchment put extensive planning hours into the C4oC funded Management Authority has agreed to join the K2C K2C Biodiversity & Farming Fair to be held on Partnership. That makes for 11 active partners all Sunday, 10 October in Bredbo village. We expect working in collaboration over a 25,000 sq km many hundreds of landholders to visit the 35+ range. Please see MCMA’s latest incentives for on- stalls, listen to key presentations, alight the bus for ground works on page 6. a visit to ‘Scottsdale’ and many other activities. See page 2 for the full program. Since the last May edition of Groundcover, the K2C Partnership has again improved its governance Not long after that big day, K2C and the model and identified Partners’ commitments to Ornithologists Group (COG) will conduct the K2C and vis-a-vis each other in the K2C second Bird survey on 23 properties already signed Memorandum of Understanding. This document up. If you would like a small team to come scout also sets out the overall K2C objectives and out the birds living and feeding on your property, strategies which guide us as a partnership. please let us know. See article on page 5.

Our Conservation Action Plan is a more detailed Finally, see some ecologically beautiful properties ecological underpinning of this and is still a work in up for sale on page 5. progress. Lauren van Dyke, K2C Facilitator

BIODIVERSITY & FARMING FAIR

SUNDAY, 10 October, 2010 — Bredbo Village 9am — 4pm Key Presenter, Sam Archer -Livestock producer & Biodiversity farmer

►Visit farm, industry and community group stalls See ►Learn how to achieve profits while enriching landscape health Full Program ►Great kids activities ►Info & talks on land management, weeds, trees, grasses, birds … Page 2. → ►Snakes Alive, live reptile display ►Witness an amazing animal nutrition presentation The K2C Biodiversity and Farming Fair is ►Visit Bush Heritage’s Scottsdale Reserve supported by the Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare ►Enjoy good food & music Committee through funding from the Australian ►Find the full program on www.k2c.org.au Government’s Caring for our Country initiative ►Further info contact Lauren on 0411 402 978 or Tony 6235 9334

K2C Groundcover - Newsletter of the Kosciuszko to Coast Partnership It aims to: Provide information about K2C Announce upcoming K2C events and on-ground incentives Report on K2C’s activities Provide news and contact details about the K2C partners. If you have anything of interest for K2C Groundcover, please contact Lauren van Dyke at [email protected], or 0411 402 978. K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 6, September, 2010, page 2

DRAFT PROGRAM OF EVENTS - K2C Biodiversity & Farming Fair – Sunday, 10 October, 2010

Bredbo Centennial Park Speakers’ Hall Time Activity Time Speaker Topic 9.00 am Gates open 9.30 am Speakers’ Hall (see right) 9.30 am Luke Johnston What is a River Demonstration Reach? 9.30am Music from the Finger Plunkers 10.00am Geoff Robertson Getting to know native and introduced grasses 10.00am Bus 1 to Scottsdale 10.30am Alison Elvin Weed Whispering 10.30am Bus 2 to Scottsdale 11.00am Lauren van Dyke The K2C Story 11.30am Nicki Taws Bird Surveys in the K2C Region 12 noon Official Welcome – Rod Mason, Councillor Jenny Lawlis Enjoy a BBQ run by the RFS with meat Official Opening LUNCH BREAK - Guest Speaker: Sam Archer supplied by Unique Boutique, soup and rolls from the Progress Song from the Bredbo Boy Association, cakes and tea from the CWA, cold drinks from the P&C, Speaker: Rob Dunn – Great pies and coffee from Gourmet Food Shop. Eastern Ranges initiative 2.00pm Speakers’ Hall 2.00pm Rob Dunn Great Eastern Ranges initiative 2.00pm Bus 3 to Scottsdale 2.30pm Sam Archer Managing farms for sustainability 2.30pm Bus 4 to Scottsdale 3.00pm Dave Hunter Conserving our rarest reptiles and frogs with good farming practice 3.00pm Music from the Finger Plunkers 3.30pm David Freudenberger Sheep nutrition presentation display involving real sheep intestines! 4.00pm Close

Stall holder Organisation

Friends of Grasslands Global Earth Repair Greening Australia Capital Region Conservation Volunteers Australia NSW Dept of Environment and Climate Change Bush Heritage Australia Nature Conservation Trust of NSW Communities in Landscapes Project Southern Rivers CMA Southern Tablelands Ecosystems Park ACT Dept of Territory and Municipal Services Fire Service Molonglo Catchment Group Region Waterwatch Murrumbidgee CMA Natrakelp Liquid Seaweed Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Coordinating Committee Great Eastern Ranges initiative Kids’ Book Reading ACT Herpetological Association Ngarigo tools and products Canberra Ornithologists Group K2C Information Q & A Conservation Council ACT Region Biodynamic Education Centre Birds Australia Bredbo Landcare Group Clean Energy for Eternity Displays – For adults and kids alike Thistlebrook Park Plants Bredbo Dog Training Sheep dog training Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Greening Australia Capital Region Clay seed ball rolling Industry and Investment NSW DECCW Map room National Parks Association Bredbo Landcare Group Machinery display Natural Sequence Association Great Eastern Ranges initiative GER Video (15 mins)

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 6, September, 2010, page 3

K2C Partner Reports — See contacts for these and other K2C Partners on page 6.

Current Molonglo Catchment Group Projects

Sustainability on Small Farms –CFOC open grant funded project partnership with Greening Australia CR due for completion 31 December 2010. Focus is on conserving and enhancing Grassy Box-Gum Woodland and serrated tussock management. 30 enquiries, 24site visits, 10 applications approved and funded $37K CFOC, $49K landholder contribution

Small projects - $2,000 made available annually for member groups for small projects, e.g NTD plantings, small equipment, and training up to $500/group.

We have standing offers for training members in Chemcert, First Aid, etc. 2 x takers recently.

Sustainable horse management on small properties – 2 seminars held in April, each attracted ~50 people; followed up with weed and native grass id evening attended by ~40 people. Application in with NSW ET for 7 full-day workshops in NSW, which, if successful, would be in Spring 2011.

Mapping Lower Molonglo project – working with Hawker College students to extend the knowledge of the Lower Molonglo Valley in advance of urban development.

Molonglo Bush on the Boundary group formed, includes Lower Molonglo developer, CSIRO, Cons Council, CIT, ANU, Friends of Grasslands, and STEP working towards developing community engagement material. Meets bi-monthly.

Sustainability in the Majura Valley – CAG project to engage rural landholders in the Majura Valley – grassy box gum woodland, and sustainable agriculture, first meeting have only just been conducted.

Waterwatch – 12 sites added in the past 6 months 38 sites are now being monitored by volunteers each month. All sites are being monitored for Temp, pH, EC, turbidity, and about half for DO, PO4, NO3. Recently started a program to monitor algae as a indication to water quality. 6-monthly report to end of June just released – feeds into M-CHiP. FrogWatch coming up in October.

Biodiversity monitoring feasibility trial. Funded by ACT Environment Grant and working from the manual developed by Sarah Sharp and Lori Gould to assess the feasibility of a community biodiversity monitoring program. 4 volunteers with open forest, woodland, grassland and reveg sites are assessing their own and each other’s sites for repeatability and these have been cross checked by Rainer to assess reliability. Wrap-up session next month, led by Sarah and Rainer; final report due end of September.

Along the Molonglo Art show – with QAS in July and with ASOC in September – in the ActewAGL Look’n’Learn marquee at Floriade 18-24 September; this has enabled displays by NRM groups in the marquee this year 20-26 September – which includes all of NightFest.

Reprints of Weed Info Pack, Glovebox Guide to Frogs of the ACT Region, and a new publication, Glovebox Guide to Aquatic Plants in the ACT Region.

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 6, September, 2010, page 4

K2C Partner Reports Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee Continued... UMLC Small Project grants

UMLC had accumulated some uncommitted funds over the past few years and a proportion of these were allocated to a Small Project Fund for grants of up to $2,000. Five projects have been funded for a diverse range of projects including rabbit control, blackberry removal, tree of heaven control, tree planting, a grassland information and identification field day and a biodynamic introduction workshop.

Other grants in the UMLC region

In addition to the Small Project Grants, six groups in the region were successful in their bids for the Murrumbidgee CMA Community Partnerships Grants and two groups were successful in obtaining Australian Government Caring for our Country Community Action Grants. One of these was for the K2C Biodiversity and Farming Fair.

MLi and Regional Landcare Facilitator

In the Murrumbidgee catchment there are eleven active Landcare networks, including UMLC and these networks collectively form an umbrella group, Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc (MLi). MLi were successful in their bid to secure a Regional Landcare Facilitator (RLF) position partly funded by the Australian Government through its Caring for our Country initiative. UMLC will be providing $2,000 per annum over three years in support of this position. The RLF will provide much needed support for Landcare activities in the catchment.

GRASSLAND INFORMATION & IDENTIFICATION DAY

Saturday, 27 November, 2010 9am - 4.30pm Thistlebrook Park, 237 Rd, Bredbo

With David Eddy (Grassland Expert), Lauren Van Dyke ( K2C Facilitator) Bredbo Landcare members — Jodie Umback & Sue Connelly

Please contact Lauren on [email protected] for a program of the day. Natural Temperate Grassland on Thistlebrook Park Includes refreshments but please BYO lunch (See for sale advert for Thistlebrook Park on page 5)

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 6, September, 2010, page 5 K2C Partners and Canberra Ornithologists Group reunite to continue extensive Bird Survey

The second round of the K2C/COG bird surveys is planned for Sunday, 17 October, one week after the K2C Fair.

The first bird surveys held in April this year found 84 species across the 23 properties included in the monitoring program.

A highlight was the number of Threatened Species recorded including Brown Treecreeper, Diamond Firetail, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Speckled Warbler Hooded Robin, Scarlet Robin and Speckled Warbler. Scarlet Robin (Wayne Lawler/Ecopix) (Wayne Lawler/Ecopix)

In the spring survey, we hope to record breeding observations and to add to the species list with a number of summer migrants. The survey will operate in similar fashion to the first survey with small teams of volunteers from the Canberra Ornithologists Group visiting several sites during the morning.

Participating landholders will be contacted closer to the survey date. For more information please contact Nicki Taws 0408 210 736, [email protected] or Lauren van Dyke 0411 402 978, Fuscous Honey-eater Diamond Firetail (Wayne Lawler/Ecopix) [email protected] (Wayne Lawler/Ecopix)

CONSERVATION PROPERTIES FOR SALE THISTLEBROOK PARK - A GRASSLAND PROPERTY Karleila, a conservation property

It is with much regret to say that Thistlebrook Park my 135 acre property is Karleila is a up for sale. It is located just a little under 3km from the Monaro Hwy and the beautiful and town of Bredbo. floristically

I purchased the property in June 2006 not realizing what wonders I would diverse 52 ha find . Through the K2C Partnership, Greening Australia has now funded 2 (129 acre) vegetation windbreaks on Thistlebrook Park with approx. 600 other trees and property shrubs strategically planted. Thislebrook Park has become a venue for K2C located grassland days and is visited by various groups. between and . It's an easy 45 minute The property is now divided into 8 paddocks of various sizes. It has 3 dams the biggest spring fed. There are two old buildings, one a solid stone drive east of Cooma, with 2WD access all year building that is perfect for renovation. There are many water tanks and more round. The property includes a furnished, comfy, recently, I put in a brand new 2 horse stable complex. There is also 2 x 20ft 2 / 3 bedroom weatherboard house built in the lined containers, plus more. early 1990s, as well as caravan accommodation and various storage and work sheds. Power and The property contains good patches of Kangaroo Grass and other native phone are connected. grasses. The Threatened Species identified on the property consist of the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard, Hooded Robin, Flame Robin, Diamond Firetail, Treecreeper, White-eared Honeyeater , Creeping Hop-bush, Lotus australis, Karleila is a low maintenance property. It has Zornia, Mountain Psoralea, Tiger Orchid plus many more, with species lists Tuross River frontage, sits at around 950 metres available. elevation and has stunning views onto Wadbiliga National Park and its escarpments. Wildife is Enquiries Sue Connelly Ph 02 6454 4400 or mobile 0401 823 497 POA abundant and over140 local native plant species If you are interested in species lists or more photos please email me on: [email protected] or go to www.suesthistlebrookpark.webs.com occur on the property including two listed threatened species.

For Sale @ $225,000. For further details and/or to arrange a visit, contact Adam Muyt or Kathryn Godman on 03 6244 5621 or mobile 0428 312 384

K2C Groundcover, Issue No. 6, September, 2010, page 6

WHAT IS ON OFFER? Monaro Messages

Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority produces an email list of events going on in the region. If you would like to receive this regular and jam-packed list please email: [email protected]

MURRUMBIDGEE CMA PROJECT FUNDING OPEN

Expression of Interest (EOI) is invited from landholders in the Murrumbidgee Catchment for the following three projects:

1. Climate Change Corridors Incentive funding is available to conserve and connect native vegetation in the Murrumbidgee catchment area. The Murrumbidgee CMA will contribute to the cost of: - The protection and enhancement of existing remnant native vegetation through environmental stewardship, fencing, weed control and strategic species replanting. - The establishment and linkage of vegetation corridors with locally endemic native trees and shrubs through fencing, weed control, strategic species replanting and alternate water provisions.

2. Drought Ready Package The Murrumbidgee CMA is assisting landholders prepare and manage periods of drought by providing incentives for training and infrastructure for the establishment and use of drought feeding facilities. A maximum of $10,000 is available per property. Numbers are limited and EOIs will be assessed in the order in which they are received.

3. Grazing Management Incentives are available to landholders to subdivide paddocks that are greater than 75 hectares in area and that contain native grasses and/or shrubs, so that a rotational grazing system can be implemented. The Murrumbidgee CMA will contribute to the cost of the following: - Incentive payments to assist with sub-divisional fencing materials. - Grazing management training. - Water infrastructure materials for the provision of stock water.

Further information and EOI forms are available on the Murrumbidgee CMA website at: www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au/getinvolved/tenders.aspx or telephone the Wagga Wagga office on (02) 6932 3232.

EOIs close on Thursday, 30 September, 2010.

Kosciuszko to Coast 11 Partners are:

ACT Govt - Parks, Conservation and Lands – www.tams.act.gov.au Bush Heritage Australia – www.bushheritage.org.au Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water – www.environment.nsw.gov.au Friends of Grasslands – www.fog.org.au Greening Australia Capital Region – www.greeningaustralia.org.au Molonglo Catchment Group – www.molonglocatchment.com.au Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority – www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au Nature Conservation Trust of NSW – www.naturetrust.org.au Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority – www.southern.cma.nsw.gov.au Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee – www.umlc.org.au Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Coordinating Committee – www.umccc.org.au