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VICTORIAN Spring 2020 Issue 79 & CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT ROADSIDES, RAIL RESERVES AND TRAILS Reflections on a healing walk Newham’s roadside rangers Restoring the High Country Rail Trail Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management SPRING 2020 I ss UE 7 9 Contents 04 Roadside mapping in the Bass Coast The Bass Coast Landcare Network has been working with the local council on mapping and controlling roadside weeds since the early 2000s. 06 Managing roadsides and reserves to protect endangered grasslands A partnership project has achieved some significant milestones in protecting the critically endangered Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain. 09 Governance training increases group capacity Landcare facilitators and committee members across Victoria have been able to participate in governance training organised by Mallee CMA and delivered by 22 webinar. Two yellow box trees on Sandy Creek Road, 12 A community bonds over The Poet’s Walk Maldon. The tree in front is about 545 The Poet’s Walk Working Group has honoured local poet and sculptor John Butler years old. by building a walking track around the township of Swifts Creek. 14 The value of roadside remnant vegetation An overview of the Upper Maribyrnong Catchment Group’s work to protect areas of significant remnant native vegetation along rural roadsides. 20 Nicholson River Landcare Group turns a bare paddock into a walk The Nicholson River Landcare Group has revegetated a bare Crown land paddock, originally part of the old Nicholson Railway Station grounds. 24 Roadside revegetation critical for Hindmarsh biolink The Hindmarsh biolink has joined the Big Desert to the Little Desert with a 2000-kilometre link. Thousands of trees have been planted along 18 roadside sites at community planting days. 23 26 Around the State Find out what’s happening in Landcare across Victoria. Friends of the Great South West Walk cut coastal wattle to be carted to the walk as scrub matting erosion control. © State of Victoria (Department of Environment, Disclaimer Land, Water and Planning) 2020 This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and This work is licensed under a Creative Commons therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use other consequence which may arise from you relying the work under that licence, on the condition that you on any information in this publication. credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not Editorial Committee apply to any images, photographs or branding, including Tracey Koper Victorian Catchment Management Council, the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo Susi Johnson Landcare Victoria Incorporated, Tess Grieves and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and North Central CMA, Angela Snowdon Landcare Australia, Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit Alan Morton Landcare Victoria Incorporated, John http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/au/deed.en Robinson DELWP and Carrie Tiffany Editor. ISSN 1327 5496 (Print) Editorial contributions ISSN 2207 3396 (PDF) 25 Carrie Tiffany Email: [email protected] Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an Cover photograph The Tallangatta Tall Trestle Treadle annual bike alternative format, please telephone the DELWP Lake Bolac Eel Festival Healing Walk participant Abby Customer Service Centre on 136 186, email on the last day of the 2019 walk at Brady Swamp. ride attracts visitors from far and wide. [email protected], or via the National Photograph by Veronica Phillips. Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.landcarevic.org.au/landcare-magazine/ 2 | victorian landcare and catchment management From the Minister While 2020 has presented challenges, the arrival of spring can be refreshing and reinvigorating, bringing with it a sense of renewed optimism for all of us. The Victorian Government continues Another dedicated roadside weed control We received a wealth of articles from our to fund and support vital bushfire group is the aptly named the weedies from Landcare and environmental volunteering recovery efforts for communities and Newham and District Landcare Group. community for this issue. Although the environment. For 15 years they have cut, painted and public health restrictions have put many pulled out roadside weeds to improve activities on hold this year, I can see from This edition of the magazine focuses on landscape connectivity. They also do the insightful stories in this issue that how our Landcare and environmental community education and advocacy. their dedication to improving Victoria’s volunteering groups and networks are Their vision is for locals to become environment is unwavering. managing projects on roadsides, rail biodiversity custodians for rural roadsides. reserves and walking trails across Victoria. The Great Victorian Rail Trail is Australia’s They have shown great tenacity and longest and very popular with tourists. resilience in changing how they function Friends of the Great Victorian Rail Trail and to continue their important work, while Up2Us Landcare Alliance collaborated to keeping everyone safe and following revegetate part of the trail near Mansfield. public health measures. They’ve created an important corridor that Bass Coast Landcare Network share links habitat for our precious native plants The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio and wildlife. their weed management successes Minister for Energy, Environment and along rural roads in the hills and coastal A survey of mature, remnant eucalypts in Climate Change flats of southern Gippsland. In partnership the Victorian Goldfields has estimated that with Bass Coast Shire Council, they the trees – many of them on roadsides – Minister for Solar Homes identified and mapped roadside weeds could be between 170 and 545 years in 2014 and again in 2019. This targeted old. The Maldon Urban Landcare Group, approach to weed control has worked which conducted the survey, is working very well. to ensure the trees are protected. Although public health restrictions have put many activities on hold this year, I can see from the insightful stories in this issue that their dedication to improving Victoria’s environment is unwavering. Spring 2020 issue 79 | 3 The mapping project meant we could maximise the effectiveness of the weed control program to the point that all large mature infestations have been controlled. A Bass Coast Landcare Network works crew supervisor setting up for roadside weed spraying. Roadside maps the key to weed control in the Bass Coast By Anna Brayley In southern Gippsland a relatively small According to Robbie Gray, Ecosystem network of rural roads (around 530 Services Manager at BCLN, the maps kilometres) wind through the hills and allowed for a more strategic and targeted coastal flats of Bass Coast Shire. Known for approach to weed control. its beaches, penguins, and fertile farming “The mapping project meant we could landscape, the shire has only 14 per cent maximise the effectiveness of the weed control cover of bushland, most of it fragmented. program to the point that all large mature Significant vegetation signs are dotted around Roadside reserves are important for infestations have been controlled,” Robbie said. maintaining bushland cover and quality the Bass Coast Shire’s road network. in the area, and there are designated The mapping was repeated by BCLN again roadsides with significant vegetation. in 2019, with several other weeds such as ivy species, woody weeds, and creepers The Bass Coast Landcare Network (BCLN) such as blue periwinkle, wandering trad, ideas for reducing weed spread, avoiding has been working in partnership with and bluebell creeper included. unnecessary removal of vegetation, the Bass Coast Shire Council (BCSC) on encouraging regeneration, and keeping their The BCSC Rural Engagement Group – roadside weed control since the early 2000s. slashing regime to a minimum requirement. BCLN began by engaging landholders to an advisory body that provides a forum undertake weed control through a chemical for discussion between the agricultural Diana Whittington believes the program is handout scheme and managing contractors sector and Council, successfully lobbied getting stronger and more effective as time to target the worst of the weeds. for an increase in the BCSC budget for goes on. the program. According to Robbie Gray, “We have seen a considerable decrease The program now sees all BCSC roadside the funding increase means the annual in weed infestations since BCLN began weed funding, including DELWP roadside program can now be expanded. weed funding, directed to contractors managing the roadside weed control including the BCLN. In 2014 Diana “We can include a sweep targeting creepers program. For example, a 39 per cent Whittington, Coordinator Land and and climbers, as well as systematically chipping decrease in blackberries on roadsides over Catchment at BCSC, commissioned BCLN away at woody weeds,” Robbie said. six years. We are really looking forward to seeing the impact that will be made over to comprehensively map six Weeds of BCLN has also worked on an initiative the next few years,” Diana said. National Significance throughout the shire’s developed by Diana Whittington where rural road network. Blackberry, English BCSC roadside maintenance crews are Anna Brayley is Communications and broom, watsonia, gorse, bridal creeper, and trained to identify and manage native and Administration Assistant at BCLN. For Spanish heath were identified and mapped exotic vegetation on roadsides. At the end more information email anna.brayley@ as being at high, medium or low density. of the training the BCSC staff workshopped basscoastlandcare.org.au 4 | victorian landcare and catchment management The Friends group plans its work on the trail based on accessibility to the area, previous work performed, and the opportunity to further develop the trail.