reFire Recoverygrow... a natural progression h

A newsletter by Parks and the Department of Sustainability and Environment on public land fire recovery

JUNE 2010

Over 287,000 hectares of Victoria’s public land was burnt Inside this issue: in the February 2009 bushfires, including almost 100,000 • $4.8m win for wildlife hectares of national and state parks and reserves managed • Big funding for a small town by Parks Victoria and nearly 170,000 hectares of state forests • Hello possums and reserves managed by the Department of Sustainability • Healthy habitat, happy home and Environment (DSE). The most severely affected parks • Honouring our history were , Wilsons Promontory National ... plus an update on fire-affected parks and reserves Park, Bunyip State Park, Cathedral Range State Park and Yarra Ranges National Park. The fires devastated the Ash Some of Victoria’s most endangered species including the Forests through the Central Highlands. Leadbeater’s Possum, Barred Galaxias (fish) andPowerful Owl were threatened before the fires and we need to ensure the long term impact of the fires doesn’t inhibit their recovery. Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and DSE and Parks Victoria staff, volunteers and local contractors will Environment (DSE) have been working closely with the Victorian undertake habitat restoration, weed and pest control works to Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA) to assist the recovery of threatened species. Funded by the Victorian rebuild and reopen areas, and protect our natural and cultural values. and Commonwealth Governments ‘Rebuilding Together’ Statewide Bushfire Recovery Plan, a full list of projects can be This newsletter provides an update on recent fire recovery works, viewed at www.dse.vic.gov.au/naturalvaluesrecovery if you missed the special twelve months report edition issued in April 2010, then you may access it here www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/fire Big funding for a small town As part of the “Rebuilding Together” plan, $600,000 has been Funding Fire Recovery allocated to fire recovery rebuilding initiatives at Kinglake National Park, Yarra Ranges National Park and Cathedral Range State Park. $4.8m win for wildlife The projects were recently announced by Jacinta Allan, Minister Wildlife is a winner under the $4.8 million Natural Values program for Regional and Rural Development and the funding will be used announced by Gavin Jennings, Minister for Environment and to restore park facilities. Climate Change. Recycled steel to assist bushfire recovery Twenty-five projects across areas affected by the bushfires will The fires of Black Saturday resulted in a four month clean up of receive funding to assist native species recover from the 2009 around 3,000 properties with 11,650 tonnes of steel reclaimed bushfires. for recycling. Funds raised from recycling the steel are now available to Landcare and other community environmental groups to rehabilitate the environment. Known as the Recycling for Recovery Program, the $1.584 million raised will support volunteers in rebuilding efforts to help communities move forward – environmentally and socially. Grants will be available for projects such as preventing pest animal and weed species becoming established on public and adjoining private land or replanting vegetation to prevent erosion. More information is available by calling the Regional Landcare Coordinator in your local Catchment Management Authority, or Landcare and Community Engagement Policy Officer Allison Long Minister Gavin Jennings announces $4.8M at [email protected] Natural Values Fire Recovery Program Hello Possums Healthy Habitat, Happy Home Just two days before Lake Mountain’s first snowfall of the season, A significant fire recovery initiative is underway revegetating Parks Victoria’s Fire Recovery Project Officer-Jo Antrobus, hosted eighty hectares of former farmland into a healthy habitat for Channel Seven’s television crew from The Zoo program to showcase native fauna. Known as the Watsons Creek Biolink Project, 355 the Leadbeater’s Possum fire recovery efforts and supplementary individuals, volunteer groups and international students from the feeding program for an upcoming episode. The Zoo is the fourth University of , have joined with Parks Victoria and DSE top rating program on Australian television attracting between staff to lure native inhabitants back into Kinglake National Park. 1.5 and 2 million viewers weekly. So far, over 127 volunteer hours has gone into the project with lots more to come. Greenfleet has also joined in as a major partner providing equipment and ample supplies of plants, grasses, shrubs and trees.

Since the February 2009 fires, Kinglake National Park has witnessed a vast reduction in its mammal numbers, particularly the Brush Tailed Phascogale and Common Dunnart. The Watsons Creek site connects the unburnt Warrandyte-Kinglake Nature Conservation Reserve with the adjoining Kinglake National Park.

The planting of hundreds of seedlings at Watsons Creek will create a biological link between the park and the unburnt Warrandyte-Kinglake Nature Conservation Reserve. This will enhance the connection with known populations of the Brush Tailed Phascogale and Common Dunnart in the unburnt forest and provide a corridor of continuous vegetation to allow these animals to re-inhabit Kinglake National Park and facilitate their recovery. Leadbeater’s Possum (photo copyright D Harley)

With the help of Healesville Sanctuary and Parks Victoria staff - Darren Barnes and Steve Robertson, we were able to convey the post fire plight of this tiny endangered marsupial on camera which will be seen by a huge audience. An on-air date for the segment has not yet been finalised.

The story also featured the HELP (Helping Endangered Leadbeater’s Possums) team - Elly, Ellie, Mollie and Luke - who have been tirelessly campaigning and fundraising for the Leadbeater’s Possum for the last twelve months and are about to take their project to the International Problem Solving finals in the United States.

If you would like to know more about the Leadbeater’s Possum and Volunteers working at Watsons Creek BioLink Project supplementary feeding program, please refer to the April issue of Regrowth available here www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/fire Location and access This site can be easily found just off Marshalls Road about 10.3 kilometres from the township of St Andrews and 61 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne. The site is slightly sloped and just a short walk from the car park. Volunteer registration Registrations are still open for individuals and groups to participate in planting the seedlings, the project is expected to be completed on Sunday 20 June 2010. Children under the age of sixteen are required to be supervised by a parent or guardian.

If you would like to be involved in this project contact: Tara Sanders 03 5772 0290, Mobile 0437 705 432, email [email protected]

Channel Seven’s TheZoo program filming at Yarra Ranges National Park Honouring our History Keppel’s Hut is closed annually after the Queen’s Birthday weekend and reopens prior to the Melbourne Cup weekend. Heritage consultants have commenced fieldwork at Masons Falls Picnic Ground within Kinglake National Park, for the development of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan. The works are being carried out in consultation with the Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council.

Final consultation is underway for the completion of a Post-Fire Indigenous Cultural Heritage Survey Report at Wilsons Promontory National Park. This project has had some exciting results, and will provide Parks Victoria with a greater understanding of the Indigenous history of the Prom. Anderson’s Mill horse yards rebuilding begins Work has commenced to rebuild the Anderson’s Mill horse yards Keppel’s Hut near Marysville after they were destroyed on Black Saturday. Members of the Alexandra and District Horseman’s Association and Bunyip State Park DSE began working on the new yards on the ANZAC long weekend. The fire started before Black Saturday on 4 February 2009. This is not the first time the horse yards have been rebuilt. The A total of 7,640 hectares (46 per cent) of the park was burnt over 1939 bushfires burnt Anderson’s Mill to the ground, and wire yards the next four weeks before the fire was contained. were constructed at the site, then in the early 1990s the wire yards Lawson Falls Picnic Ground and Lawson Falls Walking Track were replaced with natural local timber horse yards in a project also are the only areas which remain closed in Bunyip State Park. undertaken by volunteers. A Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the picnic ground The horse yards are part of a wider DSE project to rebuild visitor and design drawings for the boardwalk are complete. facilities at Anderson’s Mill which includes the construction of a new toilet block, improvements to campsites and visitor information signs. Victoria’s bird emblem on the road to recovery Recently 22 captive-bred Helmeted Honeyeaters were released into Bunyip State Park, in what researchers hope will be a significant boost for Victoria’s bird emblem.

The young birds, bred at Healesville Sanctuary, are being supported in the wild by DSE, Parks Victoria and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and Friends of Bunyip State Park. Staff and volunteers will keep a close watch on the birds, including undertaking nest protection works during the breeding season.

There are only about eighty Helmeted Honeyeaters left in the wild at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve, south of Healesville and at Bunyip State Park. The Bunyip Ridge fire came within 350 metres Anderson’s Mill Horseyards of the population at Bunyip State Park in February 2009.

The aim of establishing a new population is to reduce the risk of the Keppel’s Hut rises from the ashes critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater being wiped out by a The historic Keppel’s Hut, which was destroyed in the Black single event such as wildfire or disease. Saturday bushfires, is back. Located in the Marysville State Forest, Keppel’s Hut is a 27 kilometre drive from the heart of Marysville via Mt Margaret Road and is a popular attraction for recreational enthusiasts including horse and bike riders. It was one of a number of huts the Keppel family constructed in the Marysville area from the late 1880s. Originally the huts were built as camps for drovers moving cattle and sheep from Marysville to Lake Mountain and its surrounds during the warmer months. Cattle grazing ceased in the 1960s and the hut burnt down in the winter of 1983 before it was rebuilt by the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands with the assistance of the local community.

Toilet and BBQ facilities will be installed later in the year. The Helmeted Honeyeater

Visitors should use a 4WD vehicle to get to Keppel’s Hut and check with Marysville Information Centre for the latest information before setting off. Note that seasonal road closures apply and the road to Kinglake National Park A staffed display will also be held at the Kinglake Farmers Market on Sunday 27 June 2010. Over 22,110 hectares (96 per cent) of the park was burnt in the Kilmore- Murrindindi fire. A summary of the draft Master Plan and the full plan can be found at www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/3Kinglake. The site also lists Lots of progress has been made towards replacing lost assets in the opportunities to have your say on the plan. the park. Toilets have been replaced at Island Creek day visitor area and The Gums camping area.

For a run-down of works completed over the last twelve months please refer to the April issue of Regrowth. Click on link to access www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/fire

Visitors inspect the draft Master Plan

Call for feedback on environmental projects The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund recently approved in-principle funding of $250,000 to the People & Parks Foundation’s Green Con- nections project to assist in environmental recovery projects within New toilet erected at The Gums Campground Kinglake. People & Parks are seeking feedback on projects already in Kinglake National Park identified by the Kinglake community: Frank Thompson Reserve, Link between Number 1 Creek and Bollygum Park and Wallaby Springs Master Plan for the park Reserve. Feedback is required by 10 June 2010. Contact Rachel Laurie Nature has its own mysterious way of healing itself and the on 9695 9013 or email [email protected] regeneration taking place at Kinglake National Park is a testament Kinglake attracts international visitors to this. Although the flora and fauna are progressing very well naturally, there is a need to plan a new future for the visitor facilities International delegates from the Healthy Parks Healthy People in the park, especially with changing leisure trends and the Congress attended a tour of Kinglake National Park. Participants expansion of urban development towards the Kinglake Ranges. were appreciative of the experience of seeing, feeling and hearing the stories from Black Saturday and its impact on the environment Located just over an hour’s drive from the heart of Melbourne, and the people of Kinglake. Kinglake offers city dwellers their easiest option to visit a national park and experience the Australian bush. Following extensive site analysis and community consultation over the past five months, a draft master plan has been developed. The plan recognises the need for easier access between the four separate park blocks and to make better connections with nearby town communities.

Local residents and visitors are invited to have their say on the various actions proposed in the draft Master Plan including: • a new lookout structure at Mt Sugarloaf • a new downhill mountain bike track under the powerlines at Bowden Spur • better linking tracks between the townships and the Delegates tour Kinglake national park • a new layout for the picnic area at Masons Falls Kinglake National Park flora is recovering from the fires well with • more accessible walking tracks at key locations including prolific growth and regeneration observed after some seasonal rains Jehosaphat Gully in February and March 2010. Tom Chambers – Ranger at Kinglake, • a new camping area to complement “The Gums” camping area has collected photos every month from a range of photo points within different vegetation classes throughout the park. These Have your say photos depict the response of the vegetation since the February The draft Master Plan is now ready for community comment and 2009 fires, and can be viewed through the link provided. This site will be on display at various venues including the Kinglake Library is still a work in progress with the final product to become live from 7 June to 16 July 2010. shortly. This site will continue to be updated in the future with additional photos of regrowth. On Thursday 17 June from 3pm to 8pm, Parks Victoria staff will attend the Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House (6 McMahons The link to the gallery is: Road, Kinglake) to answer questions, explain in greater detail and www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/kinglake_regen/kinglake_regen.html receive comments on the plan. Park the accessibility and to ensure the park continues to cater to visitors needs. All of the park’s twelve hectares (100 per cent) was burnt in the Kilmore-Murrindindi fire has already begun the first phase of restructuring the clear water channel and spillway in May 2010. The rebuilding of Nestled at the base of Mount Disappointment just north of the reservoir wall has commenced and the implementation of the Whittlesea on Melbourne’s north-east fringe, Toorourrong has master plan will follow. The park is expected to re-open in mid 2011. been a favourite picnic spot for generations of Melburnians. All of Toorourrong’s visitor facilities were destroyed in the 2009 fires. Have your say Today the park remains closed while Melbourne Water undertakes a major addition to the reservoir wall which will significantly alter If you would like to be involved or be kept informed of the progress the park’s landscape and appearance. The rebuilding is expected of the Master Plan, please contact Andrew Shannon at Parks Victoria to take eighteen months to complete and this presents an ideal [email protected] or call 13 19 63. opportunity for a Master Plan to guide the complete renewal of Further information can be found at www.parkweb.vic.gov.au the park’s facilities. follow the links to Toorourrong Reservoir Park. The park remains a vital part of Melbourne’s water supply as its reservoir allows silt to settle before the water from the Wallaby Creek Yarra Ranges National Park Catchment is diverted into an aqueduct that flows to the nearby . The reservoir is managed by Melbourne Water, Over 29,412 hectares (38 per cent) of the park was burnt in the while the surrounding park is managed by Parks Victoria. Kilmore-Murrindindi fire.. An Action Plan has been developed for the redevelopment of Master Plan for Toorourrong visitor facilities in the Yarra Ranges National Park. The plan details In order to bring new life to the park, the Master Plan is being how the additional funding received from the Commonwealth Jobs developed to layout the visitor facilities in the new landscape Fund will be spent and focuses on better signage, information, park created by Melbourne Water’s works. Both agencies are working branding and improvements to visitor facilities at Camberville and together to plan the rebuild of the park to enhance its recreational Lady Talbot Drive. prospects, including reconstructing the ornamental pond, The Beeches visitor site along Lady Talbot Drive is the only re-establishing picnic areas to accommodate large groups and remaining site in the Marysville area yet to reopen. Contractors restoring access for visitors with limited mobility. A vital part of this and park staff are working together to complete the reopening is consulting with the community groups and individuals who have program. an interest in the park to explore opportunities to further improve

Toorourrong Reservoir Park Mount Stanley Scenic Reserve Over 2,617 hectares (95 per cent) of the park was burnt in the Beechworth fire. The Beechworth fire burnt over 30,000 hectares of land including 18,000 hectares of public land, the most impacted area was the Mt Stanley Scenic Reserve. Although the scale of the fire was a lot smaller than others around the state, the recovery program for the parks and reserves has been outstanding thanks primarily to the dedication of Parks Victoria staff at the Beechworth office. Situated close to Beechworth, almost all of the reserve has re-opened including the summit area. Mt Stanley Scenic reserve is a popular tourist destination which offers excellent views of the Alpine area and Ovens Valley, the reserve is also popular MT Stanley after the fire |with mountain and trail bike riders. Major recovery works since the fires have focussed on the repair of roads and culverts. Due to the granitic profile of the soil in the area, and the removal of ground cover vegetation by the fire, there was a significant increase in the amount and the velocity of runoff in the catchments. The increased runoff and sediment caused many failures to culverts and roads. Working with consultants, contractors and the North East Catchment Management Authority over fifteen major culverts have been replaced in the park. Access to the Mt Stanley Summit, which includes state emergency network infrastructure and a DSE manned fire lookout tower, was also repaired in time for the 2009-10 fire season. Natural values recovery of the area has focussed on weed control and this will continue for a number of years to come, in particular MT Stanley recovery control of blackberries which from past experience, has shown that fire affected areas have needed the majority of treatment for up to three years post fire to combat noxious weeds. The fire recovery program on Victoria’s land is a partnership between the State and Commonwealth Governments. Recovery is co-ordinated by the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBBRA). The program is being delivered by Parks Victoria (parks and reserves) and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (state forests and other public land). The work is funded by the Victorian and Commonwealth government’s ‘Rebuilding Together’ – Statewide Bushfire Recovery plan. Additional funding has been provided by the Commonwealth Government’s Caring for our Country program through individual Catchment Management Authorities.

MT Stanley major culvert works

For information regarding national and state parks contact: Parks Victoria Telephone 13 1963 www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

For information regarding fire management on public land, regrow h catchments and water management, biodiversity, state forests and crown land reserves contact: If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter go to www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/fire Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) General disclaimer: This document may be of assistance to you, but Parks Victoria and DSE and their Telephone 136 186 www.dse.vic.gov.au employees do not guarantee that the information it contains is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss This newsletter is published on or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this document. www.parkweb.vic.gov.au and www.dse.vic.gov.au

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