PENTLAND HILLS LANDCARE GROUP INC Includes the areas of , & Greendale

July 2011

ur Community Plan ng Please make sure you bring In this issue: ODay on Friday, 5 August appropriate clothing, boots marks a signifi cant milestone and hats, and your own water Our Community Plan ng Day in the Myrniong and Korkuper- bo les. approaches 1 rimul Biolink Project, and we’re hoping you’ll be there to help See you there – rain or shine! The Myrniong and us achieve it. Korkuperrimul Biolink Project nother important event update 2 We are plan ng around 5000 Ain our calendar is the indigenous seedlings that have Myrniong and District Land- The Muir family celebrates the been specially propagated for holder Expo, which is being held plan ng of their fi rst tree as the Biolink Project by the Bac- on Saturday, 8 October at the part of the Biolink project 3 chus Marsh Seedling Farm and Myrniong Mechanics’ Ins tute, Ballarat Wild Plants. from 10am-3pm. An amazing transforma on along the Werribee River 4 Carrying out this revegeta on This year, the Expo is focusing work is crucial in crea ng a on managing smaller landhold- biolink between the Werribee ings. Subjects and exhibits in- Gorge State Park and the Lerd- clude bushfi re preven on, weed erderg State Park. iden fi ca on, pest control, and sustainability. We are mee ng at 9.30am at David McGlashan’s property There will be plenty of en- Cairn Bank, in Lidge ’s Lane, tertainment for the kids with Myrniong. We will then move na ve animals from the Wild Pentland Hills nearby to the Muirs’ property, Ac on Zoo and creepy crawlies Landcare Group Inc. Oaklands, at Long Point Road from Minibeasts on display. ABN 72 862 145 227 (also in Myrniong). PO Box 762, Entry (which includes a BBQ ,3340. There will be a free BBQ lunch lunch) is free. Don’t miss it! for all par cipants, and a talk by a Water ecolo- nd last but not least, our gist about the amazing life that AGM is being held on Tues- Produc on of this newsle er A exists in and around the two day, 9 August at 7.30pm at the is funded through Melbourne creeks. Uni ng Church Hall, Myrniong. Water’s River Health Incen ves Program. Tools and a tool trailer will be This is your chance to catch provided, but addi onal plant- up on all the PHLG news and ing equipment will be appreci- even volunteer for a commi e e ated. posi on.

1 Pentland Hills Landcare Inc Meeting milestones, Setting targets

u ng our hands up to the Project, and has been Fencing, below) are also playing Ptake a leading role in a instrumental in carrying out the an important role. Over the major environmental project on-ground works the Project is past eighteen months, they was pre y daun ng, but seeking to achieve. have constructed almost the Pentland Hills Landcare Fi een landholders have already 13 kilometres of fencing to Implementa on Commi ee signed up to Project, which aims exclude stock from the upper (PHLIC) has proven that we are to improve and restore riparian Myrniong Creek and the more than capable of doing the habitat along 10 kilometres of middle Korkuperrimul Creek. job! Myrniong and Korkuperrimul Similar work will be carried out Over the past eighteen months, Creek frontage. The Bacchus along the middle and lower PHLIC has met all Project Marsh Seedling Farm has come Myrniong Creek and the lower milestones both on me and on board, and is propaga ng Korkuperrimul Creek over the within budget, and is well on indigenous trees, shrubs and next year. track to complete its 2011-12 grasses to revegetate the You too can help, by joining us targets. frontages. at our Community Plan ng Day PHLIC chair, Anthony Du y, Local fencing contractors on 5 August (details on page credits much of the success (including Hayden, from AJM one). of the Project to the balance of skills possessed by each commi ee member, and the support of the local community. The help and assistance provided by our Project partners – specifi cally Melbourne Water vegeta on consultant, Lloyd Stanway, the Grow West team, and Max Coster from Vision for Werribee Plains – have also been invaluable. Anthony says that managing the three year Project – which had a $600,000 budget last fi nancial year, and a $800,000 budget this year – has required a clear business focus, and a commitment to ‘making things happen’. Fortunately, says Anthony, the community – including landholders, contractors and schools – has embraced 2 Pentland Hills Landcare Inc The Muir Family - Counting down the days! HLIC Extension Offi cer, PEmma Muir, is looking for- ward to our Community Plant- ing Day for several reasons – not the least of which is that one of the plan ng sites (Oaklands) belongs to her family!

“We’ve fi nished the fencing, re- moved the box thorn and ripped the tree lines,” she says excit- edly. “We’re all ready to go!”

Emma and her husband Peter (who sharefarms Oaklands with his family) have always wanted to protect their stretch of Ko- rkuperrimul Creek, two of its tributaries and some remnant vegeta on from stock.

“We could see that the area around the creek was declining, and needed to be protected,” she says, adding that stock man- agement along the unfenced creek was extremely diffi cult. “The Biolink Project was the perfect opportunity to get help to get things underway.”

Emma and Peter have fenced off almost 200 metres of creek frontage, and two hectares of land, and have around 2,500 seedlings to plant!

“Obviously we can’t wait for the Community Plan ng Day, but it’s not just about the plan ng,” says Emma. “It’s such a great Top: Annabel Muir, Ron Thompson and George Muir celebrate a project to be involved in, and momentous occasion - the plan ng of their fi rst Biolink seedling, on to know that the whole com- 4 July 2011. munity is so interested in what we are doing. Their energy and Above: Peter Muir and Kyle Spurr admire some of the fencing work posi vity is really inspira onal.” that Kyle has carried out at Oaklands as part of the Biolink Project. 3 Pentland Hills Landcare Inc A remarkable achievement along the werribee river

on’t men on serrated tus- Rather than be deterred by its work “is just about done, apart Dsock to Ken Stanley – he low carrying capacity, Ken and from a fi ll-ins”. reckons he’s seen enough of the Pam began plan ng trees. Over weed to last a life me! the past ten years, they have A downside of the plan ng is planted around 9000 na ve that it provides good habitat for “When we came here, the ser- plants, including 2000 sugar foxes and rabbits. On the plus rated tussock covered the en re gums and a variety of under- side, though, there has been property,” he recalls. “We had it story species. a no ceable increase in the helicopter sprayed, and then we amount of wildlife on the prop- looked at the place and thought With Melbourne Water’s as- erty, par cularly birds. what do we do now?’” sistance, they have also fenced off , revegetated and carried out The most immediate benefi t, Ken and his wife Pam ap- weed and pest control along however, has been weed con- proached a couple of local most of their Werribee River trol. farmers who told them that the frontage. 120 acre property – which backs “The trees shade out the weeds, onto the Werribee River - would “It’s almost a pleasure to drive which has made it much more barely feed eight cows. down there to look at it,” says enjoyable for me!” Ken, who thinks their plan ng

4 Pentland Hills Landcare Inc