Edition 6 – March 2010 This special 12-month edition of Regrowth outlines some of the recovery works being undertaken by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks and Catchment Management Authorities following the 2009 bushfires. The projects are funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments as part of the “Rebuilding Together” – statewide plan for reconstruction and recovery.

In November, a DSE ecologist undertook further habitat Threatened species progress assessment work that involved exhaustive searches across A year after the bushfires in February 2009, let’s check up the plateau looking for small pockets of unburnt habitat on how efforts are going to protect Victoria’s threatened where additional possums might have survived. As a result, species who were put at further risk from the fires. more nest boxes have been installed targeting small pockets of unburnt habitat that may provide refuge for An update on saving Victoria’s further survivors. The next check-up will be in Autumn faunal emblem – stay tuned! The handful of surviving Leadbeater’s Possums at Added benefits of post-fire surveying Lake Mountain appear to have appreciated their new nest boxes and home-delivered dinners. After severe bushfires like the Black Saturday fires, survey work is often done to determine how the fires have The Black Saturday fires damaged or destroyed many impacted fauna and flora, particularly threatened species. natural hollows and most of the previously-installed nest boxes at Lake Mountain. Added to that, food became In November 2009, a frog survey in the area around scarce because extremely little canopy and understorey Lake Mountain uncovered the Alpine Tree Frog at Mount vegetation remained after the fires. Bullfight Nature Conservation Reserve. This threatened frog has not been detected at Lake Mountain for 15-20 The trial supplementary feeding program – a massive years, so the discovery at Mount Bullfight is significant, undertaking conducted twice per week during winter particularly as a reasonable number were found. and spring by Parks Victoria (PV), Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum, Healesville Sanctuary and the Lake Mountain Resort – was a huge success. The surviving possums frequented the carefully rationed feeding stations on a nightly basis, with up to 16 separate visits (by one or more animals) per night. Each feeding session would generally last less than one minute, indicating that the possums were not entirely reliant on this food source, but that it was acting as a supplement. Overall, the results have been great; the possums had a reliable supplementary food source and PV and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) scientists have gained valuable knowledge about the possum’s willingness to readily accept an external food source. Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum made an outstanding Alpine Tree Frog contribution by maintaining the twice weekly feeding Photo Credit: Nick Clemann, DSE roster from June to November. Each feeding event involved a 9 km hike, walk or ski in alpine (and often blizzard) conditions.

1 There are very few areas left in Victoria where this frog “It’s an important discovery,” said David. “We’re all persists as it is vulnerable to the Amphibian Chytrid cautiously optimistic for the future of these plants given Fungus disease. Analysis is underway to determine if the their vulnerability to drought, fire, and the disturbance fungus is in the Mount Bullfight area, and precautionary or browsing by native and introduced animals.” protocols are in place to prevent its spread. The area has been fenced off to protect the plants from One of the few other areas where the frog is known to deer browsing, wallows and rubbing. Parks Victoria and persist is on the Dargo High Plains. Some of this area DSE will continue to proactively manage both known was burnt in the 2003 fires and again in 2006/07. populations of the species. This project is supported by A survey conducted in late 2009 has revealed that there Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management are still good numbers of the Alpine Tree Frog on the Authority with funding from the Australian Government’s Dargo High Plains. Caring for our Country Bushfire Recovery Program. The challenge now is for scientists to better understand Neville Walsh said the discovery of a second population the disease and how it seems to affect some populations takes some pressure off the only other known population. more than others. The other great hope for the ‘Shiny Nem’ are the cultivated seedlings that were planted in 30 plots at five Shining on different, new locations in the Upper Yarra catchment in One of Victoria’s rarest shrubs, the Shiny Nematolepis, May 2009 as part of the Recovery Plan for the species. has made a promising recovery with thousands of All plots were checked in February 2010. More than seedlings appearing nearly a year after the 2009 bushfires 80 percent of the plants have survived to date and are burnt the only place that it was known to occur. doing well. The average height is half a metre with the tallest plant recorded at almost 1.5 metres. The plots In January 2010, staff from the Department of will be checked again in May – one year after planting. Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Parks Victoria and the Royal Botanic Gardens returned to the site in the Rescued fish return to waterways O’Shannassy catchment where the world’s entire known wild population of Shiny Nematolepis had lived before Bushfires don’t only affect land and vegetation, they also the fires. To their delight and relief they found thousands take a toll on waterways and their inhabitants. After of seedlings. bushfires, ash and soil can wash into creeks and rivers during heavy rain and the decline in water quality can After the fires, debris was removed from site and it was have a big impact on native fish. fenced to exclude browsing animals, particularly introduced deer, in the hope that the plant would re-germinate, but Soon after the February 2009 bushfires, scientists from scientists weren’t sure how it would respond. DSE’s Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) rescued one threatened and one endangered fish “Now we know that the Shiny Nematolepis seeds species from waterways and took them to safety. are able to withstand bushfires and, given the right conditions, the seedlings will germinate and re-establish themselves in the ash,” explained Alan Webster, DSE’s Land Use Planning Project Leader. Then in February, Jo Antrobus from Parks Victoria discovered a second location for the species whilst undertaking habitat assessment work for the Broad-toothed Rat. She noticed a pocket of seedlings that looked strikingly similar to the Shiny Nematolepis seedlings she had observed just weeks previously at the only other known location in the world. Scientists, David Cameron from DSE and Neville Walsh from the Royal Botanic Gardens subsequently confirmed seven mature Shiny Nematolepis trees were present with more than a thousand post-fire seedlings.

King Parrot Creek after the 2009 February bushfires Photo Credit: Fern Hames

2 Releasing Macquarie Perch back into the King Parrot Creek. Photo Credit: Joanne Kerns, DSE

The King Parrot Creek contains an important remnant Also in December, scientists returned 70 Barred Galaxias population of Macquarie Perch. The 2009 bushfires burnt into a small creek near Toolangi The recovery actions for in excess of half of this catchment. During March 2009, the Barred Galaxias have been particularly vital because fish surveys of Hughes Creek were conducted to assess this species is one of ’s most endangered the status of Macquarie Perch within this creek. Fish were freshwater fish species, occurring in only 12 small displaying clear signs of stress in the lower reaches of populations throughout Victoria. Ninety per cent of its Hughes Creek, probably as a result of low flow conditions. known habitat has been affected by either the 2006 or the 2009 bushfires. A joint rescue project between the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Department of These fish were moved to aquariums at the Arthur Primary Industries (DPI) Snobs Creek, Murray-Darling Basin Rylah Institute (ARI) in Heidelberg until the creek and Authority (MDBA) and the Goulburn-Broken Catchment its associated vegetation recovered from the bushfires. Management Authority (GBCMA) was conducted during There is still another 200 Barred Galaxias at ARI that will February and March 2009, to relocate 35 Macquarie be returned to small mountain creeks near Marysville, Perch from the King Parrot Creek and 32 from the Hughes Kinglake and Lake Mountain once scientists are confident Creek. These fish were temporarily transferred to secure that vegetation, water quality and food supply have aquaculture facilities at Snobs Creek (DPI). recovered sufficiently to support the fish. Water quality of both creeks were monitored in the subsequent months by staff from the GBCMA, and once the water quality had improved the fish were returned to these waterways in July and December.

3 Marysville DSE office and Standing tall: the new depot back in business Mt Gordon Fire Tower Few buildings in Marysville survived the firestorm that Situated just a few kilometres outside Marysville, the old hit town on February 7th 2009 so DSE staff were Mt Gordon Fire Tower had long played a central role in particularly surprised to discover that their own office DSE efforts to identify the location, size and direction was among them. of any fires in the surrounding region. The tower was destroyed in the February 2009 fires, but the rebuild “Five or six fires took hold in different parts of building on process is now completed. the day and staff managed to get them under control but they were then forced to leave for their own safety and By mid February 2010, the tower had been reconstructed let the building take its chances,” said Ian Williamson, and the cabin bolted into place at the top of the structure. Site Services Manager. Electrical and communications equipment to make the tower fully operational have now been installed. DSE have had a presence in Marysville since 1953, in its former guise as the Forests Commission. The current office Emergency services and Optus telecommunications was opened in 2003. equipment that was attached to the tower also perished in the fire. A temporary tower was installed after the fire The office suffered extensive damage, with many of the to host the replacement telecommunications equipment interior walls blackened by smoke and the lunchroom that will now be transferred to the new tower in the almost destroyed. After the fires, Marysville DSE staff coming weeks. were relocated to Alexandra while the office was restored to its original specifications - right down to the colour The new tower is one of a network of 70 across the state. of the paint. Staff were delighted to be able to return to It complies with all current Australian standards and the familiar surrounds of the restored Marysville office in has been specifically engineered to decrease the risk of August 2009. lightning strikes. The Mt Gordon Tower was the only tower to be destroyed during last year’s fires, and its The DSE depot did not fare so well in the fires though, replacement will set the standard for any new fire towers with all of the stainless sheds being destroyed, together to be constructed in Victoria. with many of the surrounding landscape features and external retaining walls. The rebuild presented the perfect opportunity to reconfigure the works depot, with six of the old smaller sheds being replaced by two larger and more efficient versions. The old fuel and oil store has also been replaced with a series of fuel, oil and chemical pods that meet OH&S requirements and will also be more efficient. These have been constructed and are now in use. It is expected that the program of works will be complete by the end of February 2010.

Part of the burnt ruins at DSE’s Marysville depot Mounting the new lookout at the Mt Gordon Fire Tower. 4 Work shed excavation site at the Stone tool artefact found during Post-fire Indigenous surveying along former Mount Hunter Tin Mine Indigenous surveying at Wilsons Prom Tongue Point Track at Wilsons Prom.

new tourist townships were needed on the Promontory. Fires unearth Prom history Accordingly, on 5th July 1889, there was a proclamation Bushfires can have an upside – allowing us to see what’s for the establishment of two settlements - Yanakie and been hidden underneath vegetation and undergrowth. Seaforth, situated near Freshwater Cove south of Mount Sometimes, a rich cultural heritage is revealed, increasing Singapore. our knowledge and fostering community involvement in In June 1892, the Seaforth residential sites were put up for the protection and management of cultural sites. auction and 15 of them were actually sold. But none of On Sunday 8th February, lightning started a fire north of the investors ended up using the properties, so in 1910 the The Cathedral, on the east coast of Wilsons Promontory. Government acquired the land and in 1928 finally rescinded Over the next five weeks, more than 25,000 hectares were the township of Seaforth. burnt – roughly half the National Park. What was discovered Little now remains to show that Seaforth ever existed was astoundingly rich. except the name of the rise above Chinaman’s Beach where Wilsons Promontory National Park has a very early history George Smith’s hotel once stood: “Pub Hump”. Smith had of Aboriginal occupation with archaeological records dating hoped to purchase the freehold block on which he had built back at least 6500 years. Evidence of past occupation his pub but was apparently outbid so moved the building remains visible in the many shell ‘middens’ and flaked stone to Port Welshpool where one of his daughters ran it as a artefacts that can be found along the entire coastline of store. Although significantly modified, the historic building the promontory. The area still holds spiritual significance still exists and for years was used as the Port Welshpool post for several Aboriginal groups, including the Boon Wurrung, office and residence of the postmistress. Bunurong and Gunai-Kurnai people, who continue to After the fires, the archaeologists found some remarkable identify the promontory as their Traditional Country today. evidence associated with the Seaforth Inn at its original site. As part of the large-scale fire recovery program, Parks Mining was also attempted on the Singapore Peninsula. Victoria engaged archaeological consultants to undertake In 1866, the Chancellor Gold Mine and Quartz Crushing a post-fire assessment of the burned area of Wilsons Prom. Company worked a claim over a 25-acre area, but this Priority areas for survey were identified through consultation proved unsuccessful and operations ceased in 1870. with Traditional Owner groups and an extensive review of However, in that same year tin ore was discovered near the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register. Corner Inlet. After World War I, the increased demand Fieldwork was carried out over three weeks in November for tin resulted in a call for extensive mining to take place 2009. Archaeologists assessed 45 known Aboriginal Places in the area. for fire impact. An additional 37 new sites were recorded One of the most exciting results of the archaeological survey and will be added to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage was discovery of the accommodation site for the Mount Register. Significantly, it was discovered that the central Hunter mine manager and his staff along Tin Mine Creek. areas of the Prom were far more extensively utilised during The small settlement consisted of rough weatherboard pre-Contact times than previously thought. huts, including a blacksmith forge, a store and explosives Eighteen new post-Contact historic sites were also identified magazine. The rediscovery of this site allowed the and three previously registered sites were located and archaeologists to properly place it on a map and record assessed for fire impact. Wilsons Prom its extensive archaeology. Before this, the site was believed has a rich early settlement history that includes sealing to have been located nearly 1.5 km further to the east. and whaling, coastal and geological surveying, prospecting, The results of this 2009 Heritage Assessment Survey timber milling, pastoral runs and and registration of new sites increases Parks Victoria’s fishing and game hunting. knowledge and understanding of the Indigenous and Arguably one of the more interesting episodes took place in early European settlement history of the Prom and will 1887 when the Great Southern Railway linking Dandenong help with the future management of this iconic and 5 to Alberton was constructed and it was decided that two highly significant National Park. And then … along came the bushfires of 2009! Forests are regrowing This meant more recovery lessons that have been It looks like the aerial seeding program of burnt forests learnt were incorporated into the guidebook. has been successful. Forestry staff from the Department The Forest Recovery after Bushfire booklet is now of Sustainability and Environment and VicForests have finalised (formally called the Native Forest Silviculture observed generally good germination and early growth. Guideline No. 17). Close to 4500 hectares of killed regrowth forest were The guidebook will assist DSE to meet its objectives aerially reseeded by helicopter after the fires last year. under the Sustainability Charter for Victoria’s State forests More than 200 separate locations in State forests around and its obligations within the Code of Practice for Fire Marysville, Kinglake, Alexandra, Bunyip and Dargo were Management on Public Land. Printed copies of the sown in this huge program. guidebook have been distributed widely within DSE The unusually hot and dry period in mid-November caused and VicForests. It will also be made available on the a proportion of small seedlings to die, but subsequent DSE internal and external websites. rains and generally milder weather provided suitable growing conditions. Recovery at DSE staff have set up monitoring plots in selected areas to follow the fortunes of the new seedlings, All of the sown Kinglake National Park area will be formally assessed in late 2010. The full force of the hit the Kinglake National Park, with about 98 per cent of the park burnt, including the park office and most visitor facilities. Some animals survived the fire in pockets of unburnt or less intensely burnt areas of bush. Others will at some stage migrate back to the burnt areas from neighbouring unburnt forest. The good news is that the vegetation is recovering and wildlife is returning. A healthy, young male koala was spotted in late January bounding across a road within the park. According to Ranger in Charge of Kinglake National Park, Ion Maher, the koala would have walked many kilometres from the nearest unburnt forest. “It was a welcome surprise to see this animal back in the Mountain Ash regrowth at Bunyip State forest burnt forest this soon after the fire,” he said. Another animal recently seen again in the park is the Guidance for the future Large-footed Myotis – a rare bat species that is small Re-establishing forests following severe fire is a big task for enough to fit in the palm of a person’s hand, but has the the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). most oversized feet you could imagine. Their large feet are Around 2.5 million hectares of Victorian public native perfect for skimming along rivers and plucking small fish forest (including State forests and National Parks) and insects to eat. has been burnt by bushfires since 2003, much of it Frank Thomson Reserve has been re-opened offering severely. Whilst the majority of the affected forest has views across the fire affected area and to self-regenerated via natural seedfall or vegetatively, city skyline with re-established carpark and a new gas significant areas have required managed intervention barbecue installed. to ensure their regeneration. There has been some limited, guided public access to the After the large and damaging Great Divide Fire in park since the fires. In December, Parks Victoria Rangers 2006/07 a project team was set up to plan and co-ordinate started to take tours of Masons Falls and Mt Sugarloaf regeneration of State forests. A high priority was to and these are continuing on a regular basis so that visitors document all the issues and procedures involved in forest can witness the wonderful regeneration taking place. recovery. In late 2008, an experienced forestry consultant The walks are promoted on the Parks Victoria website was engaged to develop a guidebook on ‘everything you and are advertised in the local paper. ever wanted to know about forest recovery’ in Victoria.

6 Information boards have been erected at the entrances contribute to the draft plan which will be available for to closed visitor sites to provide information about the further community consideration and comment in historical features of the park. They include images mid-2010. depicting the areas prior to the fires and an outline Another way that Parks Victoria is keeping the local of the works underway to restore the sites. community updated with what’s happening in the park, The first stages in the development of a Master Plan for is the Kinglake National Park Community Newsletter. the Kinglake National Park are underway. The Master Plan The first edition was distributed to members of the will guide the reconstruction of the visitor facilities in the Kinglake community before Christmas and the second park to ensure that they are able to serve the community edition is due out in February. The newsletter was initiated well into the future. Parks Victoria is undertaking extensive after the Community Day that was held in October 2009. community consultation with local residents, interest Visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au groups and key government agencies to develop the 15-year framework for the park. This information will

Parks Victoria is running guided tours of the Kinglake National Park to provide the local community and other visitors limited access to the park.

Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Disclaimer Melbourne, March 2010 This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2010 employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. Accessibility Printed by Stream Solutions. Printed on 100% Recycled paper. If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as ISSN 1836-9510 large print or audio, please telephone 136 186, 1800 122 969 (TTY), or email [email protected] This document is also available in PDF format For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186. on the Internet at www.dse.vic.gov.au 7 www.dse.vic.gov.au