Wriva-Riverkeeper-News-No31-Oct-2016
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P.1 ® WERRIBEE RIVERKEEPER Newsletter No.31 Oct 2016 WRivA - Working for the Werribee River since 1981 www.werribeeriver.org.au @werribeerivkeep Riverkeeper® is a registered trademark and service mark of Waterkeeper Alliance, Inc. and is licensed for use herein Victoria is Embarrassed Dr. Ross Headifen from Beach Patrol Australia then reported on his research on a section of beach at Port Melbourne. By A Billion Times collecting and counting every piece of plastic over a 35 metre strip of beach every day for six months, he has found: Inspirational guest speaker Jeff Angel the items fit in 14 categories of Boomerang Alliance gave an update hundreds of items appear daily on the recent moves across Australia the quantity of items is affected by wind. Calculating the averages attained, and multiplying that by the to container deposit schemes (CDS) length of coastline around the bay, Ross concludes that a and other anti-plastic campaigns at the Beach billion pieces of plastic are washed onto Port Phillip Bay Patrol Australia Annual General Meeting on beaches every year. Thursday 13 Oct 2016, at the Eco Centre, 55A Photo below: Ross Headifen speaking about his research Blessington St., in St Kilda. Photo below: Jeff Angel speaking to the AGM audience President of Beach Patrol Australia Terry Lobert provided a Jeff outlined the situation in Australia with regard to the states review of Beach Patrol’s activities for the year. Three new which have a CDS. Victoria and Tasmania are the only states groups have been formed, including Altona. That now takes which do not have a CDS in action or planned. the total around Port Philip Bay to 21. Discussions are taking Pressure to change that situation is coming from: place in other locations, adding weight to the argument that the recent Australian Senate report which says that the community has a widespread level of concern with the something must be done with the appalling amount of problem of litter and plastic in the Bay. plastic entering our waterways & oceans Photo below: Some Beach Patrol groups present at the AGM data gathered and used in support of past statements has been proven to be faulty - public spaces aren't the only places where litter is accumulating and country Victoria is not counted... over 80% of the community want a CDS most retailers have accepted the likelihood of a CDS the Victorian Government’s usual statement about being the cleanest state is plainly incorrect Victoria has been outpaced and is in an embarrassing situation. Boomerang Alliance sees this as ideal opportunity to launch a planned program in Melbourne later this year, including the push for a CDS. The Alliance wants to use new tools in the campaign, and asks: If nurdles (resin pellets) are illegal pollution in Jeff Angel called for an increase in our numbers of media Queensland, NSW & Victoria, then why is there no stories, and Ross Headifen supported that, asking Beach Patrol enforcement? groups to speak with a common data based voice until If polystyrene packaging is known as being highly toxic and politicians take responsibility for the community’s concerns yet it floats on our streams, blows down our streets about the state of Port Phillip Bay. and is ever present, where are our responsible authorities? WRivA AGM Thur 20 October 7.30pm 28 Ridge Dr Wyndhamvale. Agenda: Major announcement, participation & elections P.2 Frog Census App Ringtail Rescue in Point Cook Recently we trialed Melbourne Water’s new app for its Frog A recent encounter with a baby possum in Jamieson Way Point Census. Melbourne Water hopes that people will make the Cook Victoria, gave a mother a very pleasant surprise, while app part of their life on the phone, and encourage more walking with her children to the local school on Tue 4 Oct 2016, people to record calls and locations of Melbourne’s frog “My husband said there’d be very few native animals around populations. The Frog Census is a community led citizen here because it’s a rapidly developing housing area.” science research project that tracks the location of local frog Debra Langton explained that she was walking with her three populations. The app has been in the planning for some time, children to their local school in Jamieson Way, when a baby and was developed as a result of feedback from Frog Census possum appeared at their feet, and immediately tried to climb volunteers earlier this year. up their legs. After some cries of delight from the children, Naomi Dart of the Frog Census told us: Debra picked it up and wrapped it in her own scarf which she “The app is easy to record and submit frog calls. Date, time was using to ward off the cool wind, as she knew the baby and location are recorded with each submission, simplifying possum needed to be warm. Debra said that she identified it the process! The app contains a field guide, with more as a ringtail possum by its thin tail that ended with a white tip. information on local frogs, where you might expect to see them, photos and calls.” Once at school Debra sought advice as to where she might On Sat 24 Sept, while planning our Werribee River Park find help for the little possum. Following WRivA’s advice, the springtime bird survey, we came upon a rare site, a water filled school office suggested Wildlife Victoria, and so Debra hole in a normally dry billabong in Werribee River Park, just by googled it, and had an easy experience getting help. the golf course. Watched by nesting Galahs above we opened Debra said, the easy to use app and compared sounds from the water “When I gave Wildlife Victoria a call they looked up which against those on the app. Results perfect! Pobblebonks and vets in our area take in wildlife free of charge, and they Common Froglets! recommended Greencross Photo below: Werribee River Park billabong where we used the Vets in Point Cook, who app to confirm the ID of Pobblebonk and Common Froglets. were lovely.” The vet clinic held on to the possum until Wildlife Victoria arrived to look after the animal. All going well, Wildlife Victoria will contact Debra in time to come to arrange a release back into the possum’s home territory. Wildlife Victoria phone number is 1300094535. Wildlife Victoria currently have some good information on windy weather and young animals on their website at: https://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/ In other local sightings, Melbourne Water’s Richard Akers says, Our research revealed that a female possum is called a “Jill,” a “We’ve had a few reports of growling grass frogs along the male called a “Jack,” while young ones are called “Joeys”. Werribee around Presidents Park, I think they’ve been taking Australian possums are clean animals and do not carry advantage of the pools that fill up along that stretch. They’ve diseases. Should you see a dead possum, please check to see also been recorded down at Grahams Wetland Reserve in if it is a female and if it has any young in its pouch. The ringtail Werribee South, it’s a good season for growlers so far.” possum usually has twin joeys while the brushtail possum generally only gives birth to single young. Brushtail possums, Photo below: as their name suggests, have a thick, bushy tail that is black in Growling Grass Frog Paradise Rd Western Treatment Plant colour. We’ll never know if this ringtail has a twin, but at least Debra and her children may have saved this one! Photo below: The ringtail possum in Debra’s scarf. Photo supplied courtesy of Debra’s neighbour Jo Abdou. Download the app from melbournewater.com.au/frogcensus You’ll have the satisfaction that the data is automatically submitted to Melbourne Water and to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas and Atlas of Living Australia, and is used to inform decisions, including threatened species nominations. P.3 Healthy Waterways Strategy Healthier Waterways Wyndham Melbourne Water’s A community consultation session for the City of Wyndham’s vision is to develop a Healthier Waterways Wyndham Wetlands and GPT Review shared Healthy Project was held on Thur 1 Sep 2016. The purpose of this Waterways Strategy. project was to undertake an audit of Wyndham City Council One that meaningfully Wetlands and Gross Pollutant Traps (GPTs), in order to inform future maintenance programs and budgets with prioritised engages people and is sets of rectification works and costs. Wyndham has at least 37 embraced by all. wetlands and 87 GPTs. On Fri 2 Sep 2016, WRivA Cr Peter Gibbons said the project would help to ensure the was invited to a launch of future of Wyndham’s waterways: a refreshed collaborative “This project will help to improve the water quality of these co-design of the ecosystems and ensure that they continue to be healthy parts Melbourne Water 2013- of the Wyndham environment for years to come.” 2018 Healthy Waterways Strategy, at the Donkey Consultants from Alluvium will supply an audit template and Wheelhouse 673 Bourke guidelines for use to Wyndham City Council as part of capacity Street in Melbourne. building, enabling staff to identify performance issues and develop maintenance and rectification requirements in the At the workshop participants: future. • Reflected on the current Healthy Waterways Strategy (Melbourne Water, 2013-2018) WRivA attended an onsite inspection of one of the many GPT • Thought about possible outcomes of the regional sites, the poorly operating Bulban Rd drain. The drain is named waterways strategy for the area it services, and is situated in the south west corner • Considered ways to ensure the strategy is owned by all of Bungey’s Hole.