The Muckleford Landcare Annual General Meeting was held on 15 October 2013 at the Muckleford Community Centre. Attendees were greatly entertained and engaged by a presentation from our special guest speaker, Bill Garner, who reflected on many aspects of camping in Australia. Bill has recently published a fascinating book titled Under canvas: How camping makes us Australian. This publication explores the impact that living under canvas has had on the Australian identity from the arrival of the first Europeans through to the modern day.
Bill’s presentation sparked numerous questions and lively discussion amongst the audience. After the presentation guests enjoyed some very tasty soup and refreshments, with members then conducting the business of the Annual General Meeting.
Twenty people gathered on a beautiful sunny Sunday in the lovely 1873 Methodist church which now serves as the Muckleford Community Centre. This was a combined event with Newstead Landcare with a focus on roadsides. The project is supported by a Strengthening Our Communities Grant from the Mount Alexander Shire Council.
After cups of tea and networking there were presentations from Kylie Stafford and Ben Goonan. Kylie is the Natural Environment Officer from the Shire of Mount Alexander and she spoke about ways the Shire is going about improving their roadside vegetation management. The Shire has recently adopted a new Roadside Management Plan and Kylie is working hard to get new procedures in place and train works staff in the biodiversity values of roadsides.
Next, ecologist Ben Goonan gave a presentation on his 4 years of work for the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) collecting data on the quality of roadside vegetation and habitat on all the Council managed roads: 90,000 linear kilometres across 14 local government areas! Ben explained the rating system, and demonstrated how we can access this information using iMap on the NCCMA website www.nccma.vic.gov.au/Resources/iMap/index.aspx
Ben emphasized that local people are the key to protecting roadside values. He recommends recording (photographing) sites we value and being vigilant about “keeping an eye” on them.
Ben then joined us on a bus tour to several different sites describing as we travelled how the roadsides would have been rated and why. At each stop we were able to demonstrate works that Muckleford Landcare has undertaken along roadsides, and some of the issues being faced.
Among the examples from the field day of what we can all do to help improve the habitat value of our local roadsides are:
* report any ‘special’ species we think may have been overlooked by the NCCMA survey (email to k.stafford@mountalexander.vic.gov.au and bengoonan@hotmail.com;
* report to council any damage done to vegetation in grading of roads (phone 5471 700 and ask for the compliance officer);
* leave wood on roadsides for habitat, and report to council or DEPI or VicRoads (depending on whose road it is) anyone collecting wood from roadsides that are not in designated firewood collection areas;
* remove weeds from roadsides adjacent to your property * increase the width of habitat corridors that roadside vegetation provides by planting indigenous plants on land adjacent to roadsides, or where some trees remain in the paddock but aren’t getting a chance to recruit then fence off the remnant to exclude grazing
It was a very informative 3 hours and we hope to arrange similar collaborations with Newstead Landcare in the future.
JOIN US FOR A PLEASANT AND INFORMATIVE MORNING NEXT SUNDAY – The hidden treasures of roadsides, how to discover and protect them.
We will be gathering at the Muckleford Community Centre at 10 am for morning tea and two brief introductory talks before embarking on a short tour (bus provided) to several interesting local roadside sites.
This is a valuable opportunity to learn about our precious roadsides, their importance for the future of the local environment and learn to identify some of the plants that find refuge there.
In the last few months Mount Alexander Shire has issued a new Roadside Conservation Management Plan. A representative from Council will explain the aims of the plan and how they plan to implement it. They will also explain the rationale behind the changes to some of the Significant Roadside declarations you may have noticed taking place recently.
Ben Goonan who undertook a major biodiversity survey of roadsides in our region for the NCCMA in 2009-11 will talk about the results of his research and the criteria that he used to define high-value roadsides.
Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives will also join us.
We hope you can join us for this early Spring gathering.
When: Sunday, September 15th, 10am-1pm.
Where: Muckleford Community Centre, Muckleford-Walmer Road (former Methodist Church) between Pyrenees Highway and Castlemaine-Walmer Road.
Ring Paul Hampton at 0408566909 for more information.
Muckleford and Newstead Landcare groups are combining to host a morning tea and field trip on September 15. The focus will be our local roadsides.
Roadside vegetation is an extremely important resource for native biodiversity in our area, with some of the best patches of bush surviving alongside our thoroughfares. This field day will help us discover what makes a bit of roadside great, how to look after it and the very important questions of what can and can’t be done with roadsides and by whom.
We will meet at the Muckleford Community Centre at 10 am for morning tea and two brief introductory talks before embarking on a 2 hour visit (bus provided) to several interesting local roadside sites.
In the last few months Mount Alexander Shire has issued a new Roadside Conservation Management Plan. A representative from Council will explain the aims of the plan and how they plan to implement it. They will also explain the rationale behind the changes to some of the Significant Roadside declarations you may have noticed taking place recently.
Our second speaker is Ben Goonan who undertook a major biodiversity survey of roadsides in our region for the NCCMA in 2009-11. Ben will talk about the results of his research and the criteria that he used to define high-value roadsides.
Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives will also join us. Frances and Ben will help us identify the surprising range and variety of both native and invasive species resident along our roads.
This will be an informative, practical and pleasant 3 hours. It is also another valuable opportunity to meet your neighbours and others interested in landcare.
When: Sunday, September 15th, 10am-1pm.
Where: Muckleford Community Centre, Muckleford-Walmer Road (former Methodist Church between Pyrenees Highway and Castlemaine-Walmer Roads).
Muckleford Catchment Landcare has one application lodged for a project in the Chinaman Creek valley. We should hear if it is successful in August.
In the meantime, we are keen to apply for new project funding, either through the Communities for Nature or Victorian Landcare Grants, which we expect to open sometime later this month.
Your committee is keen to hear from members with ideas.
In the past, projects in this category have been required to address:
· Native vegetation protection, enhancement or establishment (can include threatened species habitat)
· Pest plant and animal management
· Salinity management
· Erosion management
· Community education
Do you have an idea that fits?
We suggest that you consider revegetation and pest control works that help create new links between remnant stands of vegetation either on private land or along roadsides. We have many significant roadsides in the catchment. Can you enhance a roadside adjoining your property? Many of our remaining paddock trees will disappear in the next twenty years. We should be developing projects aimed at ensuring their replacement. Links that connect into waterways are considered highly valuable. Projects that involve a number of properties and neighbours are also highly regarded.
You may have other ideas not covered above. We are happy to help to both advise and build on any thoughts you have. The valleys that make up the Muckleford Catchment are replete with productive and recreational potential. Let’s keep working together to ensure that our legacy to the next generation is sustainable and rich.
Please let us know by May 30 if you have an idea that you would like discuss with us.
The first stage of the Muckleford Landcare Roadside Awareness Project has concluded.
With the help of several members we managed to hand deliver over 200 brochures to land holders throughout the catchment. Now we hope that everyone is both more informed about the valuable road reserves in our area, and also more committed to looking after them.
We would particularly like to thank Beth Mellick (and kids), Kerry and Mark Perry, Bronwyn Silver, Simon Patten and Pam Connell for driving, cycling and walking around their areas and helping the committee get this important information out there.
On April 20 we held an open house at the Muckleford Community Centre and in three hours a good number of residents turned up with information or questions about roadside vegetation. All those who visited us during that time became eligible to win one of three prizes and the winners were drawn today by Max Schlachter our shire Landcare Facilitator at his office in Castlemaine.
The winners are:
Hills Knapsack Sprayer – Ian McQueen
Photograph of Walmer Nature Reserve by Bronwyn Silver – Jane Staley Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark by Chris Tzaros – Murray Wright
The winners should ring Paul Hampton on 0408566909 to arrange delivery of their prize.
We will be organising follow up events in Spring aiming at giving residents more hands-on knowledge about roadside plant identification and control.
This Tuesday 23 April we will host a community meeting at the Muckleford Community Centre to consider whether a sustainable soils program can be established in the catchment. The soils of the Muckleford Valley have been subject to a history of widely varied use and rapid change since European settlement in the 1850s. Now in a period of increasingly variable climate, the sustainability of soil health is becoming an urgent issue.
pasture in the Muckleford Valley
The Mid-Loddon Landcare Network has created a highly successful Sustainable Soil project involving 60 farmers and covering 60,000 hectares of arable land. The project has implemented a wide range of measures to analyse and improve soil health across the region. Could it provide a model for the Muckleford Valley?
Judy Crocker is the Facilitator of the Mid-Loddon Landcare Network.
Judy will speak to the meeting about the changing face of our landcare groups, from being mainly agricultural based in the past to the current mixture of small and large enterprises who all have an interest in the sustainable use of their soils and buffering against climate variability.
The first speaker will be Phil Dyson, from the NCCMA. Phil is manager of the ‘Farming for Sustainable Soils Program’. He will begin the evening with an introduction to the geological history of the Muckleford Valley. The geological story can provide an understanding of the soils and landforms of the area, and allow residents to think about the makeup of their own patch.
Both speakers will encourage questions and further discussion.
This evening will be of great interest to both large and small landowners who use their land for productive purposes. Everyone who lives in the valley will find the information and discussion relevant to their interests.
This project is one of the most important and potentially long-term to have been considered by Muckleford Catchment Landcare. We are hoping for a good turn-out of residents from all backgrounds. The future of this valley as a liveable place is largely dependent on our ability to restore and maintain soil health.
Supper will be provided at the conclusion of the meeting.
When: Tuesday 23 April from 7 – 9.30 pm.
Where: Muckleford Community Centre, Muckleford-Walmer Road (between Pyrenees Highway and Castlemaine-Maldon Roads).
In the next few days we intend to hand deliver a brochure outlining land holder responsibilities for roadside management. We will be asking all Muckleford residents to walk their immediate roadside and report the incidence of weeds and native vegetation.
On Saturday 20 Aprilwe encourage everyone to call in at the Muckleford Community Centre between 11am and 2pm and register their findings. These will recorded on a map and Muckleford Catchment Landcare will use the information to plan and work with landholders to implement better roadside management.
Everyone who drops in will be welcome to have a cuppa and will be eligible to go in a draw to win one of three terrific prizes: a superb, framed photo of the Walmer Nature Reserve by Bronwyn Silver, a Hills 12 litre Knapsack Sprayer from Machinery and Irrigation Supplies of Elizabeth St, Castlemaine or a copy of Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country by Chris Tzaros.
You should receive a copy of our brochure in the next week. If you don’t please contact us at mucklefordlandcare@gmail.com
If you would like to help us by delivering the brochure to your immediate neighbours please also contact us at the above address. Muckleford Landcare covers an extensive area and the task of delivering to all is quite a big task.
This project has been made possible with a grant from the Mount Alexander Council.
Muckleford Landcare has lodged an application for a Community Landcare Grant to fund the first project to emerge from our Chinaman Creek Community Plan. The grants are part of the federal government Caring for Our Country scheme.
The funding would assist nine adjoining landowners in the lower section of the valley to undertake urgent weed control and revegetation work, investigate and plan a soil sustainability strategy and initiate a Waterwatch program. If the application is successful, work will take place in the latter part of this year and in 2014.
This project is the result of several meetings of landholders that grew out of the development of the Chinaman Creek Community Plan. Meetings have also discussed other potential projects in the creek catchment and these will be the subject of further community meetings in the near future.
Muckleford Catchment Landcare would like to thank the residents who contributed to the development of the plan and who attended the meetings.
We will now have wait until August to see if we have been successful.
As the new year gets underway, so does the calendar of local events for those of us interested in caring for the country we share. We are fortunate in Mount Alexander Shire to have a number of organisations that schedule a wide number and range of educational events pertinent to landcare, farming and conservation. You may wish to put some of the following dates in your diary.
Sunday 10 February
Dja Dja Wurrung ‘Welcome to Country’ & Local Reptiles – From the Backyard to the Bush
Sunday 17 February & Sunday 24 February
Forest Soils Workshop: The Science, Management & History of our Local Soils.
Friday 1 March
Nature Discovery Afternoon for Kids
Wednesday 13 March
Environmental Weeds: Threatening Biodiversity from Maldon to Marrakesh
Wednesday 10 April
Designing a Wildlife Corridor: What Works & Why?
Sunday 28 April
Connecting Country Bus Tour: What Does Successful Landscape Restoration Look Like?
These events often book out quickly so we advise you to book early.
Full details of the program and booking instructions can be viewed at:
Bill’s presentation sparked numerous questions and lively discussion amongst the audience. After the presentation guests enjoyed some very tasty soup and refreshments, with members then conducting the business of the Annual General Meeting.
Muckleford Landcare 