Echuca Landcare Group
Home
Page: news and coming events
Our
Group usually meets on the second Thursday evening of each month
other than January. Our Annual General Meeting is usually held
on the second Thursday of August.
Our
work involves projects and activities such as:
• planting indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses ;
• recording Platypus sightings along the lower Campaspe River;
• removing rubbish and removing weeds from river banks and
other areas, and
• educating ourselves and our community about environmental
management issues in our local area.
Much
of our revegetation work, rubbish removal and weed removal work
is along the lower stretches of the Campaspe River, just upstream
of its confluence with the Murray River, and in local bushland.
In
June 2008, Echuca Landcare members had a working bee to eradicate
Elm saplings and other woody weeds from alongside the Campaspe
River in Echuca. Over the past few years, group members have been
planting indigenous vegetation and removing introduced shrubs
and trees from alongside the Campaspe River in Echuca.
On
20th September 2007, Echuca Landcare members and Department of
Agriculture officers were present to speak to Echuca East primary
school students about our frog and platypus projects when the
students released Leaf Hoppers to help control a South African
plant, Bridal Creeper. As the photo below illustrates, the creeper
is smothering vegetation along the Lower Campaspe River.
Bridal
Creeper is smothering indigenous plants in the area where the
students released the leaf Hoppers which they had bred. Other
weeds in the area include Canary Island Palm, Olive trees, Silky
Oak, English Elm, Wild Oats and Locquat trees. In March 2008 there
was a susequent release of biological control agents at this site:
the area involved is along a proposed route of a new arterial
road. The Leaf Hoppers and a rust are being released at a number
of sites throughout Victoria to help control Bridal Creeper.
ComiNg
EvenTs
Second
Thursday of each month
Echuca
Landcare Group Meeting
7.30pm. Please check time and venue with President Jenny or Secretary
Carol (phone 03 5482 1560) or enquire at Echuca's Tangled Garden
Bookshop. Prospective new members are welcome to attend work bees,
monthly meetings and other activities.
See
Newsletter 14 (June 2008) for more details about coming events.
NewS
Environmental
water released
During May 2008, environmental water was
released into a number of wetlands which are regarded as drought
refuges for water birds. Amongst the wetlands to benefit were
Reedy Swamp in Shepparton, Kinnairds Wetland in Numurkah, about
10% of the flood-dependant area of Gunbower Island (including
Black Swamp), (another) Black Swamp near Wunghu, Moodies Swamp
south of Katamatite, Doctors Swamp west of Murchison and One Tree
Swamp & Two Tree Swamp south-west of Stanhope. June 2008
Wildlife
corridor from near Bendigo to Echuca
A wildlife corridor is being planned to link
forests near Bendigo to the Murray River. The establishment of
a wildlife corridor will facilitate the movement of birds, mammals,
reptiles and other animals. A reference group is being formed
to comment and advise on the development. Parks Victoria and DSE
have expressed their support of the proposal. June 2008
Weed
booklet
Goulburn Broken CMA has released a third
edition of its field guide to terrestrial and aqautic weeds of
the Goulburn-Broken catchment area. You can request a copy of
the Goulburn Broken CMA office (03) 5820 1100 or from DPI offices
in the catchment area. There is a weeds page
on this site: click here to enter. June 2008
Change
in legal entity
Since its inception some years ago, Echuca
Landcare Group was 'a committee of Campaspe Shire'. This is no
longer the case. The group is now an affiliate of the Victorian
Farmers Federation Farm, Tree and Landcare Association. This change
is expected to give the group greater financial autonomy. April
2008.
Representation
Some Echuca Landcare Group members are members
of various advisory committees ~ Kanyapella Cooperative Wildlife
Management Reserve committee, Echuca-Moama Bridge advisory committee,
Barmah-Millewa CRG and Friends of Terrick Terrick National Park.
April 2008.
Kanyapella
In moves to overcome inappropriate grazing,
boundary fences around Kanyapella CWM Reserve have been either
repaired or replaced. Surrounding land-holders have been cooperative
and some helped carry out fencing work. Tracks have been cleared
of fallen timber and new signage has been erected, e.g. advising
that trail bikes must be registered and driven only on tracks.
A brochure about the reserve is being prepared by DPI Tatura.
In accordance with the new management plan, engineering works
are expected to get under way subject to the results of a heritage
study. Another fox drive has been planned. A committee of stakeholders
meets several times each year to advise on management issues and
there some Landcare members on the advisory committee.
Bush
Stone Curlew: a few pair survive in Kanyapella Basin (K Stockwell)
Using
1080
Land-holders of Campaspe Shire who wish to
use 1080 have an opportuntiy to attend certification sessions.
Click here to download information (MS Word
file)
Greenhouse
$$ for Terricks?
Greenhouse gas offset monies may be be made
available for revegetation of degraded parts of Terrick Terrick
National Park.
Around $250,000 has been offered. Wildlife vegetation corridors
are also underway. The wildlife corridors will link Bullock Creek
and Bendigo Creek to the parksforested areas. Furthermore, much
of length of Bendigo and Pyramid Creeks between Terricks and the
Murray are being fenced and, in places, revegetated. VEAC's preliminary
recommendations allow for the creation of a number of Nature Conservation
Reserves along Pyramid Creek, including 'Flannerys' and 'Rowlands'.
Click here to download a copy of the
latest PlainsTalk newsletter which contains information about
these projects. (large pdf). DSE is currently negotiating
to puchase two more indigenous grassland paddocks in the Terricks
area and, along with grasslands purchased by DSE over recent years,
these are expected to be declared parts of the national park.
April 2008.
VNPA
camp at Barmah
For several days in late March 2008, many
VNPA members camped in the Barmah-Millewa Forest and attended
a number of tours and information sessions about the area. March
2008.
Community
tree planting day
Members of the public assisted Echuca Landcare
Group members
to plant 1,000 plants around the new Echuca Livestock Exchange
on Sunday 18th November 2007. A late morning tea was served once
the job was completed! The Shire of Campaspe provided wheelie
bins full of water at the site to water in the plants as they
were planted, and will continue to water the plants over the summer
months.
Whroo
Land Management Network formed
Landholders in the Bailieston-Whroo-Rushworth
area are being encouraged to join a land management network. It
is envisaged that the group will work together
to help control feral pests and weeds.
Several properties at Bailieston are protected by Trust for Nature
Covenants. It is the highest concentration of covenented properties
in the catchment. Over 1,000 hectares is protected in this way.
Several of the covenanted properties adjoin or are close to State
Forest or National Park.
Landholders
do not need to own covenented properties to participate.
A land
management network has also been formed along Boosey Creek.
Closer
to Echuca, landholders along the Lower Campaspe River are invited
to participate in a 'demonstration reach' project. The aim is
to restore habitat along a reach of the lower Campaspe River so
that conditions are optimised for fish and other wildlife.
* See article below about a recent Demonstration Reach field day.
October 2007
New
parks proposed for northern Victoria
Barmah Forest, Kanyapella
Forest and forests along the lower Goulburn River are likely to
become national parks. A draft proposals paper by the Victoria¹s
Environment Assessment Council has recommended new and expanded
national parks for northern Victoria. The area available for timber
harvesting is to be reduced and commercial grazing will not be
permitted in reserves.
The
report stresses the need for good management and adequate funding,
'with preference being given to fire prevention, pest plant and
animal control, track maintenance, on-ground staff presence and
the provision and servicing of recreational and tourist facilities'.
But
the report warns that, even with the additional protection afforded
by reserve status, our riverine forests and wetlands may not survive
unless the Œunder flooding¹ is addressed. More substantial environmental
water releases are needed.
Nine
National Parks are proposed:
€ Murray
Sunset ~ the existing national park should be expanded
in area by about 9% to about 700,000 hectares.
€ Hattah-Kulkyne
~ the existing national park should be expanded by about 5 hectares
and needs more environmental water. About 50,000ha.
€ Leaghur-Koorangie
~ incorporating the existing Leaghur State Park, Wandella Flora
and fauna reserve, Mystic Park bushland and a number of other
areas of public land. 7,790 hectares.
€ Gunbower
~ the Torrumbarry end and some other sections of Gunbower Island.
The proposed park excludes most of the forest near Koondrook where
forestry activities will be allowed to continue. 9,574 hectares.
€ Terrick
Terrick ~ the report recommends that some indigenous
grasslands on the Patho Plain, including Tomai Gilgaes, Pine Grove
and Wanurp NCRs, be added to the existing park to protect endangered
grasses and the Plains-wanderer, increasing the area of national
park to 3,882 hectares.
€ Lower
Goulburn River ~ including Wyuna River Reserve, Kanyapella
Forest, Yambuna Bridge Bushland Reserve, Loch Garry, Gemmill Swamp,
Reedy Swamp and ther Goulburn River littoral. The report stresses
the need for Kanyapella Forest to receive environmental flooding
f rom time to time and for it to come under the managmenet of
Parks Victoria. Yorta Yorta Nations should have a role in the
managment of this park. 14,718 hectares.
€ Barmah
~ the existing State park plus most of the Barmah State Forest.
The report stresses the need for the forest to receive more environmental
fwater and for Yorta Yorta Nations to have a role in the managment
of this park. 29,942hectares.
€ Warby
Ranges-Ovens River ~ the existing State Park plus 4,223
hectares along the lower Ovens River.
€ Mt. Buffalo
~ 4 hectares to be added to the existing national park.
It is
proposed that no cattle grazing, logging, wood fires or dogs should
be permitted in these national parks. Riverside camping, driving
on formed roads and bird observation will be permitted. Grazing
and tree thinning may be undertaken for environmental reasons.
Seven
regional parks are proposed:
€ Kerang
Regional Park ~ part of the Kerang wetlands Ramsar
site. 1,138 hectares.
€ Shepparton
Regional Park ~ the riverine forest between Shepparton
and Mooroopna. 603 hectares.
€ Murray
River Park ~ a long treescape corridor along the Murray,
including Victoria Park bushland Echuca and the existing Echuca
Regional Park. 32,028 hectares
€ Kings
Billabong Park ~ near Mildura, including Karadoc State
Forest.. 3,535 hectares
€ Murray
Kulkuyne Park ~ alongside Hattah-Kulkuyne National
Park. 3,999 hectares.
€ Gadsen
Bend Park ~ near Robinvale. 1,618 hectares.
€ Nyah-Vinifera
Park ~ including the exisiting Nyah State Forest. 1,391
hectares. It is recommended that camping, dogs, fishing and winter
fires be allowed in these parks. Cattle grazing and logging will
not be permitted. Driving is to be restricted to formed roads.
A number
of Nature Conservation Reserves are proposed, including
Lake Yando, Johnson Swamp, Tang Tang Swamp, Thunder Swamp, Wallenjoe
Swamp and Pipit Grasslands (Roslymead).
It is
recommended that the Port of Echuca and Banyula Forest be designated
as Echuca Historic and Cultural Features Reserve.
75%
of the area of Gunbower State Forest that was available for lumbering
will still be available. Benwell and Guttram State Forests remain
unchanged.
It is
recommended that the area of State Forest in the study area be
reduced from 106,910 to 12,205 hectares. In effect, the area available
for timber harvesting may fall from 25,165 to 10,105 hectares.
In Victoria, sustainable harvest is expected to fall to 62% of
current harvest.
The
draft proposals apply only to the Victorian side of the State
border.
Copies
of the report are available from DPI and DSE offices in Echuca,
Tatura, Nathalia, Bendigo, Kerang, Melbourne and elsewhere or
online at www.veac.vic.gov.au
The submission period
has now closed.
Source:
VEAC draft proposals paper, July 2007.
Landcare
in Loddon Shire
In
September 2007, some Shire of Campaspe Landcare supporters went
on a bus tour of Loddon Shire, northern Victoria.
First
stop was at the Kamarooka Project, 35km north of Bendigo
(Vic) where a small number of families run large cropping and
sheep farms in an area suffering from salinity. 40 acres of badly
salt-affected land which carried just 10 sheep per acre was planted
out to farm trees and indigenous plants, mainly wattles and salt
bush, by local farmers (Northern United Forestry Group). Carrying
capacity has increased tenfold to 100 sheep and the number is
expected to double again this year. Various agencies have worked
with the farmer group to produce a CD on the Kamarooka Project
(each of those who attended the bus tour received a copy).
Second
stop was at a nearby property where the farmers make their own
liquid fertiliser; superphosphate is not used. Over 10 years,
they have also planted several kilometres of indigenous plants
in wide strips on the property. Again, much use has been made
of wattles. There were many old Box trees, with hollows for wildlife,
along adjoining roads.
Participants
then stopped off alongside East Loddon P-12 school where
the students and locals are involved in the restoration of a very
degraded area of public and private land between the school and
Bendigo Creek. The idea is to involve students from planning to
implementation in a restoration project which may take generations
to complete. it is hoped that the students, almost all of whom
come from surrounding farms, will implement projects on their
own properties if and when they get a farm of their own.
We stopped
at the Loddon River. Much of it has already been fenced.
We observed how wattles, casuarinas and other shrubs are being
planted amongst the remaining Box and Red Gum trees. The old trees
had lots of hollows. A noisy mob of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos
screamed their concern at our presence. The owner of the strip
we visited has also been revegetating another property near Bears
Lagoon.
As we
drove along, we observed a belt of trees and shrubs about 50 metres
wide which has been planted by Salisbury West Landcare Group ~
and more plantings are under way ~ to link Kooyoora National Park
and Inglewood to the Loddon.
The
next stop was observe the restoration of Powlett Swamp
(which has been dry for many years) between Kooyoora National
Park (Melville's Caves) and the Loddon River. The swamp we stopped
at has been fenced and some indigenous species planted to supplement
the existing vegetation by local land-holders, two of whom were
present to talk about the project. Since cattle have been excluded,
some rare and endangered plants have been found in Powlett Swamp.
After
a stop at Wedderburn, the bus then took participants toMt Buckrabanyule
which is smothered in Wheel Cactus. The cactus has rampaged out
of control since the demise of rabbits. Locals spend several hours
each week injecting the cacti with Glyphosate. Much cactus-infested
land on nearby Mt Egbert and Mt Kerang has been reclaimed; indigenous
vegetation and bird life are recovering.
Wheel
Cactus ~ it has run rampant in places (K Stockwell)
Our
guide pointed out the wildlife corridors being created by Timbercorp
around their olive plantations at Boort.
He also
showed us revegetation works between Little Lake Boort and Big
Lake Boort, now home to crakes and quail.
We then
drove through Fernihurst to a property at Bears Lagoon (locality).
The farming couple have spent thousands of inherited dollars converting
flat farmland into a large billabong and ponds suitable for specific
indigenous birds. Old trees have been brought in and placed upright
and thousands of indigenous shrubs (including Eremophilas and
Acacias and trees planted to created a completely natural appearance.
Brown Tree-creepers have appeared, climbing up the old dead trees.
Reed Warblers sing in the rushes. A Singing Honeyeater (not at
all commonplace on these plains) was filmed in a Box tree. Welcome
Swallows have taken up residence, gliding over the water. Farm
owner Bill reckons the birds are thrilled with his creation and
birds he has never sighted in the area before have moved in. Bill
has also planted tens of thousands of indigenous shrubs and trees
on the remainder of his large property, plus alongside many kilometres
of public roads.
The
bus tour was filmed so that the CMA can distribute a video.
Most
wattles were in full flower throughout the region.
It was
inspiring to learn of so many projects involving revegetation.There
are many other similar projects in the Shire of Campaspe and in
Murray Shire. A lot of great work is being done by farmers despite
the terrible and prolonged drought afflicting the area. The tour
illustrated how a few individuals can have a dramatic impact on
landscapeand inspire others to follow their lead. Everyone on
the bus seemed inspired to do more Landcare work. ~ Keith Stockwell,
September 2007.
Campaspe
River Demonstration Reach Information Day
On Sunday 9th September 2007, a field day was held beside the
Campaspe River at Strathallan, along a demonstration reach of
river. There are a handful of demonstration reaches along some
streams in the Murray-Darling Basin. The aim is to imp[rove the
ecological health of these stretches as a demonstration of what
can be achieved. The day was aimed at adjoining land managers.
The
reach of the Campaspe River between the Waranga Channel siphon
and the confluence of the Campaspe and Murray was chosen to help
demonstrate how native fish populations and their habitat can
be improved.
Electro-fishing
was demonstrated so that participants could observe some of the
fish in the reach and so they could help understand what these
fish need to survive and how snags are important.
It was
pointed out that macro-invertebrates (or bugs) can indicate the
health of a waterway?
Incentives
available to rural landholders along the river were outlined.
The
way environmental flows are delivered to the Campaspe River was
another topic covered.
Echuca
Landcare Group provided morning tea and lunch.
New
pages on line
We are working on a number of new pages for this site. One is
on our local animals. Another new page
is on local weeds. Both pages are on
line and more photos may be added to the pages over the next year
or so.
Group
meets by Campaspe
The March 2007 meeting of Echuca Landcare Group was held on private
property alongside the Campaspe river south of Echuca. Leigh Mitchell
of the North Central CMA demonstrated how to carry out procedures
to test the quality of river water. After collecting a sample
of river water, the follow tests were carried out:
Orthophosphorous
Test. Chemicals were added to a sample of river water and
a colour chart was used to determine the amount of free phosphorous
in the water. Ideally, the figure is less than .05 and we measured
.02. Very good.
pH
Test. was used to determine the acidity of the water. Ideally,
pH should be between 6.5 and 8.5. We recorded 7.5. Very good.
Turbidity
Test. A sample of river water was poured into a long test
tube until markings on the bottom of the tube became unclear.
We recorded 28 on a logarithmic scale. Good.
Salinity
Test. An electronic device was used to measure salinity.
The reading was 158.1 ppm. Very good.
Members
then went for a walk along the river. The water level was very
low and there was little flow. We noted lots of snags and woody
debris. Very good. Along the riverwe observed lots of very old
Red Gums with lots of nesting hollows, Willow Wattle (Acacia
salicina), native grasses, River Callistemon and reeds (Phragmites).
Excellent. There were a few introduced Peppercorns (Schinus
molle). The river has been fenced to prevent cattle accessing
the water and damaging the banks and riverside vegetation.
Members
then enjoyed a picnic dinner.
Unfortunately,
no Bush Stone Curlew calls were heard. We observed Noisy Miner,
Galah, Fairy Martin nests, Superb Fairy Wren nests, White-plumed
honeyueater, Willie Wagtail, Southern Boobook, Azure Kingfisher,
House Sparrow, Eastern Rosella and Red-rumped Parrot.
Clean
Up Australia Day
Early in March each year , Echuca Landcare Group members participate
in Clean Up Australia Day. Our efforts have been concentrated
on cleaning alongside Warren Street, the lower Campaspe River,
Victoria Park and Banyula Reserve.
Help
find a Growling Grass Frog
North Central Waterwatch has developed a frog education and monitoring
program to increase public awareness of frogs, their biology,
conservation status, and threats, while increasing knowledge of
species distribution in our region.
Echuca
landcare Group is keen to be involved and recently convened an
information session so that community members can be in frog identification
and distribution mapping activities. Identification simply involves
recording frog sounds and forwarding the tapes to experts for
identification of the frogs.
You
can identify the species present at a site through their characteristic
calls (it's a little harder to survey for numbers, as only males
call and it's pretty hard to distinguish between individual calls
in many cases). Through our frog monitoring program, community
members can learn to identify all species of frog present in the
region through call recognition.
Most
of the species in the North Central region of Victoria have calls
that are quite different, making them pretty easy to identify;
however, a few are pretty similar. To ensure that species are
properly identified, monitors record calls on digital voice recorders
(supplied by NC Waterwatch) which are then verified by Waterwatch
staff. Data collected stored on a database and will be forwarded
to DSE to be included in the Victorian Wildlife Atlas.
Community
members can conduct surveys at any time of the year, but guidance
is given as to 'where and when' is the most appropriate. January
is the time you are most likely to hear the Growling Grass Frog
calling.
The
Growling Grass Frog is a threatened species and has very few know
populations in the North Central region. This makes it even more
important that we get out there and try to find remnant populations!
North
Central Waterwatch will be conducting surveys for the GGF with
community members over the next month in an effort to locate populations
and raise awareness of this amazing, but highly threatened species.
If any staff (or friends and family) are interested in participating
in these surveys or think they may have heard a Growling Grass
Frog (they really growl, so you would know if you had heard one),
please let one of the Waterwatch team know and well sort you out
with a voice recorder and some instructions on how best to find
the frogs.
All
of you who are interested in frogs might want to have a look at
the frog identification materials NC Waterwatch has developed.
Click
here to find how to obtain a copy or visit http://www.vic.waterwatch.org.au/inform.
Tree
planting 21st May 2006
In May 2006 around 20 members and supporters planted indigenous
shrubs alongside the walkway which parallels the Campaspe River.
Those
who assisted ranged in age from 3 to 84. A barbeque followed.
Photo: Jenny Williams.
Launch
of Campaspe River Platypus Watch Programme
Echuca Landcare Group's Platypus Watch programme was officially
launched on Thursday 8th June 2006 at 7pm in the Function Room,
Campaspe Shire Offices, Heygarth Street Echuca. Guest speaker
was Director of the Australian Platypus Conservancy, Mr Geoff
Williams. Over 60 attended the evening, including a troupe of
scouts.
Backyard
Blitz
Backyard Blitz visited Echuca late in January 2006, landscaping
a court and a backyard. The programme was screened on Friday 17th
February 2006. Echuca Landcare members helped give away 1,000
indigenous plants plus literature about Landcare. The plants chosen
for the nature strip of the street were 'Eucalpytus summer red'
and 'Dianella tasred'. Dodonaea viscosa purpurea was used
as a screen plant in the backyard which received a make-over.
Plants given away to residents by the Blitz Team included Eremophila
Gubbara bells. Echuca Landcare members gave away several species,
including Gold Dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea), Hop Bush
(Dodonaea viscosa), Senna artemissioides and Old
Man Saltbush.
June Newsletter. Newsletter 14 (Winter 2008) is now on line. Click here to download a copy (pdf)